Courses - Spring 2027
RELS
Religious Studies
RELS170
Cross-listed with: CLAS170.
Credit only granted for: CLAS170 or RELS170.
Additional information: This course cannot be taken for language credit.
What are myths and why do we tell them? What powers do myths have? We will tackle these questions by looking at the enduring and fascinating myths from ancient Greece and Rome. In addition to studying how they shaped ancient societies, we will also look at their modern influence and reflect upon the power that myths still hold in our contemporary world. Taught in English.
RELS264
Introduction to the New Testament
A historical and literary introduction to the New Testament focusing on the context of the authors and the development of earliest Christianity.
RELS271
Credit only granted for: RELS289I or RELS271.
Formerly: RELS289I.
Draws upon examples from a wide variety of religious traditions to explore the question of what religion is and how to best understand it. Engagement with diverse approaches to religion including phenomenology and the study of "the sacred"; sociology and the study of religious communities; and questions of religious experience, ritual, and identity formation.
RELS319Q
Special Topics in Religious Studies; Religion in Israel: Judaism and Beyond
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with JWST319Q and ISRL329D. Credit only granted for ISRL329D, JWST319Q, or RELS319Q.
This multidisciplinary course examines religion in Israel from historical, legal, sociological, and political perspectives. It focuses on Judaism as the country's dominant religion and culture, exploring its relationship to ethnicity, Israel's diverse religious landscape, and religion's role in contemporary Middle Eastern affairs. The course also considers Israel's Christian, Muslim, and Baha'i communities, including their shared spaces and interactions.
This multidisciplinary course examines religion in Israel from historical, legal, sociological, and political perspectives. It focuses on Judaism as the country's dominant religion and culture, exploring its relationship to ethnicity, Israel's diverse religious landscape, and religion's role in contemporary Middle Eastern affairs. The course also considers Israel's Christian, Muslim, and Baha'i communities, including their shared spaces and interactions.
RELS342
Renaissance Europe
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with: HIST332.
Credit only granted for: HIST332 or RELS342.
Intellectual developments in Italy and Northern Europe from 1300 to 1550 and their influence on the arts and religion; social and economic trends, including the rise of the commercial economy in cities; the family and the role of women in society; expansion of Europe overseas and the beginnings of colonization; emergence of the state and consequent changes in political theory.
RELS427
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Prerequisite: JWST225, RELS225, HIST219I, or permission of the instructor.
Recommended: JWST262, ENGL262, or HEBR298B.
Cross-listed with: JWST427.
Credit only granted for: JWST419G, RELS419G, RELS427 or JWST427.
Formerly: JWST419G.
One of the most famous tales from the ancient world, the Epic of Gilgamesh inspires readers with tales of friendship and loss, mortality, and the search for meaning. The story itself grew and changed over time and took on new meanings. Through study of the epic, its development over time, and the sources it drew from, this class will examine the meaning of the Gilgamesh epic and its impact on ancient Mesopotamian culture.
Cross-listed with JWST427. Credit only granted for RELS427 or JWST427.
RELS429M
Advanced Topics in Religious History; From Damascus to Cordoba: The First Dynasty of Islam East and West
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with HIST329M. Credit only granted for HIST329M or RELS429M.
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University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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