Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Bachelor of Arts programs in the School of Religious Studies explore the many cultural, historical and political issues related to both Eastern and Western religions, and to religion in comparative perspective. Majors and minors in Religious Studies are available, as well as听honours and joint honours programs in Religious Studies. Students frequently combine Majors and Minors in Religious Studies听with a wide range of other B.A. concentrations, highlighting the importance of the rigorous study of religion to many other areas of inquiry.

Any course that needs approval to register please e-mail admincoord1.relig [at] mcgill.ca and include your student ID number.

Programs

Major

Please note that due to a technical issue, it is not possible to add the Major concentration in Religious Studies via Minerva. Please submit a request via the Major Concentration Change Webform for program selection issues related the major concentration in Religious Studies.

Please note that there is a new B.A. Major Concentration in Religious Studies which is effective Fall 2020. Students enrolled in the Major starting Fall 2020 and after will follow this course of study.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) -听 Major Concentration Religious Studies (36 Credits)

Students already registered in the Major in World Religions听may continue on this path, or choose to switch to the Major Concentration in Religious Studies.

Program requirements:

RELG 207 Introduction to the Study of Religions

RELG 456 Theories of Religion

Students in a Religious Studies Major, Honours or Joint Honours programme have to take RELG 456, ideally in their final, graduating year.

To register for RELG 456, please e-mail admincoord1.relig [at] mcgill.ca for an 'approval code', including your student number, and program.

Minor

Please note that there is a new B.A. Minor Concentration in Religious Studies which is effective Fall 2020. Students enrolled in the Minor starting Fall 2020 and after will follow this course of study.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Minor Concentration Religious Studies (18 Credits)

Students already registered in the Minor in World Religions or Religion and Globalization may continue on these paths, or choose to switch to the Minor Concentration in Religious Studies.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Minor Concentration Religion and Globalization (18 Credits)

Honours

Please note that there is a new B.A. Honours in Religious Studies which is effective Fall 2020. Students enrolled in the Honours starting Fall 2020 and after will follow this course of study.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Honours Religious Studies (60听Credits)

Students already registered in the Honours Religious Studies - Asian Religions or Honours Religions Studies - Western Religions may continue on this path, or choose to switch to the Honours in Religious Studies.

Program requirement:

RELG 456 Theories of Religion

Students in a Religious Studies Major, Honours or Joint Honours programme have to take RELG 456, ideally in their final, graduating year.

To register for RELG 456, please e-mail admincoord1.relg [at] mcgill.ca (Administrative Coordinator) for an 'approval code', including your student number, and program.

Joint Honours

Please note that there is a NEW B.A. Joint Honours in Religious Studies听effective Fall 2023. Students enrolled in the Joint Honours starting Fall 2023 and after will follow this course of study.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Joint Honours Component Religious Studies

Students听 registered in the Joint Honours Religious Studies - Asian Religions or Joint Honours Religions Studies - Western Religions prior to Fall 2021 may continue on this path, or choose to switch to the Joint Honours in Religious Studies.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Joint Honours Component Religious Studies - Asian Religions (36 Credits)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Joint Honours Component Religious Studies - Western Religions (36 Credits)

Program requirements:

RELG 456 Theories of Religion

Students in a Religious Studies Major, Honours or Joint Honours programme have to take RELG 456, ideally in their final, graduating year.

To register for RELG 456, e-mail a request for an 鈥渁pproval code鈥� to听admincoord1.relg [at] mcgill.ca (Administrative Coordinator), including your name, student number, and program.

RELG 456听Theories of Religion听3 Credits

RELG 489 Joint Honours Thesis

Students in a Religious Studies Joint Honours programme will also have to take RELG 489 in the Winter Term of their final year, graduating year.

No permission is required to register for RELG 489.

RELG 489听Joint Honours Thesis听3 Credits

Courses

200 level courses

200 level courses are the听main听introductory courses听in all departments. Most courses do not have pre-requisites and are often 鈥榮urvey鈥� courses. These sometimes split into smaller conferences that go into depth about class topics.听 The two additional characters (D1, D2) at the end of the seven-character course number identifies multi-term courses.

