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Apr 19, 2024
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2014-2015 HillBook (Class of 2018) [ARCHIVED HILL BOOK]
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REL 100/123 - Demons, Devils and Satans: Monsters of Religion (Core/First-Year Seminar)Three or Four Credits
Not Offered 2014-2015
Monotheistic traditions maintain that God is both all-powerful and just. Yet, they simultaneously speak of demons, devils, and satans - characters who threaten both God and His control over the universe. How can such an obvious contradiction stand? This course will examine the narratives and images of demonic characters, by looking at scriptural texts, interpretive materials and folklore. In our investigation, we will address such questions as: Who or what is considered Evil? How does evil exist in a world in which God is good? Is there a universal concept of Satan? Do demons and the demonic straddle traditional lines or are they tradition-specific? In other words, does each tradition create the demon most appropriate for it? What are these characters good for? What can they tell us about how each tradition conceives of itself and its place in the human-God relationship?
Prerequisite(s): REL 123 is a First-Year Seminar and open to First-Year Students only.
When offered as REL 100, for 3-credits, fulfills the Religious Studies Cornerstone Requirement.
When offered as REL 123, for 4-credits, fulfills the First-Year Seminar and Religious Studies Cornerstone Requirements.
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