RELS 206 Jerusalem: Holy City

This course will survey the cultural history of Jerusalem over three millennia, primarily as the symbolic focus of three faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students will examine the transformation of sacred space as reflected by literary and archaeological evidence (studying artifacts, architectural monuments, and iconography in relation to written sources). Students will also examine the creation of mythic Jerusalem through event and experience. By the end of the course, students will better understand the historical roots of modern political and religious conflict in Jerusalem and Israel