PAR 103.   Introduction to Religion (3) Religion as a field of study; major modes of religious expression; chief issues in religious thought and experience; the search for method since the Enlightenment critique; contemporary developments.

PAR 125.   Great Books of the World's Religions (3) Selections from classic writings of both Western and Eastern religions, including Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Qur'an, and Buddhist and Hindu scriptures.  Examination of their central ideas and values as well as their development and acceptance as sacred scriptures.

PAR 140.   Research Tools for Historical and Textual Criticism--Hebrew (3) Basic study of the Hebrew language with special attention to that of the Old Testament.

PAR 141.   Research Tools for Historical and Textual Criticism--Greek (3) Basic study of the Greek language with special attention to that of the New Testament.

PAR 142.   Intermediate Greek (3) Continued study of the Greek language with attention to texts from the Hellenistic world.

PAR 225.   Women and Religion (3) Images, expectations, and experiences of women in the history of religions.  Topics include the importance of gender to the study of religion, women's real or perceived power (or lack of it) within the major classical traditions, and alternative women's religious groups and ideas appearing since the 1970s.

PAR 230.   Judaism, Christianity and Islam (3) Survey of the three major Abrahamic faiths; the origins, beliefs and practices of these "people of the Book;" history of their interactions and influence on Western culture.

PAR 231.   Primitive and Classical Religions (3) A survey of primitive religion as revealed both in archaeological research and remaining primitive customs; examination of classical faiths of Egypt, Mesopotamia and ancient Europe.

PAR 232.   Asian Religions (3) A survey of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism; historical aspects, basic insights, contemporary relevance. 

PAR 233.   African Religions (3) Religions of Africa, including traditional and non-traditional religious systems, and their impact on African societies and Africanism in the Americas.

PAR 235.   Introduction to the Old Testament (3) Historical study of the Hebrew Scriptures and their cultural background; focus on the values, problems, and perceptions of the human condition reflected in these texts and archaeological data related to them.

PAR 236.   Introduction to the New Testament (3) Historical survey of the canonical Christian literature; illustration of contemporary methods of text-criticism, literary-criticism, form-criticism, and redaction-criticism; focus on results of modern scholarship in appreciating the Gospels and their function in the early Christian community. 

PAR 238.   History of Christianity I: Early and Medieval (3) Survey of the basic development of the Christian church from its foundation to the Protestant Reformation.  Emphasis on major thinkers and pivotal events that determined the historical trends. 

PAR 240.   History of Christianity II: Modern (3) Survey of the history of Christianity from the Reformation to the present.  Accent on the contributions of the chief theologians and the particular problems raised by "modernity" since the 17th century.

PAR 242.   Religion in America (3) Survey of religious thought and experience from colonial times to the present; representative Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish leaders; Native American and Black American traditions; religious reform and revivalism.

PAR 244.   Caribbean Religions (3) Religious diversity within the Caribbean, including established, non-traditional, and Afrocentric religious traditions, and their interaction with popular culture.

PAR 245.   Judaism (3) Introduction to religious beliefs, rituals and traditions of Judaism.  Examination of its historical background and contemporary significance. 

PAR 247.   Religions of India (3) Examination of the religions of India as seen in ethical and social thought, ritual and meditation practice, philosophy, and art.   Includes Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

PAR 248. Buddhism (3) Survey of the essentials of Buddhism as seen in ethical and social thought, meditation practices, philosophies, rituals and art.

PAR 325.   Psychology of Religion (3) Prerequisite: PAR 103 or consent of instructor.  Selected readings on the nature and types of religious experience, and on theories of personality and consciousness as they relate to religion.  Examination of the writings of Freud, Jung, and others. 

PAR 330.   Religion and Literature (3) The interplay between religion and literature through an exploration of the religious themes, images, and experiences expressed in contemporary and classical world literatures.

PAR 334.   Old Testament Literature (3) Analysis and interpretation of a particular part of the Hebrew Scriptures.  Topics will vary from one course offering to another.  (The Torah; the Prophets; the Writings). 

PAR 336.   New Testament Literature (3) Analysis and interpretation of a particular part of the New Testament.  Topics will vary from one course offering to another.  (The Gospels; the Acts of the Apostles; the Johannine works; the Letters of Paul). 

