SCHC 426 H01 28428

Humanities, HistoryCiv, GHS

Notes:

**Course fulfills non-US History requirement. No prerequisites. Open to all majors.**God and Nature examines the place of the natural world in religious thought from antiquity to the modern era. It compares Jewish and Christian attitudes to nature in a variety of contexts. Among the topics we study are the relationship between theology and science; approaches to magic; the role of medicine; the place of astronomy and astrology in religion; and the popularization of scientific knowledge. The course also considers the impact that religious institutions such as monasteries, and religious practices such as sacrifices, have on landscapes and economy. We will explore the historical background to issues with contemporary relevance such as the stances Judaism and Christianity have taken on animal cruelty and environmental protection. Questions we consider include the following: Have religions historically acted as forces of exploitation or conservation? How do historical changes—political, ecological, intellectual—alter the way religious thinkers and believers address these issues?