Rutgers Courses on ReligionAndPublicLife.org

Religion & Law examines the origins and developments of religious liberty in the United States from the colonial and founding periods to the present day. Attention is given to the historical and legal foundations that currently govern the relationship of religion and the state; that define “free exercise” protections for people of all religions and none; that set limitations on the state from “establishing” or privileging a religion; and provides a civic framework for people to self-govern one of the most religiously diverse societies in the world.

Introduction to Religion & Contemporary Culture is an online multimedia course offered by Rutgers University (50:840:318). The curriculum draws upon the work of Liz Kineke, an award-winning journalist and television producer of the CBS Religion & Culture series. We will explore ten of her thirty-minute documentaries that illustrate how faith and religion relate to racism, white supremacy, climate change, immigration, and cultural heritage, among other timely issues. We will apply theories of religious literacy and religious identity development to these multimedia case studies. We will give special attention to the societal impacts of religious demographic changes. Case studies will demonstrate how the internal workings of religious organizations change and adapt to societal pressures, just as much as religious communities and their leaders influence culture.

Happiness is a multidisciplinary exploration of human flourishing. The course draws from the academic study of happiness as explored in the humanities, specifically psychology, philosophy, religious studies, cultural studies, history, and law. The course surveys empirical research in the sciences, such as positive psychology, neuroscience, and biology. The content of what is studied mirrors how it is taught by drawing upon teaching methods used in resiliency education. Ultimately, the course is a study of how humans organize themselves, their internal lives, their relationships, and their environments—communally and globally.

HLTH 300 Religion & Health is a semester-long course offered jointly through the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Philosophy and Religion in the College of Arts and Sciences. Teaching Assistants from the Honors College receive experiential learning credit.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 was born in response to the genocide of over six million Jews in Nazi Germany. And yet, its values were conceived hundreds of years prior by religious communities that, in their own geographic and cultural contexts, advocated for protections for human’s inalienable rights.

Throughout the world, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions formed in response to political unrest, racial segregation, war, and genocide. They have become one of the most effective geopolitical tools for local communities to create cultures of resilience. And yet, the process is not perfect and can come with unintended consequences. For instance, organizers in South Africa provided a public space for perpetrators of racial violence to receive amnesty in exchange for revealing the truth about their participation in the apartheid state. Supporters of the model say the commissions resulted in a deeper level of justice than a vengeful system could provide. Critics argue that it unduly rewarded oppressors, leaving populations that truly need redemption out of the process. In this cross-national course, learners apply theories of restorative justice to the study of truth commissions that formed throughout the world, with attention to South Africa, Rwanda, Bosnia, New York City, and Philadelphia. Overall, we will ask: how will future generations use their power to reimagine justice, seek truth, and repair the broken?