Studying
|
REL100.002/.003
|
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. |