Course	Syllabi
RELG 201 Religions:Ancient Near East 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduction to the religions of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Syria-Palestine (excluding Israelite religion) from the fourth to first millennium B.C.E. Themes that will be discussed include: gods and goddesses, divine kingship, deification of kings, temple cult, death and afterlife, magic, piety, oracles, prayer, lament, myth and epic. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Patricia Kirkpatrick	听
RELG 202 Religion of Ancient Israel 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An examination of the religion of Ancient Israel by a study of selected texts (narratives, laws, prophetic sayings, wisdom traditions, and psalms) from the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament in translation. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Gerbern S Oegema	听
RELG 203 Bible and Western Culture 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: To provide students of the humanities with knowledge of the Bible as a tool for interpreting religious references in Western literature, art and music. Biblical stories (e.g. Creation, Exodus), key figures (e.g. David, Job, Mary), and common motifs (e.g. Holy City, Pilgrimage, Bride) are explored, then illustrated by later cultural forms. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Winter Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 204 Judaism, Christianity&Islam 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the beliefs, practices, and religious institutions of these three world religions. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Daniel M Cere, Armando Salvatore	听
RELG 205 Death and Dying 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: How people in contemporary North America use traditional religious concepts and rituals, scientific understandings and medical procedures, or innovative combinations of both, to cope with, and make sense of, the concept of death. Exploration of how culture, politics, and other societal infrastructure interact in/through the bodily fact of death. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Hillary Diane Kaell	听
RELG 207 Intro to Study of Religions 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This course is an introduction to classic and contemporary approaches to the academic study of religions. This includes perspectives from philosophy, theology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, phenomenology, and feminism. Students are also exposed to applications of these perspectives from visiting scholars who treat some aspect of a religious tradition in light of current-day interests and events. The primary objective is to introduce students to the principal theories and methods that have shaped our understanding of religion, its various meanings as well as its roles and functions in society. Offered by: Religious Studies Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken RELG 255. Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Jim Kanaris	听
RELG 210 Jesus of Nazareth 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A critical study of selected ancient and modern accounts of the aims and person of Jesus. Attention will be given also to the question of the historical sources and to the relationship between faith and history. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall, Winter and Summer Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Ian H Henderson	听
RELG 222 World Christianity 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Explores the global nature of Christianity. Examines the roots of the rapid growth of Christianity in the Global South and the influence of its 2 billion adherents around the world. Considers the variety of forms of the Christian faith around the world, including historic denominations, Pentecostalism, and other new forms of the faith. Particular attention to African, Asian, and Latin American forms of Christianity, and their relationship to developments in Europe and North America. Key themes include migration, modernity, politics, gender and sexuality, and globalization. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Daniel M Cere	听
RELG 252 Hinduism & Buddhism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The interaction of Hinduism and Buddhism in India with special reference to the law of Karma, caste, women, ritual, death, yoga, and liberation. Determination of interpretative principles for understanding the religious psychology of Hindus and Buddhists. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Hamsa M Stainton, Lara E Braitstein	听
RELG 253 Religions of East Asia 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This course introduces East Asia's major religions comparatively by addressing the continuous exchange of ideas and practices between traditions. Rather than adopting a mere chronological approach, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism will be discussed thematically, taking in to account topics such as gender constructs, the secular and the sacred, material culture, and the apparent contrast between doctrine and practice. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Rongdao Lai	听
RELG 254 Intro to Yoga Traditions 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This course is an historical and thematic investigation into yoga, including its classical formulations, esoteric practices, and contemporary developments and debates. It explores early yoga traditions as well as the development of modern yoga in India and 鈥渢he West,鈥� along with themes such as the body, asceticism, secularism, and cultural exchange. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 256 Course not available	听
RELG 257D1 Introductory Sanskrit 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: To develop basic language and reading skills. Offered by: Religious Studies Students must register for both RELG 257D1 and RELG 257D2. No credit will be given for this course unless both RELG 257D1 and RELG 257D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 264 Introductory Tibetan 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the language of Classical Tibetan, specifically Tibetan script and basic grammar. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 265 Introductory Tibetan 2 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A continuation of the introduction to the language of Classical Tibetan, specifically Tibetan script and basic grammar. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisite: RELG 264 Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 270 Religious Ethics & the Environ 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Environmental potential of various religious traditions and secular perspectives, including animal rights, ecofeminism, and deep ecology. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 271 Religion and Sexuality 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Exploration of intersections between religion, gender and sexuality in diverse cultural, historical and contemporary contexts. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Aalekhya Malladi	听
RELG 280D1 Course not available	听
RELG 288 Introduction to Sikhism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the historical and religious contexts relevant to understanding Sikh religious traditions, including its principal doctrines, practices and institutions and its evolution from its origins in South Asia to the present, with particular attention to Sikh-Canadian transnational connections. Offered by: Religious Studies Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 388. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Andrea Farran	听

