Religion
The study of religion at Marlboro College is viewed as an inherently interdisciplinary endeavor. The students are therefore encouraged to take courses in all the fields of study offered at Marlboro. While a text-based study of the Bible, for example, might utilize tools of literary and historical criticism, the study of religious rites and ritual will greatly benefit from the insights provided by theories of performance generated in the dramatic arts. The investigation of religious worldviews as coherent systems would benefit from a background in logic and mathematics, while courses in sociology will enable the student to understand the role religious ideas play in ordering and structuring societies.
Introductory and intermediate religious studies courses offered at Marlboro College, through the use of historical, sociological, ethnographical, and philosophical materials, are designed to clarify the interdisciplinary nature of religious studies. Advanced courses in religious studies are designed to foster a deeper engagement with the subject matter by focusing on a specific theme, such as mystical theology, or a particular religious figure such as Jalaluddin Rumi. For students wishing to make religion a part of their final plans, Sources and Methods in the Study of Religion is a required course. This course, taken in the junior year, provides students an opportunity to critically reflect on the various approaches modern scholars have taken in studying religious phenomena. In addition, it also prepares students for the final plan through introduction to available sources and the practice of research methods. This course provides students with the necessary resources to propose tutorials and to chart a course of study for their final semesters on Plan. In addition, all students completing a plan in religion are required to participate in a plan writing seminar throughout their senior year.
Marlboro’s religion program is particularly strong in Islamic Studies and supports textual study for students with advanced language proficiency in Arabic, Persian, Urdu or Punjabi.
Research areas: Qur’anic studies, Sufism, Islamic Philosophy.
Areas of interest: Comparative study of religions, Literary theory, Hermeneutics, Function of myth and imagination in the construction of identity, The relationship between cosmology and spiritual psychology, Spiritual pedagogy, Intersection of religious law and ethics, Performative aspects of religious texts, Translation studies.
Starting Points (Basic and Introductory Courses)
Introduction to Hinduism and Buddhism (HUM1115)
This class introduces students to the academic study of religion by examining the basic teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism concerning the nature of this world, the human being, causes of human suffering, and the means whereby this suffering can be overcome. Special attention will be paid to the role of myths and their interpretation by different schools of Hindu and Buddhist thought and practice. (Introductory)
Introduction to Confucianism and Daoism (HUM1146)
This course is an introduction to two Chinese schools of thought: Confucianism and Daoism. We will read the foundational texts in each school. Discussion will focus on ideas of morality, social relations, self-cultivation, good government, and nature. We will also consider the historical context of the primary texts as well as their influence on religious practice and art. Students will engage in a close analysis of key terms through tests and short papers. (Introductory)
Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (HUM1088)
This course introduces students to the academic study of religion through focusing on the Abrahamic religious traditions. We will study topics such as monotheism, scripture, authority, and worship and ritual in order to try and grasp the self understanding of each tradition. These topics will also provide the basis for comparative analysis at the end of the course. (Introductory)
Bible and Qur’an (HUM1176)
This course is an introduction to the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some of the topics to be covered include: the history of development and canonization, the role and function of these scriptures within Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities, major theological themes, and various approaches to reading and interpreting these texts that have been employed in the past and in current critical scholarship. (Introductory)
Introduction to Islam (HUM1278)
This course is an introduction to the fundamental teachings presented in the foundational texts of Islam and elaborated in Islamic ritual, arts, and literature. Our aim, through studying the Qur'an and the life and teachings of the prophet Muhammad, is to grasp the internal logic of the Islamic worldview and the vocabulary used to articulate the vision of Islam. This work will provide the basis for examining the divergence within later Muslim interpretations concerning questions of theology, human development and perfection, leadership, and the organization of communities. (Introductory)
Pursuing Interests (Intermediate and Thematic Courses)
Islamic Intellectual Traditions (HUM1320)
This course surveys the following intellectual traditions within Islamic civilization: jurisprudence, theology, philosophy, and theoretical Sufism. While we will examine the historical circumstances in response to which these traditions grew and developed, the main focus of the course is an investigation of the questions and concerns that have animated the writings produced by representatives of these traditions. These concerns include but are not limited to: the difference between reason and intellect; the nature of language and its implications for interpreting texts; debate regarding the status of knowledge attained through reason as opposed to revelation; what constitutes human perfection. (Intermediate)
Jesus and Muhammad (HUM1116)
This course is an introduction to the life of Jesus and Muhammad as depicted in early Christian and Muslim texts and as envisioned by the discipline of modern history. We will also examine the continuing significance of various events in the lives of these figures as models for Christian and Muslim piety. (Intermediate)
Sufism (HUM1059)
This course is an introduction to the central themes of Sufism. We will contextualize Sufi theory and practice within the matrix of traditional Islam through close readings of classical figures such as Rumi. Themes to be explored include love as a path towards sanctity, meditative techniques, formation and function of Sufi orders and the role of music and dance in Sufism. (Intermediate)
Plan Seminar: Sources and Methods in Religious Studies (HUM1117)
In this course, we will examine various methodologies currently employed in the study of religion and the resources available for the study of religious phenomena. We will engage with the perspectives of sociological, psychological, historical, comparative, and religious approaches to the study of religion in order to examine the scope and limitations of each approach. The students will learn and practice the research skills required for locating, sifting through, and evaluating available resources in order to formulate answers to the questions they have posed in their plan of concentration. (Advanced)
Mystical Theology: The Life and Teachings of Ibn al-‘Arabi (HUM1089)
This seminar provides an overview of the teachings of Muhyiddin Ibn al-‘Arabi (d.1240), one of the most influential figures in the Islamic religious and intellectual tradition. He is most known for detailing a metaphysics of imagination and his writings are an encyclopedia of various Islamic sciences weaving together topics such as theology, jurisprudence, visionary experiences, and philosophy in an exposition characterized by subtlety of thought. We will read Ibn al-‘Arabi’s biography and cover the following topics: theology, ontology, epistemology, hermeneutics, and soteriology. Highly recommended for students preparing to do a Plan in Religion. (Advanced)
Reading Rumi (HUM1132)
This course examines the life and teachings of Jalaluddin Rumi (d. 1273), one of the most influential Muslim scholars, mystics, and teachers in the Persianate Islamic world. We will study the historical and religious context in which Rumi grew up, his family history, his educational background, the writings of figures who played a key role in his transformation into a "friend of God," and excerpts from his prose and poetry. After attempting to understand Rumi within his own cultural context we will examine the place of Rumi in contemporary American culture where he has become a best selling poet. Topics to be covered include theology, modes of human knowing, the importance of revelation, relationship between outward observances and the inner path, sanctity, and the relationship between the spiritual guide and the seeker. In the last part of the course we will focus on problems of cultural translation as highlighted by Rumi’s current popularity. (Advanced)
Plan Writing Seminar (HUM1214)
Plan writing seminar for seniors. May be repeated for credit. (Advanced)
Good Foundation For Plan
Introductory and intermediate courses in religion serve as a good foundation for starting plan work in the junior year. In addition, courses in other fields of study offered at Marlboro - philosophy, literature, history, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, sciences, visual and dramatic arts- will serve as good foundational courses for plan.