Religious Studies 001B. Death and the Afterlife (4 units)
Aaron French
TWR 2:10-4:25P
1134 Bainer Hall
CRN 53695
Course Description: Drawing on religion, mythology, fiction, and scholarly analyses, this course will examine the various ideas surrounding death and the afterlife. This includes, but is not limited to, mainstream beliefs about what happens after we die, but additionally the course will explore the timeless human quest for the attainment of immortality. Topics will include the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the initiatory practices of the ancient mystery cults and Gnostics, the Bardo Thodol, medieval alchemy and the creation of the homunculus, Dracula and vampirism, Frankenstein and electrical life prolongation, Spiritism, Transhumanism and more! Learn about the various ways and practices that human beings have attempted to resist and/or conquer death. If you have any questions, please contact the instructor, ajfrench@ucdavis.edu.
Prerequisite: None.
GE credit (Old): Arts & Humanities, Social-Cultural Diversity and Writing Experience.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities, Oral Literacy, Visual Literacy, World Cultures and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture/Discussion.
Textbooks:
- TBA
Religious Studies 015Y. Reading War / Fighting War has been cancelled.
Religious Studies 060. Introduction to Islam (4 units)
Mairaj Syed
TR 11:00A-1:30P
130 Physics Building
CRN 53676
Course Description: This course seeks to provide an introduction to pre-modern and contemporary Islam. We will study the central beliefs, institutions, and practices that constitute Islam. We will start with Muhammad’s message in seventh century Arabia. We will then examine the intellectual traditions of Islamic law, theology, and mysticism in medieval Muslim societies. Starting in the 19th century, these same societies underwent massive structural change with the advent of colonial occupations. We will study the impact of Western colonialism on the structure of religious authority in Islam. In the last few weeks, we will study themes that have figured prominently in popular media portrayals of Muslims in the last few decades, notably gender and Islamic politics, including the radical variety.
Prerequisite: None.
GE credit (Old): Arts & Humanities or Social Sciences; Social-Cultural Diversity and Writing Experience.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities or Social Sciences; World Cultures and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture/Discussion; Term Paper.
Textbooks:
- TBA
Summer Session II 2017 [August 7 - September 15, 2017]
Religious Studies 042. Religion and Science Fiction (4 units)
Aaron French
TR 11:00A-1:30P
1116 Hart Hall
CRN 74000
Course Description: This course examines the various intersections and commonalities of religious philosophy and science fiction. The central question of the course will not be, how do these two genres compare and/or relate, but rather how do they both represent and describe religious, spiritual, and mystical experiences and states? A further question will be, where do these lines between imagination, science, and reality blur together? Topics will include the novels of Philip K. Dick, L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology, the film The Matrix, Transhumanism, Gnosticism, Ufology, Octavia E. Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin, and more! Take this course to discover the power that imagination and literature have to shape the world(s) we all inhabit. If you have any questions, please contact the instructor, ajfrench@ucdavis.edu.
Prerequisite: None.
GE credit (Old): Arts & Humanities, Social-Cultural Diversity and Writing Experience.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities, Visual Literacy and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture; Term Paper.
Textbooks:
- TBA
Religious Studies 132. Worshipping Gods, Worshipping Mortals in Greek, Roman & Near Eastern Religious Traditions (4 units)
Cai Thorman
TR 2:10-4:40P
1134 Bainer Hall
CRN 74002
Course Description: Using both archaeological and textual resources, this course will explore the religious practices of ancient Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern (including Egyptian) cultures. Topics will include sacrifice, festivals, oracles, priesthoods, tomb culture, and sanctuaries. One of the most intriguing subjects will be the worship of mortals regarded as divine. Where was the line between deity and human? Why would someone worship a mortal? How did cults for gods and mortals differ? Such questions will provide fascinating insights into the politics and psychology of the ancient Mediterranean world. If you have any questions, please contact the instructor, cthorman@ucdavis.edu.
Prerequisite: None.
GE credit (Old): Arts & Humanities.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities, World Cultures and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture/Discussion; Term Paper.
Textbooks:
- TBA
Religious Studies 141B. New Testament Literature: John (4 units)
Wendy Terry
MWF 11:00A-1:15P
1342 Storer Hall
CRN 74003
Course Description: Life and thought of the early Church as reflected by the Johannine Tradition; the Gospel and letters of John.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor, wrterry@ucdavis.edu.
GE credit (Old): Arts & Humanities and Writing Experience.
GE credit (New): Arts & Humanities, World Cultures and Writing Experience.
Format: Lecture; Discussion.
Textbooks:
- TBA