REL 103 - Introduction to Comparative Religion

The study of the world’s religions inevitably involves making comparisons. How we go about comparing, and what we bring to the table of comparison, already shapes the possible conclusions. This course brings to the foreground the practice of comparison beginning with a review of some of the earliest historical, theological efforts at comparison, through the 20th century emergence of comparative religion as a field of study with independent scholars and experts, to the present moment of radical inclusion, embodiment, and cultural embeddedness. During the semester students will build a “tool-kit” of techniques and categories facilitating deeper and more nuanced comparisons while examining some of the fundamental problems, puzzles and paradoxes emerging from the comparative enterprise.

Credits 1

Area
Humanities

Division
Arts and Humanities

Foundation
Beyond the West

Compass Attributes
Global Honors, Humanities