UnitLevel 3Undergraduate

ATS3611 A history of God

Faculty of Arts

ATS3611 A history of God is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2027 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2027
Semester 1
Clayton
Assessment
No exam
5 tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

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Requisites

Before ATS3611

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

After ATS3611

No unit lists ATS3611 as a prerequisite in the 2027 handbook.

Enrolment rules

Prohibition: ATS2611

Prerequisite: Twelve credit points of second-year Arts units.

Overview

Yahweh, Jesus, Allah. Where did God get started? How has the idea changed over time? What is the meaning of the famous statement “God is dead”? This unit explores the way God has been imagined in a variety of religious and mystical traditions in different times and places. Focusing on the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and comparing and contrasting them with the Eastern traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, it analyses the historical development of theological, philosophical and mystical conceptions of the divine. Tracing the story of God from Antiquity through the Middle Ages and into Modernity, the unit considers how understandings of God have transformed, and been transformed by, society. Closing with contemporary critical approaches to the relationship between science and faith, we examine recent challenges posed by the Enlightenment, secularism, feminism, and the Holocaust.

Offerings in 2027

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterClaytonOn campus

Assessment

  • Primary source analysis 1Exercise
    10%
  • Primary source analysis 2Exercise
    10%
  • Oral presentationPresentation
    10%
  • Research EssayWritten
    35%
  • Take home final testQuiz / Test
    35%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Discuss and analyse the major conceptions of God in the world’s major religious traditions, with an emphasis on the three monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam;

  2. 2

    Explain the major developments and phases of the individual traditions and the continuities and ruptures that characterise them;

  3. 3

    Identify and critically analyse the key figures and core primary texts of the monotheistic traditions;

  4. 4

    Reflect upon the challenge of modernity and its impact on secular and religious conceptions of ultimate reality. change to reflect upon or assess depending on how you are planning to assess this item.

Workload and teaching

  • Workshops36 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Where it fits

ATS3611 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2027 handbook.

Contacts

Chief Examiners
Dr Nathan Wolski
Unit Coordinators
Dr Nathan Wolski

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for ATS3611?

ATS3611 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

When is ATS3611 offered?

In 2027, ATS3611 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.

How much work is ATS3611?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does ATS3611 have an exam?

No. ATS3611 has 5 assessment tasks and no exam.

Which majors and minors include ATS3611?

ATS3611 is part of History and Jewish studies.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
3
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Arts
Organisational unit
Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 4
Study abroad
Available