This course will investigate the roles children play in some of the world's major religious traditions and how those traditions construct their concepts of childhood. From child disciples to child martyrs, from the miraculous childhoods of religious founders to the rites marking childhood's end, and from divine commandments involving fertility to those mandating celibacy, we will explore a wide range of different religions' teachings about children and childhood. We will combine primary and secondary sources including written texts, movies/video, and web-based content in order to learn more about the complex relationships between children and the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
Course Attributes: EN H; BU IS; AS HUM; AS LCD