Department Chair:  Jacquelyn A. Kegley

Department Office:  Faculty Towers, 104D

Telephone:  (661) 654-2291

email:  klsmith@csub.edu

Website:  www.csub.edu/Philosophy/

Faculty:  L. S. Betty, L. Gubkin, S. Lloyd-Moffett

The Department offers two major tracks in Religious Studies and a minor in Religious Studies.

Back to the top 

Program Description

In religious studies, we focus on the manifold ways that religion has shaped and continues to shape our world.  The influence of religion can be seen in law and government, family and parenting practices, the arts and human creativity, economics and social structures.  It pervades the way we think about life, death, morality, justice, truth, and love.  In the academic study of religion, we examine religion from outside the framework of any particular belief system.  The approach is cross-cultural in content and multi-disciplinary in approach.  As a result, we explore a wide variety of religious traditions and bring a broad palette of interpretive tools to better understand religious traditions.  We present religion as a lived experience, one that can illuminate the causes, meanings, and implications of current events.  At CSUB, the surrounding religious environment provides another fertile and important arena to witness the living out of diverse religious traditions.  Whether observing a local congregation or a monastery in Tibet, looking backward in time to the beginning of a religion or seeing its impact on the contemporary world stage, the field of religious studies seeks to understand religion in all its different manifestations.

As majors in religious studies, you will explore some of the most important and intriguing forms religion takes across the planet.  At the end of your studies, you will be able to describe, interpret, and compare the important beliefs and practices of the major religious traditions of the world;  use appropriate methods to identify and explain various approaches to the study of religion that have informed the academic discipline of religion throughout its history;  discuss intelligently the role of religion in our contemporary world;  think critically, develop arguments, and communicate them clearly in written and spoken form.  Throughout your courses, you will acquire a deep knowledge base for better understanding and talking about the study of religion, and you will also have many opportunities to reflect upon the larger questions of life in our contemporary world.

Religious Studies majors have gone into careers in a variety of fields that require creative thinking, subtle analysis, and strong written and oral communication skills.  Graduates from CSUB have obtained positions in journalism, publishing, international business, teaching, social work, marketing, ministry, and human relations.  Medical and law schools have historically looked favorably on students who double major in Religious Studies.  Finally, some Religious Studies students have furthered their study of religion at graduate school and made a career within our academic field.  These are just a few of the options that are available to you as a Religious Studies major.

Program of Study

As a major in Religious Studies, you should begin with the two foundational courses broadly covering the world’s major religions.  You will then have the opportunity to concentrate your interests by taking upper division courses from each of three areas:  A) World Religious Traditions, B) Approaches to the Study of Religion, and C) Contemporary Issues in Religion.  Finally, as a capstone experience, you will take the senior seminar, which provides an opportunity to reflect upon your course of study.  In the seminar you will explore the various approaches used by scholars of religion and apply them to the traditions you study.

Requirements for the Major in Religious Studies

Religious Studies Liberal Arts Track

This track is for students who have broad interests and desire to take a variety of elective courses in other majors to supplement their work in Religious Studies, or who want to double-major in Religious Studies and some other area.

A minimum of (seven) 7 courses, including:

1.   Two foundational courses:

      RS 110 Religion in Western Civilization

      RS 111 Religion in Asian Cultures

2.   One course from World Religious Traditions:

      RS 300 Sacred Scriptures of the West:  Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Qur’an

      RS 301 Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

      RS 302 New Testament

      RS 310 Judaism

      RS 313 Christianity

      RS 316 Islam

      RS 320 India

      RS 323 China and Japan

      RS 326 Native American Religion

      RS 333 Latino Religious Experience

3.   One course from Approaches to the Study of Religion:

     RS 342 Philosophy of Religion

     RS 345 Psychology of Religion

     RS 348 Sociology of Religion

     RS 349 Anthropology of Religion

     RS 353 Myth and Ritual

     RS 360 Women, Religion, and Sexuality

     RS 363 Philosophy and Religion in Literature

     RS 366 Asian Philosophy

4.   One course from Contemporary Issues in Religion:

      RS 370 Spirituality and Mysticism

      RS 376 New Religious Movements

      RS 379 Religion, Conflict, and Peacemaking

      RS 410 Religion and Moral Values

      RS 465 The Meaning of Death

5.   One additional course from any of the upper-division courses listed above.

6.   Capstone:  RS 490 Senior Seminar

Religious Studies Concentrated Track

This track is for students who intend to go to graduate school in Religious Studies or want to concentrate more exclusively in Religious Studies.

