RELIGN M50
Origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Description: (Same as Ancient Near East M50B and Middle Eastern Studies M50B.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Examination of three major monotheisms of Western cultures--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--historically and comparatively. Development, teachings, and ritual practices of each tradition up to and including medieval period. Composition and development of various sacred texts, highlighting key themes and ideas within different historical and literary strata of traditions, such as mechanisms of revelation, struggle for religious authority, and common theological issues such as origin of evil and status of nonbelievers. Letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2025 - This class is not an easy A, especially if you don’t have a background in religion. Professor Bakhos is a good lecturer—she clearly knows her material and is passionate about what she’s teaching. That being said, I sense that she doesn’t seem to manage time very well. She spent a lot of time on the early religions but rushed through the later ones because we were running out of class time. The amount of reading assigned was too much, and that made it unclear what was important or what to focus on. Fortunately, the tests were reasonable and straightforward. The only downside is that (as far as I know) there was no answer key, so your grade depends heavily on your TA. I wouldn’t recommend this class if you’re looking for something easy or low-effort. But if you’re genuinely interested in the topic and don’t mind putting in the work, it’s worth taking.
Winter 2025 - This class is not an easy A, especially if you don’t have a background in religion. Professor Bakhos is a good lecturer—she clearly knows her material and is passionate about what she’s teaching. That being said, I sense that she doesn’t seem to manage time very well. She spent a lot of time on the early religions but rushed through the later ones because we were running out of class time. The amount of reading assigned was too much, and that made it unclear what was important or what to focus on. Fortunately, the tests were reasonable and straightforward. The only downside is that (as far as I know) there was no answer key, so your grade depends heavily on your TA. I wouldn’t recommend this class if you’re looking for something easy or low-effort. But if you’re genuinely interested in the topic and don’t mind putting in the work, it’s worth taking.
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