Faculty of Arts & Science 2015-2016 Calendar

Religion

• Religion Specialist | Religion Major | Religion Minor
• Religion: Christian Origins Specialist
• Buddhist Studies Specialist | Buddhist Studies Major
• Islamic Studies Major
• Religion Courses

Faculty

As an intellectual inquiry into an important dimension of human experience, the study of religion enables students to grasp an essential aspect of the cultures of the world and the interactions among them. We look at the development of religious beliefs, practices, and doctrines as they intersect with the history of peoples and cultures right up to the contemporary world. The study of religion also prepares students for a wide range of careers, such as social work, law, politics from the local to the international level, teaching, medicine, or leadership in religious organizations. Combined with appropriate language preparation, it can also open out into graduate work leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. in the growing number of universities offering advanced graduate degrees in the field, and in our University's own Graduate programs.

Historically, the academic study of religion has taken a variety of forms, each with its own rationale. The Department identifies itself with a model in which the major religious traditions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism) are studied within a comparative frame. We employ and encourage a variety of approaches (e.g., historical, textual, social scientific) without sacrificing specialized skills and training. The diversity which characterizes this model is reflected in the variety of courses offered or cross-listed by the Department, and by the wide range of training and expertise of our faculty.

Programs are described in detail in the Departmental Handbook; it also includes a limited number of cross-listed courses offered by Colleges or departments such as East Asian Studies, History, Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Philosophy, and Sociology. Students aiming to complete any RLG program should consult the Undergraduate Administrator at least once a year for assistance in selecting courses that address the student's interests and fulfill the programs requirements.

Undergraduate Adminstrative Assistant: Jackman Humanities Building, Room 310 (416-978-2395)

Enquiries: Jackman Humanities Building (416-978-2395)

Religion Programs

Enrolment in Religion programs requires completion of four courses.

(10 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. No later than the third year of study: RLG200H1. RLG200H1 is a prerequisite for all 400-level courses.
3. One course from RLG 202Y1/203Y1/204Y1/205Y1/RLG206Y1/ RLG241Y1;                                  4. 4. 0.5 course from RLG209H1/210Y1/211H11/212H1/RLG213H
5. Four RLG half-courses at the 300+ level in the tradition area chosen for RLG 202Y-206Y/241Y. (If more than one course from RLG202Y1 - RLG206Y1/RLG241Y1 is taken (e.g., in partial fulfillment of req. 6, below) consult the associate chair on which courses from more than one tradition can fulfill this requirement. Certain combinations, such as RLG203Y1 and RLG241Y1are cognate to one another.) At least one of these half-courses must be at the 400 level.
5. Four other RLG half-courses at the 300+ level.
6. Five other RLG half-courses at any level.
7. RLG404H1/RLG405H1 or RLG406H1, a capstone integrative course (note: this does not fulfil the requirement of the 400-level courses in #4, above.)

Four half-course cross-listed courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of the degree (consult the Religion website for a list of eligible courses).

It is highly recommended that Religion Specialists who are interested in pursuing graduate training also complete two full years of a relevant foreign language. This should be discussed early in a student's program with the Associate Chair or other Religion professors.

(6.5 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. RLG 200H1, which is a prerequisite for all 400-level courses and must be taken no later than the third year of study.
3. One course from RLG202Y1/203Y1/204Y1/205Y1/206Y1/RLG241Y1.
4. Four RLG half-courses at the 300+ level, one of which must be in the same tradition as was chosen from #3 above.
5. Three half-courses chosen from other RLG courses.
6. RLG404H1/RLG405H1/RLG406H1, a capstone, integrative course.

Two half-course cross-listed courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of the degree (consult the Religion website for a list of eligible courses).

(Four full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1.
2. Two half-courses from the RLG 300+ series (or a single full course).
3. Four other RLG half-courses. (a combination of full and half courses may be used)
4. No cross-listed courses may be counted. NMC283Y, SOC250Y and JPR courses will be counted as Religion courses.

(11 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. RLG241Y1.
3. RLG203Y1.
4. No later than the third year of study: RLG200H1. RLG200H1 is a prerequisite for all 400 level courses.
5. Four half-courses in Greek, normally fulfilled by GRK101H1, GRK102H1 + GRK200H1, and GRK201H1 and GRK202H1. (Note: Upon approval of the program coordinator, students may be permitted to substitute for these courses two full courses in another ancient language, e.g., Coptic, Syriac, Aramaic.)
6. Five 300+ half-courses (at least one half-course must be from the 400-level) chosen from RLG319H1, RLG320H1, RLG321H1, RLG322H1, RLG323H1, RLG324H1, RLG325H1, RLG326H1, RLG327H1, RLG448H1, RLG449H1, RLG451H1, RLG452H1, RLG453H1, RLG454H1, RLG455H1, RLG458H1.
7. Three half-courses or the equivalent chosen from CLA204H1, CLA230H1, CLA231H1, CLA232H1, CLA233H1, CLA305H1, CLA308H1, CLA310H1, CLA364H1,  CLA368H1, CLA369H1, CLA371H, CLA378H1, NMC250H1 (formerly NMC329H1), NMC252H1, NMC257H, NMC270Y1, NMC281H1 (formerly NMC252H1), NMC324H1, NMC338H1, NMC360H1, NMC361H1, NML352H1, NML353H1, NML356Y1, NML357H1, NML358H1, NML359H1, NML451H1, NML452H1, NML454H1, FAH300H1, FAH309H1, FAH312H1, FAH313H1, FAH316H1, FAH318H1, FAH319H1, FAH418H1, FAH424H1.
8. One full course (or two half-courses) in another religious tradition, preferably an Asian tradition such as Hinduism or Buddhism.
9. RLG404H1 or RLG405H1, or RLG406H1, a capstone integrative course. (Note: this does not fulfil the requirement of the 400-level FCE in #6 above.)

