Religious Studies Courses
The second digit in the Religious Studies courses indicates the general content of the course. Courses with second digits at or below three (3) indicate a course with biblical focus or orientation. Those courses with second digits at or above eight (8) reflect a broader religious focus. Those courses with second digits between four (4) and seven (7) have a focus on Christian studies.
RS1003 The Themes of the Bible
Credit hours: 3
The Bible is foundational to Western literature, religion, law, history, and general culture. Basic biblical literacy is, therefore, a fundamental element of a liberal arts education. This course introduces students to the Bible by means of an overview of its basic content and major themes.
RS1403 The Christian Way
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces students to the Christian way of life. It furnishes students with a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the basic beliefs, practices, concerns, heritage, epistemology, and mission of Christianity.
RS2003 The Old Testament and Its Context
Credit hours: 3
A comprehensive introduction to the Old Testament in its cultural and historical context, this course is designed to provide a survey of each of the books in the Old Testament. Topics such as canon, text, languages, and translations of the Old Testament will also be treated. A major focus of the course will be understanding the overall message (the big picture) of the Old Testament.
Prerequisites: RS1003, 1403 or permission of the Registrar.
RS2033 The New Testament and Its Context
Credit hours: 3
This course aims to introduce students first to the political and religious history of the second-temple period and secondly to the literature of the New Testament. It seeks to answer for each New Testament book the following questions: Who wrote it? For whom was it written? When was it written? Where was it written? What was written? Why was it written?
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403 or permission of the Registrar
RS2103 The Pentateuch
Credit hours: 3
This course is an introduction to the main contents of the first five books of the Bible. Although questions of authorship, text, and history of interpretation are considered, the main emphasis is with the themes of the Pentateuch and the understanding of the biblical material in its ancient near eastern context.
Prerequisite: RS1003 or permission of the Registrar
RS2123 Psalms
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed to examine in some detail the literature that has been named the hymnbook of ancient Israel and the early Church. There will be an examination of such topics as the origin and authorship of the Psalms in Israelite worship, generic categories of the psalms, and theological themes. The course will also consider the history of interpretation of the Psalter.
Prerequisite: RS1003 or permission of the Registrar
RS2203 Life of Jesus
Credit hours: 3
This course is intended as a historical reconstruction of the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Necessarily, Jesus will be understood against the background of the religious thought and practices of his time.
RS2223 The Early Church
Credit hours: 3
In this course students will learn about the social history of the early Church. With reference to Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letters, students will explore the political, geographic, economic, and social realities of the earliest Christians in their Jewish and ancient Roman contexts.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS2403 The Spiritual Disciplines of Christianity
Credit hours: 3
This course examines the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith. Students will discover how variations of these disciplines have been exercised and emphasized over the span of Christian history.
RS2406 Mission Praxis
Credit hours: 6
Through guided participation before, during and after at least eight weeks of intensive cross-cultural learning and mission experiences (international, First Nations, and inner-city), students learn through experience and guided reflection.
Corequisite: Enrollment in the ClayStone Certificate program
RS2423 Theology and Practice for Missional Living
Credit hours: 3
Students are prepared for lifelong missional living and develop a theology of mission. Topics: theoretical foundations of cross-cultural mission, benefits and risks for mission team and sending and receiving partners, team prep and leadership, debriefing.
RS2613 Introduction to Christian Thought
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces students to the basic beliefs of Christianity, the basis of these beliefs in the Bible, and their historical development. It also considers their relevance to contemporary worldviews.
RS2823 World Religions
Credit hours: 3
This course surveys the history, beliefs, and practices of the world’s major religious traditions beyond Christianity. It introduces students to the heritage and discipline of the academic study of religion.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3003 Revelation
Credit hours: 3
This course will examine the historical context, theological themes, literary genre, and various schools of interpretation of the Book of Revelation.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2033
RS3053 Themes and Theology of the Old Testament
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed to be part two for RS2003, The Old Testament and its Context. Students will be introduced to the broad themes and theology of the Old Testament within the historical, political, and religious contexts of the Ancient Near East.
Prerequisite: RS2003
RS3063 Themes and Theology of the New Testament
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed to be part two for RS2033, The New Testament and Its Context. In the course, students will be introduced to the broad themes and theology of the New Testament within the historical, political, and religious contexts of the time period. They will be exposed to the academic, literary, and theological study of the New Testament.
Prerequisite: RS2033
RS3073 The Intertestamental Period
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed to examine the period spanning the Old and New Testaments. Both political and religious history will be foci of this course.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS3083 Death in the New Testament
Credit hours: 3
This course explores and analyzes the theme of death in New Testament, with a focus on the significance of Jesus’s death, the nature of death for Christ-followers, and the effect of death on the life and ministry of Paul.