300 level courses

300 level courses are听intermediate courses, meaning they are typically smaller and provide a more in-depth look at a subject than a 200 level introductory course. Often, there will be 200 level pre-requisites you must complete before you are allowed to register for the 300 level courses.听The two additional characters (D1, D2) at the end of the seven-character course number identifies multi-term courses.

course	Syllabi
RELG 300 Second Temple Judaism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A survey of Jewish history and thought from Ezra to the Mishnah; religious developments and groups, e.g., apocalypticism, Hellenistic Judaism, Essenes, Pharisees, Early Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism; and Biblical Interpretation in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Philo, Paul, Mishnah and Midrashim. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Gerbern S Oegema	听
RELG 302 Literature of Ancient Israel 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the literature of Ancient Israel in English translation. Reading and interpreting representative selections. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Patricia Kirkpatrick	听
RELG 303 Lit of Ancient Israel 2 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Approaches to historical-critical scholarship and to the historical background of the Old Testament. Part of the course will be an examination of methods of biblical analysis through the use of learning cells. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Gerbern S Oegema	听
RELG 307 Bible, Quran & Interpretations 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures as responses to earlier sacred texts and in the light of post-scriptural interpretations. The debates, polemics, interpretative strategies, and intellectual and spiritual sharing produced by these three religions in accepting, explaining, amplifying, modifying, and selectively rejecting their and other sacred scriptures. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Gerbern S Oegema	听
RELG 309 World Rel&Cultures They Create 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The constitution and mutual entanglements of selected religions and cultures originating and thriving in varied regional contexts. Focus on highlighting the symbolic (visual, aural) expressivity of religions via ritual, myth, and rational speculation and its impact on high and popular cultures. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: RELG 204, RELG 207, RELG 252, or RELG 253 recommended Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken RELG 208. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Armando Salvatore	听
RELG 311 Formation of the New Testament 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the formation and interpretation of the New Testament, excluding the Gospels. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Ian H Henderson	听
RELG 312 The Gospels 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the critical study of the Gospels. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 315 Special Topics in Religion 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Topics of current interest in or between world religions. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter and Summer Prerequisites: RELG 204 or RELG 252 or RELG 253 Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 496 Terms Winter 2025 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year Winter 2023	RELG 315 Topics in Catholic Studies: Indigenous Religiosity and Spirituality
RELG 317 Special Topics in Religion 2 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Topics of current interest in, or between, world religions. Offered by: Religious Studies Summer Prerequisites: RELG 204 or RELG 252 or RELG 253. Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 496. Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Arvind Sharma Winter 2023	RELG 317 Special Topics in Religion 2: Varieties of Modern Buddhism
RELG 318 Special Topics in Religion 3 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Topics of current interest in, or between, world religions. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Summer Prerequisites: RELG 204 or RELG 252 or RELG 253. Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 496. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year Fall 2022	RELG 318 Catholicism in a Global Context: African Christianity
RELG 321 Western Intellectual Tradition 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduces essential sources in western philosophy and theology; examines the interdependence of these disciplines in their historical development; exposes students to the means and methods of argumentation that will allow them to compare and contrast these sources, and to develop and defend their own positions with respect to them. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: U0 students must obtain permission from instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 322 Church and Empire to 1300 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A survey of major institutional developments in the history of Western Christianity in Church and Empire from the end of the apostolic age to 1300. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Fall 2024 Instructors W J Torrance Kirby Fall 2022	RELG 322 Church and Empire to 1300
