RS 100A Introduction to Religion-K
An introduction to Religion, religious phenomena, beliefs, ideas, practices and experience through the study of material and examples from the various fields in Religious Studies.
Religious Studies (RS)
96 courses in the 1988–89 Undergraduate Calendar, read from the scanned original. The text comes from OCR, so check the scanned page before relying on a detail.
Notes
Faculty listed in 1988–89
Associate Professor and Chairperson
M.D. Bryant, BA (Concordia College), STB (Harvard), MA, PhD (St. Michaels) R
Associate Professor and Undergraduate
Officer
Faculty listed in 1988–89
A.F. Thompson, BA (Toronto), BTh (Huron), MA (Western Ontario), STM, PhD (McGill)
Associate Professors
Faculty listed in 1988–89
W.J. Bildstein, BA (Western Ontario), STB (Gregorian), MA (Windsor), STD (Angelicum) J
MS. Bird’ BA, MA, PhD (lowa) R
AL. Evans,° BA (Toronto), BD (Emmanuel), STM (McGill), DMin (Andover-Newton) P
Faculty listed in 1988–89
F.C. Gérard,? MA (College St. Dominique, France), BD, STM (McGill), PhD (Hartford Seminary Foundation) P
M. Higgins, BA (St. Francis Xavier), MA, PhD (York), J.
R.D. Legge,® BA (Transylvania), STB
* (Harvard), PhD (McMaster) P
Faculty listed in 1988–89
M. Malone, BA (University College, Dublin), MA, PhD (Toronto) J
J.W. Miller, BA (Goshen), MA (New York), BD (Princeton), ThD (Basel) G
DJ. Sahas,° BA (Athens), STM (Christian Theological Seminary), PhD (Hartford Seminary Foundation)
R.J. Sawatsky,? BA (Bethel, Kansas), MA (Minnesota), MA, PhD (Princeton), G
Assistant Professors
Faculty listed in 1988–89
M. Kiley, BA (Boston), STM, PhD (Harvard) J
A.J. Reimer, BA (Manitoba), MA (Toronto), MA, PhD (St. Michaefs) G
Lecturers
R. Kooistra, BTh (Kampen), DTh (Amsterdam) P
Faculty listed in 1988–89
S.A. MacDonald, BA, STB (Western Ontario), MA (San Francisco) J
T. Yoder Neufeld,? BA (Manitoba), MDiv (Harvard) G
Faculty designated with suffix G (Conrad Grebel), J (St. Jerome's), P (St. Pauls), and R (Renison) are located in the respective Colleges.
Faculty Members of Religious Studies holding cross appointments to.
Fine Arts
History
3Peace and Conflict Studies
4Social Development Studies
5Studies in Personality and Religion ®Middle East Studies
Course Descriptions
Courses not offered in the current academic year are listed at the end of this section.
Introductory Note
Numbers below the course description indicate the area of Religious Studies to which the course belongs. Explanation is provided in the Arts program section.
RS 100A Religions of the EastS,F,W 3C 0.5
An introduction to the religious traditions
of the East: history, religious beliefs and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto.
Area 1
RS 100B Religions of the WestF,W 3C 0.5
Encounter with Judaism, Christianity and
Islam: the characteristics and interaction
of the 3 major religious traditions origi-
nating in the Middle East that have
shaped the image of the Western World. Area 1
RS 100C Religious QuestsF 3C 0.5
Profiles, biographies and autobiographies of individuals in search of ultimate meaning. Persons studied are spiritual seekers from all walks of life: traditional religious figures, artists, novelists, scientists and others.
Area 5 —
RS 100E Biblical Studies 1F,W 3C 0.5
A survey of the literature, history and
religion of ancient Israel as seen in its
cultural setting in the ancient Near East. Area 3
RS 100F Biblical Studies 2F,W 3C 0.5
A survey of the literature, history and religious thought of the Christian community during the New Testament period as seen in its cultural setting in the Greco- Roman world.
Area 3
Course Descriptions 16:151
Religious Studies
RS 100H Catholic Theology /F,W 3C 0.5
A study of the principal teachings of the Christian Faith affecting Catholics today. Topics will include Bible and Tradition; worship and sacraments; authority; changing views concerning laity, women, ministry, and ecumenism.
Area 4
RS 100K Introduction to TheologyF,W 3C 0.5
The basics of Christian theology explored systematically and historically: theological language, revelation and truth, God and creation, sin and the fall, Christ and salvation, tradition and church, consummation and the end of history.
