REL 354 - Bible, Race, and Empire

This course focuses on the role of biblical texts as deployed to support and/or resist the racialized colonial projects of “Western” empires. We will consider the literary and historical features of various biblical texts alongside historical analysis of biblical reception in colonial societies. To aid our exploration, we will chart the contemporary contours of research into race/racialization. We will ask, “What are the roles of biblical texts in the racialized realities of ‘Western’ colonial projects?” We will find that biblical texts are malleable traditions-able to empower both imperial racialized projects and localized forms of resistance.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): REL 141, REL 151, REL 152, or REL 215
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Cross-listing(s): CRES 324
Not offered: 2024-25
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.