Literally, "philosophy" means "love of wisdom." Pursuing wisdom through carefully reasoned reflection, philosophy inquires into questions concerning the meaning of life, virtue, morality, freedom, God, and death. Religious thinkers ask the same questions, but in the context of religious
traditions and sacred texts. On more theoretical levels, philosophy is concerned with reality and knowledge, often examining the unstated assumptions underlying other disciplines. Both religion and philosophy are vitally interested in ethics.

This combined program is designed to give students an introduction to the issues of religious thought and philosophy; to allow them to investigate the philosophical and religious implications of what they are studying, doing, and thinking; and to prepare majors for a wide variety of possible
further study, including graduate school, seminary, or professional fields such as law school. We encourage capable students to double major in philosophy and religious thought and some other field, such as English education.

Major in Philosophy & Religious Thought

A minimum of 27 semester hours, selected in consultation with department faculty, normally to include at least one course in the Biblical tradition.

Choose at least one of the following:
PHR210 Genres of Biblical Literature
PHR220 Jesus
PHR310 Issues in Biblical Scholarship

Choose at least one of the following:
PHR211 Ancient Philosophy
PHR212 Modern Philosophy
PHR312 Modern Philosophy (continuation of PHR212)
PHR321 Major Philosophical Figures
PHR375 Styles of Contemporary Philosophy
PHR378 Philosophy of Technology and Modern Culture

Choose one of the following:
PHR303 Ethics
PHR304 Environmental Ethics
PHR340 Christian Ethics

At least one course at the 400-level. Students considering graduate school are urged to do an independent project (PHR499).

Minor in Philosophy & Religious Thought

A minimum of 18 semester hours, at least 15 above the 100-level and nine above the 200-level, normally to include one course in ethics:
PHR303 Ethics
PHR 304 Environmental Ethics
PHR 340 Christian Ethics

PHR100 - Introduction to Philosophy and Religious Thought

Semester: Fall and Spring
Semester hours: 3
This course attempts to address the question "Does thinking about the meaning of one's life help us live better?" by studying a particular issue and some thought-provoking responses to it. The particular issue and texts will vary from year to year. Not open to juniors and seniors without instructor's permission.

PHR120 - Classic Texts in Western Thought

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
Intensive readings in primary texts crucial to the Western tradition. Students will read from such authors as Homer, the Bible, the Greek dramatists, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, Hobbes, Freud, and Nietzsche.

PHR205 - Logic

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 3
An introductory course in the principles and methods used to distinguish correct from incorrect reasoning. This course aims to help students think and read critically and to write argumentative papers. Both inductive and deductive logic will be studied.

PHR210 - Genres of Biblical Literature

Semester: Fall and Spring
Semester hours: 3
This course provides an investigation of one specific genre of Biblical literature. Students have recently studied Biblical narrative, Gospels, the Psalms and Paul.

PHR211 - Ancient Philosophy

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
This course introduces students to some great primary philosophical texts of the Western tradition, such as Plato's Republic, and provides them with an overview of philosophy during this early period of its development.

PHR212 - Modern Philosophy

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
Students examine a study of major philosophers, ideas, and movements in philosophy from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century. This course is a continuation of Greek and Early Christian Philosophy and will be similarly designed to promote a study of primary texts from
Descartes, Hume, Kant, and others, as well as to present an overview of the period from secondary sources.

PHR218 - Topics in Catholicism

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
This course explores the central principles of the Catholic religion. From year to year the course focuses on a different aspect of Catholicism. Topics covered might include the creation of basic beliefs in the first three centuries, issues in modern Catholic thinking, Catholics and the Bible, a history of the Church, or great figures in Catholicism.

PHR220 - Jesus

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
Students will look at both Biblical sources and modern literary and theological interpretations to answer the question "Who was, or is, Jesus?" Questions to be addressed include the quest for the "historical Jesus," classical and contemporary christology, and hermeneutics of Biblical texts.

PHR236 - Religions of The World

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 3
This course examines the central religious principles and ideas of major non-Christian religions. From year to year, the focus may be on different religions or areas of the world.

PHR303 - Ethics

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
A study relating ethics, as traditionally conceived in philosophy, to one or more current philosophical works in ethics. This course will provide students with a solid background in ethics from Plato to Nietzsche. A discussion of a contemporary work in ethics will introduce students to topics that may be covered in depth in later seminars.

