Religion

Philosophy

Course Descriptions

REL 101. Old Testament Studies
An introductory study of the Old Testament from a literary, historical, and religious perspective. Three hours credit.

REL 102. New Testament Studies
An introductory study of the New Testament from a literary, historical, and religious perspective. Three hours credit.

REL 105. Introduction to Religion
An introductory course in religion dealing with the nature of religious experience and the place of religion in human society. The course offers the students opportunity for personal reflection on basic issues related to religious thought and practice. Three hours credit.

REL 108. Human Images in World Religion
An introductory course in religion offering the student opportunities to reflect upon the place of religion in shaping human self-understanding. The focus is on various human images found among the major religions of the world. Three hours credit.

REL 109. Human Images in Biblical Perspective
An introductory course in religion offering the student opportunities to reflect upon the place of the Bible in shaping human self-understanding. The focus is on various human images found amo ng the Biblical materials. Three hours credit.

REL 119. Christian Worhsip
A practicum using the chapel worship services as vehicles to understand the meanings of corporate hymns, prayers, readings, scripture lessons, and sermons. One hour credit. May be taken two times for credit.

REL 203. Hebrew Prophets
A study of prophetic literature in the Hebrew Bible, with special attention given to its background, theology and emphases on corporate and individual responsibility, and concepts of social justice, ancient and modern. Three hours credit.

REL 204. Jesus in the Gospels
A study of the ministry and teachings of Jesus as presented in the Gospels of the New Testament and in the light of recent interpretations. A special emphasis will be given to the resulting Christian ethic and some of its modern interpretations. Three hours credit.

REL 205. Faith, Ethics, and Wholeness
A study of how authentic faith and the application of ethical principles can contribute to a coherent view of the world and one's place in it. Three hours credit.

REL/PHL 209. Environmental Ethics
An examination of how various religio us and philosophical traditions in Western and non-Western cultures have viewed the relationship of humans to the natural environment and other living beings. Three hours credit.

REL/PHL 216. Families, Values, and Ethics
An introduction to historical and contemporary ethical perspectives on the family and its relation to the broader social, religious, and political order. Three hours credit.

REL221. Paul and His Letters
An exploration of the background issues in the study of Paul and the early Christian church. Includes an intensive examination of the thought of Paul as applied to four contemporary ethical issues: marriage, divorce, sexuality, and governmental authority. Three hours credit.

REL 288, 388, 488. Special Topics
Variable credit. May be repeated. Three hours credit. Meets the General Education Requirement in international perspectives.

REL 300. Biblical Interpretation
A seminar designed to introduce students to the research principles utilized in discovering the meaning of a sacred text. The course will examine the writings of a Hebrew prophet as well as a Pauline letter. Three hours credit.

REL/PHL 305. Evil, Suffering, and Guilt
A study of the problem of evil posed by the human experience of suffering and guilt. Thre e hours credit.

REL 307. Christian Ethics
A study of the basic elements of Christian ethical reflection. The course concentrates on developing a method for making moral decisions, using selected issues drawn from contemporary life. Three hours credit.

REL/PHL 312. Existentialism
The course will take a thematic approach concentrating on concepts that define the existential self: existence, God as other, authenticity, alienation, and freedom and determinism. Three hours credit.

REL 318. Religion in America
An introduction to the distinctive religious traditions in the United States viewed from historical and cultural perspectives. Three hours credit

REL/PHL 320. Myth, Story, and Meaning
A study of the origin and nature of myth, story, and meaning and how they have been used in various religious traditions. Three hours credit.

REL/PHL 331 Worl Religions and Eastern Philosophies
A study of the major religions of the world (excluding Christianity) and the philosophies that are related to them. Credit may be received in either religion or philosophy.

REL 334. History of Christian Thought
A systematic and historical approach to Christian though t. Particular consideration will be given to selected epochs, doctrines, and basic beliefs in Christianity. Three hours credit.