(10 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. No later than the third year of study:  RLG200H1. RLG200H1 is a prerequisite for all 400 level courses.
3. RLG206Y1
4.  Two consecutive (FCE) language courses in one of: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Sanskrit or Tibetan.
5. One half-course drawn from RLG 209-213.
6.  A total of nine half-courses (or equivalent) chosen from the list below. At least six half-courses (or equivalent) must be RLG courses (EAS324H1, EAS325H1, and EAS361Y1 are counted as RLG courses here). At least six half-courses (or equivalent) must be taken at the 300-level or higher, including at least one half-courses (or equivalent) at the 400 level.
Second year courses: RLG205Y1, RLG207Y1, RLG236H1, RLG245Y1, RLG246H1, RLGB03H3F, RLGB07H3F, FAH260H1, EAS209Y1, EAS215H1, HIS280Y1, HIS281Y1, HIS282Y1, HIS283H1, NEW214Y1, NEW232Y1, PHL237H1.
Third year courses: RLG316H1, RLG356H1, RLG361H1, RLG363H1, RLG366H1, RLG367H1, RLG368H1, RLG371H1, RLG372H1, RLG373H1, RLG375H1, RLG371H5, RLG373H5, RLG374H5, RLGC07H3S, FAH361H1, FAH362H1, FAH363H1, FAH364H1, FAH368H1, EAS324H1, EAS325H1, EAS338H1, EAS361Y1, EAS346H1, HIS380H1, NEW331H1, NEW332H1, NEW333H1, NEW339H1, PHL337H1.
Fourth year courses: RLG462H1, RLG463H1, RLG464H1, RLG465H1, RLG466H1, RLG467H1, RLG468H1, RLG469H1, RLG470H1, RLG470H5, RLG473H1, RLG490Y1, FAH461H1, HIS409H1, HIS485H1, NEW433H1.
7. RLG404H1 or RLG405H1 or RLG406H1, a capstone integrative course. (Note: this does not fulfil the requirement of the 400 level FCE in #6 above.)

(7 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. No later than the third year of study: RLG200H1. RLG200H is a prerequisite for all 400 level courses.
3. RLG206Y1
4. A total of eight half-courses (or equivalent) chosen from the following list; at least six half-courses (or equivalent) must be RLG courses (EAS324H, EAS325H, and EAS361Y are counted as RLG courses here). Six half-courses (or equivalent) must be taken at the 300-level or higher, including at least two half-courses (or equivalent) at the 400 level.
Second year courses: RLG205Y1, RLG207Y1, RLG236H1, RLG245Y1, RLG246H1, RLGB03H3F, RLGB07H3F, FAH260H1, EAS209Y1, EAS215H1, HIS280Y1, HIS281Y1, HIS282Y1, HIS283H1, NEW214Y1, NEW232Y1, PHL237H1.
Third year courses: RLG316H1, RLG356H1, RLG361H1, RLG363H1, RLG366H1, RLG367H1, RLG368H1,RLG371H1, RLG372H1, RLG373H1, RLG375H1, RLG371H5, RLG373H5, RLG374H5, RLGC07H3S, FAH361H1, FAH362H1, FAH363H1 FAH364H1, FAH368H1, EAS324H1, EAS325H1, EAS338H1, EAS361Y1, EAS346H1, HIS380H1, NEW331H1, NEW332H1, NEW333H1, NEW339H1, PHL337H1.
Fourth year courses: RLG462H1, RLG463H1, RLG464H1, RLG465H1, RLG466H1, RLG467H1, RLG468H1, RLG469H1, RLG470H1, RLG470H5, RLG473H1, RLG490Y1, FAH461H1, HIS409H1, HIS485H1, NEW433H1.
5. RLG4041H1 or RLG405H1 or RLG406H1, a capstone, integrative course. (Note: this does not fulfil the requirement of the 400 level FCE in #4 above.)

(6.5 full courses or their equivalent)

1. RLG100Y1/RLG280Y1 in first or second year.
2. RLG200H1. RLG200H1 is a prerequisite for all 400-level courses and must be taken no later than the third year of study.
3. RLG204Y1 or NMC283Y1Y.
4. Two half-courses from the RLG209-213 series.
5. Five half-courses from the following list (four courses must be at the 300+ level): HIS201H5 HIS300H15., HIS303H1, HIS304H1, HIS336H1, HIS386H1,HIS396H5, HIS397H5, HIS495H5,  NMC103H1, NMC273Y1; NMC275H1, NMC283Y1, NMC285H1, NMC286H1, NMC348Y1, NMC355H1, NMC365H1, NMC374H1, NMC376H1, NMC381H1, NMC385H1, NMC387H1, NMC388H1, NMC389H1, NMC393H1, NMC394H1, NMC396Y1, NMC471, NMC475, NMC481H1; PHL336H; RLG350H1, RLG351H1,  RLG352H1, RLG354H1, RLG355H1, RLG356H1, RLG456H1, RLG457H1, RLG458H1, RLG459H1, RLG461H1;
6. RLG404H1 or RLG405H1 or RLG406H1, a capstone, integrative course.

Religion Courses

 Introduction to the fundamentals of Hebrew grammar and syntax. Emphasis on the development of oral and writing skills.

 Continued introduction to the fundamentals of Hebrew grammar and syntax. Emphasis on the development of oral and writing skills.

 Intensive study of written and spoken Hebrew.

 Continued intensive study of written and spoken Hebrew.

 Advanced intensive study of written and spoken Hebrew.

 Continued advanced intensive study of written and spoken Hebrew.

An introduction to Sanskrit for beginners. An overview of basic grammar and development of vocabulary, with readings of simple texts.

Review of grammar and the development of vocabulary with a focus on reading simple narrative prose and verse.

Review of grammar and the further development of vocabulary with a focus on reading simple narrative prose and verse.

