Major
Religious Studies
Religious Studies (Major, Minor) Department
Evelyn Spratt, Ph.D., Interim Dean, School of Arts, Sciences and Business
Mari Rapela Heidt, Ph.D., Chair
Najeeb Haddad, Ph.D.
Jens Mueller, Ph.D.
Campuses
Main Campus
Summary
The Religious Studies Department, part of the School of Arts, Sciences, and Business offers a Major and several Minors to students. The Religious Studies Program of Study is based on four theological pillars: biblical studies, systematic theology, religious ethics, and religion and culture.
The NDMU Religious Studies and Theology program forms students into leaders who are religiously literate, culturally aware, intellectually rigorous, and socially responsible. The disciplines of Theology and Religious Studies are central to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, and we devote ourselves to them to advance our larger University Mission: to educate leaders to transform the world. We aim to develop students’ knowledge of Christian traditions and other religions of the world, and their understanding of theories and methods in both Religious Studies and Theology. We are inspired by the charism and mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame: to promote unity in diversity. We expect our students to cultivate a respectful appreciation for the religious commitments of all people; to think critically about religious, ethical, and theological issues; to examine and reflect on their own religious commitments; and to understand religion as an important part of human culture and history.
Graduates have gone on to graduate school in law, medicine, health care professions, theology and pastoral care. Graduates are professionals in these fields as well as in education, nursing, counseling, clinical psychology, pastoral ministry, and charitable organizations.
In addition to the Major, the Religious Studies Department offers Minors in Religious Studies, Religion and Healthcare, and Women in Religion. The Department also participates in Justice and Peace Studies and Women’s Studies, as well as providing a track within the Liberal Arts Major (seven courses for the primary track or five for the supporting track).
The following Empower and Engage General Education requirements may be met by the Religious Studies courses listed:
Thinking Critically and Analytically: RST-300, RST-303, RST-306
Pursuing Meaning and Purpose: RST-105
Impact of Diversity: RST-411, RST-412, RST-361
Intercultural Knowledge: RST-335, RST-315
Engaged Citizenship: RST-334, RST-345, RST-457
All courses credited toward the Major or Minor must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Degrees and Certificates
-
Religious Studies, -
Religion and Health Care, Minor -
Religious Studies, Minor -
Women in Religion, Minor
Courses
RST-105: Introduction to Religious Studies
Credits 3.00Examines the foundations and "Big Questions" of Christian thought and practice; Scripture, Christian history, Christian spirituality, and Catholic Christianity. Includes the world-view of the SSND from the disciplines of Religious Studies and Theology. Examines and analyzes the relationship between Christianity and the other Abrahamic faiths, Judaism and Islam. Students will demonstrate an appreciation for similarities and differences between theological approaches to values, and identify their own core values and ethical positions in relationship to theological constructs. This course is a prerequisite course for all undergraduate RST courses. Fulfills the general education requirement of pursuing meaning and purpose. [ 3 credits ]
RST-201: Introduction to Biblical Studies
Credits 3.00RST-300: American Catholicism
Credits 3.00Examines Roman Catholicism in the United States. Topics include the history of American Catholic self-understanding; the influence of the Catholic Church on politics, education and social issues; and an examination of American Catholic socio-religious issues. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. This course fulfills the general education requirement in 300/400-level Religious Studies and in thinking critically and analytically. [ 3 credits ]
RST-303: Christian Ethics
Credits 3.00Examines contemporary moral issues, engaging with and analyzing them through the lenses of Scripture, the Christian tradition, Catholic social teaching, and human dignity. Employs traditional sources and methods. Selected topics chosen from economic, environmental, social, and sexual ethics, and other contemporary moral issues. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and Thinking critically and analytically. [3 credits]
RST-304: Christian Social Ethics
Credits 3.00Provides students with an opportunity to understand and evaluate various Christian positions on a range of contemporary moral issues related to life in society. Examines selected topics in economic ethics, social ethics and political ethics. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and values. [3 credits]
RST-305: Dating, Marriage and Families
Credits 3.00Explores marriage as a covenant, human institution and Christian sacrament. Issues include sexuality, human intimacy, responsible parenting and family life. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and gender studies. [3 credits]
RST-306: Christian Bioethics
