"Introducing Religious Studies"
What is religion? Any why are there so many perspectives on the sacred both within and
between religious traditions? Taking a dialogue by Cicero as our model, we will explore the
central questions of religious life - the nature of God(s), the places of revelation, and the
means of expressing these experiences - from as many different angles as possible. Through a
highly diverse set of materials - from ancient mythology to classical music - this course
undertakes a broad-minded approach to the study of religion. "Round one" (up to mid-semester
break) will parallel the rival voices of Cicero's dialogue; while "round two" will be more
experimental - looking at experiences of the sacred in the arts, comedy and music. Both
rounds will be completed with reflections on how to deal with the various and sometimes
contradictory plurality of religious viewpoints. Our task will be to think carefully about
the plurality of religious perspectives; and in that context, to reflect on our own religious
questions and traditions.
