This course is designed to be the final culminating class experience for undergraduate Religion majors at Temple. The topic of the course is: “Theories of Religion and Secularism.” The course first will consider the history of the terminology, ideology, and underlying theories about religion and those concepts that religion has been defined against from ancient times to the present, but mainly concentrating on modern western discourses, which are those that have primarily informed the prevailing definitions. Second, we will consider various theories currently challenging or seeking to modify this received tradition of religious studies. In doing this, we will also consider the relations of the field of religious studies with other academic fields as well as with current public discourses, especially those in our country, but also to some extent those in the rest of the world. Note: Capstone course in major. Starting fall 2009 the Capstone will be offered both fall and spring semesters. Students must have completed at least 5 major courses prior to taking this course.