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The academic study of religion consists of many different sub-fields. These sub-fields are
various theoretical and methodological approaches from which to study religion. No one
approach gives us a complete understanding on its own, but each is necessary to build a rich
and complex understanding of religion. Some of these approaches include: historical,
philosophical, comparative, feminist, African-American, literary, anthropological,
sociological, and psychological. They result in the sub-fields: history of religion, philosophy
of religion, comparative religion, women and religion, African-American religious thought,
religion and the arts, anthropology of religion, sociology of religion, and psychology of
religion.
This course introduces you to Religious Studies by surveying four of these different
approaches. We will look at how each addresses the problem of evil. By this broad
category, I mean for us to explore understandings - often conflicting - of what constitutes
wrongdoing, injustice, sin, immorality, neurosis, or oppression and what should be the
response. We focus on evil in order to narrow the otherwise vast topic of religion and
because evil is one of the most challenging and painful problems of human experience. How
do these various sub-fields in Religious Studies explore this core issue? From their differing
perspectives, what is the relation of religion to problems of good and evil? How do these
approaches explain why innocent people suffer and how we should respond? In their
analyses, in what ways is religion itself ever considered an "evil"?
Through readings, lectures, discussions, and assignments, the course highlights the
interdisciplinary breadth of Religious Studies (one reason I majored in it!) and the field's
REL 101 Syllabus: Intro to Religious Studies 2
flexibility in exploring complex questions of value and meaning. The course focuses mainly
on the Western traditions of Christianity and Judaism.
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