REL100.001
Introduction to the Study of Religion

Dr. James Apple
email: japple@rel.as.ua.edu

Religion 100 is a general introduction to the academic study of religion and as such, examines the function of religion in relation to human beliefs, social practices, and culture in general. The course surveys a broad number of important debates in the history of religious studies, such as the definition of religion, the insider/outsider problem, theories on the origins of religion, the comparison of religions, religion's psychological, sociological, and political functions, and the manner in which human communities authorize systems of behavior. As a Humanities Core Curriculum course, REL 100's goal is for all students to learn to define, accurately describe, and compare in a non-evaluative manner so as to discover significant similarities and differences in various forms of human behavior. Although the course examines some of the world's religious traditions, this course is not simply an introduction to world religions; rather, it is an introduction to the study of religion where religion is conceived as an observable aspect of human culture and history.

Syllabus (PDF)

First Reaction Paper Guidelines (PDF)

"Insides, Outsides and the Scholar of Religion"

"Religious Studies and 'Heaven's Gate'" (PDF)

"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" (PDF)