COURSES

Religion and the Earth (CHSOC 450)
This course combines an examination of the development of the western worldview concerning nature and the earth with readings from a diversity of theological, philosophical, spiritual, religious, scientific and socio-political responses around the globe to ecological issues and concerns.

Christianity and Ecology (RLSOC 716)
Examines what sociological and theological factors shape various Christian responses to ecological concerns. Surveys some of the historical, philosophical, socio-political, and theological influences that have shaped the current planetary context and looks at the array of contemporary global religious ecological voices and emerging eco-theologies.

Contemporary Theories in the Sociology of Religion (RLSOC 781)
This course aims to provide students with the background necessary to understand, a) the emergence of new sociological theories of religion in the North Atlantic countries after World War II; b) the links between these theories and the so-called classical theories in the sociology of religion; c) the connections between these theories and the larger field of the social-scientific study of religion; and d) the scope and limits of such theories for the analysis of religious phenomena.

Religion and Social Change (RLSOC 703)
Selected problems and themes in the sociology of religion regarding issues of religion and social change. For example: religious involvement in social movements, disruptive religion, global Pentecostalism and social change, gender issues, colonialism.

US Religious Landscape (CHSOC 443)
This course is designed to acquaint students with the diversity of religious/spiritual expression in the U.S. Students read in-depth ethnographic portraits of particular groups and movements and more general sociological/historical overviews. A central question is how does the socio-cultural context of the U.S. shape religious groups. The course seeks to understand the broad theological divisions and contours of Christianity in the U.S. and how those intersect with particular racial/ethnic expressions such as African-American, Hispanic and Korean. In addition, the course also covers Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Native American traditions and earth and women-centered spiritualities in the U.S. The dynamics of gender, race, ethnicity and national origin are considered within every religious group.