Course Descriptions
Not all courses described in the Course and Program Catalogue are offered each year. For a timetable of courses offered in 2013-2014, please consult the online registration information.
As of 2005-2006, certain course abbreviations have changed. Students with credit for a course under its
former label may not take the relabeled course for credit.
The following conventions are used for course numbering:
- 010-099 represent non-degree level courses
- 100-699 represent undergraduate degree level courses
- 700-999 represent graduate degree level courses
Please use the following form to look up courses and find detailed information on course
prerequisites, corequisites, and other special notes. To view all 100-level courses in a subject,
select a Subject Code and type 1% in the Course Number field. (200-level = 2%, etc.)
Results
RLST 110.6 — 1&2(3L)World Religions
A critical survey of the history, sources and chief characteristics of major world religions, including, in particular, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Particular attention will be given to an investigation of the phenomenon called religion, and to the relationships between religion and culture.
RLST 211.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Hinduism
A study of the historical, social, doctrinal, and ritual aspects of Hinduism.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 214.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Philosophies of India
An introduction to the philosophical thought of India with special reference to early speculations on the nature of human reality, God, world, and human destiny.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 215.3 — 2(3L)Indian Yoga Heritage
Surveys the history, philosophy, texts, practices and systems of Yoga in traditional cultural settings and modern context.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 217.3 — 1/2(3L)Buddhist Religious Tradition
An examination of Buddhist religious history with emphasis on its socio-cultural dimensions. Topics include early Buddhism and its Indian evolution; culture contact and the spread of Buddhism to southeast Asia, China, Japan and Tibet; Buddhism and change in modern Asia and the west.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 218.3 — 1/2(3L)Developments in Buddhist Thought
An introduction to Buddhist philosophy and the development of its major schools of religious thought: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Buddhist views of the interdependence of morality, knowledge and liberation will be studied in their historical and contemporary contexts.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 219.3 — 1/2(3L)Bible and Western Culture
Explores the influence of the Bible on the culture of the west, ancient and modern, with a particular focus on the role of biblical themes, symbols and characters in art, literature, music and popular culture.
Prerequisite(s): 6 credit units in RLST or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 220.3 — 1/2(3L)Women in Western Religious Traditions
Study of women in major western religious traditions: influence of conceptual systems and language; women's embodiment and religion, feminine spirituality, women's contributions to western faiths, and feminine aspects of divinity.
Formerly:RLST 325.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
Note: Students with credit for RLST 325 may not take this course for credit.
RLST 221.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Christianity
A systematic examination of the beliefs, practices and doctrinal debates in Christianity, with emphasis on diverging theories of revelation, incarnation, redemption and ritual efficacy that shift over time in response to surrounding political and socio-cultural forces.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 222.3 — 1/2(3L)Mystics Monks and Heretics
Introduces Christianity from the perspective of the contemplative tradition. Commencing with the pre-Christian Greek heritage the course examines the early Christian period of the desert contemplative life in various mystical writings and subsequent expressions of Christian contemplation.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or completion of 30 credit units at the university level.
RLST 225.3 — 1/2(3L)Perspectives on Jesus
The findings of modern biblical and historical research will be applied to the figure of Jesus as presented in the New Testament, and to the development of doctrine in Christianity.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 226.3 — 1/2(3L)Religion Globalization and Social Justice
This course offers: 1) a preliminary survey of the destructive and constructive interplay between world religions and forces of globalization; 2) an introduction to ancient and contemporary elements/proponents of social justice within five religious traditions’; 3) an elaboration of tentative, interreligious ethical criteria that might guide the evaluation of religio-political developments in our global context.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units.
RLST 227.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Judaism
An introduction to basic Jewish ideas, beliefs, and practices from the biblical times to the present.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 228.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Jewish Thought
An examination of Jewish theology and treatment of the concepts of God, Torah, Israel and related themes by major Jewish thinkers.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 230.3 — 1/2(3L)Magic Medicine and Metaphysics in Daoism
A survey of the Daoist tradition in its various dimensions: mystical (meditation, inner alchemy, sexuality and immortality), metaphysics (the philosophy of the Way), and magical (the magical and medicinal powers of the Daoist priesthood). All these aspects will be studied in their own terms and related to the overall cultural heritage of China.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 231.3 — 1/2(3L)Confucianism Continuity and Change
Explores the significance and changing role of the Confucian tradition by an introduction to ancient roots in China, historical elaboration and expansion, and relevance for personal and social vision today.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 232.3 — 1/2(3L)Women and Religion in Asia
Starts with a social-historical introduction to the South, South-East, and East Asia. The second part continues exploring the meaning of 'feminine' in the main Asian religions, including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Shamanism. The course analyzes the past and present roles of women in those traditions, as well as women's contributions to the development of religious institutions and rituals in Asia. The final part of the course focuses on reasons and modalities of the recent interest of Western women in Asian religions, and on the other hand on how Asian women practiced and propagated their native religions in the West.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110.6 or 24 credit units at the university level; or permission of the department.
