Those who wish to do electives may choose from Religious Studies courses in the 1600 series: 1641, 1651, and 1671; or from 2401, 2801, 2811, 2821, 2831, or 2841; or with appropriate prerequisites, several other courses in the Department.

Note:  The listing of a course in the Calendar is not a guarantee that the course is offered every year.

Note:  Students must obtain a grade of at least C- in all courses used to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Otherwise, written permission of the appropriate Department Head or Program Co-ordinator must be obtained.

RELG 1621 (3.00)
Death and the Afterlife in Asian Religions
This course examines the practices and beliefs concerning death and the afterlife in six religious traditions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, 'folk' or 'popular' religion, Shinto, and Hinduism. It compares beliefs and practices related to death and the afterlife in these traditions and examines the diversity that exists both between and within these religions. (Format: Lecture 3 hours) (Exclusion: RELG 1991 Death and the Afterlife in Asian Religions)

RELG 1641 (3.00)
Religion, the Body, and Sexuality
This course investigates the role the human body plays in the world's Western religious traditions (predominantly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), namely, how the body affects or facilitates worship of the divine and what the related rites, practices, and texts have to say to us as physical beings. It considers such issues as bodily functions, gender roles, and sexual orientation. The course pays considerable attention to the intersections of religion and culture as they inform what it means to be an embodied believer. It also considers why the human imagination seems to need to conceive the divine in bodily form. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 1641 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 1661 (3.00)
Religion and Popular Culture
This course examines various points at which religion and culture collide. Various media will be utilized (film, music, fashion, literature) in order to interpret some of the complex relationships that form and maintain contemporary Western identity. Topics covered will include cultural uses of religious symbolism and story, the power of popular piety, and the Western tendency towards consumption and commodification of religious traditions. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 1671 (3.00)
Sacred Space and Holy Land
This course examines how the phenomena of "sacred space" and "pilgrimage", or "sacred journey", originate and give expression to core beliefs, symbols, and devotion of various world religions. Particular attention is focused upon ancient and contemporary Jerusalem, a hotly contested site of holiness for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 1671 Sacred Space and Pilgrimage)

RELG 1681 (3.00)
The Quest for Enlightenment: the Search For Perfection in Asian Religions
This course treats the theme of the spiritual quest in Asian religions. Surveying some of the major Asian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto) it explores the nature of the highest state thought to be achievable by humans and how that state is realized. Topics may include the role of morality, love, and human relationships in that quest, the place of rituals and institutions, and the vision for society. This course looks at both classical and contemporary views on these issues and situates them within their relevant socio-historical context. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 1991 (3.00)
Special Topic in Religious Studies
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being considered for inclusion in the regular program. [Note 1: Prerequisite set by Department/Program when the topic and level are announced. Note 2: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation, it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 1991 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Variable)

RELG 2401 (3.00)
Introduction to Eastern Religions
This course introduces the origins, history, philosophy and practice of the major religions of India, China, and Japan, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2211)

RELG 2411 (3.00)
Mother Earth, Father Sky: Religion, Humans, and Nature
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course investigates religious moral thought through the lens of nature and environmental issues. It explores various religious perspectives, both Asian and Western, on topics such as the meaning of nature and the place of humans in it, the value of landscapes and ecosystems, whether animals have moral standing and how they should be treated, and how current environmental problems should be understood and approached. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 2521 (3.00)
Food Practices and East Asian Religions
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course examines the practices and beliefs associated with food in five East Asian religious traditions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, 'folk' or 'popular' religion, and Shinto. It introduces religious prescriptions and prohibitions related to food cultivation, storage, distribution, preparation, and consumption. Topics include connections between food practices and hierarchy and the roles that food plays in creating and sustaining relationships such as those between humans, living and dead, and non-humans. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2991 Food Practices and East Asian Religions)

