Comparative Religion, Department of

Return to: Academic Departments and Programs

Acting Department Chair

Bradley E. Starr

Department Office/Website

University Hall 313
657-278-2442
religion.fullerton.edu

Faculty

M. Zakyi Ibrahim, Paul Levesque, James Santucci, Jeanette Reedy Solano, Bradley Starr

Introduction

The mission of the Department of Comparative Religion is to describe and interpret the developments, worldviews and practices of religious traditions in a nonsectarian, academic manner for the benefit of students, faculty from other fields and the greater Orange County community.

Within a public university, religion must be approached with academic objectivity and without favoritism for any one tradition. Yet, religion must also be studied with sensitivity and empathy for the millions of believers whose lives are shaped by their faith.

Comparative Religion examines the spiritual quest of humankind, especially as it has manifested itself in the world’s living religions. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other less familiar traditions. No other academic field looks at the origins, sacred writings, rituals, beliefs and world views of the various religions for their own sake rather than as an aspect of another field of study.

The Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies is designed for those who: (1) want a humanities undergraduate background focusing on religion as a preparation for further study in such fields as education, law, social work, counseling and government service; (2) wish to pursue graduate studies in religion with the aim of teaching and/or conducting research in the subject; (3) are considering a career in various religious ministries or in religious education.

Because the major consists of 36 units of coursework (less than some other fields), it may be possible to add a second major in, for example, Communications, History or Philosophy. Such double majors may strengthen a student’s job preparation or background for graduate studies.

Minors in religion are offered in four areas, depending on a student’s particular interest: Religious Studies (comparative emphasis); Christian Studies; Jewish Studies; and Islamic Studies.

Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

• Bachelor or Arts in Religious Studies

Programs and Courses Offered

Programs

• Religious Studies, B.A.

• Christian Studies Minor
• Islamic Studies Minor
• Jewish Studies Minor
• Religious Studies Minor

Courses

Courses are designated as CPRL in the class schedule.

• CPRL 100 - Introduction to the Study of Religion (3)
• CPRL 105 - Religion and the Quest for Meaning (3)
• CPRL 110 - Religions of the World (3)
• CPRL 200 - Introduction to Christianity (3)
• CPRL 201 - Introduction to the New Testament (3)
• CPRL 210 - Introduction to Judaism (3)
• CPRL 246A - Basic Hatha Yoga (2)
• CPRL 246B - Intermediate Hatha Yoga (2)
• CPRL 250 - Introduction to Islam (3)
• CPRL 270T - Introduction to the Asian Religions (3)
• CPRL 280 - Introduction to Buddhism (3)
• CPRL 300 - Methods of Studying Religion (3)
• CPRL 301 - Sanskrit (3)
• CPRL 302 - Religion and Ecology (3)
• CPRL 305 - Anthropology of Religion (3)
• CPRL 306 - Contemporary Practices of the World’s Religions (3)
• CPRL 311 - Religion and Film (3)
• CPRL 312 - The Bible as Literature (3)
• CPRL 320 - The End of the World (3)
• CPRL 321 - Psychology of Religion (3)
• CPRL 322 - Asian Pacific Americans and Religion (3)
• CPRL 325 - African American Religions and Spirituality (3)
• CPRL 330T - Hebrew Scriptural Studies (3)
• CPRL 331T - New Testament Studies (3)
• CPRL 332 - Islamic Scriptural Studies (3)
• CPRL 333 - Religion and Sexuality (3)
• CPRL 335 - Judaism, Christianity and Islam Compared (3)
• CPRL 337 - American Indian Religions and Philosophy (3)
• CPRL 341 - Hindu Tradition to 400 B.C.E. (3)
• CPRL 342 - Hindu Tradition from 400 B.C.E. (3)
• CPRL 346 - Vietnamese Buddhism (3)
• CPRL 348 - Philosophy of Religion (3)
• CPRL 350T - Major Christian Traditions (3)
• CPRL 351 - History and Development of Early Christian Thought (3)
• CPRL 352 - History and Development of Modern Christian Thought (3)
• CPRL 354T - Topics in Buddhism (3)
• CPRL 358 - Comparative Mysticism (3)
• CPRL 361 - History and Development of Jewish Thought: Biblical and Rabbinical Eras (3)
• CPRL 362 - History and Development of Jewish Thought: Medieval and Modern Eras (3)
• CPRL 367 - Religion in Latino/a Life (3)
• CPRL 370 - New Religious Movements in the U.S.A. (3)
• CPRL 371 - History and Development of Islamic Thought: The Beginning to 1258 (3)
• CPRL 372 - History and Development of Islamic Thought: 1259 to Modern Times (3)
• CPRL 373 - Women in Islam (3)
• CPRL 374 - Issues in Contemporary Islam (3)
• CPRL 375 - Conceptions of the Afterlife (3)
• CPRL 380 - Religion and Violence (3)
• CPRL 381 - Religion and Politics in the United States (3)
• CPRL 385 - The Theosophy of H.P. Blavatsky and Her Masters (3)
• CPRL 387 - Reincarnation, Immortality, Resurrection (3)
• CPRL 397 - Religion and Science (3)
• CPRL 400 - Religion, the Media, and Contemporary Culture (3)
• CPRL 401T - Studies in Religious Texts (3)
• CPRL 412A - History of the Christian Church to the Reformation (1517) (3)
• CPRL 412B - History of the Christian Church from the Reformation to the Present (3)
• CPRL 412C - History of the Jews (3)
• CPRL 417B - Roman Empire (3)
• CPRL 425B - The Reformation (3)
• CPRL 435A - The Holocaust (3)
• CPRL 458 - Sociology of Religious Behavior (3)
• CPRL 465A - History of India (3)
• CPRL 465B - History of India (3)
• CPRL 466A - Islamic Civilization: Arab Era (3)
• CPRL 466B - Islamic Civilization: Imperial Age (3)
• CPRL 485T - Major Religious Thinkers and Concepts (3)
• CPRL 499 - Independent Study (1-3)

Return to: Academic Departments and Programs