RLST 234.3 — 1/2(3L)Chinese Folk Religion and Folk Culture
Study of the religious world view inherent in the folklore tradition of China and of folk religious concepts and practices including mythology, divination, magic, and communal worship.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 240.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Islam
A study of Islam focusing on the religion's origin and development, its basic beliefs and practices, and its influence in defining Muslim cultures.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 241.3 — 1/2(3L)Islam in the Modern World
The objective of the course is to acquaint student with issues that Muslim peoples face under the impact of colonization, technicalization and modernization, taking into consideration the global context of such a readjustment. This course will study Muslim societies in modern times to review their success and failure in restructuring their political, social and religious cultures in order to become integrated in the international order that is founded upon secularism and modernism. The course will evaluate the political goals of Muslim governments and whether these goals are harmonious with the developments of democratic institutions to further basic human rights. The course will attempt to answer the basic questions: What is happening to the Muslim community in the Modern age and how do Muslim intellectuals respond to the challenges posed by modernization and Westernization?
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 253.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to Old Testament
A basic introduction to the Old Testament, focussing on the historical, literary and theological characteristics of the various writings. Scholarly methods by which they are studied, and their relationship to the history of Israel will also be examined.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
Note: Students with credit for RLST 250 may not take this course for credit.
RLST 254.3 — 1/2(3L)Introduction to New Testament
A basic introduction to the New Testament, focussing on the historical, literary and theological characteristics of the various writings. Scholarly methods by which they are studied, and their relationship to Christianity will also be examined.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
Note: Students with credit for RLST 252 may not take this course for credit.
RLST 258.3 — 1/2(3L-2P)Bollywood and Popular Culture in India and the Diaspora
This course examines the extent to which the popular culture of India and of the Indian diaspora has been shaped by the films produced by the Bollywood film industry in Mumbai, India. Bollywood films are the most common form of entertainment for the masses in India as well as diasporic Indians in many parts of the world. Films of different genres and times will be seen, understood and critiqued for their significance. The genres include: religious; historical; 7 social; action, crime and suspense films; art ci
nema; and diasporic films. Bollywood cinema will be examined as a form of entertainment, as a creator of national integration, as a moulder of popular culture, and as a form of ideological communication.
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): RLST 110.6 or ANTH 111.3.
RLST 280.3 — 1/2(3L)Methodologies and Approaches to Study of Religions
An introduction to theories and approaches in the academic study of religion. Origins and development of social scientific, historical, phenomenological and comparative approaches will be examined.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 282.3 — 1/2(3L)Religious Perspectives on Death and Dying
Examines how various world religions have understood the significance of death and dying.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 283.3 — 1/2(3L)Comparative Mysticism
An examination of the theoretical and methodological issues involved in a systematic study of mysticism in world religions. Topics include the nature, theories, and typologies of mysticism, and techniques of mystical experience.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 284.3 — 1/2(3L)Religions and Non Violence
An examination of the ideal of non-violence according to the scriptures of the world religions, with examples of historical and contemporary application in Asia and the west.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
RLST 285.3 — 1/2(3L)Religions and Ethnicity
A systematic exploration of the contribution of religion to ethnic identification and ethnic community organization.
Formerly:RLST 381.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110 or 24 credit units at the university level.
Note: Students with credit for RLST 381 cannot take this course for credit.
RLST 298.3 — 1/2(3L)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 299.6 — 1&2(3L)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 303.3 — 1/2(3L)Goddesses in Myth and History
Investigates the role of goddesses in religion from prehistory to the present, east and west. Combines historical and thematic approaches, focussing on the many roles of the female divine. Ancient goddesses, goddess worship in world religions, and contemporary feminist goddess spirituality, including Wicca, will be examined.
Prerequisite(s): 6 credit units in RLST or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 314.3 — 1/2(3L)Issues in Contemporary Catholicism
An analysis of contemporary Roman Catholicism with emphasis on the second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and its effects. Themes include identity of and membership in the church, liturgical renewal, post-conciliar forms of spirituality and community, social doctrine, and moral issues.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 320.3 — 1/2(3L)Contemporary Protestant Thought
Analysis of 20th-century Protestant thought. Special emphasis given to problems of religious knowledge and to the stance of Christianity in the modern world. Relationship to Roman Catholic thought is included.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 321.3 — 1/2(3L)Gender and God Talk
An overview of feminist theological perspectives, both as critiques of traditional culture and theology and as constructions of new visions and ways of religious life.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 328.3 — 1/2(3L)Jewish Christian Relations in Historical Perspective
Christianity emerged out of Judaism, and this course examines the relationships that have existed between the two religions through the ages. Both Christian and Jewish sources will be examined to develop a critical perspective on this important aspect of western religious heritage.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 329.3 — 1/2(3L)Studies in Bhagavad Gita
Students will be reading the Bhagavad Gita in translation along with some of the commentarial literature to acquire a critical understanding of fundamental philosophical assumptions of Hinduism. Primary approach being textual study, the course will also attempt to draw upon the Hindu hermeneutical tools in search for the meaning structures in the Bhagavad Gita.