This course will have students read choice pieces of South Asian literature. While tackling a text in Sanskrit from a major literary tradition, Buddhist or Hindu, and discussing its content and context, students will learn strategies for translating and interpreting Sanskrit literature.

An introduction to Tibetan for beginners. An overview of basic grammar and development of vocabulary, with readings of simple texts.

Intermediate level language course focusing on both spoken and literary forms of Tibetan.

Advanced readings in Tibetan literature using Tibetan language. Tibetan language skills required.

The 199Y1 and 199H1 seminars are designed to provide the opportunity to work closely with an instructor in a class of no more than twenty-four students. These interactive seminars are intended to stimulate the students’ curiosity and provide an opportunity to get to know a member of the professorial staff in a seminar environment during the first year of study. Details can be found at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/fyh-1/.

An introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of the major religions of the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

Note
No 200-series course has a 100-series RLG course prerequisite or Co-requisite.

An introduction to the discipline of the study of religion. This course surveys methods in the study of religion and the history of the discipline in order to prepare students to be majors or specialists in the study of religion.

An introduction to the religious tradition of the Jews, from its ancient roots to its modern crises. Focus on great ideas, thinkers, books, movements, sects, and events in the historical development of Judaism through its four main periods - biblical, rabbinic, medieval, and modern.

An introduction to the Christian religious tradition as it has developed from the 1st century C.E. to the present and has been expressed in teachings, institutions, social attitudes, and the arts.

The faith and practice of Islam: historical emergence, doctrinal development, and interaction with various world cultures. Note: this course is offered alternatively with NMC283Y1, to which it is equivalent.

A historical and thematic introduction to the Hindu religious tradition as embedded in the socio-cultural structures of India.

The development, spread, and diversification of Buddhist traditions from southern to northeastern Asia, as well as to the West.

A survey course that introduces students to a range of epistemological and ethical issues in the study of religion. The issues include: the justification of religious belief; the coherence of atheism; reason vs. faith; the nature of religious language; religious pluralism, exclusivism, and inclusivism.

Religion from the sociological viewpoint; religion as the source of meaning, community and power; conversion and commitment; religious organization, movements, and authority; the relation of religion to the individual, sexuality and gender; conflict and change; religion and secularization. Emphasis on classical thinkers (Durkheim, Marx, Weber) and contemporary applications. Note: This course is equivalent to SOC250Y1.

A survey of the psychological approaches to aspects of religion such as religious experience, doctrine, myth and symbols, ethics and human transformation. Attention will be given to phenomenological, psychoanalytic, Jungian, existentialist, and feminist approaches.

Anthropological study of the supernatural in small-scale non-literate societies. A cross-cultural examination of systems of belief and ritual focusing on the relationship between spiritual beings and the cosmos as well as the rights and obligations which arise therefrom. Among the topics covered are: myth and ritual; shamanism and healing; magic, witchcraft and sorcery; divination; ancestor worship.

Surveys interpretative traditions related to sacred texts, focusing on reading strategies that range from the literal to the figurative with attention to rationales that transform literal textual meanings and copyists manipulations of texts. May focus on various religious traditions from year to year, targeting a single canonical tradition or comparative analysis. Students will gain insight into literalist, environmentalist, secularist and erotic approaches to texts. Prior exposure to the study of religion is not required; all readings will be in English.

The study of pilgrimage has become increasingly prominent in anthropology and religious studies in recent decades. Why should this be? This course provides some answers while engaging in a cross cultural survey and analysis of pilgrimage practices. We also explore whether research into pilgrimage has wider theoretical significance.

This course deals with how the momentous experience of the Holocaust, the systematic state-sponsored murder of six million Jews as well as many others, has forced thinkers, both religious and secular, to rethink the human condition.

A brief survey of the Jewish biblical and rabbinic traditions; the extension of these teachings and methods of interpretation into the modern period; common and divergent Jewish positions on pressing moral issues today.

An introduction to the analysis of ethical problems in the context of the religious traditions of the West. Abortion, euthanasia, poverty, environmental degradation, militarism, sex, marriage, and the roles of men and women.

 Animals appear in numerous myths, legends and parables, as anthropomorphized symbols of human traits, as bearers of moral instruction, as agents of supernatural powers, and as divine messengers. Such questions as how to treat them properly and how human beings differ from them have helped define religious and cultural identities for millennia. This course examines how animals figure into religious and cultural identities by examining their place in myths, legends, and parables. It also examines the intersection of religious cosmologies, animal ethics, and environmental problems, including global warming, water depletion, and mass extinction, and the role of religion in ameliorating or exacerbating these problems.

The ethics and religious symbolism of environmental change: animal domestication and experimentation, deforestation, population expansion, energy use, synthetics, waste and pollution.

This course introduces students to various religious approaches to death, the dead, and afterlife. Through considering different ways in which death has been thought about and dealt with, we will also explore different understandings of life and answers to what it means to be human.

Course examines various issues: the role of religions in public, political contexts, such as religion and secularism in democratic societies; religion, human rights, and law; religion and state power; the political nature of religious social structures, religion and the politics of gender and sexuality; interreligious conflict and alliances

Course explores issues at the intersection of religion and science which may include such topics as evolution and the assessment of its religious significance by different traditions, conceptions of God held by scientists (theism, pantheism, panentheism), ethical issues raised by scientific or technological developments ( cloning or embryonic stem cell research), philosophical analysis of religious and scientific discourses.

The role of film as a mediator of thought and experience concerning religious worldviews. The ways in which movies relate to humanitys quest to understand itself and its place in the universe are considered in this regard, along with the challenge which modernity presents to this task. Of central concern is the capacity of film to address religious issues through visual symbolic forms.

A course on the interactions, both positive and negative, between religion and popular culture. We look at different media (television, advertising, print) as they represent and engage with different religious traditions, identities, and controversies.