Credits 3.00Provides students with an opportunity to understand and evaluate various Christian positions on a range of contemporary moral issues related to biology, technology and medicine. Examines selected topics in the ethics of reproduction, genetics and research, end-of-life care, and the allocation of scarce resources. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and values. [3 credits]
RST-309: Revelation and the Apocalyptic Imagination
Credits 3.00Examines the book of Revelation and its historical context and evaluates its interpretation over time. Explores the dynamics of apocalyptic theology from early Judaism to the present, and considers whether and how one can read Revelation responsibly. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-310: Church History
Credits 3.00A study of the growth of Christianity from its beginnings to the time of the Great Reform. It will focus especially on those persons and events whose influence shaped the churches of today and whose ideas are at the root of many contemporary faith questions. Prerequisite: RST-105 or RST-201. [ 3 credits ]
RST-311: World Religions
Credits 3.00Explores selected religious traditions from around the world that have differing approaches to questions of God and human life and whose understandings have shaped cultures and societies. This exploration includes the histories, practices, sacred texts, and understandings of the world from religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Daoism, and the Confucian tradition. Prerequisite: RST-105. Fulfills general education requirements for upper-level religious studies and Intercultural Knowledge. [3 credits]
RST-312: Sin and Grace
Credits 3.00Presents a historical overview of traditional Christian understandings of original sin and grace as presented by the Bible, Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther and the Council of Trent. Explores contemporary interpretations of original sin and grace by Roman Catholic, Protestant, feminist and liberation theologians. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-314: Introduction of Paul and his Writings
Credits 3.00This course analyzes the New Testament letters of St. Paul within their cultural and literary milieu. The course examines some of the more controverted issues in Paul studies, such as his views on the Jewish Mosaic law, sexual ethics, and the role of women in the earliest Christian communities; allowing students to develop methods in historical critical research while making contemporary interpretations. [ 3 credits ]
RST-315: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Credits 3.00Explores the origin of the books of the Hebrew scriptures, also known as the Old Testament, in light of the history and culture of the people who produced them. Students will be able to identify major themes and characters and will become familiar with the relevant scholarly methodology. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-317: New Testament
Credits 3.00Examines the literature of the early Christian church with an emphasis on content and composition in light of the history and culture of the people who produced them. Students will be able to identify major themes and characters and will become familiar with relevant scholarly methodology. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-324: Religion and Popular Culture
Credits 3.00Explores various intersections between religion and the popular media, including music, news, advertising, the visual arts, literature, performance, and film. The course addresses how religions are represented in popular culture and what this says about American assumptions and attitudes about religions; how different forms of pop culture mimic or take the place of religions for people involved in them; how religious groups adopt and adapt, or shun and reject, forms of popular culture; and how popular culture is implicated in a capitalist, consumerist culture in ways that replicate "religion" as it h as been historically defined. This course fulfills the general education requirement in 300/400-level Religious Studies and in Intercultural Knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
RST-325: Jesus Christ
Credits 3.00Studies the person and work of Jesus Christ from the viewpoint of contemporary scholarship. The course explores the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and his central significance for Christian faith as found in the Christian scriptures, in the history of Christological doctrine, and in contemporary Christology. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-326: Beyond the Gospels: Rediscovering Jesus
Credits 3.00Explores the multifaceted person of Jesus Christ by examining the rich tapestry of the early Christian gospel tradition through the fourth century AD. The person of Jesus Christ is foundational for Christian history and worship. This course unravels the layers surrounding Jesus by analyzing the canonical and non-canonical gospels beyond the familiar territories of Hellenistic Jewish influence, venturing into the realms of Greek and Roman environments that shaped the narrative(s). Prerequisite: RST-105. This course fulfills an upper-level elective requirement in Religious Studies. [ 3 credits ]
RST-327: John's Gospel and Epistles