RS 106A New Testament GreekF 3C 0.5
An introduction to Greek grammar with appropriate grammatical exercises and development of vocabulary.
Area 3
RS 106B New Testament GreekW 3C 0.5
A continuation of the study of Greek
grammar with an exegetical study of
some texts from the Gospel of Mark. Area 3
RS 200 The Study of ReligionF,W 3C 0.5
An exploration of the nature of religion through: 1) the history of the study of religion, 2) exposure to varying methods and ways of approaching religious’ phenomena, and 3) consideration of accounts of religious experience.
RS 201 New Testament GreekF 3c 0.5
A continuation and completion of the study of the Greek Grammar of the New Testament, with appropriate exercises and a number of readings of the Greek New Testament and the Didache.
RS 205 The Hebrew ProphetsW 3C 0.5
A study of the prophetic movement from Amos to Malachi in the historical, social, and religious context of Israel and the ancient Near East.
Area 3
RS 209 The Apostle Paul: Life and LettersF,W 3C 0.5
An examination of the career and thought of Paul as seen in his letters and in the Acts of the Apostles.
Area 3
16:152 Course Descriptions
Religious Studies
RS 213 HinduismW 3C 0.5
A study of the development of religious thought in India from the Vedic Period to the present. The course will combine an historical survey with a study of representative texts from the religious, philosophical, social and political thought of the Hindus.
Area 1
RS 214 BuddhismW 3C 0.5
An introduction to the unifying beliefs and philosophical presuppositions of the Buddhist world-view, and an overview of the diverse forms of Buddhism in South and South-East Asia, Tibet, China and Japan.
Area 1
RS 216 IslamW 3C 0.5
An introduction to the Islamic faith and practice, with a review of the development, achievements and impact of the Muslim community from Muhammad the Prophet to the present day.
Area 1
RS 217 JudaismF 3C 0.5
An introduction to the religious tradition of the Jews, in terms of beliefs, practices, ideals and institutions from the beginning to the present time.
Area 1
RS 221 Sects, Cults and New Religious MovementsF,W 3C 0.5
An analysis of minority religions considered deviant by the dominant society such as the Amish, Mormons, and Jehovah’s Witnesses with special consideration of the recent new religious movements including Unification (Moonies), Scientology and Krishna consciousness. Cross-listed as SOC 263 Area 5
RS 225 The History and Culture of the Orthodox ChurchF 3C 0.5
The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the religious tradition of Eastern Christianity. Topics will include the origins of the Christian Church, the Byzantine Empire, Orthodoxy behind the Iron Curtain, the liturgy, the icon, the celebration of life and the place of Orthodoxy in the world today.
Area 2
RS 229 The Cult of MaryF 3C 0.5
This course will explore the origins, development and forms of the cult of Mary in the Christian tradition with particular focus on contemporary insights and concerns.
Area 4
RS 230 History of ChristianityW 3C 0.5
The development of Christianity in its Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant traditions from the time of Christ to the present.
Cross-listed as HIST 235
Area 2
RS 231 History of Christian ThoughtF,W 3C 0.5
An analysis of the major theological
developments in the Christian traditions
from the apostolic era to the present. Area 4
RS 236 Human Sexuality and Christian MoralityF,W 2C,1D 0.5
An investigation of the moral implications of an evolving sexual consciousness in the Christian tradition.
Prereq: Second year standing or consent of instructor
Area 4
RS 238 The Ecumenical MovementF 3C 0.5
A study of those unitive efforts which marked the history of the Christian Church, emphasizing developments from the Reformation to the present.
Area 4
RS 256 Current Ethical IssuesW 3C 0.5
An examination of specific current individual and social problems such as human sexuality, social justice, urban decay, and human rights, in the light of Christian moral consciousness.
Area 4
RS 260 Issues in Science, Technology andF 3C 0.5
Religion
A study of the questions raised by the
interaction of religious faith with modern
scientific and technological approaches
to understanding the physical, social and
psychological dimensions of our world. Area 5.
RS 263 Justice, Peace and DevelopmentS 3C 0.5
An examination of movements, communities, and theologies which express a Christian hope for justice, peace and development in the encounter with injustice, oppression and poverty.
Area 4
RS 266 Film and the Quest for Meaning 1F 2C,1S 0.5
An exploration of spiritual themes and issues in the cinema. An assessment of film’s special characteristics as an art form capable of addressing the human quest for a significant existence. Emphasis upon the films of Ingmar Bergman.
Cross-listed as FINE 252
Film fee $5.00.