Examination of gender as a category in the understanding of religious roles, symbols, rituals, deities, and social relations. Survey of varieties of concepts of gender in recent feminist thought, and application of these concepts to religious life and experience. Examples will be drawn from a variety of religious traditions and groups, contemporary and historical.

Some topic of central interest to students of religion, treated on a once-only basis. For details of this years offering, consult the Departments current undergraduate handbook.

An introduction to early Christian writings, including the 'New Testament,' examined within the historical context of the first two centuries. No familiarity with Christianity or the New Testament is expected.

An examination of religions in their contemporary diasporic and transnational modes. Issues addressed include the role of religions in sustaining identities across national boundaries, the enmeshment of religious minorities in political practices of governance, the impact of cultural forces such as commodification or gender upon religious representations and transformations, and the intersection of religion with other kinds of authoritative knowledge, such as medicine or law, in diasporic conditions.

An historical introduction to the religious traditions that flourished along the Silk Road, including Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Nestorian Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam. Drawing on a variety of sources (textual, archaeological, works of art), the course will focus on the spread and development of these traditions through the medieval period. Issues include cross-cultural exchange, religious syncretism, ethnic identity formation and so on. Emphasis will also be placed on religious and political events in modern Central Asia.

A comparative study of the development of ethical perspectives in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, concluding with a discussion of contemporary moral issues.

While dreaming seems to be a universal experience, dreams have been understood in a variety of ways in different historical, cultural, and religious contexts. This course introduces students to different approaches to dreams, visions and apparitions, drawing from the fields of psychology, anthropology, history, and religious studies. Topics will include the social life of dreams and visions, the politics of discernment, faith and skepticism, and narrative and visual representations of dreams. Special attention will be given to the question of when, how, and under what circumstances an experience is deemed religious.

An alternative version of the content covered by RLG100Y1, for students in second year or higher who cannot or do not wish to take a further 100-level course. Students attend the RLG100Y1 lectures and tutorials but are expected to produce more substantial and more sophisticated written work, and are required to submit an extra written assignment.

Topics vary from year to year Please check Department handbook.

Note

All 300-series courses normally presuppose at least three prior RLG half-courses (or equivalent). Only specific Prerequisites or recommended preparations are listed below. Students who do not meet the Prerequisites but believe they have adequate academic preparation should consult the Undergraduate Administrator regarding entry to the course.

Systematic analysis of Freud’s main writings on religion, studied within the context of central concepts and issues in psychoanalysis such as: the Oedipus Complex, the meaning and function of symbols, the formation of the ego and the superego, and the relations between the individual and culture.

The existence of evil poses a problem to theistic beliefs and raises the question as to whether a belief in a deity is incompatible with the existence of evil and human (or other) suffering. This course examines the variety of ways in which religions have dealt with the existence of evil.

Theories of the self that involve the constitutive role of language in its various forms. Problems of socially-conditioned worldviews and sense of self as related to discourse. Myth, symbol, metaphor, and literary arts as vehicles for personality development and self-transformation along religious lines.

Religions are constituted by material forms, including bodies, shrines, films, icons, and ‘ kitsch’. Anti-material impulses have also prompted many religious impulses, involving forms of iconoclasm that ironically demonstrate the power of objects. What is at stake in studying materiality? How might such a perspective transform our view of religion?

This course focuses on current debates in the fast-developing field of the anthropology of Christianity. Topics possibly included: the past and present influence of Christianity on anthropological thinking; historical interactions between missionaries and anthropologists; emerging transnational, charismatic Christian networks; the ‘Southernization’ of Christianity; Christianity and competing ideas of ‘the modern’.

Museums have long collected and curated religious objects for public audiences, with missionaries as a primary collections source. Multiple visits to the Royal Ontario Museum and other museums will enable students to think critically about how museums received and presented these objects, while engaging with the challenges of museum curation.

The course focuses on the role of religion in the genesis and development of cities, as well as the ways urbanization and immigration have transformed religious organizations and identities. Various methodologies, including ethnography, social and cultural history, and textual analysis will be considered. In some years, course projects will focus on mapping the changing significance and presence of particular religions in Toronto. Check with the department for the next scheduled focus for this course.

The relationship and interaction between religious and ethical norms, social and political ideals, and systems of law.The course concerns the ongoing dialectic between religious and other values, the application of religious ideas to social orders, and questions of religious and human rights.

This course examines major classical thinkers who have contributed to the development of critical approaches to religion in the modern West, and whose theories still influence contemporary debates. We begin with the 17th century European Enlightenment and proceed to examine selected 19th and 20th century thinkers. The approaches considered are mainly philosophical, but include historical, social, and political issues as well. Authors studied include Hume, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche and others.

A study of women in the religious traditions of South and East Asia, including historical developments, topical issues, and contemporary womens movements.

An introduction to the role of women in Muslim societies in past and present. Topics include the status of women in the Quran and Islamic law, veiling, social change, and Islamic feminism.

This course is a comparative study of the significance of gender and sexuality within Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and new religious movements in Europe and the Americas. Topics may include historical, political, social, and legal contexts for changing approaches to gender and sexuality in these religions.

Analysis of rituals of transition from one social status to another (e.g., childbirth, coming of age, marriage,) from theoretical, historical and ethnographic perspectives. Particular attention is paid to the importance of rites of passage in the construction of gendered identities.

An examination of the variety of ways in which religious traditions construct sanctity, articulate categories of exceptionalism, and how exceptional persons function within social systems. Consideration of gender and social status in definitions of sanctity. Focus varies from year to year, and may focus either on constructions of sanctity in one religious tradition, or comparatively, comparing and contrasting ideas of sainthood and martyrdom in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and/or Buddhism.

Religious violence and nonviolence as they emerge in the tension between strict adherence to tradition and individual actions of charismatic figures. The place of violence and nonviolence in selected faith traditions.