PAR 337.   Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha (3) Prerequisite: PAR 235 or 236.  Analysis of the major Jewish and Christian writings related to but excluded from the Bible, including histories, apocalypses, testaments, prayers, moral tales, and wisdom books.

PAR 340.   Philosophy of Religion (3) Prerequisite: PAR 101 or 103.  Examination of the basic problems found in Western philosophy concerning religion, including efforts to prove the existence of God, the role of faith and reason, the problem of evil, immortality, religious experience, religious language, and religious pluralism.

PAR 342.   Evil and Suffering (3) Prerequisite: PAR 101 or 103 or consent of instructor.  Survey of religious and philosophical debates on the nature, origin, and existence of evil and suffering.  Examines definitions of and explanations for evil in Eastern, Western, and tribal religions; the problem of evil; and popular culture’s fascination with evil.

PAR 343.   Atheism and Unbelief (3) Prerequisite: PAR 101 or 103 or consent of instructor.  Survey of beliefs, assumptions, and arguments of atheism and other varieties of unbelief.  Examines major atheistic explanations for the phenomenon of religion, and atheism and unbelief within Eastern and Western religions.

PAR 350.   Native American Religious Traditions (3) Prerequisite: PAR 103 or 242. Examination of the religious traditions of native peoples of North America with a focus on beliefs, rituals, and contemporary developments.

PAR 351.   (HST 351) Religion in Early America (3) Prerequisite: PAR 242 or HST 201.  Examination of the role and significance of religion in early American culture and society.  Topics include contact between Native American and Euro-American religious traditions, Puritanism, First Great Awakening, religion in the revolutionary era, separation of church and state.

PAR 352.   (HST 345) Religion in Antebellum America (3) Prerequisite: PAR 242 or HST 201 or consent of instructor. The influences and meanings of religion in antebellum American society.  Topics include Second Great Awakening, expansion of Protestant and Catholic churches, communitarian movements, religious responses to slavery.

PAR 353.   (HST 359) Religious Reform in Modern America (3) Prerequisite: PAR 242 or HST 202, or consent of instructor.  Religious thought and action concerning social change in modern America.  Topics include urban revivalism, labor, civil rights, and peace movements.  Emphasis on differing interpretations of scripture, church teachings, and religious identity.

PAR 355.   Southern Religion (3) Prerequisite:  PAR 103 or consent of instructor.  Study of religion in the Old and New South.  Topics include Native American religious traditions, religious practices of blacks and whites, evangelicalism and fundamentalism, church involvement in political and social issues.

PAR 362.   Archaeology of Ancient Israel (3) Prerequisite:  PAR 103 or 235, or consent of instructor.  Study of Ancient Israel, its peoples and cultures through archaeological artifacts and analysis of ancient writings.

PAR 370.   Tibetan Buddhism (3) Prerequisite: PAR 232 or 248 or consent of instructor.  Examination of the Buddhism of Tibet as seen in ethical and social thought, ritual and meditation practice, philosophy, and art.

PAR 375.   Islam (3) Introduction to religious beliefs, rituals and traditions of Islam.  Examination of its historical background and contemporary significance. 

PAR 377.   Afro-American Religion (3) Study of the religious life of black American communities, with concentration on independent traditions, sects, and a sampling of major thinkers and issues.

PAR 400.   Colloquium for Majors (3) Prerequisite:  Junior or senior standing.  An interdisciplinary investigation of various philosophical and religious questions.  Themes for study: the problem of evil, the relations of faith and reason, symbolism and language, meaning of freedom, and concepts of determinism.  Required of majors in junior or senior year; open to qualified non-majors. 

PAR 421.   Contemporary Religious Thought (3) Prerequisite: PAR 103.  Primary source study of principal religious thinkers of 20th century, especially within Judaism and Christianity. 

PAR 491.   Directed Individual Study (1-3) Prerequisite:  Overall GPA of at least 2.00, junior or senior standing, and consent of instructor, department chair and dean.  Involves investigation under faculty supervision beyond what is offered in existing courses.  For further information, consult the Directed Individual Studies section in the UNCW catalogue.

PAR 495.   Seminar (1-3) Prerequisite: Credit in philosophy and religion and consent of department.  Research of selected philosophic and/or religious problems.

PAR 499.   Honors Work in Religion (2-3) Prerequisite: Eligibility for honors program and senior standing.  Independent study for honors students.