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Religious Studies [clear]
| Title | Offering | Standing | Credits | Credits | When | F | W | S | Su | Description | Preparatory | Faculty | Days | Multiple Standings | Start Quarters | Open Quarters |
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Lisa Sweet, Andrew Reece and Rita Pougiales
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Making meaning of our lives and the world we inhabit is the essence of being human. Through knowledge, stories and images, we manifest what it is we hold most sacred and essential in our lives. Religion, through its liturgy, music and imagery, reflects what a people hold to be essentially human. Our work will address questions like the following: What are the fundamental mysteries humans address through religious practice and expression? What are the stories being told through artistic and written material? What is the experience of the artist creating sacred images? What are the meanings that have endured over centuries? How is it that sacred images and texts provide direction for us? Our inquiry into meaning-making will center on Christianity, one religious tradition that has been a wellspring for expressions of spiritual and moral meaning, as well as a source of insight and understanding that has inspired magnificent artistic creations and sacred texts. In fall and winter, we focus on the first thirteen centuries of the tradition, from the life of Christ to the end of the Medieval period, during which the story of Christ's life, death and resurrection helped transform the Roman Empire into Europe and "the West." During this time, Christians, like Muslims and Jews a "people of the Book," gave the world some of its most inspired, and inspiring, books: the New Testament, the works of Anselm and Augustine, Dante's , and others, which will form part of our curriculum. The role of images in religious practice will form another part of our study. We'll consider the functions of icons, reliquaries, church architecture and devotional images, created solely to express and link us to the sacred. We'll consider the strategies image-makers employed to interpret scripture and early theology, as well as the anxieties and iconoclasms provoked by images that attempt to depict God. Through readings, seminars and lectures, we'll explore the history of images and objects made before the the concept of "Art" as we understand it today was established.In spring, the focus on the history and culture of Christianity through the 14th century will be directed toward more focused topics addressing meaning-making and Christianity. Students will have the option of continuing in the program in one of the following focused, full-time disciplines or themes: recent developments in theology and philosophy (Andrew), communities of faith (Rita), or studio-practice in printmaking (Lisa). Spring components of the program will be open to both continuing and newly enrolled students. | medieval history, religious studies, art history and community studies. | Lisa Sweet Andrew Reece Rita Pougiales | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | |||
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Rita Pougiales
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | “Communities of faith” are those groups of people who are dedicated to one another and to seeking the good. We will approach “faith” as a commitment to a good that can be illusive and hard to grasp, yet represents what Paul Tillich describes as an “ultimate concern.” Faith, as such, is a matter of trust in the process of seeking that ultimate concern. Faith, understood in this way, cuts across all dimensions of our society including those committed to political, environmental, educational, and spiritual ends.We are particularly interested in the means by which members of religious communities embody their faith and beliefs. Our study will be largely ethnographic, looking in depth at the rituals, devotions, and practices of faith communities. In particular, we will focus on those practices that depend on the body for expression, movement and sound. Such practices are not only reflections of faith, they also expand its experience and meaning. We will look at the cultural practices, experiences and shared expectations of members of communities of faith, and attempt to understand what is meaningful for them. We will be guided in our study of “faith” by Tillich’s and additional readings by authors Karen Armstrong and Richard Niebuhr. We will delve into the nature of communities through ethnographic and historical case studies including a medieval religious community led by Hildegard of Bingen, Orthodox fire-walking communities in rural Greece and Maine, and a contemporary Catholic convent in Mexico. In addition to these studies, each student will conduct her or his own research on a particular community of faith. | religious studies and community studies. | Rita Pougiales | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Lisa Sweet
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | This program continues work from fall and winter. This quarter we will examine the production and function of printed images in early modern Christian religious culture through readings, seminars, and developing skills with basic woodcut printmaking techniques. Linking theory to our artistic practice, we’ll address issues including, iconoclasm, the relationship between text and images in religious practice, image makers’ roles as translators and interpreters of scripture and religious tradition, the human desire for and anxiety about religious imagery, and we’ll explore the paradox of visually depicting that which is invisible and inexpressible. Students should expect to spend about 70% of their time working in the printmaking studio on assignments, and 30% of their time studying assigned texts. The program will include a significant writing component synthesizing and integrating ideas covered in . Because this program is a continuation of the fall and winter themes addressed in , . New students are welcome, but should have some existing familiarity with academic studies of Christian theology, history and/or medieval art appreciation in order to thrive in the program. | Lisa Sweet | Mon Tue Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Andrew Reece