This course examines the origins, growth, and texture of traditions that developed in early Judaism and Christianity around selected biblical figures. With an eye to the function played and authority held by these traditions, the course will focus variously on Adam and Eve, Enoch, Abraham, Miriam, Levi, David, and Solomon.

Judaism and Christianity in the period from 70 C.E. to 200 C.E. The course focuses on the relationship between the two religious groups, stressing the importance of the setting within the Roman Empire.

An introduction to the first and second century Christian writings. A survey of the surviving works and their historical contexts, close analysis of selected texts and an examination of what these sources tell us about the early Christian communities.

Literary, historical, and rhetorical analyses of selected early Christian gospels. The gospels to be treated will vary, but each year will include a selection from the four canonical gospels and extra-canonical gospels (the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Truth, infancy gospels, and fragments of Jewish-Christian gospels).

An examination of the historical Jesus based on a critical study of the earliest accounts of Jesus, with intensive study of the Gospels to determine what can be said about Jesus activities and teachings.

An examination of Paul’s life and thought as seen in the early Christian literature written by him (the seven undisputed letters), about him (the Acts of the Apostles, the Acts of Paul) and in his name (the six disputed NT letters).

Analysis of selected documents of Second Temple Judaism in their historical contexts, as part of the generative matrix for both the early Jesus movement and the emergence of rabbinic Judaism.

Magic, religion, astrology, alchemy, theurgy, miracle, divinationall of these phenomena characterize the context and practice of ancient Christianity. This course examines the constitution of these categories, the role and character of these phenomena in the Graeco-Roman world, and the interaction with and integration of these phenomena by ancient Christianity.

This course examines historical processes, negotiations, and strategies involved in the consolidation of discourses and practices of orthodoxy and heresy in Christianity from the second through fifth centuries. Topics include: intellectual, therapeutic, and social models of orthodoxy; methods of discipline; historical events and contexts; the political and social contexts of theological conflict; and the gendered production of the orthodox subject.

How and why have modern Christians revealed their inner lives via diaries, autobiographies, memoirs, and letters? Reading autobiographical writings and theoretical approaches, we consider how Christians have negotiated self-aggrandizement and self-security, revelation in the wake of scientific worldviews, and the influences of race, gender, nationality, celebrity, and class on their storytelling.

This course focuses on modern Christianity as an instigator of conflict and a resource for its resolution. Exploring conflict among Christians and between Christians and non-Christians, topics may include missions and colonialism; gender and sexuality; anti-Semitism; pacifism and just war; Catholic-Protestant tensions; cultural diversity and syncretism; and church-state relations.

A course looking at the theories about and responses to the monstrous in the European Christian Middle Ages.

This course considers the history and theory of Western witchcraft, magic, and heresy in the mediaeval and early modern periods. Consideration of relevant anthropological theory, the relationship between constructions of witchcraft, the Enlightenment and the rise of science, and the role of gender in definitions of witchcraft.

A study of four great figures during critical moments in Jewish history, each of whom represents a turning point: Jeremiah (biblical era), Rabbi Akiva (rabbinic era), Moses Maimonides (medieval era), Franz Rosenzweig (modern era). Belief in God; Torah as law, teaching, tradition, revelation, eternity of Israel, meaning of Jewish suffering, problem of radical evil, history and messianism.

An inquiry into the theme of exile and return in Judaism, often called the leading idea of Jewish religious consciousness. Starting from Egyptian slavery and the Babylonian exile, and culminating in the ideas of modern Zionism, the course will examine a cross-section of Jewish thinkers--ancient, medieval, and modern.

The development and range of modern Jewish religious thought from Spinoza, Mendelssohn and Krochmal, to Cohen, Rosenzweig and Buber. Responses to the challenges of modernity and fundamental alternatives in modern Judaism.

A historical study of the Kabbala and the mystical tradition in Judaism, with emphasis on the ideas of Jewish mystical thinkers and movements.

Explores how “Jews” have been viewed (often mistakenly and confusedly) in various contexts from pre-Christian antiquity to the contemporary world. Emphasis is on problems involved in defining and explaining antisemitism, especially concerning the difference between religious and racial forms of antisemitism.

The environment and human society studied as systems of organization built for self-preservation. Such topics as vegetarianism and the humane treatment of animals, suicide and euthanasia, sustainability and recycling, explored from the perspective of Judaism.

The meaning of holy time and holy place, the physics and metaphysics of time and space within Judaism. Topics include the garden of Eden, the temple, the netherworld, the land of Israel, and exile; the sabbath and the week; the human experience of aging as fulfillment and failing.

Topics in Judaism. Themes vary from year to year.

This course examines Muhammad's life as reflected in the biographies and historical writings of the Muslims. Students will be introduced to the critical methods used by scholars to investigate Muhammads life. Issues include: relationship between Muhammad's life and Quran teachings and the veneration of Muhammad.

The revelatory process and the textual formation of the Quran, its pre-eminent orality and its principal themes and linguistic forms; the classical exegetical tradition and some contemporary approaches to its interpretation.

This course will study Islam in a post-colonial framework.  It will introduce students to the work of post-colonial studies, and how critical scholarship has transformed our understanding of monolithic concepts such as modernity, the nation and Islam.  It will focus on the particular case of Islam in South Asia and the Middle East by exposing students to the transformative impact of colonialism.  It will equip students with the tools to challenge the hegemonic notion of a singular 'tradition' in Islam by tracing its lineages in the post-colony.

This course complicates the notion of a monolithic Islam through looking at different forms of religious life found in Egypt, including Sufism, state Islam, reformist Islam, and Islamist movements.

Combines theoretical reflections on what an anthropology of Islam might entail with ethnographic readings on the practice of Islam in communities around the world.

