Download theology, religion and ethics

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
THEOLOGY, RELIGION AND
ETHICS
Module Catalogue
Study Abroad Students
Semester Two
2017/2018
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT1501
Perspectives On Living Religions
30
2
Level 4
Maya Warrier
Module Description:
This module focuses on theory and method in the study of religion It is divided into two
parts. The first part will introduce students to a range of key theoretical and
methodological perspectives in the study of religion from the 19th century to the present.
The second part will examine four non-Christian traditions, and explore the ways in which
the theory and methodology discussed early in the module finds application in relation to
particular aspects of these traditions. The first section of the module will introduce a
selection of key thinkers on religion, exploring key debates to do with Euro-centrism in the
study of non-Christian religions, problems in the definition of religion as a distinct area of
human activity, debates on the concept of ‘world religions’, and insider and outsider
approaches to religion. It will explore the origins of Religious Studies as a discipline in the
late 20th century, its point of departure from Theology, and its interconnections with other
disciplines such as history, anthropology and sociology. Focusing primarily on religions as
they are lived and experienced through everyday practice, this part of the module will also
examine analytical themes central to living religions relating, for example, to colonialism
and modernity, gender issues, religion and the media, material culture, and authority and
power. The second half of the module will then introduce students to the four so-called
‘world religions’ of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam, and analyse the themes
introduced in Part 1 in relation to these.
Specific to:
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
002:
Formative Portfolio
Summative Essay
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
0%
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT1504
Controversies In Biblical Studies
15
1
Level 4
Module Description:
The Bible is a central text in various religious communities and remains an important
cultural driver in wider society. This module introduces students to the study of the Bible
by looking at some key books and key intellectual controversies around their
interpretation. Students will be introduced to the diversity of the Bible and its
accompanying scholarship and will be encouraged to engage with a variety of questions
around both their historical and literary dimensions. The module will invite students to
appreciate the many, diverse ways in which meaning can be gathered from biblical texts.
How the Bible has been and is read in different contexts and with respect to culture will
also be important. Specific texts will be looked at in detail.
Specific to:
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Oral Exam
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
100%
Semester
S2
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT1505
Introduction To Early Modern Philosophy
15
1
Level 4
Timothy Secret
Module Description:
The Early-Modern period: a time when parts of Classical thought were being rejected while
others were being rediscovered. We will look at how a renewed focus on epistemology
along with developments in the natural sciences led to a new confidence in the power of
reason against superstition and illusion. To develop our skills and knowledge of the
diverging rationalist and empiricist traditions that succeeded medieval scholasticism, we
will focus in particular on the conceptual accounts and proofs of the existence of God, the
self and world that developed in the succession of debates sparked by Descartes. By
investigating their proofs for the existence of God, the immortal soul and the reality of the
external world, their explanations for the existence of evil and their accounts of freedom,
we will learn to analyse texts carefully and form persuasive arguments with and against
them.
Specific to:
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
002:
Essay
Exam
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
50%
50%
Semester
S2
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT1506
Great Christian Thinkers
30
2
Level 4
Neil Messer
Module Description:
The Christian doctrinal tradition has been the scene of immense intellectual energy and
creativity for two thousand years. This module introduces some of its most influential
figures, situating them within their hisotircal context and exploring some of the central
themes in their thought. An emphasis on the acquisition of textual analysis skills and
academic writing will be a major focus of the first semester, which will focus on one or two
questions/thinkers/problems in order to demonstrate how lectures, reading and
independent work might be utilised for effective written assessment. Students will
encounter thinkers ranging from the first to the twentieth centuries, and undertaking this
module will train them to read primary texts, and work within the parameters of Higher
Education with increased confidence. Theologians to be included will normally include
figures such as Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Schleiermacher and Barth.
Specific to:
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
002:
Formative Essay In 6 Stages
Summative Essay
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
0%
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2128
Atheism And Its Critics
15
1
Level 5
Timothy Secret
Module Description:
This module will track the chronological unfolding of atheist thought from ancient atomism
to the contemporary new atheist movement. We will investigate both the independent
quality of arguments against the existence of a deity, whether they are found in
philosophical, scientific, literary or political works, and how religious thinkers have
responded to those arguments, paying particular attention to how these debates have
transformed religion, religions, society and our self-understanding. Particular attention will
be devoted to Spinoza and his works contribution to the French Revolution and the
Pantheism controversy at the heart of romanticism. We will also look at the role of atheism
in the works of the three “masters of suspicion” – Nietzsche, Marx and Freud – and
whether the quality of their arguments is maintained by the new atheists.
Specific to:
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Portfolio
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
100%
Semester
S2
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2515
Buddhism: Traditions And Transformations
15
1
Level 5
Maya Warrier
Module Description:
This module will familiarise students with the teachings and life-story of the Buddha,
before examining the rich diversity in the forms of Buddhist belief and practice that have
developed across Buddhism’s history. The first part of the course will focus on scholarship
on the early history of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent, and its spread to parts of Asia
to the north, south, and east of India. The second part of the module will engage with the
transformations brought about as a result of Buddhism’s encounter with modernity.
