REL 1030 INTRODUCTION TO RELIGION (3 hours)
A study of the characteristic and universal features of religions as expressed in the institutions, rituals, beliefs, and other phenomena of religions of the past and present.
REL 1035 NEAR EASTERN RELIGIONS (3 hours)
A study of the origins, development, literature, structures, and modes of life and thought of the major living religions that originated in the Near East: Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the modern denominations and sects which derive from them.
REL 1036 FAR EASTERN RELIGIONS (3 hours)
A study of the origins, development, literature, structures, and modes of life and thought of the major living religions that originated in India and the Far East, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, and current movements and cults which derive from these faiths.
PHIL 1050 PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE (3 hours)
An elementary introduction to philosophy through consideration of the role of philosophy in culture.
REL 1121 HEBREW BIBLE INTRODUCTION (3 hours)
An introduction to the academic study of the books of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), their historical setting, and their religious and theological content.
REL 1122 NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (3 hours)
An introduction to the documents of the New Testament, their origins and interpretation.
PHIL 1155 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC (3 hours)
A study of basic structure in reasoning and of methods to recognize and use valid deductive argument forms.
PHIL 1166 CRITICAL THINKING (3 hours)
A study of reasoning that emphasizes informal critical thinking.
PHIL 1577 TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A study of a Philosophy topic, which may involve field work or study abroad. May be elected more than once.
REL 1577 TOPICS IN RELIGION (3 hours)
A study of a Religion topic, which may involve field work or study abroad. May be elected more than once.
PHIL 1600 WORLDVIEWS (3 hours)
This course uses philosophical and cultural history to introduce and contrast the nature of a humanistic worldview and the nature of our modern Western naturalistic worldview.
REL 1801 MUSIC IN RITUAL, LITURGY AND WORSHIP (3 hours)
An introduction to the Biblical, historic and aesthetic values of music in worship that includes an interpretive methodology for theological study, the history and meaning of religion ritual, the development of Christian worship from Jewish roots, the structure and integrity of the Church Year, the anatomy of hymns and hymnals, the Revised Common Lectionary, the Psalter, and a study of music in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament along with some Jewish ritual. Taught in the Music Department as MUS 1801.
REL 2000 HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (3 hours)
A history of the Christian Church from its beginnings through the present day.(Offered alternate years.)
REL 2033E RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD MARKET (3 hours)
A "history of religions" study of those world religions most likely to be encountered in the world market. Taught only in the School of Evening and Graduate Studies.
REL 2035 COMPARATIVE DENOMINATIONS (3 hours)
A comparative study of the beliefs and practices of major Christian denominations in America. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 2050 PRINCIPLES OF PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
An introduction to the subject, method and history of philosophy for majors. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 2060 ANCIENT POLITICAL THEORY (3 hours)
A critical analysis of the basic political writings of selected authors important to the development of Western civilization, e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Augustine & Aquinas. Taught in History & Politics Department as HIST 2301.
PHIL 2100 TOPICS IN APPLIED ETHICS (3 hours)
A study of an applied ethics topic, while might involve fieldwork or study abroad. May be taken more than once to allow a student to study different applied ethics areas.
REL 2150 PRINCIPLES & PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY I (3 hours)
A study of the scriptural and theological bases for community, the principles of hospitality and the practical application of these principles, to include program development, worship, and the ministries of serving and hosting. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 2170 ETHICS (3 hours)
A critical examination of the subject of ethics, including its nature, concepts, scope, problems, theories, and basis.
PHIL 2171 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (3 hours)
A study of the relevance of ethics for environmental concerns: ethical traditions about the environment, new forms of environmental ethics, and practical application of ethics to current environmental issues.
PHIL 2400 MODERN POLITICAL THEORY (3 hours)
A critical analysis of the basic political writings of selected modern authors important to the development of western civilization and political thought, e.g., Machiavelli, Bodin, Hobbes, Harrington, Locke and Rousseau. (Same as HIST 2310 and POLS 2310)
PHIL 2500 THE STORY OF PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A survey of the history of philosophy from ancient to contemporary. (Offered alternate years.)