Despite having an estimated Muslim population of 20 million, the place of Islam within the Peoples Republic of China is not widely understood. This course will examine the history of Islam in China from its introduction in the seventh century through the modern period. Emphasis will be placed on the variety of practices within Chinas contemporary Muslim communities. Specific attention will be paid to official state policy toward the Hui and Uygur ethnic minorities, including laws governing pilgrimage, the veil, the formation of Islamic organizations, the reformation of writing systems and so on.

Topics in Hinduism. Themes vary from year to year.

A study of the patterns, practices, and challenges of Hindu communities in the diaspora, including issues of identity formation, nostalgic constructions of the "homeland", the evolution of new forms of religious practice, and the quest for authenticity.

A study of the figure of Rama, from his genesis in the Valmiki Ramayana, to his historical evolution as a cultural and political icon through mediaeval and modern India.

A study of Hindu bhakti traditions through classical and vernacular texts, in conversation with colonial and post-colonial theoretical perspectives on the notion of "bhakti" in Hinduism.

This course examines the evolving role of religions in contemporary public, political contexts. Themes include: democracy and secularism; religion, human rights, law and justice; party politics, identity-formation and citizenship; gender and sexuality; interreligious conflict. (Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

A historically-informed look at Hinduism's engagement with contemporary media: books, television, film, and cyberspace.

The development of modern Hindu religious thought in the contexts of colonialism, dialogue with the West and the secular Indian state.

A study of different schools, texts, and issues of Hindu philosophy.

The course surveys the textual sources of the practices of Yoga and Ayurveda. It critically evaluates the assumption of an unbroken continuity of tradition of these practices from antiquity onwards and comes to consider what they have come to constitute as a result of modernity and globalization.

A study of the great Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata.

A survey of the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, focusing on differences in both theory and practice, with readings of Tibetan texts in translation and ethnographic studies of Buddhist practice in Tibet.

Daily worship, the alms round, life-crisis celebrations, healing rituals, meditation, festivals, pilgrimage, the consecration of artefacts and taking care of the ancestors are among the forms of Buddhist ritual introduced and analyzed in this course. Liturgical manuals, ethnographic descriptions and audiovisual records form the basis for a discussion of the role of ritual as text and event.

This course examines the role of a variety of religious forms and spiritual practices in the politics of postcolonial societies, tracing their genealogies from the colonial period to the present. Cases taken principally from Africa and Asia. (Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

This course explores the genres of autobiography and biography in Buddhist literature. The course will begin with theoretical studies on narrative and religious life-writing. We will then consider the development and distinctive features of auto/biographies and hagiographies in the literature of one or more Buddhist cultures, analyzing representative examples of these genres from a range of traditions and historical periods, and considering how these sources have been understood and used in secondary scholarship.

An introduction to philosophical thought in various Buddhist traditions.

The course serves as an introduction to one or more Buddhist traditions still living or historically documented in South and Southeast Asia, ranging from ancient and medieval Buddhism to Buddhist modernities and including Buddhism in its local Theravada variants. Themes will vary by year; consult the departmental website for this year’s course description.

By looking into the Three Baskets of the Pali canon, distinguishing the voices of its various medieval commentators, handling the illuminated folios of palm leaf manuscripts and comparing contemporary vernacular fiction, the course introduces the historical and contemporary Buddhist literatures of Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Nepal.

This course will examine the diversity of Buddhist traditions in the Himalayan region, covering texts, rituals, histories, and personalities relevant to their study, and the methods employed in the field.

This course attempts to deal with the perennial “black box” of Buddhist history, namely the course and mode of its transmission from India to China across Central Asia along the old Silk Road. The semester will begin with the founding of the early Buddhist empires in northwest India and end with the modern discovery of buried Buddhist treasures in the deserts of contemporary China. Along the way, we will explore key issues in the regional transmission of Buddhism across Central Asia, including the role of trade and commerce, patronage (royal, lay), language and translation, art and architecture, ritual, and so on. Each class will incorporate both primary and secondary readings in translation, as well as maps and slides.

Frequently today in discussions in bioethics dealing with life and death, even secular thinkers invoke the concept of the sanctity of human life. Yet that concept is clearly religious in origin. What do the three great monotheistic traditions have to say about this concept and its ethical significance?

The contemporary phenomenon of religious pluralism: its historical emergence, social context and intellectual justifications. Achievements, techniques and outstanding issues in inter-religious dialogue.

Special Topics.

Special Topics

Note

400-series courses are intended primarily for Specialists and Majors who have already completed several RLG courses. Almost all 400-level courses are E indicator courses and require the instructor's permission. Students must enrol at the Department.

An integrative capstone seminar that emphasizes iterative development of a research project, locating a research specialization within its broader disciplinary audience, and communicating the process and results of a research project to non-specialists within the study of religion.Open to Relgion Specialists and Majors only.

A capstone seminar that emphasizes integration of the study of religion with contemporary public life in the development of a research project, locating a research specialization in relation to non-academic contexts, and communicating the process and results of a research project to non-academic audiences.

How have different researchers constructed ‘religion’ as their object of study, and are some frameworks simply incompatible with each other? We discuss – but also provide critical assessments of -- different theoretical and methodological frameworks.

Advanced Topics in Religion

Advanced Topics in Religion

Advanced Topics in Religion

Few methods have been more foundational to the scholarly study of religion, or more subject to searching criticism, than the practice of comparison.  This seminar offers an advanced introduction to comparative method through close study of 4-6 recent works, from ritual studies, philosophy of religion, comparative theology and/or ethnography

Advanced study in specialized topics focusing on the instersection of religion and gender.

Interrogation of the concept of ‘radical evil’ from perspectives of philosophy, critical theory, psychoanalysis and the study of religion.

A seminar that explores a topic in the philosophical study of religion. Possible topics include: the nature of religious truth; the phenomenology of religion; descriptions of the holy; religion and the meaning of life; God-talk as literal or metaphorical language; naturalizing religious belief.

