Religion

• GRS RN 753: Topics in Religion and Sexuality
  Topic for Fall 2011: The Body and Sexuality in Classical Religious Texts. Treats foundational primary sources in translation on sex and the body in several world religions. Consideration of differences in sources: genre, gender, modern/classical. Traditions include Greek, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Daoist.
• GRS RN 766: Religion and the Problem of Tolerance
  Explores the religious roots of tolerance as an alternative to secular, more liberal foundations for pluralism. Grapples with the challenge of tolerance to the revealed religions and the ways different societies have met or failed to meet this challenge.
• GRS RN 769: Critique of Religion
  Philosophical critiques of revealed religion from Enlightenment to the twentieth century, including analysis of criticisms in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Major trends examined include rationalism, historicism, anthropological materialism, and nihilism.
• GRS RN 770: Topics in Medieval Religious Culture
  Topic for Fall 2011: Magic, Witchcraft, and the Demonic in Medieval Europe. Explores magic, witchcraft, and the demonic as understood, employed, and feared in Christian and Jewish communities. Emphasis on relationship between literate and "folk" ideas and practices; intersections with formal religious practice; and forms of social control, including counter-magic and inquisition. Meets with GRS HI 807.
• GRS RN 771: Topics in Ancient Christianity
  Topic(s) for 2011/2012: TBA.
• GRS RN 795: Humanities Approaches to Religion
  Introduces major theoretical questions in the humanistic study of religion. Examines the nature and origin of religion as well as definitions and critiques of religion from comparative, historical, sociological, literary standpoints as well as postmodern and gender studies approaches.
• GRS RN 796: Social Science Approaches to Religion
  Introduces major theoretical questions in the social scientific study of religion. Examines approaches of Marx, Durkheim, and Freud among others.
• GRS RN 799: Topics in Judaic Studies
  Topic for Spring 2011: The Zionist Idea. Zionist ideology carefully examined through the ideas of the main Zionist thinkers, and of the critiques of Zionism. Begins with the mid?late nineteenth century and continues through to contemporary formulations.

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