Religion and theology
The programs of study listed under this heading are offered by the
Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology. The director of the centre is Dr
Constant Mews (room 631 of the Menzies building on the Clayton campus, phone
9905 2185).
The Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology was established by the Faculty
of Arts in 1991 in order to:
- advance interdisciplinary scholarship in the fields of religion and
theology by drawing on existing strengths in the faculty and university;
- provide coherent undergraduate programs of study in religious studies,
within the limited resources of the centre by coordinating existing faculty
resources;
- provide graduate courses and opportunities to pursue higher degrees by
research in the area of religious studies and theology by offering a range of
postgraduate subjects, coordinating individual graduate supervision, and
calling attention to relevant subjects offered within faculty;
- promote interdisciplinary research, interchange and collaboration focused
on religion and theology among staff at Monash and in the wider community
through seminars, conferences and papers. One of the means of pursuing this
objective involves on-going discussions with the major providers of theological
education in Melbourne.
Students normally begin their minor and major sequences with
introductory studies in Judaism and Christianity. Students who successfully
complete a minor or major sequence in religion and theology will have:
- been introduced to the major world religions and to several perspectives
through which religious variation and change are understood including the
disciplines of history, sociology, philosophy, cultural studies and literature;
- developed advanced understanding of the place of religion in their own
society and in other societies, explored in detail one or more religions at
particular points in history, and developed skills in dealing with the sacred
literature and beliefs of several religions.
Students wishing to focus on the study of religion in their selection of
subjects for the BA degree may do so in several ways: (i) by taking a minor
sequence in religious studies, (ii) by taking a major sequence in religious
studies, (iii) by pursuing honours or graduate work in religious studies and
theology or (iv) by choosing individual subjects dealing with religion that are
offered as parts of sequences in other disciplines.
Credit can also be given for subjects taken at Catholic Theological College, an
affiliated college of the university which offers courses in theology,
philosophy, church history, the sociology of religion and inter-faith dialogue.
Credit can also be given for approved subjects taken at the Melbourne College
of Divinity. The inclusion of such subjects in a religious studies major will
have to be approved by the board of the centre on a case-by-case basis.
A minor sequence in religion and theology normally consists either of:
Entry to the major sequence is normally through JWC1030/RLT1030 (Jewish
civilisation I, part A) or JWC1090 Jewish foundation texts 1A and RLT1050
(Introduction to the New Testament).
The second part of the major sequence comprises at minimum the two core
subjects (RLT2470/HSY2470 and RLT2480/HSY2480).
The third part of the major sequence comprises the subjects students will
select from existing subjects which deal with religion (listed below) to the
value of not less than twenty-four points (at least sixteen points of which
will be at the third-year level).
Students wishing to enrol in the honours program in religious studies
and theology are encouraged to discuss the possibilities with one of the
advisers listed below. The honours program normally requires two core seminars
(RLT4100 and RLT4090), a third seminar plus a minor thesis.
Combined honours may be taken in the Centre for Studies in Religion and
Theology and another discipline provided that all honours requirements have
been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both
departments/centres.
The centre may grant an extension of time for submission of the honours thesis
or for final coursework up to the last day of the examination period of the
semester in which the work is due. Applications for extensions beyond this
date must be made to the Committee for Undergraduate Studies.
Mid-year entry is offered by this centre.
For postgraduate courses offered by the Centre for Studies in Religion
and Theology, please refer to the Arts graduate handbook for 1998.
Anthropology and Sociology: Professor G Bouma (Sociology) and Dr
D Miller (Anthropology); Classics and Archaeology: Dr P Bicknell;
Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies: Associate Professor W Veit;
English: Professor K Hart; History: Dr I W Mabbett and Dr C Mews;
Linguistics: Professor M Clyne; Philosophy: Professor J Bigelow.
For preliminary information about courses at the Melbourne College of Divinity
see Dr C Mews (History).
- RLT1030 Jewish civilisation I, part A
- RLT1050 Introduction to the new testament
- AGR1010 Introductory Ancient Greek I
- ASN1010 Introduction to Asian civilisations, part 1
- ASN1020 Introduction to Asian civilisations, part 2
- PHL1010 Introduction to philosophy A (students should include the option
`Science, religion and witchcraft')
- PHL1020 Introduction to philosophy B (students should include the option
`God, freedom and evil')
- RLT2470 The religious quest: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RLT2480 The religious quest: Eastern faith and illumination
- RLT2131 Sociology of religion (Caulfield)
- RLT2290 Spiritualities, faiths and religions: society and the trans-cendent
- ANY2110 Magic, science and religion
- ENH2020 Heroes, lovers and monsters: the literary culture of medieval
England
- ENH2340 Literature and the Christian tradition (proposed to be offered
next in 1999)
- HSY2500 Faith, power and revolution: Islam in modern history
- HSY2560/RLT2560 Modern Jewish history
- HSY2570 Modern Israel: vision and reality (proposed to be offered next in
1999)
- HSY2580/RLT2580 The Holocaust
- HSY2600/RLT2600 Pursuing the millennium
- HSY2640 Twelfth-century renaissance: culture and society (proposed to be
offered next in 1999)
- JWC2030 Jewish law: ancient, medieval, modern
- JWC2590/RLT2590 Alexandria- Jerusalem- Rome: connections and conflict
- VSA2520/RLT2520 Italian Renaissance art: power, patronage and imagination
(proposed to be offered next in 1999)
- VSA2530/RLT2530 Baroque art
- VSA2620 Image and belief in medieval art
- RLT3131 Sociology of religion (Caulfield)
- RLT3290 Spiritualities, faiths and religions: society and the transcendent
- ANY3250 The anthropology of witchcraft and sorcery
- CLS3150/RLT3150 Belief and perception
- ENH3020 Heroes, lovers and monsters: the literary culture of medieval
England
- ENH3340 Literature and the Christian tradition (proposed to be offered
next in 1999)
- HSY3500 Faith, power and revolution: Islam on modern history
- HSY3560/RLT3560 Modern Jewish history
- HSY3570 Modern Israel: vision and reality (proposed to be offered next in
1999)
- HSY3580/RLT3580 The Holocaust
- HSY3600/RLT3600 Pursuing the millennium
- HSY3640 Twelfth-century renaissance: culture and society (proposed to be
offered next in 1999)
- JWC3030 Jewish law: ancient, medieval, modern
- JWC3590/RLT3590 Alexandria- Jerusalem- Rome: connections and conflict
- VSA3520/RLT3520 Italian Renaissance art: power, patronage and imagination
(proposed to be offered next in 1999)
- VSA3530/RLT3530 Baroque art
- VSA3620 Image and belief in medieval art
Honours candidates normally enrol in
- RLT4000 Minor thesis in religion and theology
- RLT4100 Religion in Australian society
- RLT4090 The authority of the text: the hermeneutical question
and one
of the following twelve-point seminars
- RLT4050 Perspectives on organisational values and patterns of leadership
- RLT4070 Buddhist ethics, society and politics
- RLT4080 Sacred Writings: the hymn, myth and ritual
- RLT4110 Ecology, gender and the sacred (proposed to be offered next in
1999)
- RLT4810 A history of popular Christianity (proposed to be offered next in
1999)
- A fourth-year subject approved by the director of the centre