Themes considered include what notion of religion is necessary for secular governance, and how secularity relates to particular discourses of citizenship and practices of political rule. Case studies include the effects of colonial rule on religious life; Jewish emancipation in Europe; and religious freedom in France and North America. (Given by the Departments of Political Science and Religion)

Registration in this course is through the Department of Religion.

An advanced study of selected Enlightenment thinkers with a focus on their interpretations of religion. The main thinkers discussed are Spinoza, Hume, and Kant. Issues include the rational critique of traditional religion, the relations among religion, ethics and politics, and the pursuit of universal approaches to religion.

Advanced study of key figures past and present in the psychoanalytic study of religion, including Freud and other psychoanalytic interpreters from both Anglo-American and European traditions.  Crucial distinctions between psychology of religion and the psychoanalytic study of religion.  Permission of instructor.

An advanced study of Immanuel Kant’s theory of religion, as developed in major writings such as Critique of Practical Reason and Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. Emphasizes rational ethical criteria as the basis for analyzing the doctrines, symbols, and institutions of historical religions.

A study of how principles of textual interpretation and theories of language have been central to modern philosophy of religion. We begin with Schleiermacher, and then move to an in-depth treatment of the 20th century hermeneutical theories of Heidegger, Gadamer, and Ricoeur.

For upper-year students, from any discipline. In a 40-hour community service placement, discover first-hand religion’s significance in Toronto and examine how religion manifests in public spaces, institutions, and interactions, while critically reflecting on the experience of working with professionals and their “clients” in settings where religious diversity is at play.

This course introduces students to classical and contemporary social scientific work on the relation between religion and economy. It draws on classics such as Marx, Weber, and Mauss, as well as recent anthropological work. Topics may include sacrifice, the gift, commodity fetishism, prosperity gospel, neoliberalism, charity, and development.

Advanced Topics in Judaism

Advanced Topics in Judaism

Advance Topics in Judaism

An introduction to The Guide of the Perplexed by Moses Maimonides, and to some of the basic themes in Jewish philosophical theology and religion. Among topics to be considered through close textual study of the Guide: divine attributes; biblical interpretation; creation versus eternity; prophecy; providence, theodicy, and evil; wisdom and human perfection. Also to be examined are leading modern interpreters of Maimonides.

Close study of major themes, texts, and thinkers in modern Jewish thought. Focus put on the historical development of modern Judaism, with special emphasis on the Jewish religious and philosophical responses to the challenges of modernity. Among modern Jewish thinkers to be considered: Spinoza, Cohen, Rosenzweig, Buber, Scholem, Strauss, and Fackenheim.

The philosophic thought of Leo Strauss approached through his writings on modern Judaism. Primarily addressed will be the mutual relations between philosophy, theology, and politics. Among other topics to be dealt with: origins of modern Judaism, Zionism, liberal democracy, and biblical criticism; meaning of Jerusalem and Athens; cognitive value in the Hebrew Bible.

This course examines changing patterns of authority and hierarchy in early Christian communities. Students will explore various roles and offices of authority in canonical and extra-canonical texts in relation to cultural, political, and theological constructions of body, gender, holiness, and orthodoxy as these contribute to developing models of authority. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with the constellation of ideas that participate in developing Christian notions of religious authority.

The relationship between religion and healing in the North American context through analysis of the religious roots of the biomedical model, as well as religious influences on alternative modes of healing.

How are we to analyze the words that Christians use? And how are such words related to ritual forms? We explore techniques for the analysis of texts, while looking at forms of verbal discourse ranging from prayers, speaking in tongues, and citing the Bible to more informal narratives.

This course considers the varieties of religious practice in North America from anthropological and historical perspectives. Of particular interest are the ways religions have mutually influenced each other in the context of nineteenth and twentieth century North America.

How do disciplinary commitments shape theoretical and historical accounts of Christianity’s relationship to “modernity”? Through comparative analysis (including topics of science, colonialism, capitalism, and gender) students will develop an historically-grounded critique of the key terms: genealogy, Christianity, and modernity.  Based on reading and seminar discussion, the course encourages interdisciplinary exchange.

This seminar will explore the tensions and interdependencies of historical & social scientific modes of inquiry, as these pertain to longstanding questions concerning the rise of Christianity in the ancient Mediterranean world.  All topical explorations will feature efforts to situate the phenomena in question within their operative socio-historical contexts.

A seminar examining the phenomenon of falsely claimed and/or attributed authorship in religions of the ancient Mediterranean, mainly Christianity and Judaism. The course examines understandings of authorship and other cultural forms that facilitate or inhibit ancient pseudepigraphy, ancient controversies over authorship, as well as specific pseudepigraphical writings.

Investigation of the history of solutions to the Synoptic Problem from the eighteenth century to the present paying special attention to the revival of the Griesbach hypothesis and recent advances in the Two-Document hypothesis.

Examination of the parables in the gospels and other early Christian writers, and major trends in the modern analyses of the parables. Special attention will be paid to the social and economic world presupposed by the parables.

Examination of the accounts of the passion and death of Jesus in their original historical and literary contexts.

Sets the study of early Christianity and Second Temple Judaism into relation with postcolonial historiography. Topics include hybridity, armed resistance, the intersection of gender and colonization, diaspora, acculturation, and the production of subaltern forms of knowledge. Comparative material and theories of comparison are also treated.

The social setting of the early Jesus movement in Roman Palestine and the cities of the Eastern Empire. Topics will include: rank and legal status; patronalia and clientalia; marriage and divorce; forms of association outside the family; slavery and manumission; loyalty to the empire and forms of resistance.

A study of the construction of deviance or heresy within the literature of first and second century Christianity: tasks include a survey of sociological theory in its application to deviance in the ancient world and close readings of selected texts from first and second century Christian and pre-Christian communities.

