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Religous Studies Course Descriptions
RS 5102 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
A critical survey of selected major figures in the history of Western philosophy, from Plato to Popper by concentrating on their ideas and arguments.
RS 5106 HISTORY OF INDIAN THOUGHT
A critical survey of various themes of Indian thought, including both Astika and Nastika with the emphasis on the concepts of Atman, Brahman, Maya, Karma, Dharma, Samsaravatta and Moksha, theory of knowledge, and ethics.
RS 5107 HISTORY OF CHINESE THOUGHT
A critical survey of Chinese thought from the ancient period to the present time with the emphasis on the ideas of Confucius, Lao Zi, Sun Zi, Zhuang Zi, Han Fei Zi, Neo-Confucianism, Neo-Taoism, Mao Ze Tung and others.
RS 5505 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A study of the structure of a philosophical/religious research with the emphasis on both theory and practice. All steps of writing a research including argumentation, composing, strategies and tactics for writing, and ways to read and criticize a philosopher/religious scholar are included.
RS 6202 PROCESS STUDIES
A seminar in basic ideas and principal categories of process thought about God, nature as a whole, persons and things. Discussion of the ideas of selected major figures from Heraclitus to Whitehead and Hartshorne in comparison with the Buddhist doctrines.
RS 6205 PHILOSOPHY OF CULTURE AND HUMAN NATURE
A study of the comparison and contrast of ideas from Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Kant, Nietzsche and other scholars on contrastive themes such as nature and convention, determinism and freedom, solitude and community, individuals and states, the moral and the legal, traditions and human beings.
RS 6303 HERMENEUTICS
A study of the understanding and interpretation of meaning, historical and critical analysis of the theory of interpretation from regional hermeneutics to post-critical hermeneutics and reader-response theory.
RS 6405 PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
A study of the nature of the social science with the emphasis on the epistemic status of theories in the social science and the understanding of the relationship between self and others based on multiculturalism.
RS 7005 WORLD RELIGIONS
A study of the world major religions through their canonical texts, dogmas, core concepts, devotional practices, and historical development.
RS 7206 APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF RELIGION
A study of a comprehensive range of views, concepts, theories, methodologies, and data identified with the field of religious studies in terms of sociology, anthropology, psychology, theology, phenomenology, and philosophy.
RS 7503 INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
A study of the nature of interfaith dialogue and some certain ways it is practically conducted today, both on the national and international level, including the local level.
RS 7504 SPIRITUALITY
A study of major developments in spirituality in historical context with the emphasis on the themes of prayers, offerings, sacrifices, rituals, ecological concerns, differences between men’s and women’s spirituality, and issues arising in the contemporary world.
RS 8001 BUDDHISM
A study of the origin and development of Early Buddhism in India, its transition and development into the Later Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism in different forms and countries, Buddhist councils, principal schools and sects, Buddhist literature, Buddhist doctrines and meditation, Buddhism and Inter-religious dialogue and Buddhism in the modern world.
RS 8002 CHRISTIANITY
A study of the origin and development of Christianity in historical context, with the emphasis on creed, code, cult, and community. The scriptures, tradition, contemporary Christian life, history of Christianity in the Thai society and roles of the Christians in Thailand are also included.
RS 8003 ISLAM
An introduction to Islam with the emphasis on religious practices and doctrines in historical context, creed, code, cult, and community, together with the reading of religious texts in translation.
RS 8004 HINDUISM
A study of Hinduism with the emphasis on religious practices, philosophy, and the major concepts in the Hindu tradition.
RS 8005 CONFUCIANISM AND TAOISM
An inquiry into the two major religious traditions in China with the emphasis on core concepts, practices, virtues, and proper ways of life, including the comparison of Confucianism and Taoism.
RS 8006 ZEN AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES
A comparative study of Zen Buddhism along with different schools of religion and philosophy, such as Zen and Theravada, Vaibhasika, Suatrantika, Zen and Mahayana schools of Yogacara, Madhyamika, Vajjaranana, Mantarayana, Cakkrayana, Zen and Taoism, Zen and Psycho-analysis, Zen and Existentialism, Zen and Process Philosophy, Zen and Nietzsche, Zen and Heidegger on the concepts of being and nothingness, etc.
RS 8041 CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT
A study of aspects of Catholic social doctrine which relate to matters dealing with the collective aspect of humanity from Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical letter Rerum Novarum to contemporary encyclicals and other official documents of the Catholic social teaching tradition.
