REL 356 : World Religions

Topics:

• Faith mixed with politics in Islam:  Islamic State?
• Muslim view of the Qur’an: Is it inspired?
• Islamic Hell: describe and critique and compare
• Critical biography of Muhammad using Muslim and other sources
• Jihad, violence, fundamentalism or extremism and the Qur’an: different views of the massacre of the Banu Qurayza Jews: justice or genocide?
• Suicide bombing: religious texts for and against and religious means of promoting it and preventing it
• Muslim humanitarianism and the Qur’an
• A critical discussion of different approaches to the law of apostasy in Islam (including the punishments for it).  Include reference to religious freedom and human rights.
• Sexual ethics, music, art, humor in Islamic tradition…
• A critical assessment of the concept of the “ummah” in Islam and the “da’wa” that accompanies it.  Compare with Christian and/or Buddhist missionary impulse.
• The Sufis: mystics for Allah.  Pick one aspect of their faith.
• Tariq Ramadan: Muslim Martin Luther?
• Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Traditionalist or Modern?
• Sayyid Qutb: Founder of Muslim Extremism?
• Wahabism: Return to Empire?
• Radical mission to Muslims: Phil Parshall and John Travis
• Abraham: source for inter-religious connections?