RELG 323 Church and State since 1300 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Significant events and persons in the history of Western Christendom from 1300 to the present. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors W J Torrance Kirby	听
RELG 325 Varieties Rel Exp in Christnty 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A survey of varieties of religious experience in Christianity. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Samuel C Nelson	听
RELG 326 Christians in the Roman World 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A social-historical examination of Christians within the complex cultural, political, ethnic and religious contexts of later Greco-Roman antiquity, focusing on changing relations among different varieties of Christian, as well as on interactions and conflicts among Christians, Jews and polytheists. Other topics to be considered include martyrdom, orthodoxy and heresy, and Gnosticism. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 331 Religion and Globalization 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An exploration of the distinctive ways in which the world's religions are shaping and are shaped by the dynamics of globalization. It examines the multiple intersections of religion and globalization through a variety of themes and case studies in human rights, development, education, ecology, gender, and conflict Offered by: Religious Studies Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 319 when topic was "Religion and Globalization" Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Samuel C Nelson	听
RELG 333 Principles of Theology 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the central questions, claims, and categories of Christian thought, considered in their narrative and credal context, with discussion of the nature of theology and the relation between faith and reason. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Douglas B Farrow	听
RELG 334 Theology of History 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of Christian readings of history, and especially of the present age, including apocalyptic literature and political theology. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter and Summer Prerequisite(s): One prior course in Christianity, or permission of the instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 336 Contemp Theological Issues 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of contemporary theological issues. Topic varies by year. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisite: 3 credits in Christianity or permission of instructor Terms Winter 2025 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 337 Themes in Buddhist Studies 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A focused examination of major themes within a branch of Theravada, Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhism. Emphasis will be placed on both the close study of primary texts (in translation) in historical context and the application of recent methods to fundamental Buddhist concepts, ritual practices and community institutions. Offered by: Religious Studies Summer Prerequisite: RELG 252 or RELG 253 or permission of instructor Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Lara E Braitstein	听
RELG 338 Women& the Christian Tradition 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Survey of women's involvement in the Christian tradition. Topics include feminist interpretation of scripture, ideas of virginity, marriage and motherhood, mysticism, asceticisms, European witchhunts, contemporary women's liberation theories. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Core course for the Women's Studies Minor program Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 341 Intro:Philosophy of Religion 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduction to the subject. Faith and reason, theistic arguments, values and destiny, the problem of evil, religious language. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 348 Classical Hinduism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Surveys classical Hinduism through Sanskrit learning traditions. Topics include: Vedic literature, fables, ethics, statecraft, erotics, liberation, and epic literature. Offered by: Religious Studies All texts are read in English translation; no prior knowledge is assumed. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Arvind Sharma	听
RELG 352 Japanese Relig: Hist & Thought 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This course provides an in-depth introduction to the religious traditions of Japan from the emerging of the Japanese state to the role of religion in contemporary Japan. Kami worship, the Buddhist tradition, Yin Yang divination, Confucianism, and the modern construct of Shinto are addressed in an interdisciplinary approach, taking into account insights from the fields of History, Literature, and Art. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: RELG 253 or permission of instructor Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Mika毛l P Bauer	听
RELG 353 Gandhi: His Life and Thought 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of the life and thought of Gandhi. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Arvind Sharma	听
RELG 354 Chinese Religions 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduction to the diverse religiosities in the Chinese cultural sphere. Examination of the everyday practice of ancestor worship, longevity practices, morality, rituals, and the veneration of deities and spirits. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: RELG 253 Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Rongdao Lai	听
RELG 357D1 Sanskrit 2 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Advanced grammar and vocabulary with readings in epic and similar texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: RELG 257 or permission of the instructor Students must register for both RELG 357D1 and RELG 357D2. No credit will be given for this course unless both RELG 357D1 and RELG 357D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 358 Religion and Cinema in India 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Surveys religion in India through key films, assuming no prior knowledge of South Asian cinema. Discussions will focus on issues of religion, visual culture, and representation in the study of Indian film. Thematic focus will vary from year to year, on a range of topics such as nationalism, devotion, secularism, and censorship. Offered by: Religious Studies Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken RElG 547 when topic was "Religion and Cinema in India". This course may require additional contact hours for the screening of films. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 364 Intermediate Tibetan 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Advanced Tibetan grammar, and translation of selected Tibetan texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: RELG 265 or permission of the instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 366 Rivers,Religion,&Enviro S-Asia 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This class explores the significance of major South Asian river systems, including Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna, in classical and contemporary terms. In Hindu scriptures, rivers may be incarnate, emplaced goddesses; in contemporary South Asia, rivers are central to Hindu pilgrimage while facing environmental pressures from pollution, overuse, flooding, and drought. Finally, rivers of the Indian subcontinent cross and delineate international boundaries, creating friction between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. As key lifelines shared in multi-religious South Asia, are rivers vulnerable wards of the state鈥攐r valuable 鈥榗itizens鈥� who must be recruited to do their part? Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite(s): RELG 252 or Permission of Instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 370 Religion and Human Rights 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Social justice and human rights issues as key aspects of modem religious ethics. Topics include: the relationship of religion to the modem human rights movement; religious perspectives on the universality of human rights; the scope and limits of religious freedom; conflicts between religion and rights. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Daniel M Cere	听
RELG 372 Hindu Goddesses 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The mythology, theology, soteriology, history, ritual, and texts of the goddess-centred (Sakta) branches of Hinduism. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 373 Christian Ethics of Love 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This course will focus on the philosophical sources of love and on their uses by Christian authors. By comparing both their premises and methods, we will see how different authors in a particular tradition (Christianity) offer various answers to the themes of love, friendship and charity. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors Gaelle Fiasse	听
RELG 375 Religion, Politics and Society 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of contemporary religious traditions in the light of debates regarding secularization, the relation of religion and politics, and the interaction of religion with major social institutions. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Samuel C Nelson	听
RELG 381 Adv. New Testament Greek 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A review of grammar and syntax with an emphasis on rapid reading of sections chosen from different parts of the New Testament. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisites: RELG 280, CLAS 222, or equivalent, with a minimum grade of 70% Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 388 Course not available	听
RELG 390D1 Elem Biblical Hebrew 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An introduction to the grammar and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Emphasis is placed on both the oral and the written language. Offered by: Religious Studies Students must register for both RELG 390D1 and RELG 390D2. No credit will be given for this course unless both RELG 390D1 and RELG 390D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Patricia Kirkpatrick	听
RELG 399 Christian Spirituality 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Seminar exploring the phenomena of internal religious experience in their relation to received formularies of Christian thought and practice. Offered by: Religious Studies Summer Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听