Credits 3.00Studies the biblical literature traditionally attributed to the disciple John, and considers the continuing interpretive life of these texts both inside and outside the Christian tradition. Emphasis is on the historical developments of the ancient "community of the beloved disciple" and the historical roots of that community. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-331: Comparative Religious Ethics
Credits 3.00A study of the ethics of major world religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The possibility of a global ethics based on the world religions will also be explored. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills General Education Requirement Cross-Cultural Studies and Values, Intercultural Knowledge and 300/400 level course. [ 3 credits ]
RST-334: Introduction to Catholic Social Thought
Credits 3.00Explores the tradition of Catholic social thought in its theoretical and lived forms. Examines the foundations and implications of Christian social responsibility through analysis of the official encyclicals and pastorals that comprise Catholic social teaching in conjunction with related moral analyses of domestic and international injustices. Students will apply the learned principles by engaging with current local social, ecological, and/or moral concerns. Prerequisite: RST-105. This course fulfills the general education requirement in 300/400-level Religious Studies and in engaged citizenship. [ 3 credits ]
RST-335: Global Christianity
Credits 3.00Explores the history and global nature of Christianity. Students will examine the beliefs and practices within the Jesus Movement, follow the spread of Christianity through the Mediterranean and Europe, examine European missions, the development of Christian sects in the new world, and trace the Christian developments in Asia and Africa. Prerequisite: RST-105. Meets the general education requirement for Intercultural Knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
RST-338: Green Discipleship
Credits 3.00Examines and analyzes current environmental problems in light of Christian social ethics and the Christian imperative to care for creation. Considers issues such as climate change, water, biodiversity, and non-human animals, among others, through the lenses of social justice, human dignity, and Christian moral theories surrounding environmental issues. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400 level religious studies and Engaged Citizenship. Prerequisite: RST-105. [ 3 credits ]
RST-340: Women in World Religions
Credits 3.00Provides the opportunity for students to evaluate the impact of world religions upon women in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Students will engage primary and secondary source material to better understand the historical and theological contexts within which the world religions view women. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and gender studies. [3 credits]
RST-345: Justice and Peace
Credits 3.00Analyzes contemporary issues of justice and peace, including classism, racism, sexism and violence. Topics such as world hunger, terrorism and heterosexism will be considered from personal, communal and global perspectives within the context of theological and moral teachings of various religious traditions. Students will apply the learned principles through experiential learning that may include excursions and/or engagement with social, ecological, and/or moral concerns. This course fulfills the general education requirement in 300/400 level Religious Studies and in Engaged Citizenship. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. NOTE: Service learning course. Extra cost, see instructor for details. [3 credits]
RST-347: Introduction to Spirituality
Credits 3.00Considers the question: Are all persons spiritual by nature? This course explores the meaning and practice of spirituality in contemporary society, considering various religious traditions as well as newly developing forms of spiritual practice. Topics include diverse meditation practices, gender-based spirituality and spirituality for the sake of justice. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-360: Islam
Credits 3.00Examines the foundation, beliefs and practices of this major religion. Issues include the place of women in Islam, the world-wide spread of Islam and the challenges of modernism. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]
RST-361: Black Church
Credits 3.00Studies African-American Christianity in the United States, historically and experientially. The course explores African and slave roots, historical and political contexts, the centrality of Jesus and the Bible, and themes of liberation and protest. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]
RST-401: Topics in Religion
Credits 3.00Investigates one specific topic, significant movement or writer, providing an opportunity to consider a matter of interest in depth. May be taken more than once on different topics. Recent courses included: Jewish Thought and Culture, DaVinci Code: Fact or Fiction, and Life and Legacy of Pope John Paul II. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement in cross-cultural studies (depending on topic) and 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-403: Problems in Discrimination and Prejudice
Credits 3.00RST-409: Death and Dying
