Ethan Shagan, a BCSR affiliated faculty member and winner of the 2019 Distinguished Teaching Award, will be teaching the new course History 20: Introduction to the History of Religion this spring. The course will introduce students to the history of religion from the earliest written records to the modern world, including the monotheistic traditions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, the Asian traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism, and much else besides. Along the way, students will consider such topics as: the relationship between myth and religion; the ways religions define their boundaries, both to create community and to exclude outsiders; religion as a tool of imperial power, as well as a weapon of emancipation; secularization; the rise of fundamentalism; and the modern relationship of religion and science.
Look out for a follow-up news item about spring Religious Studies courses.