Exploring particular case studies, it will examine the interaction of Buddhist traditions and
values with modern concepts and institutions. This section will also explore Buddhism’s
passage to the West, examining some of the factors contributing to Buddhism’s vast
popularity in Western Europe and North America. Crucial to this discussion are themes to
do with Orientalism and the exoticisation of Buddhism in popular (and to a lesser extent
academic) representations.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Exam
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
100%
Semester
S2
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2517
The Church And Politics
15
1
Level 5
Angus Paddison
Module Description:
This module introduces and unpacks some of the key ways in which the Christian tradition
has related to what we understand as ‘politics’. The module begins with a study of key
biblical texts that relate to political questions. Then some crucial interactions between the
Christianity and politics in the history of the church will be examined. Contemporary
discussions surrounding the church and politics – and the relationship between the two –
will be examined in detail.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
100%
Semester
S2
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2521
New And Alternative Religions
15
1
Level 5
Christina Welch
Module Description:
This module will explore issues connected with the study of New and Alternative Religions,
including terminology - what is 'new', and/or 'alternative' about these religions? It will also
examine a number of topics such as the role of the media, gender, leaders and followers,
and converts and those born into these religions. It will look at both the global perspective
of the new and alternative religions, including their development, and also through case
studies, examine in-depth the socio-political context of some. Students will keep a weekly
blog that reflects on their readings and learning, and in the group presentation, have the
opportunity to develop their team working skills.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (4,000 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2524
Religion, Ethics And War
15
1
Level 5
Neil Messer
Module Description:
It is often said that religion has been a major source of conflict in history, and remains so in
today's world. Yet some religious traditions claim strong commitments to non-violence and
peace-making, and there is a long history of theological reflection on the ethics of war. This
module will explore the attitudes to war and peace found in scriptural texts of one or more
traditions, and aspects of the tradition's (or traditions') history of reflecting on those texts.
Students will critically investigate the relationship between religion and armed conflict in
different historical and/or contemporary contexts. They will study philosophical and
theological arguments about the ethics of war and peace, and will be expected to develop
and defend their own ethical assessments of the uses of armed conflict and lethal force in
the contemporary world.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (3,000 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT2526
Seven Ecumenical Councils
15
1
Level 5
Andreas Andreopolous
Module Description:
How did the doctrinal tradition of the Church emerge? How did the early Church deal with
heresies? How was the Creed formed? What is the theological significance of the two
natures of Christ? In what way did early political and cultural oppositions play a role in the
formation of the Christian theology? How were Christology, Mariology, Trinitarianism and
other doctrines of the Church discussed, understood and defined? This module will
examine all these questions in the context of the seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787), and
will guide the students through an appreciation of the theology of the early Church in its
historical and cultural context.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (3,500 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT3515
Buddhism – Traditions And Transformation
15
1
Level 6
Maya Warrier
Module Description:
This module will familiarise students with the teachings and life-story of the Buddha,
before examining the rich diversity in the forms of Buddhist belief and practice that have
developed across Buddhism’s history. The first part of the course will focus on scholarship
on the early history of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent, and its spread to parts of Asia
to the north, south, and east of India. The second part of the module will engage with the
transformations brought about as a result of Buddhism’s encounter with modernity.
Exploring particular case studies, it will examine the interaction of Buddhist traditions and
values with modern concepts and institutions. This section will also explore Buddhism’s
passage to the West, examining some of the factors contributing to Buddhism’s vast
popularity in Western Europe and North America. Crucial to this discussion are themes to
do with Orientalism and the exoticisation of Buddhism in popular (and to a lesser extent
academic) representations.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Examination (2 Hours)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT3517
The Church And Politics
15
1
Level 6
Angus Paddison
Module Description:
This module introduces and unpacks some of the key ways in which the Christian tradition
has related to what we understand as ‘politics’. The module begins with a study of key
biblical texts that relate to political questions. Then some crucial interactions between the
Christianity and politics in the history of the church will be examined. Contemporary
discussions surrounding the church and politics – and the relationship between the two –
will be examined in detail. As a Level 6 module seminars enable in-depth study of selected
issues in the study of the church and politics.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (3,000 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT3521
New And Alternative Religions
15
1
Level 6
Christina Welch
Module Description:
This module will explore issues connected with the study of New and Alternative Religions,
including terminology – what is ‘new’, and/or ‘alternative’ about these religions? It will also
examine a number of topics such as the role of the media, gender, leaders and followers,
and converts and those born into these religions. It will look at both the global perspective
of the new and alternative religions, including their development, and also through case
studies, examine in-depth the socio-political context of some. Students will keep a weekly
blog that reflects on their readings and learning, and in the group presentation, have the
opportunity to develop their team working skills.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (4,000 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT3524
Religion, Ethics And War
15
1
Level 6
Neil Messer
Module Description:
It is often said that religion has been a major source of conflict in history, and remains so in
today’s world. Yet some religious traditions claim strong commitments to non-violence and
peace-making, and there is a long history of theological reflection on the ethics of war. This
module will explore the attitudes to war and peace found in the scriptural texts of one or
more traditions, and aspects of the tradition’s (or traditions’) history of reflecting on those
texts. Students will critically investigate the relationship between religion and armed
conflict in different historical and/or contemporary contexts. They will study philosophical
and theological arguments about the ethics of war and peace, and will be expected to
develop and defend their own ethical assessments of the uses of armed conflict and lethal
force in the contemporary world.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (4,000 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%
Module Code:
Module Name:
Module Credits:
No. of Periods:
Level:
Module Tutor:
RT3526
Seven Ecumenical Councils
15
1
Level 6
Andreas Andreopolous
Module Description:
How did the doctrinal tradition of the Church emerge? How did the early Church deal with
heresies? How was the Creed formed? What is the theological significance of the two
natures of Christ? In what way did early political and cultural oppositions play a role in the
formation of Christian theology? How were Christology, Mariology, Trinitarianism and
other doctrines of the Church discussed, understood and defined? This module will
examine all these questions in the context of the seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787), and
will guide the students through an appreciation of the theology of the early Church in its
historical and cultural context.
Specific to:
History, Civilisations and Beliefs
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Theology, Religion and Ethics
Assessments:
001:
Essay (3,500 Words)
Availability:
Occ.
A
Year
17/18
Semester
S2
100%