RELG 2801 (3.00)
Introduction to Western Religions
This course examines the history, beliefs, practices, and contemporary socio-cultural significance of what are conventionally called the Western religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course will also briefly examine Ancient Near Eastern religions (Egyptian and Mesopotamian), Greco-Roman paganism, as well as Zoroastrianism and Baha'i. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2201)

RELG 2811 (3.00)
Introduction to the Bible I: Hebrew Bible
An introduction - in English translation - to the literature of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. Selected passages are discussed in the context of Israel's history, religion, and society, set against the backdrop of the Ancient Near Eastern civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia. We will seek to understand why these texts and the religion they represent have been so influential and in what ways they still illuminate and speak to the human situation today. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2001)

RELG 2821 (3.00)
Introduction to the Bible II: New Testament
This course discusses the literature of the New Testament, in English translation, in light of the historical and cultural conditions from which it emerged. The New Testament is analyzed both as a witness to Jesus and to Christian origins, and as a text which has exerted enormous creative power within human culture and history. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2011)

RELG 2831 (3.00)
Faith and Doubt
This course introduces the disciplines of theology and philosophy of religion within the Western theistic (Jewish/Christian) tradition. It considers the sometimes ambivalent relationship between reason and religious experience. Topics include rational proofs for the existence of God, religious self-understanding, the problem of evil, and the relationship between religious belief and scientific reason. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2501)

RELG 2841 (3.00)
The Apocalyptic Consciousness
A study of the apocalyptic consciousness in ancient documents and in modern thought, particularly with reference to ideas about the Day of Judgment and Second Coming. In addition to biblical and non-biblical texts, students will reflect on contemporary portrayals of the apocalyptic image in art, literature and film. Modern manifestations of the apocalyptic cult will be explored, with specific reference to cults of expectation. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2031)

RELG 2991 (3.00)
Special Topic in Religious Studies
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being considered for inclusion in the regular program. [Note 1: Prerequisite set by Department/Program when the topic and level are announced. Note 2: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation, it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 2991 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Variable)

RELG 3001 (3.00)
Hinduism
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1681, 2401, 2411; 3 credits from RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
A study of Hinduism, examining its origins, history, philosophy, and culture. The course will treat ancient, classical, medieval and modern periods, and conclude with a discussion of the challenges facing contemporary Hinduism. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3261)

RELG 3101 (3.00)
Buddhism
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1681, 2401, 2411; 3 credits from RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
A study of Buddhism, examining its origins, history, philosophy and cultures. The course will treat the three major strands of classical Buddhism, and conclude with an analysis of the growing phenomenon of Western Buddhism. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3271)

RELG 3301 (3.00)
Religions of China
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1681, 2401, 2411; 3 credits from RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course will study the religious traditions of China, examining the basic ideas and concepts underlying Chinese religion and the ways in which these ideas were implemented. The course will look in detail at both Confucianism and Daoism, at Chinese folk religion, and at the adaptation of Buddhism to China. It will conclude with an evaluation of the current state of religion in China. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3311 (3.00)
Religions of Japan
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1681, 2401, 2411; 3 credits from RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course will study the religious traditions of Japan, examining the underlying ideas and concepts of Shinto, including its relation to Shamanism, the nature and role of Kami, the role of purity and aesthetics, and its political functions. The introduction and adaptation of Buddhism and its relation to Shinto will be discussed, as will the modern day "new religions" which form such a vital part of contemporary Japanese religious practice. The influence and roles of Confucianism and Daoism will also be briefly covered. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3321 (3.00)
Sacred Place in East Asia
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1641, 1681; 3 credits from RELG 2401, 2411, 2521; or permission of the Department
This course focuses on the ways in which sacred sites have been constituted and transformed in five East Asian religious traditions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, 'folk' or 'popular' religion, and Shinto. By analysis of diverse primary source materials the course aims to enhance understanding of the complex processes by which sites are singled out as worthy of devotion to address the question: what needs have the establishment, preservation, recreation, and destruction of sacred places met in particular times and territories? (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3991 Sacred Space in East Asia)