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | Can we know God? Or, for that matter, does such a being exist, and, if so, how do we relate to it (or Her, or Him)? What is the distinction between faith and reason? Between philosophy and theology? Morality and religion? How can one live a life of intellectual and moral integrity and a life of faith? Do the two imply one another, or are they in conflict? These are the central questions of this program, and in our inquiry we will raise many more, about belief, dogma, doubt, divinity, language, ritual, and meaning-making. Our ability to raise, refine, and resolve these questions will be strengthened by our study of classic texts in the philosophy of religion from authors including Anselm, Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Martin Buber, and Paul Tillich. This program was originally planned as the third quarter of the program, which was a study of the Christian movement from its origins in Judaism and Greco-Roman culture to the time of Dante. Partly for that reason, the authors selected are Christian and Jewish; however, this is a study not of apologetic theology but of philosophy of religion. That is, the theories we will encounter do not necessarily defend a particular religious perspective, nor do they demand from readers extensive familiarity with scripture. The points of view they share are not limited to those who share their faiths. Reading, discussion, and writing will be our sole modes of inquiry, and we will go about them with a level of seriousness and intensity that cannot be understated. Students will participate in book seminars and writing seminars on every text, and they will respond to every text in essays. Peer review and revision will also be a significant component of our work together. | Andrew Reece | Mon Tue Thu Fri | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Richard Benton
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | In this all-level program, we will ask the following questions: How have writing and interpretation determined and reflected what Jews and Judaism(s) are? What makes someone Jewish? What is Judaism? Is there just one, or are there multiple Judaisms? How have Jews interacted with polytheists? Christians? Muslims? How has traditional Jewish thought answered persistent questions about the existence and nature of G-d and the existence of evil? What do the traditional texts tell us in the face of new ethical challenges?For three thousand years, Jews have witnessed history through writing. Life under and alongside the empires of Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, and Northern Europeans provided the context for Jews’ deep and consistent written reflections over the nature of G-d and of humans, and the relationship between the two.Jewish writings connect ethics with literature, religion, and historical reality. They constantly interpret historical experience through the lens of G-d and Torah (Hebrew Bible), bringing ancient literature to bear on current ethical and philosophical problems, as well as on the problem of how to live everyday life.We will read and interpret the Hebrew Bible to develop literary and philosophical sensitivities that shed light on interpretations of historical experience. The Bible lies at the basis of all classical Jewish thought. Knowledge of and ability to interpret the Bible will provide the foundation for interpreting later writings. We will also read a range of Jewish commentaries, which will develop students’ abilities to follow arguments and understand writers’ presuppositions. We will explore the major genres of Jewish works—Midrash (biblical interpretation), Talmud (legal texts), Maimonides (medieval philosopher), and (medieval mysticism)—and learn the idiosyncrasies of each genre. We will examine how individuals have understood their historical circumstances with reference to Jewish writing and look at Jewish life in a number of historical contexts. Each student will develop a research project on a topic that involves Jewish culture and writing.Previous work in history, literature, ethics, religion, and/or other related fields is suggested. | history, literature, sociology, community organizing, education, and law. | Richard Benton | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall | ||||
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Richard Benton
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | W 12Winter | For two thousand years Jews and Christians agree on some issues and disagree on others. For 1300 years, Muslims have entered into this discussion. What issues do these monotheistic religions agree on? What do they differ about? How do they identify the “orthodox” believer of their own faith, in contrast to the “unbeliever” of another faith? In this program, we will ask the following questions: What makes someone Jewish? Christian? Muslim? How have they interacted? Often these religions ask the same questions; their answers separate them from each other.Each religion depends on writing as the divine expression of belief. Jews depend on Written Torah and Oral Torah. Christians hold the Written Torah, or Old Testament, as inspired, as well as the New Testament. Muslims proclaim the superior status of the Qur’an, while the Bible (Torah and Gospel) lie subordinate to it. Yet all of these writings refer to the other works. Moreover, each religion has produced a body of interpretation. Jews read Midrash, Christians, commentaries, and Muslims, the Hadith. These interpretations further develop the lines that distinguish the community of “true believers” from the “unbelievers” or “apostates.”We will read and interpret the above sacred texts and their interpretations to develop literary and philosophical sensitivities. These texts lie at the basis of all the religious thought of these groups. Knowledge of and ability to interpret sacred texts provide the foundation of grasping the interactions of later periods. Students will also acquire knowledge and develop appreciation for how individuals understand their historical circumstances. We will read secondary literature that describes religious life in various historical contexts. Each student will develop a research project in which they learn how to interpret a religious text from the inside—from the point of view of the text—and learn how to distinguish text from personal interpretation. | Richard Benton | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Winter | Winter | |||||