Area 5
RS 267 Film and the Quest for Meaning 2W 2C,1S 0.5
A consideration of selected themes - death, evil, guilt, fate, alienation, courage, love, redemption — in the films of several of today’s leading directors. Emphasis upon a variety of directors from divergent cultural backgrounds.
Cross-listed as FINE 253
Film fee $5.00.
Area 5
RS 269 The Religious Art of IndiaS,W 3C 0.5
An approach to understanding the myths, symbols and spirituality of Indian religion through a study of representative art, architecture and folk literature of Hinduism, Jainism, and Indian Buddhism. Cross-listed as FINE 218A Area 5
RS 270 Psychology of ReligionF 3C 0.5
A study of theories of the psychological nature of religious experience, the sources of religious belief and the religious significance of psychological phenomena. Topics include faith, doubt, evangelism, conversion, faith healing, mysticism, drugs and religious experience, tongues-speaking.
Area 5
RS 271 Personality and ReligionS,W 3C 0.5
A study of the psychology of personality in its relationship between personality and religious thought, experience and behaviour.
Area 5
RS 282 New Perspectives in Sacramental TheologyS 2C1D 0.5
A discussion of sacramental theology in the light of the ongoing renewal, inaugutated by the Second Vatican Council, through a study of the individual sacraments and their role as meaningful cultic signs in contemporary Roman Catholicism.
Prereq: Second-year standing or consent of instructor
Area 4
RS 291 A-D Studies in the History of Religion
RS 292 Women in the ChurchA/B J,F,W_ 1.0/0.5/0.5
A multi-disciplinary examination of the evolution of the relationship between women and the church in the Christian tradition.
Area 5
RS 298 Directed Reading in Special Subjects
RS 302 The Gospel of John An interpretation of the Fourth Gospel inF 0.5
the light of the situation of the Church at the end of the first century, with an emphasis on the Johannine portrait of Jesus. The letters of John will also be studied.
Prereq: R S 100F or consent of instructor
Area 3
RS 304 Modern Study of JesusF 3C 0.5
An examination of recent approaches to the study of Jesus of Nazareth to determine his significance for the beginnings of the Christian Church and for modern man.
Prereq: RS 100F or consent of instructor
Area 3
RS 305A Intermediate New Testament Greek Readings in the New Testament in the Septuagint, Papyri and the ApostolicW 3C 0.5
Fathers. Advanced grammar and syntax arising from the readings.
Prereq: R S 106 or consent of instructor.
Area 3
RS 306 Intermediate Biblical HebrewF,W 3C 05/05
Reading and grammatical analysis of
selected prose and poetic portions of the
Hebrew ‘Bible. Cross-listed as R&C 206-256 Taught at WLU
RS 307A AD
Selected Topics in Biblical Studies Special topics will be offered Summer, Fall and Winter, 1988-89. Consult Department.
RS 308 Old Testament ThemesW 3C 0.5
An analysis and discussion of selected ethical, ritual, sociological and theological issues recurrent in Hebrew Scripture, with attention to their historical meanings and contemporary relevance.
Area 3
RS 310 The Sacred Book of IslamW 3C 0.5
A study of the Koran (Qur'an) as literature and as the Holy Book of Islam with reading and interpretation of selected chapters siirahs), in translation.
Area 1
RS 318 Islam and ChristianityW 3C 0.5
A survey of the history of the Muslim- Christian relations from the time of the emergence of Islam to the present, with a special emphasis on the characteristic polemic literature which each community produced against the other.
Prereq: RS 100B or consent of instructor.
Area 1
RS 331A The Church in the Modern WorldF 3C 0.5
A study of the recent transformation of
the Roman Catholic Church through the
events, movements, personalities, and
historical realities of the past fifty years. Area 2
RS 331B The Church in the Modern WorldW 3C 0.5
A critical study of the church’s roles in contemporary secular society. Area 2
RS 335 Modern TheologyW 3C 0.5
A study of modern thinkers (for example, Kant, Hegel, Schieiermacher and Kierkegaard), with special emphasis on their influence on 19th-century theology. Prereq: R S 230 or 231 or consent of instructor Area 4
Course Descriptions 16:153 Religious Studies
RS 338 Theology in North AmericaF 3C 0.5
An examination of leading ideas in the thought of major theologians in Canada (Strachan to Baum) and the United States (Edwards to Neibuhr) in order to uncover the distinctive themes of theology in North American societies. Prereq: R S 230 or 231 or consent of instructor Area 4
RS 350 Christian Spirituality and MysticismW 3C 0.5
A study of the spiritual experience and mystical knowledge of great Christian mystics, from the desert Fathers and Hesychasts in the Eastern Orthodox tradition to the mystical schools of the Western Catholic tradition.