RS 8107 THERAVADA AND MAHAYANA
A comparative study of the origin and development of Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism with special reference to the main doctrines of both schools such as the Five Aggregates (pancakhandhas), the Three Common Characteristics (tilakkhana), the Doctrine of Karma & Rebirth, the Doctrine of Dependent Co-origination (paticcasamuppada), the Fourfold Noble Truth (caturarisaccas), the Eightfold Noble Path, the Doctrine of Buddhology (atthanghikamagga), Cosmology, Vinnana/Alyavijnana, Sunyata/Tathata, Trikayas, Bodisattvas/Bodhisattas, Meditation/ Ways of Liberation, Nibbana/Nirvana.
RS 8108 CATHOLICISM AND PROTESTANTISM
A comparative study of the origin and development of Catholicism and Protestantism in the Christian Church with the emphasis on the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to deal with the Protestant Reformation with particular attention to the Council of Trent, including the interfaith dialogue between the two churches in the contemporary world.
RS 8109 ECUMENICAL COUNCILS
A study of ecumenical councils in the historical and theological context of Roman Catholicism with the emphasis on the Second Vatican Council and its spirituality in a non-Catholic country like Thailand.
RS 8110 CHRISTIAN TRADITION
A study of the meaning, formation and task of Christian tradition including the Church’s evangelization, mission, catechesis and sacramental practice in the post-modern world and in the non-Catholic culture like Thailand.
RS 8211 MUSLIM THEOLOGY
An inquiry into the practice of Muslim theology in the historical context with the emphasis on its foundation, task, doctrine and purpose.
RS 8212 TRIPITAKA STUDIES
A critical study of the origin and development of the Theravada Buddhist Tripitaka in general, the history of Thai Tripitaka in particular, including how to access the Computer Tripitaka (BUDSIR) in order to understand the structure, the divisional system, and the main points of the texts in different versions, such as Pali Romanized version, Pali Thai version, and the Sanskrit version. A special topic in the Tripitaka must be discussed in depth and presented as a term-report.
RS 8213 THE BIBLE STUDIES
An inquiry into religious/theological concepts, beliefs, experiences, and practices in the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament together with the reading of the scriptures in translation.
RS 8214 THE KORAN STUDIES
A study of religious/theological concepts, beliefs, experiences and practices in the Koran scriptures together with the reading of the Scriptures in translation.
RS 8215 BHAGAVAD – GITA STUDIES
A study of religious /theological concepts, beliefs, experiences and practices in the Bhagavad-Gita Studies together with the reading of the Scriptures in translation.
RS 8216 TAO TE CHING STUDIES
A study of religious/philosophical concepts, beliefs, experiences, practices in Tao Te Ching together with the reading of the texts in translation.
RS 8217 THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS STUDIES
A study of religious/philosophical concepts, beliefs, experiences, and practices in the Confucian Analects together with the reading of the texts in translation.
RS 8218 THERAVADA ABHIDHAMMA
A critical study of the origin and development of Abhidhamma, its structure and contents centered on the main concepts such as consciousness (citta), mental concomitants (cetasikas), matter (rupa) and Nibbana in comparison to the modern psychological theories such as cognition, personality, etc., from the seven books of Abhidhamma such as the Dhammasanghani, Vibhangha, Patthana, etc., and from its commentaries such as Abhidhammatthasangaha of Anuruddhacariya, Abhidhammaghosa of Vasubhandhu.
RS 8219 FEMINISM AND RELIGION
A study of religious doctrines in light of the feminist critique with the emphasis on feminist hermeneutics and feminist ideology.
RS 8220 MORAL THEOLOGY
A study of Catholic moral theology in the historical context including the discussion of efforts and developments throughout the history of the Church with the emphasis on the relationship between actions, laws, and virtues.
RS 8221 LIBERATION THEOLOGY
An inquiry into the origin, development and critique of liberation theology together with the reading of the work of Gutierrez, Segundo, Sobrino, Azevedo, and other major figures.
RS 8222 PROCESS THEOLOGY
A study of the origin, development and main themes of process theology together with the reading of the work of Whitehead, Hartshorne, John Cobb, and other major figures.
RS 8223 SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
An inquiry into how the faith hangs together and how it all makes a satisfactory design that is an inspiration to live by together with the reading of the work of Han Urs von Balthasar, Jurgen Moltmann, Karl Rahner, Edward Schillebeeckx, Hans Kung, and other major theologians.
