RELIGIOUS STUDIES

109. Themes in New Testament . Patte (12:10-1:00 MW; F Sections) "When the millennium ends, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth" (Revelation 20:7-8). What does the New Testament say about the "kingdom" (in the Sermon on the Mount, in the Parables of Jesus), about the end of the world (in passages of Paul's letters, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation about the "Judgment" and the "second coming of Christ" in Paul's letters, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation)? How central is this teaching about the end of time in the message of the different books of the New Testament? For Christian believers today, at the end of the second millennium? These New Testament themes have been and are interpreted in quite different ways by churches and believers through the centuries and today. Similarly, scholarly studies, because they follow different critical methodologies, reach very diverse conclusions concerning the religious teaching of the New Testament texts. How are all these interpretations related? Our selective survey of New Testament literature will respect the diversity of interpretations of the New Testament even as it calls students to assume responsibility for their interpretations. Comparison with the views of the kingdom, and of the end of the world in other ancient texts (Jewish and other Religious texts of the time) as well as in modern media (including movies), we shall gain a greater appreciation for the distinctiveness of the New Testament teaching about these themes.

Students will complete four take-home examinations and a ten- page paper on some contemporary issue or concern that reflects the cultural conflicts of "wars of faith" within various conservative Christian communities.

209. The New Testament. Patte (9:10-10:00 MWF) This course has a threefold goal: As we study New Testament texts in their historical context--with special attention to The Gospel of John, The Sermon on the Mount, The Passion and Resurrection according to Mark, Matthew, and Luke, and Romans-- we will learn a) to understand how believers interpret New Testament texts as Scripture in their "faith"- interpretation; b) to appreciate the role of "religious," cultural, and social contexts in interpretation; c) to appreciate the contributions of historical, literary, sociological, and exegetical studies of the "literature" of early Christianity.

"Reading the Bible Is Not a Spectator Sport!" Thus, we will proceed in three steps which require your direct involvement:

Step # 1 - Formulating the Teaching for Believers Today: What is, according to you, the teaching for believers today of each given text from the Gospels and Paul's letters? Preliminary analysis: How is this interpretation relating the text to the believers' lives? a) What is the "problem" (need) these texts address for believers? b) What is the "solution" they provide? c) What is the transformation brought about by this teaching for believers? Newinsights or instructions about their identity, about their life or for their life? d) How do you personally assess the value of this teaching?

Step # 2 - Comparing the Themes and Textual Evidenceemphasized in your interpretation with those emphasized by other interpretations of each text: a) Elucidation of their hermeneutical frames: What are the themes which focus these interpretations? How do believers make sense of these texts in terms of these themes? How do scholars interpret the same themes? b) Elucidation of their analytical frames: What is the specific (textual, historical, literary, sociological, etc.) evidence upon which these interpretations are based? How do believers and scholars ground their interpretations in the text?

Step # 3 - Comparing Reasons for Choosing an Interpretation: Elucidation of the contextual frames. Regarding each interpretation: What needs does it address or fail to address in a specific context? What problematic effects does it have (or could potentially have) in a specific context? What is the role of convictions and values in the believers' choices of an interpretation? In the scholars' choices of interpretations?

As a consequence, the requirements for the course include a series of short papers. No comprehensive exams, but frequent quizzes.

216. The Christianity Reform Era. Johnson (11:10-12:00 MWF) As one of the foundations courses in the church history sequence of the Divinity School, this class will cover the important ecclesiastical, theological, and historical issues of the Reformation period (c. 1500-1648). The aim of the course will be to help students understand and interpret the events, become familiar with some of the significant theological documents, and reflect upon questions of continuing historical interest that have come from the Reformation. From a consideration of some of the backgrounds and causes of the Reformation, the course will take up specific situations and individuals as a way of indicating the variety of theological positions and responses during this period. The course will be conducted as a combination of two lectures and one discussion session weekly. Students will be responsible for participating actively in discussions on primary source readings and historical issues and will write short papers for two of these occasions. There will be two examinations, one near the middle of the semester and one at the end. There are no prerequisites.

