What’s Religion?

Catalog description

Does the development of monotheism, by its very nature, introduce notions of truth and untruth, insider, outsider, believer, heretic, that lead inevitably to violence? Certain writers (Jan Assmann, Regina Schwartz) have argued that it does. Others claim that the monotheism of the ancient Israelites, and then later, Christianity, introduced an ethic of care and regard for others that would not otherwise have evolved. More generally, some theorists argue that as a western, post-Enlightenment category, the very concept of “religion” is inextricably tied to conquest and colonialism. This iteration of the course will take a special interest in theories of religion and violence that inform current political developments, e.g., the sacrificial theory of René Girard, appropriated by people like Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance. Satisfies the Philosophical and Religious Perspectives requirement. Satisfies the Methods requirement for the Gender and Sexuality Studies major in the Histories and Genealogies track. Prerequisites & Notes Pre/Corequisites: Any two Religion courses or permission of the instructor. Students intending to go abroad in their junior year should take this course in their sophomore year, if possible.