Religious Studies*

Department of Classics
College of Arts and Sciences
338 MFAC
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261
(716) 645-2154
Fax: (716) 645-2225
Web: Classics
Susan G. Cole, Director

*This area of study is available as a special major through the College of Arts and Sciences and must be approved by the Special Majors Committee. It is not a separately registered degree program. Refer to the Special Majors section in this catalog on page 256 for more information.

The Program
With the cooperation of faculty in various departments and with an extended adjunct faculty, the Department of Classics offers courses in religious studies. The goals of the program are to (1) analyze religion as a human phenomenon, (2) provide the student with the intellectual tools necessary for the academic investigation of religion and religious texts, and (3) allow the student a degree of specialized study in a specialized area of religion or religious history. The approach is academic and is based upon objective, critical methods.

Religious Studies (RSP)

210 Introduction to the Old Testament (3)
Introduces the traditions of the Hebrews throughout the patriarchal narrative of Genesis; the law corpus in Exodus; and the early history in Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Studies texts in the context of history and literature of the ancient Near East. LEC

213 World Religions (3)
Introduces the world's religious systems and their cultural bases. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, and modern religious substitutes. LEC

223 Western Church History (3)
Examines the development of the Christian church in western European history from Pentecost to the start of the Enlightenment. Covers material in three major divisions of time: the ancient church (to A.D. 600), the medieval church (600-1517), and the Reformation church (1517-1700). Emphasizes the important leaders and issues of each era. LEC

224 American Church History (3)
Surveys the background and development of the Christian church in American history from the first establishment to the present era. Emphasizes major individuals associated with the American church, and covers material in four major divisions: the colonial era (1607-1789), the national era (1790-1860), the federal era (1860-1919), and the modern era (1920-present). LEC

231 Paul and the Early Church (3)
The study of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (1st Corinthians) and early church struggles for orthodoxy. LEC

242 New Testament Literature and Thought (3)
Selected topics chosen from the New Testament: the significance of the incarnation, sacrifice, resurrection, apocalyptic expectation, etc. LEC

244 Workshop in New Testament (3)
Development of the first-century Christian church in Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Rome; non-Pauline N.T. literature and pseudo-epigraphic works, such as the Book of Enoch, letters of Ignatius, Gospel of Thomas, Shepherd of Hermes, the Apologetics. LEC

245 Gospel of Luke and Acts (3)
Comprehensive study of Luke's gospel-its literary structure, characteristics, primary sources, and content followed by an intensive investigation of his account of the spread of the gospel of Jesus by the early disciples in Acts, primarily Peter and Paul. LEC

246 Gospel of John and Apocalypse (3)
Comprehensively studies the fourth gospel; its authorship, time, and situation of composition; its unique theological perspective. By way of comparison and contrast, examines the book of Apocalypse or Revelations. LEC

260 Introduction to Christian Ethics (3)
Specific ethical issues in light of the message of Jesus, the Christian concept of love, how ethical decisions are made, the role of Jesus in ethics. LEC

282 Christianity in Western Culture (3)
The interplay and cross-fertilization of European cultures and the various branches of the Christian religion; examines these in a historical and contemporary context. LEC

288 Old Testament Prophets (3)
Using Biblical texts, studies the prophetic vision of the Old Testament and relates it to the realities of life of the people of Israel-personally, as well as socially and politically. LEC

321 The Synoptic Gospels (3)
The first three gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke; authorship, audience, style, structure, comparative studies of specific themes and emphases. LEC

Academic Affairs

Phone: (716) 645-6003

Fax: (716) 645-2549

Last updated: Thursday, 09-Dec-2004 15:21:20 EST