| Faculty | Core I Requirement | BA Major |
| Minor | Minor (Teaching Option) | Course Offerings |
253.535.7776
www.plu.edu/~reli
Religion is an attempt to understand the meaning of human existence. Different religious and cultural communities express that meaning in many ways. For Christians meaning is revealed in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Located within an ELCA-related university, the Department of Religion stands within Christian context.
In a university setting this means the serious academic study of the Bible, of the history of the Christian tradition, of Christian theology, and of world religious traditions. Critical study calls for open and authentic dialogue with other religious traditions and seeks to understand a common humanity as each tradition adds its unique contribution. It calls for a critical yet constructive interchange with contemporary society. Finally, it calls for a sharing of insights with other disciplines in the university as each sheds light on the human condition.
To these ends the Department of Religion offers a wide range of courses and opportunities. Furthermore it calls students, majors and non-majors alike, to consider questions of meaning, purpose, and value in a society that all too often neglects these questions.
Faculty: Torvend, Chair; Batten, Breazeale, Crawford, Finitsis, Frenz, Ihssen, Killen, Nissen, Oakman, O'Brien, Peterson, Trelstad.
Eight semester hours are required for students
entering as first-year students or sophomores. Four lower-division
hours should be taken before the end of the sophomore year.
Transfer students entering as juniors or seniors are required to take four semester hours from religion lines 1 or 2 only, unless presenting eight transfer hours of religion from other regionally accredited colleges or universities. Courses offered through correspondence, on-line, and independent studies are not accepted to meet the core requirement in Religious Studies.
The Core I requirement in Religious Studies (eight semester hours) specifies that four semester hours must be taken from each of two lines, as follows:
- Biblical Studies (R1) - RELI 211, 212, 330, 331, 332
- Christian Thought, History, and Experience (R2) - RELI 121, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 360, 361, 362, 364, 365, 367, 368
- Integrative and Comparative Religious Studies (R3) - RELI 131, 132, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 237, 239, 390, 391, 392, 393
- Cross Cultural: RELI 131, 132, 232, 233, 234, 235, 237, 247, 341, 344, 347, and 392
- Alternative Perspectives: RELI 236, 257, 351, 354, 357, 368 and 393
- 32 semester hours with at least four semester hours in each of the three lines, plus 499. Sixteen of the 32 semester hours for the major must be taken in upper-division courses (numbered 300 or higher).
- Transfer majors will normally take 20 semester hours in residence.
- Majors should plan their program early in consultation with departmental faculty. Closely related courses taught in other departments may be considered to apply toward the religion major in consultation with the chair of the department.
- 24 semester hours; at least four hours in each of the three lines.
- Transfer minors under this option normally take 16 semester hours in residence.
- Intended primarily for parochial school teachers enrolled in the School of Education.
- 16 semester hours with no more than eight in one of the lines listed above.
- Transfer minors under this option must take at least eight semester hours in residence.
RELI 121: The Christian Tradition R2
The study of selected theological questions and formulations examined in their social and historical contexts. (4)
RELI 131: The Religions of South Asia C, R3
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism their origins and development, expansion, and contemporary issues. (4)
RELI 132: The Religions of East Asia C, R3
Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, Shinto, and the
new religions of Japan their origins, development, and contemporary
issues. (4)
RELI 211: Religion and Literature of the Old Testament R1
Literary, historical, and theological dimensions of the Old Testament, including perspectives on contemporary issues. (4)
RELI 212: Religion and Literature of the New Testament R1
Literary, historical, and theological dimensions of the New Testament, including perspectives on contemporary issues. (4)
RELI 220: Early Christianity R2
Origins, thought, and expansion of the Christian Church; rise of the
Papacy, expansion in Europe and the growth of Christian involvement in
culture, to the end of the Papacy of Gregory I (604 CE). (4)
RELI 221: Medieval Christianity - R2
A study of the ideas, practices, forms of community among Christians
from 600-1350, with an emphasis on how they understood their
relationship to God, each other, and the natural wonder. (4)
RELI 222: Modern Church History R2
Beginning with the Peace of Westphalia (1648), interaction of the
Christian faith with modern politics, science, and philosophy;
expansion in the world, modern movements. (4)
RELI 223: American Church History R2
Interaction of religious and social forces in American history, especially their impact on religious communities. (4)
RELI 224: The Lutheran Heritage R2
Lutheranism as a movement within the church catholic: its history,
doctrine, and worship in the context of today's pluralistic and secular
world. (4)
RELI 225: Faith and Spirituality R2
Reflection on Christian lifestyles, beliefs, and commitments. (4)
RELI 226: Christian Ethics R2
Introduction to the personal and social ethical dimensions of Christian
life and thought with attention to primary theological positions and
specific problem areas. (4)
RELI 227 (247, 257): Christian Theology R2
Survey of selected topics or movements in Christian theology
designed to introduce the themes and methodologies of the discipline.
