2019-2020 BSC Catalog

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
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RE 331 Religious Ethics of War and Peace (1)
An investigation of how religious traditions approach issues of force and peacemaking.
The course provides an overview of classical authors as well as activists and writers
engaging issues of war and peace. Case studies will be used to ground discussions in reallife
situations.
RE 341 Blurred Religious Boundaries (1)
An exploration of the “blurred boundaries” between religious traditions encountered in
literature, sites of multi-religious practice, healing practices, and pilgrimage. Particular
emphasis will be placed on the ways in which religious traditions have accommodated or
absorbed local and regional practices at specific moments of time and the impact of that
dynamic on the tradition.
RE 343 Sainthood and Power (1)
An examination of the concept of sainthood, and the biographies and functions of saints
across religious traditions, including (but not limited to) Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, and Islam. The course will also explore the relationship between gender and
sainthood.
RE 345 Power and Religion (1)
An examination of the relationship between “power” and “religion,” and how religious
agents and institutions interact with political order through examples drawn from
classical South Asia, post-Reformation Europe, and revolutionary Iran. Topics include
the role played by religion in the “post-secular,” global political order; the dramatic
resurgence of religion in politics; and the future of religious authority.
RE 350 The Ethical Vision of the Christian Scriptures (1)
An exploration of and critical reflection upon various approaches to using the Christian
Scriptures as a source for ethical reflection. The course addresses two primary questions.
First, what are the ethical perspectives of the Christian Scriptures regarding specific
themes, such as community and justice, violence and liberation, wealth and poverty,
sexuality, and the care of the Earth? Second, how might we structure the conversation
between the ancient text and the modern world? Prerequisite: at least one unit in RE.
RE 353 Nonviolence (1)
A study of the concept of nonviolence in spiritual, ethical, and political perspective. This
course examines the virtue of nonviolence within religious traditions, particularly within
the pacifist religion of Jainism, and seeks to understand how personal commitment to
nonviolence operates within greater spiritual and ethical dispositions. It also examines the
evolution of nonviolence as a political strategy for the resolution of conflict from the
interpersonal to the national. Emphasis is placed on the 1963 civil rights campaign in
Birmingham and the study of the strategy and tactics of nonviolent direct action. A
Leadership Studies designated course.
RE 360 Understanding Religion: History, Theory, and Method (1)
An investigation of the concept of religion as well as the theory and methods that define
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2019-2020