Fall 2008 Courses

Fall 2008 Courses:

HNRS 222: Community Service
HNRS 390: The Spiritual Life
HNRS 390: African-American Religions in the U.S.
HNRS 401: Honors Senior Colloquium & Research - 3 hours
HNRS 401: Honors Senior Colloquium & Research - 2 hours

HRNS 222: Community Service. 1 hour.

Honors students give back to the community in this one-hour course that is also a requirement for graduating “with honors.” Consult with Dr. Fuller for additional details.

HRNS 222: Community Service. 1 hour.

Honors students may take an additional hour of community service with this class. Consult with Dr. Fuller for additional details.

HRNS 390: The Spiritual Life. 3 hours.

Instructor: P. Browning
Schedule: T/Th 9:30-10:50 am

This course will explore five questions. First, what is spirituality for Generation X(Y/Z)? In a tour de force work by Tom Beaudoin called Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X , we will be introduced to the music, the fashions, the lifestyles, and the spiritual journeys of a new generation. As we will discover, this younger generation has created a surprising range of ways to be spiritual - some quite traditional and others post-modem. Our second question will be about the emerging "East-West" dialogue. What is leading modern Americans - frequently Christian and Jewish themselves - to explore the Eastern religious traditions? To help us answer that question we will read the national bestseller by Thich Nhat Hanh called Living Buddha, Living Christ.

Our third question will be about the Christian spiritual tradition - What is that tradition historically and what might contemporary people draw from that tradition for today. To move into this rich tradition, we will turn to an anthology of primary sources called Invitation to Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Anthology. In that volume we will learn about figures such as St. Augustine, St. Francis, Meister Eckhart, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, John Wesley, Thomas Merton and Mother Theresa among others. In Andrew Harvey's The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World's Great Wisdom Traditions, we will find resources to answer our fourth question. That is: what do the spiritual traditions of the great religions have in common and what is distinctive to each of them? .

Finally, the course will end with a personal question: What is my own spiritual journey? In a set of individual projects participants will be asked to do research in a particular area of spirituality which speaks to their own spiritual identity and/or questions. The course will draw on guest speakers, use film, include a trip to Assumption Abbey, explore music, and listen to readings.

HRNS 390: African-American Religions in the U.S. 3 hours.

Instructor: T. Hornsby
Schedule: T/Th 12:00-1:20 pm

African American Religions in the United States will fulfill GP 21 Minorities and Indigenous Cultures credit. It will also satisfy the requirement of an upper level course elective. This course will explore the intersections of religion and African-American culture in this country from the times of slavery to the present. Some of the topics we will consider are: African “Yoruba” religion, Vodun, Santeria, Christianity (as both a weapon for and salvation from slavery), religion in the Great Depression, and Nation of Islam.

HRNS 401: Honors Senior Colloquium & Research. 3 hours.

Instructor: R. Fuller
Schedule: TBA

This course enables students embarking on their Honors Senior Colloquium & Research project to begin with a strong foundation in research, writing, and oral presentation skills.

HRNS 402: Honors Senior Colloquium & Research. 2 hours.

Instructor: R. Fuller
Schedule: TBA

This course enables students embarking on their Honors Senior Colloquium & Research project to begin with a strong foundation in research, writing, and oral presentation skills