(RELI 247 for crosscultural GUR and RELI 257 for alternative perspective GUR) (4)
RELI 230: Religion and Culture R3
Explores the interrelation and interaction of religion and culture
in a variety of world religious traditions. Incorporates recognized
methodologies in academic religious studies. (4)
RELI 231: Myth, Ritual, and Symbol R3
The nature of myth and its expression through symbol and ritual. (4)
RELI 232: The Buddhist Tradition C, R3
Introduction to the history and practice of Buddhist tradition in
its South Asian, East Asian, and Western cultural contexts. (4)
RELI 233: The Religions of China C, R3
Introduction to the major religious movements of China. (4)
RELI 234: The Religions of Japan C, R3
Introduction to the religious traditions of Japan. (4)
RELI 235: Islamic Traditions C, R3
An introduction to the history, teachings, and practices of Islam. (4)
RELI 236: Native American Religious Traditions - A, R3
Introduction to a variety of Native American
religious traditions, emphasizing the way in which religion works to
construct identity, promote individual and collective well being and
acts as a means of responding to colonialism. Approaches the
topic using academic religious
studies' methodologies. (4)
RELI 237: Judaism C, R3
Historical development of Judaism's faith and commitment from early Biblical times to the present. (4)
RELI 239: Environment and Culture R3
Study of the ways in which environmental issues are shaped by human
culture and values. Major conceptions of nature, including non-western
perspectives and issues in eco-justice. Critical evaluations of
literature, arts, ethics, conceptual frameworks, history, and
spirituality. (Cross-listed with ENGL 239.) (4)
RELI 330: Old Testament Studies R1
Major areas of inquiry: the prophets, psalms, wisdom literature, mythology, theology, or biblical archeology. (4)
RELI 331: New Testament Studies R1
Major areas of inquiry: intertestamental, synoptic, Johannine, or Pauline literature, or New Testament theology. (4)
RELI 332: Jesus of History, Christ of Faith R1
Historical survey of Life of Jesus research; form and redaction
criticism of the gospel tradition; the religious dimensions of Jesus'
life and thought. Prerequisite: one lower-division RELI course or
consent of instructor. (4)
RELI 360: Studies in Church Ministry R2
The church in human service: the congregation, the church-related college, contemporary contexts of world mission. (4)
RELI 361 (341, 351): Church History Studies R2
Selected area of inquiry, such as American-Scandinavian church
history, religious experience among American minority communities, and
the ecumenical movement. (RELI 341 for cross cultural GUR and RELI 351 for alternative perspective GUR)(4)
RELI 362: Luther R2
The man and his times, with major emphasis on his writing and creative theology. (4)
RELI 364 (344, 354): Theological Studies R2
Selected
topic or movement within Christian theology. (RELI 344 for cross
cultural GUR and RELI 354 for alternative perspective GUR) (4)
RELI 365: Christian Moral Issues R2
In-depth exploration from the perspective of Christian ethics of
selected moral issues such as peace and violence, the environment,
sexuality, political and economic systems, hunger, and poverty. (4)
RELI 367 (347, 357): Major Religious Thinkers, Texts, and Genres R2
In-depth study of major figures, texts, or genres in Christian and
non-Christian religious traditions, focusing especially on the theology
and religious thought of these traditions. Fulfills either line 2 or 3
as appropriate. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (4)
RELI 368: Feminist and Womanist Theologies A, R2
A study of major theological themes and issues through global women's perspectives on gender. (4)
RELI 390 (393): Topics in Comparative Religions R3
Historical study of specific non-Christian religions such as the
traditions of India and China, Judaism, and Islam. (RELI 393 for
alternative perspective GUR) (4)
RELI 391: Sociology of Religion R3
Multi-cultural investigation of religious experience, belief, and
ritual in relation to their social settings with particular attention
to new forms of religion in America. (Cross-listed with SOCI 391.) (4)
RELI 392: God, Magic, and Morals C, R3
Anthropology of religion. (Cross-listed with ANTH 392). (4)
Intended for religion majors, advanced and graduate students; consent of the department is required. (14)
RELI 499: Capstone: Research Seminar SR
Discussion of common readings and a major research and writing
project with public presentation around the student's area of interest.
(4)