RS 8224 THAI BUDDHISM
A critical survey and study of the origin and development of Buddhist thought in Thailand from the Sukhothai period up to the present time with the emphasis on practices, doctrines, ethics, rituals, and communities of both lay persons and monks in the Thai context, the relationship between Thai Buddhism and Thai Politics together with the reading of the work of King Ruang, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Phra Dhammapidok (P.A. Payutto), and other major figures.
RS 8325 NARRATIVE THEOLOGY
A study of the origin, development and main themes of narrative theology and discussion on how Christian faith is considered as both lived and told narratives. With the emphasis on the Story, our story, and my and your story together with the reading of the work of Hans Frei, George Lindbeck, David Tracy, Paul Ricoeur, James McClendon, and others.
RS 8326 BUDDHIST HERMENEUTICS
An analytical and critical study of the Buddhist Pali Tripitaka and its commentaries such as the Nettipakarana, Petakopadesa, Visudhimagga, Milindapanha, etc., and of the Sanskrit treatises of different schools of Mahayana Buddhism, such as Tantarayana, etc., in order to explore the Buddhist way of scriptural interpretations in comparison to the Western Hermeneutics.
RS 8427 BUDDHIST ETHICS
A critical study of the meaning and significance of the terms morality (siladhamma) , ethical principle (cariyadhamma) and ethics, the fundamental problems in the Buddhist ethics, the Buddhist Dhamma-constitution of life, the Buddhist ethical codes for lay people (gihipatipatti), the three classifications of Buddhist ethical principles, namely, the ordinary , the intermediate and the high level with special reference to the five and eight precepts (pancasilas and atthasilas), the ten kusalakammapadas, and the Eightfold Noble Path (atthangikamagga).
RS 8428 RELIGION AND SCIENCE
An inquiry into the interaction between science and religion and discussion of the ways science and religion are understood to relate with the emphasis on the evolving dialogue and prospects for the future of the dialogue.
RS 8429 RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE
A critical survey along history of religious language, from the ancient times to the present, emphasizing on the 20th century main theories and controversies: cognitivity, meaningfulness and sense, metaphor, symbol, analogy, and narrative.
RS 8430 RELIGION AND LIFE
A focus on issues in personal and social life from the religious point of view including current concerns in bioethics such as human cloning, war and peace issue, human sexual affairs, social discrimination, social injustice and animal rights.
RS 8431 RELIGION AND PERSONALITY
A study of the psychological foundations in human development and the religious evolution during the life cycle together with the reading of the work of Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg, Fowler, and other figures.
RS 8432 SELECTED RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS
A study of selected ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary religious scholars including both Eastern and Western sages.
RS 8433 SELECTED RELIGIOUS TEXTS
Selected readings in either Eastern or Western religious texts, or both.
RS 8434 SELECTED RELIGIOUS TOPICS
A study of selected topics in any religion.
RS 8535 MYSTICISM
A survey of mysticism from the writings of Eastern and Western scholars with the focus on mystical doctrines and practices from both Western and Eastern traditions.
RS 8536 BUDDHIST MEDITATION
A critical study of Tranquility (samatha) and Insight Meditation (vipassana) theoretically and practically both in Theravada and Mahayana schools. A special emphasis is placed on the different schools of Theravada Buddhist meditation in different countries especially in Thailand. A special retreat is recommended as compulsory.
RS 8537 LITURGY AND CULTURE
An inquiry into theological, historical, and cultural considerations on the development of both Eastern and Western liturgical traditions with the emphasis on public worship, symbols, and rituals.
RS 9201 CURRENT RESEARCH IN CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES
A study of ethical principles and their application to selected moral issues from various kinds of contemporary human activity. Highly active participation and good paper(s) expected.
RS 9305 CURRENT RESEARCH IN CONTEMPORARYRELIGIOUS THOUGHT
A study of contemporary religious thought from both Eastern and Western major figures. Highly active participation and good paper(s) expected.
RS 9306 CURRENT RESEARCH IN SCRIPTURE
A study of different passages from various scriptures from both Eastern and Western religions with classical and contemporary methodologies. Highly active participation and good paper(s) expected.
RS 9404 CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
A study of the certain topics in philosophy of religion profoundly, critically and creatively from various texts and journals. Highly active participation and good paper(s) expected.
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