REL 2535 CHRISTIAN BELIEFS (3 hours)
A non-denominational study of basic Christian doctrines.
PHIL 2540 PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION IN LITERATURE (3 hours)
An investigation of the philosophical & religious dimensions of selected literature. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 2577 TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A study of a Philosophy topic, which may involve filed work or study abroad. May be elected more than once.
REL 2577 TOPICS IN RELIGION (3 hours)
A study of a Religion topic, which may involve field work or study abroad. May be elected more than once.
PHIL 2700 ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY ( 3 hours)
A survey of the history of philosophy from ancient Greece through the medieval West. (Offered in alternate years)
PHIL 2800 MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A survey of the history of philosophy from the early modern era in the West to the present. Prerequisite: PHIL 1600.
REL 2800 PAUL AND HIS WRITINGS (3 hours)
A historical study of the life, letters, and theology of the Apostle Paul. Prerequisite: REL 1122.
REL 3000 FAITH DEVELOPMENT (3 hours)
An exploration into the ways that people experience faith and the development of their faith. Consideration of the curricula and program approaches appropriate for the facilitation of various stages of development. (Offered in alternate years.)
PHIL 3060 PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY (3 hours)
An examination of the methodological and philosophical concerns of history as these have been viewed by historians from Herodotus to Braudel. Taught in History and Politics Department as HIST 3000.
REL 3102 SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION (3 hours)
An examination of religion from a sociological perspective. Topics may include conversion, church-sect typology, and deviant religious groups. (Offered alternate years.) Taught in Sociology Department as SOC 3102.
REL 3150 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY II (3 hours)
A study of the practical and applied practices that build community and provide hospitality in keeping with the theological and scriptural bases for community and for the spiritual growth of individuals and groups.
PHIL 3575 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION (3 hours)
An analysis of the phenomenon of religion from a philosophical perspective. Prerequisite: one course in either religion or philosophy. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 3577 TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A study of a Philosophy topic, which may include field work or study abroad. May be elected more than once. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
REL 3577 TOPICS IN RELIGION (3 hours)
A study of a Religion topic, which may include field work or study abroad. May be elected more than once. Prerequisite: permission of Instructor.
REL 3600 TWENTIETH-CENTURY THEOLOGIANS (3 hours)
A study of the major movements within 20th-century Christian theology. (Offered alternate years.)
PHIL 4170 SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
Reading, discussion, independent research, and formal reports on a theme or problem chosen by the instructor.
REL 4170 SEMINAR IN RELIGION (3 hours)
Reading, discussion, independent research, and formal reports on a theme or problem chosen by the instructor.
REL 4201 PRACTICUM IN RELIGION (1-6 hours)
An application of theory and methods from religion to fieldwork experience, supervised by a Catawba College instructor designated by the Chair of the Religion & Philosophy Department. Prerequisite: permission of the Chair of the Religion & Philosophy Department.
PHIL 4370 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHILOSOPHY (1-4 hours)
Self-directed study following a contractual plan initiated by the student and accepted by the staff.
REL 4370 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN RELIGION (1-4 hours)
Self-directed study following a contractual plan initiated by the student and accepted by the staff.
PHIL 4401 INTERNSHIP (3 hours)
A field experience in Philosophy in which formal evaluation, supervision, and direction are provided by an outside agency in concert with the supervising professor and student.
REL 4401 INTERNSHIP (3 hours)
A field experience in Religion in which formal evaluation, supervision, and direction are provided by an outside agency in concert with the supervising professor and student.
REL 4500 CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN RELIGION (3 hours)
A seminar for senior Religion/Philosophy majors that will integrate knowledge learned in the major and in the student's experience, emphasizing reading, writing and oral communication skills.
PHIL 4500 CAPSTONE SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY (3 hours)
A seminar for senior Religion/Philosophy majors that will integrate knowledge learned in the major and in the student's experience, emphasizing reading, writing and oral communication skills.
The Religion & Philosophy Department’s purpose is to introduce a broad range of students to religious and philosophical dimensions of human existence and to encourage these students to develop a greater depth of knowledge and commensurate skills in our disciplines.
