CEA Course: Religious Studies

REL310 WORLD RELIGIONS

Students will explore and analyze the origins and development, central teachings, devotional practices, institutions and cultural expressions of the world's major religions and how they are practiced globally, especially in Europe and North America. Credits: 3

REL340 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE WORLD

This course analyzes three trends that characterize the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council of the mid-1960s: Evangelization, Ecumenism and Inter-religious Dialogue. Through meetings with Vatican Curial officials and diverse spokesmen of the Catholic Church, you gain first-hand knowledge of the people and lives most intimately committed to the Catholic Church and the three-part mission it carries forth. Credits: 3

REL341 THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE IN ROME

This course explores the origins, history and changing cultural conditions of Jewish life in Rome and on the particular characteristics of the Roman Jewish experience. Students will analyze the distinctive language, ethnicity, traditions and identity of Jewish Rome, and its complex relationship with its Christian neighbors, the Papacy and the Italian state. Credits: 3

REL361 MYSTICISM & MAGIC IN MEDIEVAL & RENAISSANCE ITALY

This course explores the historical origins and evolution of mysticism and magic by addressing the religious and philosophical ideas of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, illustrated by the attitude of social and religious institutions to mysticism, magic and science. You will explore the religious motivations of phenomena like witch hunts, torture, anti-Semitism, and cultural and gender persecution. Credits: 3.

REL362 THE PAPACY & THE ROMAN CHURCH

This course focuses on the historical circumstances that contributed to the development of the papacy. Lectures and onsite classes in the churches and convents of Rome allow students to critically examine the interaction between theory (the theology of the papacy) and reality (the actual lives of the popes, the places they walked, and the artwork they inspired). Additional fee applies. Credits: 3

REL363 THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE ETERNAL CITY

This course presents you with a general overview of the content of the New Testament and, through the use of scholarly methods of textual analysis, an examination of how those texts and the ancient culture they preserve are still evident in the modern city of Rome. To this end, you will explore the visual representation of New Testament scenes through several onsite study excursions to churches, museums and other locations in Rome related to the New Testament. Credits: 3