A minimum of twelve (12) courses, including:

1.   Two foundational courses:

      RS 110 Religion in Western Civilization

      RS 111 Religion in Asian Cultures

2.   Three courses from World Religious Traditions:

      RS 300 Sacred Scriptures of the West:  Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Qur’an

      RS 301 Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

      RS 302 New Testament

      RS 310 Judaism

      RS 313 Christianity

      RS 316 Islam

      RS 320 India

      RS 323 China and Japan

      RS 326 Native American Religion

      RS 333 Latino Religious Experience

3.   Three courses from Approaches to the Study of Religion:

      RS 342 Philosophy of Religion

      RS 345 Psychology of Religion

      RS 348 Sociology of Religion

      RS 349 Anthropology of Religion

      RS 353 Myth and Ritual

      RS 360 Women, Religion and Sexuality

      RS 363 Philosophy and Religion in Literature

      RS 366 Asian Philosophy

4.   Two courses from Contemporary Issues in Religion

      RS 370 Spirituality and Mysticism

      RS 376 New Religious Movements

      RS 379 Religion, Conflict, and Peacemaking

      RS 410 Religion and Moral Values

      RS 465 The Meaning of Death

5.   One additional course from any of the upper-division courses listed above.

6.   Capstone:  RS 490 Senior Seminar

In order to graduate with a Religious Studies Major, you must also complete an approved minor in some other area.    

Requirements for the Minor in Religious Studies

Four courses, totaling twenty units, at least fifteen of which must be upper division.

Back to the top 

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Note:    All upper division courses in Religious Studies carry as a prerequisite ENGL 110 or its equivalent.  Some courses also carry additional prerequisites.  Any prerequisite may be waived with the consent of the instructor.

Lower Division

RS 100 Introduction to Religion (5)

A comparative study of the way people express themselves religiously.  Topics typically include most of the following:  religious experience, God, faith, salvation and liberation, religious mythology and art, ritual, ethics, community, worship, prayer and meditation, life after death, the near-death experience and the effect of religion on society in the modern world.  Specific religions, Eastern and Western, provide examples for the study of these topics.  [F,W,S]

RS 110 Religion in Western Civilization (5)

A comparative study of the religions and cultures which have shaped Western civilization.  This course traces the development and interaction of religions and various aspects of Western civilization.  Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and the role they have played in shaping the values and world views of Western civilization receive special attention.  Some religions and cultures of the ancient Near East, Greece, Rome, and ancient Europe may also be studied.  [F,W,S]

RS 111 Religion in Asian Cultures (5)

A comparative study of the religions and cultures of India, China, and Japan.  The origins and development of selected religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto are examined.  The interaction between religion and various aspects of culture such as art, literature, politics, and economics may be included. 

RS 289 Experiential Prior Learning (variable units)

Evaluation and assessment of learning which has occurred as a result of prior off-campus experience relevant to the curriculum of the department.  Requires complementary academic study and/or documentation.  Available by petition only, on a credit, no-credit basis.  Not open to postgraduate students.  Interested students should contact the department office.  May not be counted toward major or minor requirements.

RS 296/396 Human Corps Community Service I (variable units)

This course provides students a volunteer community service experience working with nonprofit, governmental, educational or community-based service organizations.  Offered on a credit, no-credit basis only.

Back to the top 

Upper Division

RS 300 Sacred Scriptures of the West:  Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Qur’an

This course will undertake a rigorous study of the Sacred Scriptures of the Western world, the Hebrew Bible, Christian New Testament, and Qur’an of Islam.  Students will have an opportunity to explore these texts and sample some of the multiple interpretations/methods of study developed across time.  This course is intended not only to offer a general introduction to these sacred texts but also an opportunity to compare particular themes across scriptural traditions.

RS 301 Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) (5)

A study of the Hebrew Bible with special attention given to the historical development of the religion and literature of ancient Israel.  Several literary forms are examined, including historical narrative, poetry, law, prophecy and apocalypse, as well as the Hebrew wisdom tradition. 

RS 302 New Testament (5)

The history, literature, and religion of early Christianity considered against the background of the Greco-Roman world.  The gospels and epistles of the New Testament are analyzed and discussed. 

RS 310 Judaism (5)

(formerly RS 332)

A study of the history and literature of post-biblical Judaism from the Maccabean Revolt to the founding of the Jewish State.  Attention will be given to major events and major movements during this period, such as Messianism, Rabbinic Judaism, Hasidic Judaism, the Jewish Enlightenment, Zionism, and the Nazi Holocaust. 

RS 313  Christianity (5)

(formerly RS 335)

A study of the history and literature of the Christian tradition from its beginnings as a Jewish sect in Judea to its transformation into Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant branches.  Some attention will be given to the development of sectarian and heretical movements.