Prerequisite: RS2033
RS3093 The Septuagint
Credit hours: 3
This course, based mostly on English translations, will be about the texts commonly known as the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, as well as related texts. This course will be a seminar-style course focusing on the major issues in contemporary Septuagint studies. Septuagint Studies has seen renewed scholarly interest, leading to a variety of major issues emerging as serious areas of debate. These issues include the Septuagint’s historical context, translation technique, the Hebrew parent text, the social, political, and historical artefacts contained in the Septuagint, the role of the Septuagint within Judaism and early Christianity, the use of the Septuagint in the New Testament, the versions of the Septuagint, and the canonical status of some deutero-canonical texts, among many others.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
Corequisites: RS2003 or RS2033
RS3103 The Art of Biblical Narrative
Credit hours: 3
This course will introduce and develop a literary approach to biblical narrative, highlighting and drawing attention to a wealth of examples in the process. We will focus on general literary features such as plot, character, point of view, creation of suspense and intrigue, and irony.
Prerequisites: Any two courses of RS1003, RS2003, or RS2033
RS3113 Israelite Prophecy
Credit hours: 3
This course examines the phenomenon of Old Testament prophecy. It explores the meaning of prophecy, characteristics and function of prophecy, and the emergence and development of prophecy in ancient Israel in its historical context. In addition, one prophetic book will be examined exhaustively.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403. Recommended: RS2003.
RS3123 Wisdom Literature
Credit hours: 3
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the Wisdom Literature of the Bible, with specific focus on Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. The course will not only provide a detailed survey of the contents of these books, it will examine the meaning of “wisdom,” the social location of the wisdom movement in Israel, and wisdom literature in Mesopotamia and Egypt in order to understand more clearly the significance and role of Israelite wisdom literature.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403. Recommended: RS2003.
RS3163 Israel’s History: I Kings
Credit hours: 3
This course will carefully study the material in I Kings, systematically working through each portion of text on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Moreover, passages from the books of Samuel and Chronicles will also be considered, where applicable.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3243 The Letter to the Hebrews
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed as an exegetical study of the New Testament text known as the Letter to the Hebrews. The Jewish religious-historical background of the contents of the letter will be explored as a means of understanding it more fully.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403. Recommended: RS2033.
RS3303 Jesus as Teacher
Credit hours: 3
This course is an exploration of the teaching methods of Jesus considering his aims, his cultural setting, his community’s history, and his social location as a rabbi. Teaching is a task requiring contextualization. It involves authority, in contrast to the thought of some who wish a truly ‘free’ school. Jesus’ employment of lecture methods, his use of memorable sayings and of parables, and his personal modelling demands the attention of educators schooled in active learning methods.
Crosslisting: ED3703
Prerequisite: Education student or permission of the Registrar
RS3323 Eschatology
Credit hours: 3
This course surveys the history of Christian thought in the light of Scripture to explore the doctrine of the “last things,” including heaven, hell, the new heavens and new earth, the intermediate state, and other topics.
RS3363 New Testament Women in the Ancient World
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces students to the lives of women in the New Testament. Students will analyze women in the NT in their ancient Graeco-Roman context to understand the everyday life, impact, and influence of women in their different social and religious contexts.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS3383, 3393 Directed Studies in Biblical Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when their interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS3403 Christian Spirituality
Credit hours: 3
This course will explore the biblical, theological, and historical dimensions of Christian spirituality from the writings of selected thinkers from the early church until the present. Students will be encouraged to reflect academically and personally in order to enhance their own spiritual practice.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3483 Perspectives on the World Christian Movement
Credit hours: 3
This course offers an introduction to world mission in four essential principles: the biblical imperative for evangelization, issues in communicating the gospel across cultures, the Christian movement’s expansion from the apostles to the present, and components for strategic planning in the movement’s global mission.
Prerequisites: Any four 2000-level courses
RS3533 The Church In Scripture and Society
Credit hours: 3
This course provides an understanding of the Church as revealed in the New Testament. It focuses on passages which delineate the formation, nature, and purpose of the Church. Consideration will be given to the Church as both organism and organization, and it will challenge students to explore the form and role of the Church in contemporary society.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3583, 3593 Directed Studies in Christian Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when their interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS3603 Rise of Early Christianity in the Roman World (100-600 AD)
Credit hours: 3
This course starts where the New Testament ends. It charts a path from the emergence of Christianity as a persecuted Jewish sect to the official religion of the Roman Empire, encountering martyrs, monks, emperors, and empresses along the way.
