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Religion 100 is a general introduction to the academic study
of religion and as such, examines the function of religion
in relation to human beliefs, social practices, and culture
in general. The course surveys a broad number of important
debates in the history of religious studies, such as the definition
of religion, the insider/outsider problem, theories on the
origins of religion, the comparison of religions, religion's
psychological, sociological, and political functions, and
the manner in which human communities authorize systems of
behavior. As a General Education course, REL 100's goal is
for all students to learn to define, accurately describe,
and compare in a non-evaluative manner so as to discover significant
similarities and differences in various forms of human behavior.
Although the course examines some of the world's religious
traditions, this course is not simply an introduction to world
religions; rather, it is an introduction to the study of religion
where religion is conceived as an observable aspect of human
culture and history.
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