This course explores the nature and role of religion as a source of meaning in human life. It combines academic study of religion with analysis of beliefs, symbols, ideas, and practices of African/Africanderived religions, and at least two other religious traditions. Students examine a variety of dimensions and ways of being religious within each tradition.

This course studies the development of Christianity, beginning with the life of Jesus in the four Gospels and the origin of Christianity growing out of that life and the subsequent development of the Church through the work of the apostles and their successors. The course will follow the history of Christianity down through the ages, distinguishing between the Church of the West, namely Roman Catholicism, and the Orthodox Church of the East. The theologies that grew out of Christianity will also be considered. Prerequisite: REL111 or REL112.

This seminar critically examines methodological questions and interpretive paradigms in the academic study of religion. Socio-historical,philosophical, anthropological, sociological, and moral methods will be considered. Students begin to design their own creative research project. Juniors Only. Prerequisite: REL111 and PHI220.