All human cultures reflect on the meaning of life through myth, symbol and abstract reflection. Studying the religions and theologies of different cultures, within a variety of historical contexts is both an important intellectual exercise and a fascinating process that provokes many questions about the past, the present and the future. The Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology was established in order to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research in the areas of religion and theology. The centre has established extensive links with the Melbourne College of Divinity and offers symposia, workshops and seminars in which research into religion and theology is presented and discussed. The centre is devoted to the critical study of a wide range of religious traditions, as interpreted both in the past and in the contemporary world. It is also concerned with thinking about the ways in which specific religious traditions (such as Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity) engage in intellectual reflection on a wide range of specific issues, such as the nature of God, ethics, social issues, gender, the environment and the meaning of life.
First-year level
Students studying a sequence in religion and theology must complete two units (12 points) from the following:
- CLA1111 Introductory ancient Greek A/1
- CLA1121 Introductory ancient Greek B/1
- HSY1010 Medieval Europe
- HSY1020 Renaissance Europe
- HSY1050 Understanding Asia 1: Foundations (previously Asian civilisations: The cycle of empires)
- HSY1060 Understanding Asia 2: Transformations (previously Asian civilisations: Crisis and transformation)
- HSY1120 Conflict and coexistence: Jews, Christians, Muslims (previously Jews and non-Jews in the middle ages)
- HSY1190 The Bible as history (previously Jews, God and history)
- HSY1200 Histories of God
- PHL1010 Life, death, and morality: introduction to ethics
Second/Third-year level
Students studying a minor or major in religion and theology must have completed the first-year sequence. In addition:
- a minor requires completion of a further two units (12 points) from the units listed below
- a major requires completion of a further six units (36 points) from the units listed below. A minimum of three units must be taken at third year level.
Available units include:
- ANY2110/ANY3120 Magic, science and religion
- CLS3150 Belief and perception
- HSY2045/HSY3045 Relics and legends: Deciphering popular Christianity (previously Decoding 'The Da Vinci Code': Histories behind the story)
- HSY2275/HSY3275 Islam: Principles, civilization, influence
- HSY2560/HSY3560 Jews in the modern world (previously Challenge and response: The course of modern Jewish history)
- HSY2570/HSY3570 Modern Israel: History, politics and society (previously Modern Israel: Vision and reality)
- HSY2580/HSY3580 The Holocaust in the age of genocide
- HSY2640/HSY3640 The age of crusades: Cultures and societies (previously Christians, Jews and Muslims in the age of crusades)
- HSY2735/HSY3735 Myth and meaning in ancient worlds (previously RLT2190/RLT3190)
- HSY2745/HSY3745 Jesus and the Jews (previously SHS2020/SHS3020)
- HSY2755/HSY3755 Ancient religions (previously SHS2010/SHS3010)
- HSY2765/HSY3765 Mystics, authority and society (previously SHS2470/SHS3470 Spiritual journeys: Mysticism, sufism and kabbalah)
- HSY3125 Dante's medieval world: Politics, religion and the city (Prato)
- INT2075/INT3075 Faith in the future: Religion and spirituality in a globalising world
- INT2170/INT3170 Sacred and profane: Religion, the secular and the state
- LIN2570/LIN3570 The analysis of discourse: Texts, narrative and society
- PHL2850/PHL3850 Karma, self and liberation: Buddhist and Hindu perspectives
- PHL3880 Space, time and deity: Themes from Leibniz and Hume
Units not offered in 2010
- ANY2180/ANY3180 Witchcraft in the modern world
- ANY3250 The anthropology of witchcraft and sorcery
- ARY2250/ARY3250 Israel in the ancient near east: An archaeological perspective
- ENH2020/ENH3020 Heroes, lovers and monsters: The literary culture of medieval England
- ENH2340/ENH3340 Literature and the Christian tradition
- HSY2035/HSY3035 Heresy, persecution, identity: Confronting religious orthodoxies
- HSY2105/HSY3105 Religion and genocide in 20th Century India (previously The Great Divide: religion and genocide in twentieth century India)
- HSY2140/HSY3140 Faith and power: Islam in history and society
- HSY2265/HSY3265 The world of the Bible: Text and context (previously SHS2265/SHS3265)
- HSY2555/HSY3555 Australian Jewry: History and society
- HSY2595/HSY3595 Alexandria-Jerusalem-Rome
- HSY2600/HSY3600 Cults and the end of time: A history of millenarian discourse (previously Cults and the end of time: Millennial belief, prophecy, progress and dissent)
- HSY3690 Angels and demons: Rome, the papacy and the world (previously Pagent and power: The Renaissance Papacy)
- JWC2030/JWC3030 Jewish law: Ancient, medieval, modern
- JWC2060/JWC3060 Exploring Judaism: Law, ethics and philosophy
- JWC2600/JWC3600 Israel in late antiquity
- JWC2620/JWC3620 God: From Sinai to Auschwitz (previously Radical rabbis: Literature, theology and imagination)
- PHL1020 Introduction to philosophy B
- PHL2670 Philosophy of religion
- RLT2140/RLT3140 Principles of Christian theology
- RLT2160/RLT3160 Reforming theologies: Reforming societies
- RLT2170/RLT3170 Christian theology III: Grace and church
- RLT2180/RLT3180 Scripture, sacrament and society
- RLT2210/RLT3210 Starring God: Religion, myth and film
- RLT3145 Interpreting the sources of Islam: The Qur'an and Hadith
- SCY2290/SCY3290 Spiritualities, faiths and religions: Society and the transcendent
Note: Credit can also be given for units taken at the Catholic Theological College as well as for approved units taken at the Melbourne College of Divinity. The inclusion of such units will have to be approved by the board at the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology on a case-by-case basis and students will have to submit an 'Application for complementary unit enrolment' form to the coursework office for each unit approved.