This course is an introduction to the rich literature that has grown around the study of the Quran in the Arabic tradition. In addition to readings in the Quran students will read selections from works in ma`ani and majaz and major tafsir works. Selections include: al-Tabari, al-Tha`labi, al-Zamakhshari, al-Qurtubi and al-Razi. The course will culminate in a study of al-Itqan of al-Suyuti.

This course is designed to orient students to the field of contemporary Quranic studies through reading and discussion of the text itself and of significant European-language scholarship about the Quran as well as through examination of the principal bibliographical tools for this subject area.

The course will examine debates on postsecularism and religion’s public, political role as articulated by political thinkers such as Jurgen Habermas, by focusing on politically radical or revolutionary challenges to liberalism in the 20th and 21st century, especially from the postcolonial world, whose theoretical arguments are grounded upon or draw their inspiration from religious traditions, doctrines and practices.

Advanced study of specialized topics in Islam.

Considers the disciplinary power of modernity through case-studies on the codification of Islamic law and practice. Contrasting modernitys discipline with Islams own disciplinary power. Readings include works by Saba Mahmood, Charles Hirschkind, Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, Brinkley Messick, Michel Foucault and Talal Asad.

This course explores how this conception is the result of a historical process by examining documentable transformations in the reception of the Ramayana. Our focus will be on the shift in the classification of the Ramayana from the inaugural work of Sanskrit literary culture (adi-kavya) in Sanskrit aesthetics to a work of tradition (smrti) in theological commentaries, the differences between the Ramayanas ideal of divine kingship and medieval theistic approaches to Ramas identification with Visnu, the rise of Rama worship, and the use of Ramas divinity in contemporary political discourse.

Critical reading, analysis and interpretation of Ismaili historical and doctrinal works of the Persianate tradition as developed by authors such as Nasir-i Khusraw, Nasir al-Din Tusi, Nizari Quhistani and others. The primary authors studied will change yearly.

An academic legend recounts that if you ask a Newar whether he is Hindu or Buddhist the answer is yes. The course deals with the problem of how to study religions which coexist and compete with each other creating shifting coordinates of religious identification from the perspective of one specific Nepalese community.

Close study of major themes, texts, and thinkers in Buddhist scholastic traditions. Themes and texts will vary by year; consult the departmental website for this year’s course description.

This course examines histories of Buddhism authored inside and outside Asia, considering how various models of historiography affect our knowledge of Buddhism and Buddhist cultures. Readings will include translations of indigenous Buddhist histories, recent histories of Buddhism that have shaped the field of Buddhist Studies, and theoretical studies of historiography.

An advanced study of select Buddhist texts with a focus on issues of translation, interpretation, commentarial approaches, narrative strategies, as well as issues related to the production, circulation, and consumption of these works. Themes and texts will vary by year; consult the departmental website for this year’s course description.

Issues common to the establishment and development of the Buddhist tradition(s) in China, Korea, and Japan. The reactions to Buddhism by the societies in which it was being implanted. Transformation of Buddhist teachings, practice, iconography, institutions, etc. as they were assimilated by the host countries.

This course looks at places like the monastery, the temple, the royal court, the archive, the school, the healer’s practice, the artisan’s workshop or the Buddhist home to identify how Buddhists through history have organized themselves and created institutionalized spaces for the production of knowledge and objects of beauty, the enhancement of agency and the performance of their religion.

Advanced study of specialized topics in Buddhist Studies

A study of Tantric Buddhism, addressing ritual and scholastic practices, and problems of translation and interpretation. Themes will vary by year; consult the departmental website for this year’s course description.

Advanced study in specialized topics on Hinduism.

Religion and aesthetics are sometimes constructed as separate categories, but in South Asia religion is not often conceptually distinct from an autonomous sphere of aesthetic reflection. In conversation with recent sociological, anthropological, and philosophical writings, we will explore this issue through careful study of a variety of Sanskrit sources: the epics, Abhinavaguptas commentary on the Natya Sastra, Vaisnava, Saiva, and Jaina appropriations of Sanskrit aesthetics and courtly poetry, and the works of Rabindranath Tagore. Students are encouraged to work with sources in the primary languages, although materials will also be provided in translation.

A survey of Vedantic thought beginning with the classical commentaries on the Brahmasutras (such as those of Sankara, Ramanuja etc.) and ending with neo-Vedanta in the writings of Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan.

An upper-level undergraduate and graduate course. Will look at a wide range of narratives and ritual practices as well as philosophical reflections from classical Indian thought on the relationship between food and religion and how this relationship plays out in the context of feasting and fasting in Indian/Hindu traditions.

This course examines how religious concerns within various religious traditions interface with contemporary environmental issues. Particular attention is paid to the challenge posed to the human and religious values of these traditions by the present ecological crisis and some salient ethical and religious responses to this challenge.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only.

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/rop. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

An instructor-supervised group project in an off-campus setting. Details at http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/399. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

An instructor-supervised group project in an off-campus setting. Details at http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/399. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Intensive programs of study including site visits and lectures in areas of religious significance abroad. Preparatory work expected, together with paper or assignments upon return.
(Y1 course: 4 weeks minimum; H course: 2 weeks minimum)

Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Intensive programs of study including site visits and lectures in areas of religious significance abroad. Preparatory work expected, together with paper or assignments upon return.
(Y1 course: 4 weeks minimum; H course: 2 weeks minimum)

Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Intensive programs of study including site visits and lectures in areas of religious significance abroad. Preparatory work expected, together with paper or assignments upon return.
(Y1 course: 4 weeks minimum; H course: 2 weeks minimum)

Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Student-initiated intensive research courses supervised by faculty members of the Department. The student must obtain both a Supervisor's agreement and the Department's approval in order to register. The maximum number of Independent Research courses one may take is two full-course equivalents. Deadline for submitting applications to Department, including Supervisor's approval, is the first week of classes of the session. A full-course may be compressed into a single session or spread through two sessions; a half-course may similarly be done in either one session or across two sessions. These courses are open to majors and specialists only. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.