Religious Studies 1500: Religion in India 1

This course explores the religious expressions of India as they emerge in the classical and “medieval” history of the subcontinent. Topics to be covered are drawn from the full sweep of religious creativity and continuity from the prehistoric period through Mughal and Islamic times: the role of myth and ritual; the interactions between religion, politics and the arts; religious confrontations and accommodations; speculations about the nature of the world, the human, and the ultimate; the emergence and spread of Jainism, Buddhism and popular “Hindu” theism; and the impact of Islam. Students will be encouraged to engage in research topics that focus on certain themes at some depth: yoga, sacrifice, the symbolism of sound, the role of women, sacred biographies, et al. The material covered in this course is fundamental for an understanding of the contemporary life of India (to be examined in Religion in India 2) and later developments in Southeast and East Asia. The course will be enhanced by guest lecturers, films, and at least one field trip. Prerequisites: none. This course is offered semi-annually.

Religious Studies 1510: Religion in India 2

This course focuses on special topics about the religious life of India. It may trace the development of devotional religious sects within Hinduism, the infusion of Islamic movements in Indian society, the formation of new religious movements such as Sikhism, the impact of the British colonial period beginning with the 18th century and the Indian responses carrying forward into the 20th century, and/or the religious expressions of Indians living outside the subcontinent, especially in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. The course not only explores the ideas of intellectuals but also various folk and religious expressions, sectarian movements and the mushrooming of such activity as festival life, pilgrimage, temple rituals, etc. We are also sensitive to the role of religion in politics, ethnicity, and identity-formation on the subcontinent.

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Religious Studies 1512: Sanskrit 1

This course introduces the basic structure and vocabulary of Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the classical language of India. This course can serve as either a one-term introduction to Sanskrit, or (preferably) as a foundation for further work in the language. We will begin with the devanagari writing system and Sanskrit pronunciation. This will be followed by a survey of the essentials of Sanskrit grammar, including noun, pronoun, and verb paradigms, rules of combining sounds when words are joined to one another (sandhi), word order, and use of particles. There will not be so much focus on developing an extensive vocabulary in the first term of study; however, the course will be directed toward eventually reading material from Sanskrit texts such as the Mahabharata and Hitopadesa in second-year Sanskrit. About 1/3 of a comprehensive beginning text such as Egenes, Introduction to Sanskrit will be covered in the Fall term. Prerequisite: No specific prerequisites; however, (1) successful previous foreign language study and/or (2) some familiarity with South Asian civilization would be helpful.

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Religious Studies 1514: Sanskrit 2

A continuation of Sanskrit 1, this course is devoted to the reading of selected Sanskrit texts. Grammar presented in Sanskrit 1 is reviewed as necessary and some additional grammatical material is introduced.

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Religious Studies 1516: Temple, Icon & Deity in India

In this course we examine aspects of religious expression in South Asia through the study of Indian temples, icons, and deities in their historical, social, and religious context. We apply a multi-faceted approach (including visual and textual) to begin to understand and interpret the philosophical and religious expressions of Hinduism and Buddhism through art, architecture, sacred texts, and epic literature. Regular class participation and weekly writing assignments are required.

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Religious Studies 1545: Mysticism East & East

Mysticism, understood as a living experience of theological doctrines, constitutes an unexpected point of convergence between such different religious traditions as Hinduism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. We look into how this spiritual kinship is forged from distinct practices in India and in the traditions of Orthodox Christianity by examining the selected mystical writings of the Hindu sages and holy men and women of the Orthodox Church, past and present. The course is structured around three central themes: God as Mystery: negative theology (Hindu and Orthodox ways of unknowing the divine), God as Person: the Hindu notion of avatar and Orthodox understanding of incarnation, and God as Prayer: two selected methods of contemplation (Hindu yoga and Orthodox hesychast prayer).

In addition to introducing students to the mystical writings from the two religious traditions, the objective of this course is to get students to think philosophically and in comparative terms about such writings. The course is based largely on reading and discussion of primary sources (in English translation) supplemented with selected secondary sources to help enhance students' understanding of the symbolic, often enigmatic and sometimes "upside-down" language of the mystical texts.

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Religious Studies 2365: Religion in India

Few countries can boast such an extensive and diverse religious heritage as can India. It is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, home to a large Muslim community, as well as to small, but ancient, communities of Syrian Christians, Parsis, and Jews. The course gives a brief historical overview of these religious traditions, introduces students to basic concepts related to each of them, and illustrates their rich practices through primary and secondary readings, films, art, and music. This seminar is offered in conjunction with RELGST 1500: Religion in India 1.

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Religious Studies 2745: Ritual Process

This seminar examines the role of ritual and ritual-like phenomena in religion and other forms of human expression from a cross-cultural perspective.

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