RELG 3411 (3.00)
Gender Issues in Eastern Religions
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1641, 1681; 3 credits from RELG 2401, 2411; or permission of the Department
This course examines the role that gender plays in the context of myths, scriptural texts, rituals and doctrine, in the major religious traditions of the East. It examines such matters as sexuality and sexual orientation, the body, feminism and other critical approaches, political rights and responsibilities, access to religious experience, and spiritual leadership. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 3481 (3.00)
Religion in Canada
Prereq: 3 credits from HIST 1601, HIST 1621, HIST 2411, HIST 2421, HIST 2011, HIST 2031, RELG 2801 and RELG 2831; 3 credits from HIST or RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course surveys the history of religion in Canada from the pre-European period to the 1980s. It focuses on religious traditions that developed or were established early in Canadian history - aboriginal, Christian, and Jewish - but others are also included. The content includes both traditional topics such as influential individuals, writings, and institutions in relation to the state and public life, as well as themes from the newer socio-cultural history of religion. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3481 and may therefore count as 3 credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3501 (3.00)
Judaism
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2801, 2811, 2841; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course examines the roots and various expressions of Judaism in the ancient world up to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE and the rise of Rabbinic Judaism. Jewish life in the medieval world and the Islamic East, as well as the emergence of Kabbalah, are also discussed. The course then examines the emergence of various expressions of modern Judaism, including religious Zionism. The core convictions, sacred texts, institutions, and practices of Judaism will be analyzed within these historical contexts. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3241)

RELG 3601 (3.00)
Christianity
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines in detail the enormous breadth and richness of the Christian tradition, beginning with its historical and theological roots in the Jewish tradition and ending with some of the challenges faced in the contemporary world. It traces a path through key topics including theological thought, mystical experience, devotional practice, artistic expression, and ideological influence. The aim is to represent Christianity in its many facets and forms so as to appreciate its fundamental and ongoing significance in shaping Western cultural identity. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3611 (3.00)
Christianity in the Roman Empire
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2801, 2821, 3601; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or third or fourth year History Major; or permission of the Department
This course examines the crucial, defining crises of the ancient Christian communities in the social, political, and cultural context of Late Antiquity (roughly, 2nd to 6th centuries CE/AD). It analyzes early Christianity as a social movement, as a religious movement with a developing belief system, and as an historical phenomenon embedded within historical events and processes. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3611 and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3621 (3.00)
The Construction of Christendom: the History of Christianity During the Mediaeval Era
Prereq: 3 credits from HIST 2001, HIST 2011, RELG 2801, RELG 2821, RELG 2831, RELG 2841; 3 credits from HIST or RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course traces the history of Christianity, emphasizing the Roman communion, from the fifth to the mid-fifteenth century. It investigates the development of the institutional church; the evolution of forms of devotional observance, manifested in art and architecture, literature, and the liturgy; and the varied expressions of criticism and dissent aimed at the doctrinal teaching and conduct of clergy. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3621 and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: HIST/RELG 3620; any version of HIST/RELG 3621 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 3631 (3.00)
The Fracturing of Christendom: the Reformation Era
Prereq: 3 credits from HIST 2001, HIST 2011, HIST 2031, RELG 2801, RELG 2821, RELG 2831, RELG 2841; 3 credits from HIST or RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course treats the history of Christianity during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, an era when the unity of mediæval western Christendom was driven by series of reformations: Protestant, Radical, and Catholic. It investigates the ecclesiastical, intellectual, political, and social circumstances and consequences of dramatic religious change. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as HIST 3631 and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: HIST 3131)

RELG 3661 (3.00)
The Christian Tradition and the University
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2801, 2831, 3601; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course will introduce students to a consideration of the relationship between the Christian tradition and the origins and philosophy of the university, science, education and the liberal arts. The student will be encouraged to explore the complex inter-relatedness of litterae and religio and scientia, especially the creative tensions among these ways of knowing. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 2601)