RS 316 Islam (5)

(formerly RS 338)

A study of the history, literature, religion, governments, and culture of Islamic civilization from its beginnings in the Arabian desert to its spread throughout Asia, Africa, and the Western world.  Attention will be given to tensions between traditional Islamic culture and modern Western society.

RS 320 India (5)

(formerly RS 345)

A study of India’s culture, especially her religious, mythical, and artistic expressions; the values and living patterns of her citizens; the historical events leading up to her independence from Great Britain; and the social, economic and spiritual effect of independence on her people.

RS 323 China and Japan (5)

(formerly RS 348)

A study of the cultures of China and Japan.  Emphasis will be placed on their philosophical, religious, and artistic expressions, as well as on attitudes towards family, community, and state.  The overall objective of the course is to understand something of the Chinese and Japanese people as they perceive themselves today, both religiously and socially. 

RS 326 Native American Religion (5)

(formerly RS 365)

Religious life among Native Americans is rich and diverse.  This course will sample some of this diversity from the remote past to the present with primary focus on North American cultures.  Issues relevant to gender, ritual practice, moral values, sacred stories and world views will be examined.  Native and non-native sources will be studied, including the experiences of individual women and men.  Native American guest speakers and video interviews will be utilized where appropriate. 

RS 333 Latino Religious Experience (5)

We will focus on the unique religious experience of those who come from Latino or Mexican-American backgrounds.  Drawing upon the rich traditions of Latin American and indigenous populations, this course will examine the ways that Christianity has been tailored and reimagined to reflect the “mestizo” culture that has arisen in the American Southwest.  Topics may include liberation theology, Latin American mystical traditions, chicana feminist approaches to religion, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the spiritual life of important Latino leaders such as Cesar Chavez.

RS 342 Philosophy of Religion (5)

An examination of the following issues:  the nature of religion and religious experience, various conceptions of God, evidence for the existence of God including the classical arguments, faith and its relationship to knowledge, the problem of evil, the meaning and the logical status of religious language, the possibility and nature of personal immortality.  Carries credit in Philosophy or Religious Studies. 

RS 345 Psychology of Religion (5)

(formerly RS 311)

A study of the psychological dimensions of religion, Western and Eastern.  Attention is given to various psychological theories of religion, including those of Freud, Jung, and James.  Such topics as religious experience, meditation, psychic phenomena, and the role of religion in personality development are included.  Carries credit in Religious Studies or Psychology. 

RS 348 Sociology of Religion (5)

(formerly RS 313)

A study of the social dimensions of religion, Eastern and Western.  The various sociological theories of religion, including those of Durkheim and Weber, are examined.  Such topics as religion and social change, the social aspects of religious experience, and religious institutionalization are studied, with particular attention to the function of religion in contemporary secular societies.  [Variable Quarters].  Carries credit in either Sociology or Religious Studies.

RS 349  Anthropology of Religion (5)

Theoretical and substantive analysis of religious ideology and ritual emphasizing comparative study from selected non-Western societies.  Particular emphasis will be given to exploring the application of various theoretical approaches to the study of ritual and shamanism.  Carries credit in either Anthropology or Religious Studies.  [S]

RS 353 Myth and Ritual (5)

(formerly RS 361)

An exploration of the nature, function, and types of myth and ritual in religion.  Such topics as myth and truth, literal vs. symbolic modes of comprehension and expression, rites of passage, and current developments in ritual studies are explored.  Source readings are drawn from the world religions. 

RS 360 Women, Religion and Sexuality (5)

(formerly RS 341)

In this course we will investigate the various ways major religious traditions, Western and Asian, represent and legislate women and sexuality in their literatures and institutions in diverse historical contexts.  Using a range of methodologies, with particular emphasis on feminist critique, we will also examine the nature of women’s participation and leadership in these traditions as well as religious choices made by “post” Jewish and Christian feminists.

RS 363 Philosophy and Religion in Literature (5)

This course examines concepts such as freedom, love, morality, God, death, afterlife, faith, friendship, and meaninglessness in novels, short stories, poetry, and dramatic literature.  Authors from various historical periods, cultures, and backgrounds will be included.  This course carries credit in Religious Studies or Philosophy. 

RS 366 Asian Philosophy (5)

(formerly RS 343)

A study of the major Confucian philosophers:  Confucius, Mencius, and Hsun Tzu; of the Taoist masters Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu; of the chief sources of Hindu philosophy – the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita – and the three major Vedanta philosophies which grew out of them; and of Buddhist thought, in both the Theravada and Mahayana (including Zen) traditions.  Prerequisite:  PHIL 102.  Carries credit in Philosophy or Religious Studies. 