PHR304 - Environmental Ethics

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
This course will address issues such as whether natural beings and the natural world have rights or whether only humans have rights. Students will determine what is ethically appropriate for humans in their relationship with the environment as well as what environmental ethics must take account of to be consequential in the world today.

PHR310 - Issues in Biblical Scholarship

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
This course provides an introduction to a current problem in Biblical study and scholarship. Examples of topics are apocalyptic literature; narrative studies; Biblical hermeneutics, text, and history; and Biblical theology. Where PHR210 concentrates on the Biblical texts themselves, PHR310 introduces students to the way contemporary scholars study the Bible.

PHR312 - Modern Philosophy

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
Students examine a study of major philosophers, ideas, and movements in philosophy from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century. This course is a continuation of PHR211 and will be similarly designed to promote a study of primary texts from Descartes, Hume, Kant, and others, as well as to present an overview of the period from secondary sources.

PHR317 - Archaeology and Philosophy of the Holy Land

Semester: Summer
Semester hours: 6
This course is designed for students participating in the Bethsaida Excavation and tour of selected sites in Israel. Students will engage in activities including excavating at the site; attending pottery reading, laboratory and evening lectures at the kibbutz; learning archaeological methodology; and
learning about kibbutz living on the Galilee. Students are also expected to participate in all guided group tours of important sites and museums in Israel.

PHR320 - Major Religious Figures

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
This course provides a study of the writings and the life of a major religious thinker in the Western tradition. Examples might be Luther, Augustine, or C. S. Lewis. In each case, students will relate the thinker to the general history of Judaeo-Christian thought. This course may be taken more than once.

PHR321 - Major Philosophical Figures

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 3
This course provides a study of the writings and, in some cases, the life of a major philosophical thinker in the Western tradition.

PHR330 - Movies, Morals, and Meaning

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 3
Analysis of several classic and modern films to understand their implications for ethics, religious meaning, and the nature of humanity. We will study films like The Maltese Falcon, Paths of Glory, The Godfather, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Jesus of Montreal.

PHR340 - Christian Ethics

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
How can a Christian make moral decisions? We will study the biblical basis for ethics, and several modern Christian ethicists to understand how they move from the beliefs of Christianity to recommendations for specific ethical action.

PHR362 - Theology and Christian Beliefs

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
What does it mean to believe in God? When we talk about God, are we talking about anything more than ourselves and our ideals and aspirations? This course investigates classical and modern Christian answers to this basic question.

PHR370 - Religion and Literature

Semester: Spring
Semester hours: 3
A study of religious issues, conflict, and hopes in modern literature. The works read will vary from year to year but will include such authors as Melville, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and John Updike. This course is cross listed with ENG 370.

PHR375 - Styles of Contemporary Philosophy

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
The 20th century is characterized by a plurality of philosophical styles such as postmodernism, phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics, deconstruction, analytic philosophy, pragmatism, and systematic philosophy. This course involves intensive study and critical evaluation of one or two of these styles.

PHR378 - Philosophy of Technology and Modern Culture

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
It is often a difficult task to understand one's own culture and age. Recent philosophical work offers profound insights into our age and places these insights within a much wider context.

PHR421 - Philosophy of Religion

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
This course provides an investigation of some of the crucial philosophical ideas about religion. Students will study such issues as the idea of God, the arguments for and against the existence of God, the idea of revelation, and the problem of religious language.

PHR450 - Internship

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 1-12
This course is a guided work experience in an already established place of business. The student must arrange the internship in agreement with the instructor and the office of career services. The internship should relate to the student's major or minor area of study. Contract is required.
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing

PHR460 - Issues in Contemporary Religious Thought

Semester: Fall
Semester hours: 3
This course provides an inquiry into major issues in current theology and new interpretations of basic religious ideas and texts. The specific content of this course will vary from year to year.

PHR483 - Senior Project

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 1-3
Students complete a senior project in consultation with a faculty member.

PHR490 - Seminar

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 2-3
Intensive study of a selected area or figure in philosophy or religion is explored.

PHR499 - Independent Study

Semester: On Demand
Semester hours: 1-3
This course allows a superior student to devise and pursue independent study in an area agreed upon in consultation with, and supervised by, a faculty member. Students should be either a major or minor and have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater.
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing