"Introducing Religious Studies"
Most of us would agree with William James: "There must be something solemn, serious, and tender about any
attitude which we denominate religious." We tend to think about religion as something inherently serious,
something that always calls for our deepest reverence. But religion can surprise us. Throughout history and
around the world, religion has been full of stories that seem strange, even irreverent. In this course, we'll look
at some of those stories from the traditions of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. Many of those
stories feature tricksters, mythic figures who defy social standards, use wit to get their way, and sometimes
change the world by sheer silliness. As we read these stories, we'll ask what tricksters and strange tales can
tell us about religion, about the divine and about ourselves. We'll also gain some background in major world
religions and begin to ask whether all religions are really the same at their heart, or whether the apparent
differences are very real indeed.