400 level courses

400 level courses are听advanced courses听or seminar courses. There will often be 300 level pre-requisite courses you must complete before you are allowed to register for the 400 level courses.

course	Syllabi
RELG 407 The Writings 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of Job with some attention to Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (in English translation). Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisites: RELG 202, or RELG 302 and RELG 303, or equivalent Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Patricia Kirkpatrick	听
RELG 408 The Prophets 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A study of significant texts selected from the prophetic tradition in the Old Testament. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisites: RELG 202, or RELG 302 and RELG 303 Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 411 New Testament Exegesis 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A seminar in exegesis on the basis of representative passages chosen from different parts of the New Testament in English. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisites: RELG 311 and RELG 312 Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Ian H Henderson	听
RELG 420 Course not available	听
RELG 423 Reformation Thought 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An examination of issues and persons in Europe and the British Isles that contributed to ecclesiastical and social change during the 16th and early 17th centuries. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year Fall 2022	RELG 423 Reformation Thought
RELG 434 Advanced Theology 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Examination of the nature of theology, and particular theological loci, through readings in major theologians. The Lord鈥檚 Prayer is added to the Nicene Creed as a second lens for theological study. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite(s): RELG 333 or permission of the instructor. Terms Winter 2025 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 442 Pure Land Buddhism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The concept of Buddha Countries and Pure Lands in Buddhism, the Western Pure Land of Amida (Jodokyo) and its basic scriptures, the Chinese Buddhist schools, the introduction to Japan and the foundation of the Pure Land school by Honen, the Pure Land School of Shinran and its development, and the other Pure Land related schools. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: six credits in EAST/RELG or permission of instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 444 Indian Ocean Relig Networks 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This seminar class explores cultural exchanges among maritime networks of Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in South Asia and Southeast Asia, in classical, pre-modern, and contemporary terms. Key themes to be considered include: sovereignty, society, and religion, within the context of historically evolving cultural relations around the Bay of Bengal. Taking an inter-religious approach to understanding maritime cultural interactions, class readings and discussion include: foundational theories of 鈥淚ndianization,鈥� reflection on 鈥渓ocalization,鈥� the 鈥淪anskrit cosmpolis,鈥� and emerging theoretical contributions based on current archaeological, epigraphic, and art historical discoveries in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Deptl. approval: Nov.17, 2015. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite(s): RELG 252 or permission of instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 456 Theories of Religion 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The history of the academic study of religion from its beginnings in the 19th century until the present. Key texts by figures such as Max Muller, Sigmund Freud, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, Mircea Eliade, Claude Levi-Strauss and Clifford Geertz will be studied. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Winter Restriction: For Religious Studies Majors and Honours students or with permission of the Instructor. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Jim Kanaris	听
RELG 457D1 Advanced Sanskrit 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Critical reading of selected Sanskrit texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: RELG 357 or permission of instructor Students must register for both RELG 457D1 and RELG 457D2. No credit will be given for this course unless both RELG 457D1 and RELG 457D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 464 Advanced Tibetan 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Translation of specially selected Tibetan texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: RELG 365 or permission of instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 470 Theological Ethics 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Examines ancient and modern sources of Christian moral thought against a backdrop of contemporary alternatives. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisites: One course in theology or Christian thought and one course in philosophy or ethics. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors Douglas B Farrow	听
RELG 479 Christianity in GlobalPerspect 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Examines varied expressions of Christianity as a global religion with a particular focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America from the 18th century to the present. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisite: A 300 level course in Christianity or permission of the Instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 482 Exegesis of Greek New Testamnt 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An intensive seminar in exegesis on the basis of representative passages chosen from different parts of the New Testament. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisite: RELG 381 or equivalent, and RELG 311, RELG 312 Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Ian H Henderson	听
RELG 489 Joint Honours Thesis 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduction to the research and writing of a Joint Honours thesis. Formulation of a coherent thesis based on independent research. Upon approval from adviser, production of a Joint Honours thesis based on original proposal. Offered by: Religious Studies Restrictions: Only open to students in the Joint Honours - Religious Studies Component program. Students must register for RELG 489 in their last term of study. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 491 Biblical Hebrew Narratives 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Exegesis and translation of certain narratives from the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Narratives to be determined by the instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 492 Biblical Hebrew Poetry 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Translation and exegesis of certain poetic passages of the Masoretic Hebrew Bible and or Qumran corpus. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Passages to be determined by the instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 496 Special Studies 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Special studies in Religious Studies. Topic varies by year. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Winter Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Hamsa M Stainton	听

500 level courses

500 level courses are听high-level seminar courses, usually intended for听students in Honours programs and graduate level students.