223. Ethics and Feminism. Welch (11:00-12:15 TR) Implications of gender theory for understanding the Judeo- Christian moral traditions. Topics include: the nature of the moral subject, the social construction of gender, patriarchal consciousness, the abuse of women, woman-nature connection, female friendship, heterosexism, and race & class issues.

Course requirements include: Reading assignments & reaction paragraphs, class participation, final exam, two 5-page reaction papers using a minimum of three assigned readings, creation of a glossary of terms (Group papers and glossaries are encouraged).

228. Judaism and Modernity. Geller (11:00-12:15 TR) This introductory course undertakes a historical and cultural analysis of the dilemmas Jewish Emancipation presented to both Jews and non-Jews in Europe, preeminently in Central Europe. By examining representations of Jews in a variety of popular and elite, political and philosophic, scientific and literary texts (including films) this course traces how antisemitism became entangled in the problems of gender, sexual, racial (ethnic), class, and self identity. The course has two goals. First, it seeks to explore the pervasiveness of antisemitic discourses in nineteenth and twentieth century European culture. Second it analyzes the implications upon Jewish identity of the double bind of modern Jewish existence before the Holocaust: The European society into which many Jews sought admission demanded complete assimilation of the dominant culture, even to the point of obliterating any traces of Jewishness or Judaism; yet, often accompanying the demand was the assumption that Jews were constitutionally incapable of eliminating their difference. To fulfill these goals this course undertakes a series of close readings of primary texts supplemented by contextual histories. A journal of reading responses, two short papers on the readings (4-7 pages), a take-home mid-term, and a take-home final.

237. Psychology, Ritual, Myth. Gay (11:10-12:00 MWF) This is an intermediate course. There are no prerequisites. Students with previous work in Anthropology, Linguistics, History of Religions or Psychology of Religion will find those studies useful in this course. This course addresses three questions: (1) Can "structuralist" theories in psychology and anthropology help us understand religious ritual and myth? (2) Can such theories render accurately a believer's experience of ritual actions? (3) Can we assess the validity of structuralist method? In response to these questions we investigate: I. "Ritual" & "Myth" as conceptual tools. II. Structural anthropological theory of ritual and myth: ritual as arbitrary sign. III. Revised psychoanalytic anthropology: ritual and myth as knowledge about the unknowable: the cognitive task of ritual. We examine selections from C. Levi-Strauss, Jean Piaget, and other structuralist thinkers; Victor Turner's The Ritual Process; Dan Sperber's Rethinking Symbolism; "Ritual and Mythic Structure" and "Types of Reductionism" by V.P. Gay

249. Zen Buddhism. Arai (12:10-1:00 MWF) A study of the development of Zen Buddhism as it developed over the centuries in various cultural climates, including its inception in China, growth in Japan, and emergence in the west. Special attention will be given to its basic philosophy, its position within Mahayana Buddhism, its practices, and its contemporary activities.

Course requirements include: class attendance & participation (20%), mid-term exam, 5-page paper (40%), and a 2½ hour practicum.

299A&B. Senior Honors Thesis. A/Fall; B/Spring, TBA. Reading of primary research sources and writing an honors thesis under the supervision of the thesis advisor. Open only to senior honors students.

HEBR 111B. Elementary Hebrew. Halachmi (3:10-4:00 MWF) Elementary conversational Hebrew emphasizing the spoken colloquial usage of Israel today. Course prepares students for further study in modern Hebrew, while also providing a foundation for understanding Biblical Hebrew. Some knowledge of reading Hebrew needed. Fulfills language requirement.

HEBR 113B. Intermediate Hebrew. Halachmi (2:10-3:00 MWF) Reinforcement of advance grammar, reading, and conversation in modern Hebrew. Some knowledge of elementary Hebrew is required. Fulfills language requirement.