Prereq: R S 230 or 231 or consent of instructor
Area 2
RS 353 The Bible and PeaceW 3C 0.5
An examination of the unity and diversity of biblical views of peace with attention to their relevance for the various dimensions of the contemporary quest for . peace.
Prereq: R S 100E or 100F or consent of instructor
Area 4
RS 354 War and Peace in Christian TheologyF 3C 0.5
The Contemporary Discussion. A survey of Christian teaching on war and peace, focusing on the 20th-century discussion. Prereq: R S 230 or 231 or consent of instructor Area 4
RS 356 Bioethics and Religious ValuesW 3C 0.5
This course will study issues such as sexual ethics, eugenics, euthanasia, suicide, genetic screening, organ transplants, organ and embryo banking, as they stand in relation to traditional religious values.
Area 4
RS 370 Dreams in Religious ExperienceF 3C 0.5
The course examines the place of dreams in religious experience from ancient to modern times. Present day advances in understanding dream symbols will be explored, as well as the possibility of incorporating the use of dreams in one’s personal religious growth and development.
Prereq: R S 271 or consent of instructor
Area 5
16:154 Course Descriptions Religous Studies
RS 375 Religion and PsychotherapyW 3C 0.5
A review and analysis of the dialogue between theistic religion in the West and the personality sciences since Freud, their respective views of God, man, sin, sickness and the therapeutic process. Clinicians and theorists in psychotherapy and religion from the surrounding community will contribute to the exploration.
Prereq: R S 270 or 271 or consent of instructor
Area §
RS 362 Theology of MarriageS,F 3C 0.5
A study of the development of the theology of marriage in the Christian tradition.
Prereq: R S 236/256 or 281/282 or consent of instructor
Area 4
RS 383 Shapers of the Roman Catholic TraditionW 3C 0.5
An examination of some influential thinkers in the Christian tradition who have played a critical role in Roman Catholic theology; including individuals like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, Karl Rahner.
Prereq: R S 100H or RS 230 0rRS 231 or consent of instructor
Area 4
RS 398 Directed Reading in Special Subjects-399
RS 400A Special Topics in Religious Studies-H
Special topics will be offered in 1986-87. Consult department.
RS 490A Honours SeminarS,F,W 0.5
A course of study and research designed to provide the student with guidance and supervision towards completing an Honours research assignment.
Prereq: Fourth-year standing and consent of the Undergraduate Officer
RS 490B Honours SeminarS,F,W 0.5
A continuation of the above.
Every student in the Honours R S Program is required to take R S 490A and 490B.
RS 690 Directed Research in Special Subjects for Graduate Students-597 FW R 0.5
RS 598 Directed Reading in Special Subjects for Graduate Students-599 R 0.5
RS 100D Religious Movements
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 203 Wisdom Literature in the Old Testament
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 208 The Parables of Jesus
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 215 Religion in China
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 220 Evangelical Christianity
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 232A Jesus Christ in Contemporary Perspective
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 232B Jesus Christ in Historical Perspective
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 255 Christian Ethics
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 257 The Thought and Practice of Christian Peacemaking
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 261 Women and the Great Religions
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 264 Religion in the Canadian Experi- ence
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 265 Unity and Diversity in Canadian Religion
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 268A Religious Perspectives in Contemporary Literature
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 268B Religious Perspectives in Contemporary Canadian Literature
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 274 Religious Approaches to Personal Crises
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 281 Theology of Worship and Sacra- ment
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 290A The Religious Experience of the Young
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 290B The Just Society
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 290C Gospel and Liberation
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 305B Intermediate New Testament Greek
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 309 New Testament Themes
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 311 Hindu Scriptures
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 313 Indian Spirituality in the Modern
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 315 The Narrative Expression of Canadian Native Religions
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 316 Canadian Native Religious Traditions
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 323 Medieval Church History
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 324 Medieval Church History
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 334 Islamic Theology, Philosophy and Mysticism
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 336 Contemporary Theology
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 339 Luther and Calvin
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 344 Theology of Radical Protes- tantism
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 360 Religion and the Arts
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 369B -F Study-Travel Seminar in Religion
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 371 Religion and Suicidal Behaviour
Not offered in 1988–89.
RS 450A Study Term Abroad Faculty of Science
Not offered in 1988–89.