Three courses in religious studies currently fulfill additional university general education requirements:
REL101 Introduction to Islam
This beginning course in Islamic studies covers basic topics about Islam and Muslims. Topics include: Pre-Islamic Arabia, Muhammad and Early Islamic History, The Qur’an, Tradition Literature, Basic Beliefs and Worship Practices, Islamic Law, Islamic Governance Institutions (the Caliphate), Crisis and Renewal in Islamic History, Islam in the Contemporary World, Islam in America, Contemporary Issues, frequently used Islamic Arabic vocabulary, and a class project.
This class fulfills a core requirement for the minor in Islamic studies, as well as a general education requirement for the university (global). No prerequisites/corequisite.
REL 150 World Religious Traditions
This beginning course in religious studies offers an introduction to the study of religion by means of the concepts, ideas and practices of the world’s great religious traditions. It introduces the student to the major ideas, events, concepts and practices of the primary religious traditions of the world, especially as these take place within the context of the natural and social environments in which they operate. Special attention is given to the issue of relevant political systems and economic life that shape and condition these religious expressions. The six modules of the class address six major religious traditions: Judaism; Christianity; Islam; religions of India (except Buddhism); religions of China (except Buddhism); and Buddhism. In addition to being grounded in the classic ideas and key specific concepts of each of these traditions, the expression of these religions in the modern world is a primary focus of the class. At the conclusion of the class, the student reads a primary resource grounded in the issue of interreligious dialogue and is given the opportunity to relate these great religious traditions to one another conceptually in an imaginative way.
This course fulfills a core requirement for the REL minors and concentration, as well as a general education requirement for the university (global). No prerequisites/corequisite.
REL 351 Religion in the Modern World
Upper level study of religion at Oakland University facilitates the ability of students to address general questions of history, culture and society from the standpoint of the human religious experience. This course introduces the student to the more general questions and issues associated with religion, e.g., women and religion; religion and science; fundamentalism; and religious terrorism. This course enables the student to gain a basic knowledge of the foundational values, key terms and concepts of the formative religious traditions impacting Western civilization, especially as those living traditions continue to evolve within the context of this civilization. It facilitates a fundamental grasp of foundational issues facing the modern expression of Western civilization; specifically religious fundamentalism, religiously-inspired terrorism, the environmental crisis and the struggle for women’s equality. It will also explore resources from these religious traditions as expressed in seminal texts addressing the issues enumerated above. It analyzes the interplay of religious teaching and behavior on the one hand, and political and economic realities that always accompany them on the other. Finally, the course critically engages the thought of those in the West who argue that the old religious traditions are incapable of meaningfully addressing contemporary societal issues. The issues discussed in this class emanate from the broader culture and intend to give students the “tools” by which they can make a meaningful contribution to the public discourse about values, ethics, and the deeper spiritual insights of “the public,” including but not limited to formative thinkers, artists, and scholars who frame the contemporary discourse about the common problems facing humanity in the 21 century.
This course fulfills a general education requirement for the university (Western civilization). No prerequisites/corequisite.