RS 370 Spirituality and Mysticism (5)

(formerly RS 362)

A study of spirituality and mysticism, including classical expressions of mystical experience.  Meditation and prayer, spiritual art and music, nature mysticism, and what it means to live spiritually are topics typically covered.  Different traditions, both Eastern and Western, will be compared. 

RS 376 New Religious Movements (5)

(formerly RS 381)

An historical and sociological examination of popular cults and sectarian movements in contemporary America.  Groups this course may highlight include the Shakers, Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Unification Church, Hare Krishna, the Nation of Islam, and the so-called religions of the New Age. 

RS 377 Special Studies in Religion (1-5)

Topics to be offered will be announced prior to registration.  May be repeated for different course content. 

RS 379 Religion, Conflict, and Peacemaking (5)

From the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to the attacks of 9/11, religion and violence have been intimately related.  Religion can motivate and justify violence as well as inspire peace and compassion.  History provides many examples of religious leaders declaring both “holy” war and “holy” peace.  Using practical case studies such as the longstanding disputes over Israel/Palestine and religiously-inspired terrorism, this course seeks to better understand the roles played by religion and religious communities in ethnic, national, and other conflicts as well as the peacemaking strategies grounded in religious convictions.  Related issues such as interfaith dialogue, religion’s role in statecraft, and violence in scripture may also be addressed.

RS 396 Human Corps (5)

RS 410 Religion and Moral Values (5)

This course asks the question:  What is the relationship between religious belief and the moral choices we make?  We will explore various answers to this question through an examination of both tradition-based approaches to ethics in the world religions and the contemporary social concerns that shape our current moral debates (e.g. health care, separation of church and state, homosexuality, the environment, poverty, war). 

RS 465 The Meaning of Death (5)

A study of the meaning of death in the major religious traditions of the world.  The dying process is closely studied through the literature of Hospice and through literary works such as Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych and C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed.  The states of grief, physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, deathbed visions and the near-death experience, and problems of aging are explored.  Afterlife theories and evidences are investigated and evaluated. 

RS 477 Special Studies in Religion (1-5)

Topics to be offered will be announced prior to registration.  May be repeated for different course content. 

RS 489 Experiential Prior Learning (variable units)

Evaluation and assessment of learning which has occurred as a result of prior off-campus experience relevant to the curriculum of the department.  Requires complementary academic study and/or documentation.  Available by petition only, on a credit, no-credit basis.  Not open to postgraduate students.  Interested students should contact the department office.  May not be counted toward major or minor requirements.

RS 490 Senior Seminar (6)

This course will deepen the student’s understanding of the approaches used in the study of religion.  It will introduce the student to in-depth study of a religious figure, movement, or trend and will provide a culminating study of the nature of religion.  [S]

RS 496 Internship in Applied Religious Studies

(1-5)

Supervised field experience in applying religious studies skills in dealing with individuals and in community organizations and institutions.  Career-oriented experience in community setting is combined with academic activities in the college setting.  Hours in the field, placement and academic requirements such as conferences, reports, and readings are arranged in consultation with the work supervisor and faculty supervisor.  Prerequisites vary depending on the specific internship, but enrollment is limited to students with good academic records who are committed to understanding the religious elements present in professional life.

RS 497 Cooperative Education (5)

The Cooperative Education program offers a sponsored learning experience in a work setting, integrated with a field analysis seminar.  The Cooperative Education office contracts the field experience on an individual basis, subject to approval by the department.  The field experience, including the seminar and reading assignments, is supervised by the cooperative education coordinator and the faculty liaison (or course instructor), working with the field supervisor.  Students are expected to enroll in the course for at least two quarters.  The determination of course credits, evaluation, and grading are the responsibility of the departmental faculty.  Offered on a credit, no-credit basis only.  Department will determine application of credit.

RS 499 Individual Study (1-5)

Individual program with regular consultations and/or examinations as instructor may require.  Admission with consent of department chair.

RS 577 Special Studies in Religion (1-5)

Topics to be offered will be announced.  May be repeated for different course content.  Requires graduate level standing.

RS 580 Advanced Research Participation (1-5)

Individual investigation under the supervision of an identified instructor.  (Experience as a research or teaching assistant does not count for credit.)  Prerequisite:  3.0 GPA and consent of department chair.

RS 599 Advanced Individual Study (1-5)

Special projects developed by the individual in consultation with an identified instructor.  Prerequisite:  3.0 GPA and consent of department chair.

RS 677 Special Studies in Religion (1-5)

Topics to be offered will be announced.  May be repeated for different course content.  Requires graduate level standing.