Intro to World Religions

Religious expression has been an essential part of the human experience throughout recorded history. Among other things, religion has been a catalyst for social change and conflict, a means of expressing social and personal identity, a tool of political control and of revolution and a statement of the way people and cultures understand their purpose and place in the world. Studying the way religion has influenced historical events, cultural frameworks and personal experiences is an important avenue for understanding human society and interaction. A basic level of global religious literacy is therefore essential if one wishes to be a global citizen. This course is an introduction to global religious studies, a field of study that draws from many different academic disciplines. We will be taking a cross-disciplinary approach to enable students to recognize, understand and appreciate the diversity of the world’s religious traditions.