Prerequisite(s): 6 credit units in RLST or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 330.3 — 1/2(3L)Daoism
Intensive reading and discussion of major texts (in translation) and religious practices of Daoism in China. Compares Daoism to other forms of religion in China: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Popular Religion.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 331.3 — 1/2(3L)Neo Confucianism in Context
Reading and discussion of major Neo-Confucian texts in translation. The focus will be on the late-imperial and early-modern interpretive communities in which Confucian classics were understood as living spiritual wisdom in dialogue with Buddhists and Daoists. Modern interpretations of Confucianism are also addressed, including Confucius Institutes outside China.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 332.3 — 1(3L)Rise of Fundamentalism in South Asia
Incorporating religious discourse and significant actual events, this course examines the rise of fundamentalism in South Asia. A brief discussion of sub-continental history, especially British colonialism and India's partition, is followed by examining Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity in the context of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the University.
RLST 341.3 — 1/2(3S)Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhism
The Buddhist view of human perfection is epitomized in the concept of the bodhisattva. Explores the origins and development of the bodhisattva ideal and examines its role in Asian cultural history.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 342.3 — 1/2(3L)Tibetan Buddhism
A survey of Tibetan Buddhism with a focus on its socio-cultural dimensions. Topics include characteristic features of Tibetan culture and Tantric Buddhism, the role of the monastery in religion and society, Buddhist folk religious traditions, and the condition of Tibetan Buddhism in the modern era.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 359.3 — 1/2(3L)Helpmates Harlots and Heroines
Examines historical, social and theological aspects of women's relationship to the Old and New Testament, the portrayal of women in biblical texts, the interpretation of biblical texts about women, biblical attributions of gender to the divine, the history of women as biblical interpreters, and feminist hermeneutics.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST or WGST course.
RLST 361.3 — 1/2(3L)Rabbinic Literature
A study of post-biblical Jewish religious literature, including legal, ethical and theological material. Emphasis will be placed on both methodology and content, with illustrative texts read in English.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university.
RLST 363.3 — 1/2(3L)Early Christian Literature Text and Context
A study of extra-biblical Christian writings up to 150 CE with emphasis on the beliefs of early Christianity, relationship with paganism and Judaism, and the development of internal organizational structures.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university.
Note: Students with credit for RLST 309 or 311 may not take this course for credit.
RLST 365.3 — 1/2(3L)Bible and Film
An examination of the uses of the Bible in film, including epic films, contemporary retellings of biblical stories, and the use of biblical themes and motifs in cinema. Uncovers the many ways in which biblical-theological themes shape and are shaped by contemporary culture.
Prerequisite(s): RLST 110, 253, 254, ENG 298, or 30 credit units at the university level.
RLST 375.3 — 1/2(3L)Religion and Science
Investigates the historical and transcultural approach to the relationship between religion and science. Contemporary approaches to issues at the intersection of religion and science are also analyzed with emphasis on the influence of physics, evolutionary biology, ecology, non-Western science and cosmology.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 382.3 — 1/2(3L)Sex, God and Rock n' Roll Re-Vamping the Sacred
This course on religion, music, and pop culture will investigate the intimate connections between human musicality and sexuality, and assess their impact on definitions of divinity and the sacred. Theoretical issues include the ideology of sacred/profane dichotomies, musical/sexual taboos, and the politics of gender, race and class as expressed in ritual and liturgy.
Prerequisite(s): 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
Note: Students with credit for RLST Special Topics: Sex, God and Rock n Roll: Re-Vamping the Sacred may not take RLST 382 for credit.
RLST 390.3 — 1/2(3S)Readings in Eastern Religions
A reading course in primary writings in eastern religious traditions such as the Bhagavad Gita, Brahmasutrabhasya, Tao Te Ching, or the Analects of Confucius.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 391.3 — 1/2(3S)Readings in Western Religions
Exposes the student to primary source materials. Emphasis is placed on individual study and research.
Prerequisite(s): A 200-level RLST course or 48 credit units at the university level.
RLST 398.3 — 1/2(3S)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 399.6 — 1&2(3S)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 412.3 — 1/2(3S)Seminar in Religions and Culture
A critical examination of religious ideas, beliefs, and practices in varied cultural contexts.