RELG 3671 (3.00)
In the Image of God: Understanding the Christian Self
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2831, 3601; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course begins with the scene in Genesis where humanity is created in the image of God. It considers the various ways in which the human experience and the quest for meaning have been described, analyzed, and explained from theological and philosophical perspectives. Topics include the possibility of knowing God, the nature of the relationship between the human and the divine, the logic of resurrection, and the possibility of hope and ultimate meaning. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3701 (3.00)
Islam
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1671, 2801; 3 credits from RELG at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course traces Islam from its origins in the life and activities of Mohammed through to contemporary world Islam and its diverse responses to the challenges of "modernity" and the West. The world view, institutions, rituals, and practices of Islam will be studied within these changing historical and cultural contexts. Effort will be made throughout to gain insight into the religious, spiritual impulses which animate Islam and unite devout Muslims. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3291)

RELG 3811 (3.00)
Gender Issues in Western Religions
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines the role that gender plays in the context of myths, scriptural texts, rituals and doctrine, in the major religious traditions of the West. It examines such matters as sexuality and sexual orientation, the body, feminism and other critical approaches, political rights and responsibilities, access to religious experience, and spiritual leadership. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 3821 (3.00)
The Word Made Text: Intermediate Topics In Biblical Studies
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG 2811, 2821; or permission of the Department
This course considers what the Bible means and how we should interpret it. It builds upon knowledge of the basic content of the Bible (Hebrew Bible and New Testament), as well as some of the methods or mechanics of biblical interpretation discussed in RELG 2811 and 2821. The course offers the opportunity for close and critical readings of a variety of biblical texts, allowing for the investigation of numerous interpretive approaches such as historical, poetic, narrative, and ideological. Overall the goal is for students to become competent and self-aware readers of the Bible. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3891 (3.00)
Indian Philosophy
Prereq: 6 credits from PHIL; or permission of the Department
A study of selected primary sources in the Indian philosophical tradition, from the Vedas and Upanishads to the recent work of thinkers like S. Radhakrishnan. Topics usually include the nature of reality, moral obligation, Divinity, selfhood and freedom, the philosophy of love, and various social and political issues. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as PHIL 3891 and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3901 (3.00)
Approaching the Ultimate: Themes and Theories in Religious Studies
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines various kinds of religious phenomena, including mystical experience, sacred texts, religious ethics, and ritual, and explores the different ways the discipline of Religious Studies understands and interprets them. It explores major theoretical approaches, including text-historical, phenomenological, gender-critical, philosophical, and cultural-critical, and assesses them critically for their value in the study of religion. [Note 1: This is a required course for all Majors and Honours students in Religious Studies and is recommended for those taking a Minor.] (Format: Lecture 3 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 3901 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 3911 (3.00)
Contemporary Ethical Issues in Western Religions
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2411, PHIL 2701; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course considers the nature of ethics and explores some of the most prominent contemporary ethical issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, ecology, gay rights, racism, and sexism. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 3911 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 3921 (3.00)
Contemporary Ethical Issues in Eastern Religions
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2411, PHIL 2701; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course considers the response of Eastern Traditions' to contemporary ethical issues, such as those of abortion, euthanasia, ecology, and bio-medical technologies. The course looks at both classical and contemporary perspectives. (Format: Seminar 2 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 3921 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 3931 (3.00)
The Bible and the Arts
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2811, RELG 2821; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department.
This course will explore major biblical themes in the art and literature of the western world, looking at ways in which themes such as creation, liberation, salvation, resurrection, and fulfilment have been portrayed and interpreted in literature, the visual arts and music. The focus will be on the widespread influence of the Bible and biblical motifs on Western culture. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

RELG 3941 (3.00)
Religion, Revolution and Violence
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department.
This course examines the development and historical manifestations of ideologies of violence and nonviolence within the major world religions, with special attention to how these ideologies continue to play themselves out in contemporary global and national conflicts. (Format: Lecture 2 Hours) (Exclusion: RELG 3231)