course	Syllabi
RELG 502 Greco-Roman Judaism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The religion and literature of wisdom and apocalyptic traditions, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Philo and Josephus, with special attention to the Jewish matrix of Early Christianity. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Terms Fall 2024 Instructors Gerbern S Oegema	听
RELG 532 History of Christian Thought 1 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The development of Christian theology in the Patristic and Medieval periods. Focus on the controversial development of Christian doctrines and disciplines through intensive exposure to primary texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite: At least six (6) credits at the 300 level in Christianity or the Christian Bible. Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 320 Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 533 History of Christian Thought 2 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The development of Christian theology in the Reformation, Post Reformation and Modern periods through intensive exposure to primary texts. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: At least six (6) credits at the 300 level in Christianity or the Christian Bible. Restriction: Not open to students who have taken RELG 327 Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 544 Ethnography as Method in RelSt 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Ethnography as method informs disciplines from Area Studies and anthropology to linguistics and religious studies. Students will acquire a critical perspective on emic/etic subjectivity in Religious Studies, and a framework to apply ethnography in their research. Coursework covers classic ethnographies, new interventions, and ethnographies of particular relevance for religious traditions in a given year. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite(s): A minimum of six credits in 300 level RELG courses and/or permission of the instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 545 Ramayana: Multiple Lives 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Focus on the Rama story in South Asia. Exploration of the multiple versions of the narrative from classical Sanskrit textual versions, to rural vernacular retellings, to contemporary TV versions, and examination of the various religious, social, cultural and political significations of the narrative in these contexts. Offered by: Religious Studies Winter Prerequisite: RELG 252 Hinduism & Buddhism Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Aalekhya Malladi	听
RELG 546 Indian Philosophy 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Introduction to the orthodox systems of Hindu Philosophy leading up to Vedanta i.e., Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga and Mimamsa, which will include discussion of such topics as: grounds for belief and disbelief in God, the nature of revelation, means of knowledge, etc. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisites: 6 credits in Indian religions, philosophy of religion, philosophy, or permission of the instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 547 Special Topics in Hinduism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A research-oriented seminar dealing with topics in Hindu studies. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Winter Prerequisites: 6 credits in Indian religions, philosophy of religion, philosophy, or permission of the instructor Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 549 Japanese Buddhism: Hist Cont 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: This research-oriented seminar critically analyses key-questions from the field of pre-modern Japanese Buddhism. By engaging with recent research, students are expected to adopt an interdisciplinary approach and address questions and methodologies from both History and Buddhist Studies. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisites: RELG 344, or RELG 451, or permission of the instructor. Note: Taught in alternate years. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 551 Special Topics in Buddhism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A research-oriented seminar dealing with topics in Buddhist studies. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall and Winter Prerequisite: RELG 344 or Permission of instructor. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 552 Advaita Vedanta 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The relation of Nyaya-Vaisesika and Mimamsa to Kevaladvaita with concentration on Sankara's Brahmasutrabhasya, Pada 1 and 2. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisites: 6 credits in Indian religions Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 553 Course not available	听
RELG 556 Issues in Buddhist Studies 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: A graduate seminar taught by the Numata Visiting Professor on critical issues in contemporary Buddhist Studies. Emphasis will be placed on the intensive application of different methods - philological, philosophical or social scientific - to some area of modern Buddhist research. Offered by: Religious Studies Fall Prerequisite: permission of instructor Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 558 Indian Tantric Traditions 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Study of esoteric Tantric culture (philosophy, ritual, pilgrimage, art, and iconography) with focus on either Hindu or Buddhist Tantric traditions. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisites: Any two 300-level courses in Hinduism or Buddhism. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 560 Buddhist Poetry 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: Since the time of Buddha, poetry has been used by Buddhist to express devotion, to compose philosophical treatises, and to communicate insight into the experience of awakening. The seminar's content will vary, treating the history, poetics, esthetics, roles and genres of Buddhist poetry in India, Tibet, China and Japan. Offered by: Religious Studies Prerequisite (s): RELG 252 or RELG 253 or RELG 344 or permission of the instructor This course is expected to be offered every 3 years Readings will be English translations of the original texts Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
RELG 571 Ethics, Medicine and Religion 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: The seminar will discuss a variety of topics related to medicine and religion from the point of view of ethics, such as the pact of care between a patient and a physician, the Hippocratic oath, the notions of autonomy and vulnerability, the definitions of personhood and human dignity, the question of rights for people with cognitive disabilities, the debate about the role of religion in bioethics. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Winter 2025 Instructors Gaelle Fiasse	听
RELG 572 Religion and Global Politics 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Religious Studies: An exploration of the resurgence of global religions in geo-political and international relations in the post Cold-War era. It examines the complex roles that religious traditions play in democratization, human rights, conflict, and development. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors Daniel M Cere