REL 341. Islam and Christan-Muslim Relations
A study of Islam and historical and contemporary issues in Christian-Muslim relations. Three hours credit. Fall. Prerequisite: one three-hour course in Biblical studies or REL 108.

REL 411-419. Independent Study
Individual research or field work under the supervision of a member of the department. Credit at the discretion of the instructor. No more than three hours credit may be earned in any one semester.

REL 471-475. Student Career Intern Program
Six to fifteen hours credit.

REL/PHL 499. Senior Seminar
Directed research and writing in religion and philosophy that ties together the courses in the majors and integrates the individual interests of the students. Required of all majors in religion and philosophy. Three hours credit.

PHL 101. Introduction to Philosophy
A general historical introduction to the major questions of the Western philosophical traditions. Three hours credit.

PHL 106. Introduction to Logic an Critical Thinking
This course is designed to help students write, read, and engage in dialogue more critically through examination of the use and misuse of arguments in politics, business, science, and everyday life. Three hours credit.

PHL 205. Ethical Traditions
An introduction to the major ethical traditions of Western culture and some non-Western philosophies and religions. The course will focus on the question, "Why should I be moral?" Three hours credit.

PHL 208. Social Ethics
A study of significant issues facing Americans in the context of world communities. Using resources drawn from a variety of interpreters, students will explore such collective concerns as biomedical developments, technology, racism, world hunger and the use of natural resources. Three hours credit. (Will satisfy IDS 201 requirement.)

PHL/REL 209. Environmental Ethics
An examination of how various religious and philosophical traditions in Western and non-Western cultures have viewed the relationship of humans to the natural environment and other living beings. Three hours credit.

PHL/REL 216. Families, Values, and Ethics
An introduction to historical and contemporary ethical perspectives on the family and
its relation to the broader social, religious, and political order. Three hours credit.

PHL 222. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
An historical study of classical and medieval philosophers from the pre-Socratics through Aquinas, including the thought of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine. Three hours credit.

PHL 223. Modern Philosophy
An historical study of modern philosophers from Hobbes through the mid-nineteenth century, including the thought of Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, and Nietzsche. Three hours credit.

PHL 224. Twentieth Century Philosohpy
A survey of the major philosophical movements of the twentieth century, including pragmatism, phenomenology, logical positivism, ordinary language philosophy, postmodernism, and feminism. Three hours credit. Spring.

PHL 246. Business Ethics
An interdisciplinary study of some major moral issues involved in contemporary business policies and practices. Emphasis is placed upon the development of moral awareness and the use of moral principles in decision making.  Three hours credit. (Will satisfy IDS 201 requirement.)

PHL 288, 388, 488. Special Topics 
Variable credit. May be repeated.

PHL/ REL 305. Evil, Suffering, and Guilt
A study of the problem of evil posed by the human experience of suffering and guilt. Three hours credit.

PHL 306. Symbolic Logic
This course is designed to teach the fundamental concepts and methods of formal deductive and inductive logic and their applications in critical analysis. The course will help students to prepare for graduate and professional schools and associated admissions tests. Three hours credit. Fall.

PHL 309. Political Philosophy
Studies in representative philosophies of Western political traditions from historical and systematic approaches, with emphasis placed upon modern European and American theories of state and society. Three hours credit.

PHL/REL 312. Existentialism
The course will take a thematic approach concentrating on concepts that define the existential self: existence, God as other, authenticity, alienation, and freedom and determinism. Three hours credit.

PHL/REL 320. Myth, Story, and Meaning
A study of the origin and nature of myth, story, and meaning and how they have been used in various religious traditions. Three hours credit.

PHL/REL 331. World Religions and Eastern Philosophies
A study of the major religions of the world (excluding Christianity) and the philosophies that are related to them. Credit may be received in either philosophy or religion. Three hours credit. Meets the General Education Requirement in international perspectives.

PHL 411-419. Independent Study
Individual research or field work under the supervision of a member of the department. Credit at the discretion of the instructor. No more than three hours credit may be earned in any one semester.