RELG 3971 (3.00)
Religion in Film
Prereq: RELG 3901; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; 3 credits from RELG at the 2000 level; RELG 2811, 2821 recommended; or permission of the Department
This course examines the cultural legacy and/or influence of various religious traditions and scriptural texts in the modern medium of film. It begins, with an examination of some great religious "epics", and then considers more recent cinematic treatments of religious themes and figures. (Format: Lecture 2 Hours, Laboratory 2.5 Hour)

RELG 3981 (3.00)
Religious Ethics and the Environment
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 2411, PHIL 2701; 3 credits from RELG 1600 series; or permission of the Department
This course investigates the role that various religions play in human interaction with the environment and explores how religions are responding or not responding to environmental problems. It examines various religious perspectives on nature and examines critically scholarship which applies religious perspectives to issues in environmental ethics. It also considers the religious basis of contemporary environmental thinkers and movements and examines the worldview assumptions and values that underlie so-called secular approaches to environmental issues.(Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 3991 (3.00)
Special Topic in Religious Studies
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being considered for inclusion in the regular program. [Note 1: Prerequisite set by Department/Program when the topic and level are announced. Note 2: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation, it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 3991 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Variable)

RELG 4401 (3.00)
Ascetics, Saints, and Scoundrels: Asian Religious Themes in Literature
Prereq: 6 credits from RELG 3001, 3101, 3301, 3311, 3921, 3811, 3981; or permission of the Department
This course examines several genres such as those found in Hindu and Buddhist literature. The course begins with a study of selected classical texts and concludes with a discussion of selected Asian and Western contemporary literary works. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 4401 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 4411 (3.00)
Advanced Studies in Eastern Thought
Prereq: 6 credits from RELG 3001, 3101, 3301, 3311, 3921, 3811, 3981; or permission of the Department
This course focuses on the philosophical traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. It examines both classical systems of thought and their modern interpretations. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4421 (3.00)
Eastern Religions and the Challenge of Modernity
Prereq: 3 credits from RELG 1681, 2401, 2411; 3 credits from RELG 3001, 3101, 3301, 3311; or permission of the Department
This course examines the contemporary state of Eastern Religions. It discusses the recent histories of Eastern Religions, and looks at the challenges of science, consequences of colonialism, movements of political independence, and issues of poverty and social justice. It studies particularly these traditions' encounter with the West, and their responses to the cultural exchange that ensues from this encounter. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4521 (3.00)
Key Religious Texts of East Asia
Prereq: 6 credits from RELG 3001, 3101, 3301, 3311, 3321, 3811, 3921, 3981; or permission of the Department
This course examines the significance in East Asian religion of a selected single religious text. Combining a careful reading of this document with the analysis of closely related primary source materials and important secondary scholarship, it explores relationships between texts and the social, political, economic, and religious contexts of their creation and circulation. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4611 (3.00)
Reinventing the Sacred: Christianity in The Post-Secular West
Prereq: 6 credits from RELG 3601, 3901; or permission of the Department
This course considers the relationship between the Christian tradition and contemporary Western culture and looks at contemporary re-articulations of Christian beliefs, practices, and understandings. It examines from a cultural- critical perspective how thinkers have been forced to reformulate and modify traditional positions and beliefs in order to accommodate what are often vastly differing or at least unpredictable circumstances. This course considers how such innovations may reveal new ways forward in terms that are social, political, ethical, spiritual, and possibly even conventional. Ultimately it invites students to reflect on how these perspectives might enable the West to re-imagine its future possibilities in ways that are challenging and transformative for both the Christian tradition and Western identity. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4811 (3.00)
The Divine Light of Reason: Advanced Topics in Western Thought
Prereq: 9 credits from RELG 3601, 3671, 3901; or permission of the Department
This course examines the theology and philosophy of religion as they bear on Western religious traditions. It explores the strengths and limitations of theological perceptions and philosophical concepts as these apply to traditional religious issues such as the power of death, the possibility of hope and the ineffability of religious experience. Topics may include reformulating sacramental theology; comparing theological anthropology and phenomenology; reconciling biblical language and post-structuralism; and examining the incommensurate parameters of divine presence. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4821 (3.00)
The Authority of the Text: Meaning and Sacredness in Western Scripture
Prereq: RELG 3901; 3 credits from RELG 3811, 3931, 3941, 3971; or permission of the Department
This course examines the nature of scripture and what (or who) gives it authority. Through study of the related phenomena of interpretation, sacredness, and canonicity in biblical traditions, this course addresses questions of the origins of sacred texts and how such texts establish and sustain the religious, cultural, and social lives of communities. It explores how and with what results culturally and historically diverse interpretive communities have made fresh appropriations of scriptural traditions through various strategies of interpretation. It also asks what is at stake in these deliberations, who benefits, and how power operates or shifts via the various ideological mechanisms that serve to authorize scripture. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours) (Exclusion: Any version of RELG 4821 previously offered with a different title)