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Richard Benton
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Program | FR–SRFreshmen - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | S 12Spring | This is a repeat of the winter quarter program; students who took in winter may not enroll in this program.For two thousand years Jews and Christians agree on some issues and disagree on others. For 1300 years, Muslims have entered into this discussion. What issues do these monotheistic religions agree on? What do they differ about? How do they identify the “orthodox” believer of their own faith, in contrast to the “unbeliever” of another faith? In this program, we will ask the following questions: What makes someone Jewish? Christian? Muslim? How have they interacted? Often these religions ask the same questions; their answers separate them from each other.Each religion depends on writing as the divine expression of belief. Jews depend on Written Torah and Oral Torah. Christians hold the Written Torah, or Old Testament, as inspired, as well as the New Testament. Muslims proclaim the superior status of the Qur’an, while the Bible (Torah and Gospel) lie subordinate to it. Yet all of these writings refer to the other works. Moreover, each religion has produced a body of interpretation. Jews read Midrash, Christians, commentaries, and Muslims, the Hadith. These interpretations further develop the lines that distinguish the community of “true believers” from the “unbelievers” or “apostates.”We will read and interpret the above sacred texts and their interpretations to develop literary and philosophical sensitivities. These texts lie at the basis of all the religious thought of these groups. Knowledge of and ability to interpret sacred texts provide the foundation of grasping the interactions of later periods. Students will also acquire knowledge and develop appreciation for how individuals understand their historical circumstances. We will read secondary literature that describes religious life in various historical contexts. Each student will develop a research project in which they learn how to interpret a religious text from the inside—from the point of view of the text—and learn how to distinguish text from personal interpretation. | Richard Benton | Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | |||||
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Hirsh Diamant
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SOS | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | V | V | Evening and Weekend | S 12Spring | This SOS is ideal for students who want to deepen their studies in art, culture, education, and human development and to apply these studies in the community. In the first week of the quarter, each student will submit, on-line, their project proposal as an individual study contract (via my.evergreen.edu) and then complete that project during the quarter. This proposal will be designed with input from the faculty member.All students enrolled in the program will also participate in two credits of readings, classes and on-line assignments in collaboration with other students. A weekly class meeting will include seminars, workshops organized by staff, faculty, and students, and opportunities to share learning and project work. Weekly on-line posts will highlight students' progress and learning. Students must attend and participate in all weekly sessions. | Hirsh Diamant | Wed | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Spring | Spring | ||||
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Ryo Imamura
Signature Required:
Winter
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Program | SO–SRSophomore - Senior | 16 | 16 | Day | F 11 Fall | W 12Winter | Western psychology has so far failed to provide us with a satisfactory understanding of the full range of human experience. It has largely overlooked the core of human understanding--our everyday mind, our immediate awareness of being with all of its felt complexity and sensitive attunement to the vast network of interconnectedness with the universe around us. Instead, Western psychology has chosen to analyze the mind as though it were an object independent of the analyzer, consisting of hypothetical structures and mechanisms that cannot be directly experienced. Western psychology's neglect of the living mind--both in its everyday dynamics and its larger possibilities--has led to a tremendous upsurge of interest in the ancient wisdom of Asia, particularly Buddhism, which does not divorce the study of psychology from the concern with wisdom and human liberation. In contrast to Western psychology, Eastern psychology shuns any impersonal attempt to objectify human life from the viewpoint of an external observer, instead studying consciousness as a living reality which shapes individual and collective perception and action. The primary tool for directly exploring the mind is meditation or mindfulness, an experiential process in which one becomes an attentive participant-observer in the unfolding of moment-to-moment consciousness. Learning mainly from lectures, readings, videos, workshops, seminar discussions, individual and group research projects, and field trips, in fall quarter we will take a critical look at the basic assumptions and tenets of the major currents in traditional Western psychology, the concept of mental illness, and the distinctions drawn between normal and abnormal thought and behavior. In winter quarter, we will then investigate the Eastern study of mind that has developed within spiritual traditions, particularly within the Buddhist tradition. In doing so, we will take special care to avoid the common pitfall of most Western interpretations of Eastern thought--the attempt to fit Eastern ideas and practices into unexamined Western assumptions and traditional intellectual categories. Lastly, we will address the encounter between Eastern and Western psychology as possibly having important ramifications for the human sciences in the future, potentially leading to new perspectives on the whole range of human experience and life concerns. | psychology, counseling, social work, education, Asian-American studies, Asian studies and religious studies. | Ryo Imamura | Tue Thu | Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR | Fall | Fall Winter |