Crosslisting: HI3003
Prerequisites: HI1413 and HI1703 (or HI1713 or HI1723 or HI1423) and RS1003 and RS2033; or permission of the instructor
RS3633 God and Evil
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces the main elements of the problem of evil as conceived in Western philosophy and theology. The course will locate the problem in terms of the world’s major religions and philosophical traditions, and then concentrate on the answers provided by Abrahamic monotheism in general and Christianity in particular – and their secular counterparts.
Crosslisting: PH3043
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3653 The Medieval World of Francis of Assisi
Credit hours: 3
Taking the remarkable Italian holy man, Francis of Assisi, as its guide, this course explores the heights and depths of medieval society. Topics include the literary works of visionary women, the rise of the earliest universities, and the first crusades.
Crosslisting: HI3053
Prerequisites: HI1413 and one of HI1703, HI1713, HI1723, or HI1733
RS3703 Apologetics
Credit hours: 3
This course will offer instruction on the contemporary task of defending and commending the faith: the cultural context of apologetics today; the nature and objective of apologetics; and advice on engaging in apologetics faithfully and effectively.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS3713 Christianity and Science
Credit hours: 3
This course traces the historical relationship between Christianity and science from the early church to the present. Through historical case studies and engagement with contemporary debates, it examines how Christian thought and scientific inquiry have influenced each other in the past, and how they might be meaningfully integrated today.
Crosslisting: HI3983
Prerequisites: HI1413 and HI1703 (or HI1713 or HI1723 or HI1423), RS1003, RS1033.
RS3803 The Reformation in Europe
Credit hours: 3
This course examines the development of Protestantism as a social, economic, political, and religious reaction to the status quo of European society.
Crosslisting: HI3643
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS3823 Sociology of Religion
Credit hours: 3
Examines the major issues and trends in contemporary religion from the perspective of the social sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of religion in Canada.
Crosslisting: SO3823
Prerequisites: Six credit hours in Religious Studies
RS3903, 3923 Directed Studies in Religious Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when their interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS4033 The Gospel of Mark
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces students to the Gospel of Mark and will analyze major historical, literary, and theological issues related to Mark, with an emphasis on the role of bodies, women, disability, and ancient cosmic forces in the text.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS4043 The Book of Genesis
Credit hours: 3
Genesis is not only the chronological beginning of Scripture but the foundational beginning as well. This course is intended as an intensive introduction to the text. Major issues of interpretation will be considered as students work through the text.
Prerequisites: RS2003, RS2033
RS4053 I Samuel
Credit hours: 3
This course will feature a close reading of the book of I Samuel, and an exploration of various literary and theological issues which the text intends to raise for its audiences. Points of study will include the role of the monarchy in Israel, the office of the prophet, and the contours of leadership for God’s people. Other questions will include: Why is Saul rejected? Is Samuel an unbiased prophet? What are the qualities in the young David that set him apart as a king? What dynamics of human relationships are emphasized in the text? This course provides ample opportunity for reflection on the nature of biblical narrative, the portraits of key personalities, and the profound level of artistic and theological sophistication in this stretch of material.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003.
RS4063 II Samuel
Credit hours: 3
This course will feature a close reading of the book of II Samuel, and an exploration of various literary and theological issues which the text intends to raise for its audiences. The book of II Samuel unfolds complex issues of monarchy and leadership, and also confronts readers with a number of transitions in David’s life. David’s life presents readers with a tapestry of interpretative and theological possibilities. This course provides ample opportunity for reflection on the nature of biblical narrative, the portraits of key personalities, and the profound level of artistic and theological sophistication in this stretch of material.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003
RS4073 Romans
Credit hours: 3
This course analyzes historical, literary, theological, and interpretive issues relating to Paul’s letter to the Romans in its Second-Temple Jewish context with an eye to the letter’s importance for contemporary Christian communities.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS4083 Disabilities in the New Testament
Credit hours: 3
This course introduces you to the study of disability and health in second-temple Judaism and the New Testament. It will focus on the methods and sources for studying disability in the ancient world and examine the impact of disabled peoples on ancient culture.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS4093 The Prison Epistles
Credit hours: 3
In this course students will study Paul’s prison epistles (Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon) in their historical, literary, and theological contexts. Focus will be given to the key interpretive issues involved in the study of these epistles (e.g. authorship, provenance, exegetical problems, reception in the history of interpretation), especially their contribution to our understanding of Jesus in the first centuries of the Jesus movement.
