RCS 370: Intersections of Law and Religion from Ancient to Current Worlds

It is often imagined that the separation of law from religion is a hallmark of a modern, “enlightened” world; however, contemporary factors ranging from intensely pluralistic societies to fervent debate over socio-political issues help reveal this separation to be illusory. Journeying over several thousand years of history and worldwide settings, we will explore how theistic (i.e., centered on devotion to one transcendent God) traditions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and non-theistic traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and modern “secular” ideologies have inspired diverse understandings of the relationship between cosmic and human order.

Instructor: Dr. Andrew Wender

Fall term, Monday and Thursday 11:30 - 12:50