Credits 3.00Examines the phenomena and meanings attending death. What do religion and science tell us about the process of death? What are the various historical and contemporary beliefs about afterlife? The course focuses on dying persons, survivors, health care professionals and providers of death-related services. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-411: Christian Women Theologians
Credits 3.00Examines the role of women in Christian traditions, recognizing that women have always been active (if not always welcome) participants in the development of Christian thought. The course traces the insights of 20th and 21st century Christian women theologians by paying close attention to the intersections of sexuality, gender, race, class, and ability. The course fulfills the general education requirement in 300/400-level Religious Studies and in Impact of Diversity. Prerequisite: RST-105. [ 3 credits ]
RST-412: Women and the Bible
Credits 3.00Analyzes the4 various ways women have been portrayed in the Bible and the scholarly responses to these interpretations. The course will examine how women biblical scholars and theologians from North American and European traditions, as well as those from the global south (Africa, Latin America, and Asia), have interpreted images of the women in the Bible from the perspectives of historical-critical and literary-critical biblical scholarship, as well as systematic theology and Christian ethics. Prerequisite: RST-105. This course fulfills the general education requirement in Religious Studies and in Impact of Diversity. [ 3 credits ]
RST-413: Women Mystics and Saints
Credits 3.00Examines the linked phenomenon of mysticism and sanctity with a specific emphasis on female saints from within the Christian tradition. The study of saints provides a window into the vibrant spiritual lives of Catholics worldwide. Prerequisite: RST-105. [ 3 credits ]
RST-415: Church in the Modern World
Credits 3.00Presents an historical overview of the development of traditional Christian understandings of the nature and function of the church as presented by the New Testament, Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, the First Vatican Council, and the second Vatican Council. The course will explore contemporary interpretations of the church by Roman Catholic, Protestant, feminist, liberation, and non-Western theologians. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-424: Ecology and Theology
Credits 3.00RST-425: God and Human Life
Credits 3.00Explores the mystery of the human person in light of the divine self-communication through Christ and the Spirit. Students will focus on current questions about disability, gender, sexuality, race, culture, and/or humanity's relationship to the natural world from a Christian perspective. Prerequisite: RST-105. [ 3 credits ]
RST-427: Study Tour
Credits 3.00Provides opportunities to visit and study regions
of importance for religious studies. Tours are organized and directed by members of the department and offered periodically in summer and winter. Fulfills general education requirements for 300/400-level religious studies and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]
RST-430: Topics in Pauline Theology
Credits 3.00Explores the apostle Paul's life, mission, and letters, as well as his historical and social context. Examines the development of his theology on such topics as faith, law, salvation, spirituality, and life in community. Considers the diversity of the early Christian Church and how others eceived and interpreted Paul's message. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-450: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Credits 3.00RST-452: Buddhism and Christianity
Credits 3.00RST-457: Radical Christianity
Credits 3.00Explores radical Christian thought and actions in the United States since the twentieth century. It grants special attention to recurrent issues in Christian social thought and activism, such as poverty, labor inequalities, politics, sexuality, war and peace, and/or race. Prerequisite: RST-105. [ 3 credits ]
RST-460: Capstone Experience
Credits 1.00Provides students with the opportunity to reflect
on their religious studies program and synthesize what they have learned. The capstone experience has three related components: a portfolio preparation workshop and compilation of a portfolio, an interview with department faculty, and a presentation to department faculty, current religious studies students and alumnae. Required of all religious studies majors and liberal arts majors with a primary track in religious studies, and typically completed during the student's final semester. [1 credit]
RST-463: Independent Study
Credits 3.00Provides an opportunity for individual study of an area or topic of special interest in religious studies. Usually involves research under the guidance of a faculty member of the department. Prerequisites: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]
RST-465: Directed Readings: Selected Topics in Religion
Credits 3.00Provides an opportunity for individual study of an area or topic of special interest in religious studies. Usually involves regular discussions of written works with a faculty member of the department. Prerequisite: RST-105 or RST-201. Fulfills general education requirement for 300/400-level religious studies. [3 credits]