RELG 4841 (3.00)
Sexuality and the Biblical Tradition
Prereq: RELG 3901; 3 credits from RELG 3821, 3931; or permission of the Department
This course explores the history of sexuality in biblical and post-biblical traditions. Through the close reading of biblical texts it examines the Bible's treatment of the subject of sex including bodily purity, reproduction and sexual orientation. It also looks at the Bible's influence on this subject in the history of Judaism, Christianity, and the modern, secular era. (Format: Seminar 3 Hours)

RELG 4861 (3.00)
The Quest for the Historical Jesus
Prereq: RELG 2821; 3 credits from RELG 3611, 3821; or permission of the Department
This course explores the scholarship of the historical Jesus, providing an overview of the attempts to reconstruct the Jesus of history as distinct from the Jesus of church tradition. It places particular emphasis on the biblical and non-biblical sources used and methodologies of enquiry employed. (Format: Seminar 3 hours) (Exclusion: RELG 4991 The Quest for the Historical Jesus)

RELG 4950 (6.00)
Independent Study in Religious Studies
This course permits senior students, under the direction of faculty members, to pursue their interest in areas not covered, or not covered in depth, by other courses through a program of independent study. [Note 1: Permission of the Department/Program Advisor. Students must obtain consent of an instructor who is willing to be a supervisor and must register for the course prior to the last day for change of registration in the term during which the course is being taken. Note 2: A program on Independent Study cannot duplicate subject matter covered through regular course offerings. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 4950/51 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Independent Study)

RELG 4951 (3.00)
Independent Study in Religious Studies
This course permits senior students, under the direction of faculty members, to pursue their interest in areas not covered, or not covered in depth, by other courses through a program of independent study. [Note 1: Permission of the Department/Program Advisor. Students must obtain consent of an instructor who is willing to be a supervisor and must register for the course prior to the last day for change of registration in the term during which the course is being taken. Note 2: A program on Independent Study cannot duplicate subject matter covered through regular course offerings. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 4950/51 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Independent Study)

RELG 4953 (3.00)
Independent Study in Religion
This course permits senior students, under the direction of faculty members, to pursue their interest in areas not covered, or not covered in depth, by other courses through a program of independent study. [Note 1: Permission of the Department/Program Advisor. Students must obtain consent of an instructor who is willing to be a supervisor and must register for the course prior to the last day for change of registration in the term during which the course is being taken. Note 2: A program on Independent Study cannot duplicate subject matter covered through regular course offerings. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 4953F/W more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Independent Study)

RELG 4990 (6.00)
Honours Thesis
Independent research and thesis writing under the direction of a member of the Department, for students in the Religious Studies Honours program. [Note 1: Permission of the Department is required.] (Format: Independent Study/Thesis)

RELG 4991 (3.00)
Special Topic in Religious Studies
This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being considered for inclusion in the regular program. (Format: Variable) [Note 1: Prerequisite set by Department/Program when the topic and level are announced. Note 2: When a Department or Program intends to offer a course under this designation, it must submit course information, normally at least three months in advance, to the Dean. Note 3: Students may register for RELG 4991 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.]