Prerequisite(s): 3 credit units 300-level RLST or 18 credit units RLST or permission of the department.
Note: Students may take this course more than once for credit, provided the topic covered in each offering differs substantially. Students must consult the Department to ensure that the topics covered are different.
RLST 413.3 — 1/2(3S)Seminar in Religious Thought
An advanced seminar in contemporary religious thought focusing on an important theme such as the nature of religious belief, the problem of suffering and evil, or religious pluralism.
Prerequisite(s): 3 credit units 300-level RLST or 18 credit units RLST or permission of the department.
Note: Students may take this course more than once for credit, provided the topic covered in each offering differs substantially. Students must consult the Department to ensure that the topics covered are different.
RLST 423.3 — 1/2(3S)Comparative Approaches to Study of Religions
A survey of contemporary theories and methods in the comparative study of religion. Issues and problems in the application of the comparative approach will be examined. Selected readings in major figures in the discipline, including Canadian contributors.
Prerequisite(s): 3 credit units 300-level RLST or 18 credit units RLST or permission of the department.
RLST 426.0 — 1/2(1S)Honours Colloquium
Oral presentation of a major paper to a conference of department honours students and faculty. The presentation is normally based on a paper already prepared or in preparation for a 400-level course in religious studies. A requirement for honours and double honours students.
Prerequisite(s) or Corequisite(s): 400-level Religious Studies course.
RLST 498.3 — 1/2(3S)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 499.6 — 1&2(3S)Special Topics
Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations to cover, in depth, topics that are not thoroughly covered in regularly offered courses.
RLST 801.3 — (3S)Seminar in Jewish and Christian Origins
A seminar focusing on select issues relevant to the critical study of the origins and development of Judaism and Christianity.
Restriction(s): Restriced to Graduate Students.
RLST 802.3 — (3S)Seminar in Western Religious History
A seminar focusing on select issues relevant to the history of western religious traditions, such as the origins and development of sectarian groups, the study of key figures and movements in the history of western religions, or the historical context of developments in western religions.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 803.3 — (3S)Seminar in Western Religious Literature
A seminar focusing on select texts from the western religious history, such as early Jewish/Christian apocalyptic writings, Jewish midrashim, or contemporary Islamic writings.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students
RLST 804.3 — (3S)Seminar in Western Religious Thought
This seminar will investigate the work of a select group of Western thinkers and their reflections on the relationship between hermeneutics, culture, and religiosity. The seminar will focus on hermeneutical questions, questions of cultural studies, and/or issues of theological anthropology.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 805.3 — (3S)Issues in Contemporary Western Religions
A seminar focusing on select issues relevant to contemporary western religions, such as the relationship between religion and culture, religion and leadership, and religion and social trends.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 821.3 — (3S)Seminar in Eastern Religious History
This seminar offers a critical study of the role of religion in Asian cultural history. The seminar gives attention to the analysis of historical contexts, the evolution of religious doctrines, and the influence of religious values and institutions on social, political and economic systems.
Restriction(s): Restriced to Graduate Students.
RLST 822.3 — (3S)Seminar in Eastern Religious Literature
This seminar will examine selected textual materials from one or more of the Asian religions. Issues surrounding form, content and interpretation will be studied in relation to the text's role and purpose(s) in contextual environments.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 823.3 — (3S)Seminar in Eastern Religious Thought
This seminar will investigate a body of Eastern religious and philosophical thought with reflection on the relationship between hermeneutics, culture, and religiosity. The seminar will focus on hermeneutical questions, questions of cultural studies, and/or ontological issues.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 824.3 — (3S)Seminar in Eastern Religions and Society
This seminar explores the interaction between religion and society in modern Asia. Through the course the students will assess popular religious practices within their respective historical and religious contexts.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 825.3 — (3S)Issues in Contemporary Eastern Religions
A critical examination of important contemporary developments in Eastern Religions and including new religious movements, environmental issues, developments of religious fundamentalism and religious right, issues of gender and equality.
Restriction(s): Restricted to Graduate Students.
RLST 898.3Special Topics
Offered occasionally in special situations. Students interested in these courses should contact the department for more information.
RLST 899.6Special Topics
Offered occasionally in special situations. Students interested in these courses should contact the department for more information.
RLST 990.0Seminar
The graduate seminar involves paper presentations and discussions of issues in research methodology arising from current research by graduate students, department and cognate faculty, and visiting scholars. Graduate students must register in and attend the seminar on a continuous basis for the residency period, and will receive credit when they have successfully presented a seminar.
Restriction(s): Open only to graduate level students in Religion and Culture.
Note: This course is a mandatory component of a graduate degree in Religion and Culture.
RLST 994Research
Students writing a Master's thesis must register for this course.