CATH courses

These are Catholic Studies courses.

courses	Syllabi
CATH 200 Introduction to Catholicism 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Catholic Studies: This course offers an exploration of the Roman Catholic tradition in its intellectual, religious, moral, and cultural dimensions. It provides an interdisciplinary study of the ways in which Catholicism has shaped Western civilization. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
CATH 325 Mystery and the Imagination 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Catholic Studies: An exploration of Catholic perspectives on faith, reason, meaning and mystery through literature, art, music, and film. Offered by: Religious Studies Restriction: Not open to those who have taken 190-370A in 2001-02 or CATH 370 in 2002-03. Terms This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year	听
CATH 330 Catholicism in a Glob. Context 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Catholic Studies: An exploration of Catholicism as a global phenomenon through case studies of its multiple expressions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Topics include transnational Catholic movements and interreligious engagement. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Fall 2024 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year Fall 2022	CATH 330 Catholicism in a Global Context: African Christianity
CATH 370 Topics in Catholic Studies 3 Credits Offered in the: Fall Winter Summer Catholic Studies: A review of selected topics in Catholica studies. Topics vary by year. Offered by: Religious Studies Terms Winter 2025 Instructors There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year Winter 2023	CATH 330 Catholicism in a Global Context: African Christianity

RELG 456 Theories of Religion

Students in a Religious Studies Major, Honours or Joint Honours programme have to take RELG 456, ideally in their final, graduating year.

To register for RELG 456, e-mail a request for an 鈥渁pproval code鈥� to samieun.khan [at] mcgill.ca (Ms. Samieun Khan), including your name, student number, and program.

RELG 456 Theories of Religion 3 Credits

Offered in the:

Fall
Winter
Summer

Special studies courses

Students in B.A. Religious Studies programs may apply special studies courses to their programs ONLY with the prior written approval of their program advisor. The student is responsible to provide the advisor with written evidence of a thorough, practical plan for a course of study deserving 3 credits in Religious Studies.

Additional information

Frequently asked questions:

The class I want to take is full. What should I do?

Get yourself on the听waitlist. Waitlists open up after registration is complete for听all听different registration groups, which might mean you have to wait and check back if the waitlist is not open. These dates vary from year to year, but typically waitlists open up in late June.
If the waitlist is full, you can always听听to see if students drop. Meanwhile, be sure to have a back-up plan!
If there听is a class that you really need/want to take, note that only the听course instructor听can grant you special permission to enroll in the course. Many instructors will tell you to wait until the semester gets going to see if students drop the course.

I do not have the prerequisites for a course but Minerva let me register. Is this okay?

No, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have completed all of the listed course prerequisites (or have special permission from the instructor) before enrolling in the course.听

I disagree with my grade in a RELG course. What can I do?

In accordance with the Charter of Students' Rights, and subject to the conditions stated therein, students have the right to consult any written submission for which they have received a mark and the right to discuss this submission with the examiner. Before initiating a formal reassessment or reread, students are advised to request an informal review of any graded material.

If dissatisfied with the informal review students can proceed to request a formal review.

Please see the following websites on the 平特五不中 policy for requesting a reread:听/study/2019-2020/university_regulations_and_resources/undergraduate/gi_final_examinations#booknode-3699

And the Arts OASIS advising page on reassessments and rereads:听/oasis/academic/exams-evaluations/reassessments-and-rereads

Advising

More information about undergraduate advising including advisors and advising sheets can be found here.

The Arts OASIS website听provides Arts students with general academic information and advice about issues such as faculty and degree requirements, registration issues, inter-faculty transfer, study away, academic standing, or graduation. In addition to advising students about such issues, either by appointment or on a daily drop-in basis, the听Arts OASIS Faculty advisors听offer a number of information sessions every term, such as degree planning workshops, study away workshops, and freshman information sessions.

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