Prerequisite: RS2033
RS4113 Biblical Theology of Old and New Testaments
Credit hours: 3
This course covers the concept of biblical theology not just historically as it has developed into a discipline of biblical studies but practically as well. During the course a specific theme or a cluster of themes will be traced throughout the Old and New Testaments. Frequently alongside a major theme which is explored, major biblical theologies written by scholars will also be studied.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403
RS4133 The Drama of I Kings
Credit hours: 3
This course undertakes a close reading of I Kings, with attention to historical context, literary design, and theological importance for the Hebrew Bible. It will explore a range of issues raised in key works of historiography in the Hebrew Bible.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS2003
RS4153 Divine Images in the New Testament
Credit hours: 3
This course examines divine images in the New Testament with a focus on materiality, ethnicity, gender, and disability. Students will explore the use of images in ancient religion, polemics against idolatry, and what it means to be made in the image of God.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS4373, 4383 Advanced Directed Studies in Biblical Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when their interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS4583, 4593 Advanced Directed Studies in Christian Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when their interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS4603 Advanced Seminar: Christian Thought
Credit hours: 3
This course offers students the opportunity to engage a sharply focused subject, whether a theological theme, author, school of thought, or work. Emphasis will be placed on reading, conversation, research, and writing and may also involve presentation.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033, RS2613
RS4653 Magic and Medicine in Early Christianity
Credit hours: 3
This course examines healthcare and wonderworking in early Christianity within the context of Mediterranean medicine and magic. Students will explore medical discourses and magical practices from the New Testament to late antiquity, including voces magicae, spirit possession, ritual biotechnology, and domestic cult at unauthorized sites among women and enslaved Christians.
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403, RS2003, RS2033
RS4803 Religion and Violence
Credit hours: 3
This course offers an examination of religion and violence in modern society, and it focuses on the following: religious militancy, apocalypticism, cults, mutilation, sacrifice, torture, martyrdom, self-mortification, genocide, terrorism, land disputes, hate crimes, and clergy sexual abuse.
Crosslisting: SO4003
Prerequisites: SO1013, SO1023
RS4823 Milton
Credit hours: 3
This course provides an intensive study of the major poetry and prose of John Milton (1608-74) with a particular emphasis on his theology.
Crosslisting: EN4823
Prerequisites: RS1003, RS1403; EN2013, EN2023
RS4833 Evangelicalism in Canada
Credit hours: 3
This course begins with the necessary task of defining evangelicalism. It then examines evangelicalism in contemporary Canada primarily through the use of social theory and survey research. The beliefs, practices, attitudes, and demographics of evangelicals and the organizations that support the evangelical subculture are discussed.
Prerequisite: RS3823
RS4913, 4923 Advanced Directed Studies in Religious Studies
Credit hours: 3
These courses are available for students when students’ interests and the professors’ expertise allow for a more in-depth tutorial approach. Students must be highly capable and must have completed upper level prerequisite courses in the area of the directed study.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Registrar
RS4996 Thesis
Credit hours: 6
Certain exceptional students, upon request prior to the completion of their third year, may be granted permission to write a thesis as an element to their Honours degree requirements.
Biblical Languages
Greek
GR1013 Introduction to Koine Greek I
Credit hours: 3
This course is designed to teach the basic elements of Koiné Greek grammar with particular emphasis on noun formation, vocabulary acquisition, and elementary reading in the Greek New Testament.
GR1023 Introduction to Koine Greek II
Credit hours: 3
This course is a continuation of GR1013. It focuses on acquiring the basic elements of Koiné Greek grammar with particular emphasis on the verb system, vocabulary acquisition, and reading the Greek New Testament.
Prerequisite: GR1013
Hebrew
HB1013 Elementary Hebrew I
Credit hours: 3
This course is an introduction to the main elements of the Hebrew language of the Biblical period. In addition to the study of the basic grammar and vocabulary of the language; students are introduced as soon as possible to readings from the Hebrew Bible.
HB1023 Elementary Hebrew II
Credit hours: 3
This course is a continuation of HB1013 with emphasis placed on translating specific portions from the Old Testament.
Prerequisite: HB1013
HB3013 Intermediate Hebrew Grammar I
Credit hours: 3
Intermediate Hebrew is a course that is designed to enable students not only to become familiar with some of the detail of the grammatical structures of the language but also to be able to translate some of the main genres of the Hebrew Bible: narrative, legal, prophetic, wisdom, and the language of piety and prayer. Text criticism, philology, and exegesis will also be considered in this course.
Prerequisite: HB1023
HB3023 Intermediate Hebrew Grammar II
Credit hours: 3
This course is a continuation of HB3013.
Prerequisite: HB3013
