Christianity, Islam & Judaism in the Spanish Context (in English)

Course Description
This class focuses on the role of the three main monotheistic religions in Spanish history, from
Antiquity to Modern-Day Spain. Discussion will focus on the role of Catholicism and other
religions in a Democratic Spain, in interaction with the growing population of Muslim
immigrants, Jewish communities, and the establishment of Churches of various denominations
around the country.

Course Goals and Methodology
Students will come prepared to class, after working with the assigned pages from the readings,
primary sources, key questions, and other material supplied by the instructor. The course will
include classroom sessions and excursions to sites related to the material covered, in Seville
and out of town.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to understand the cultural and
historical meaning of religion(s) within the Spanish historical context; as well to interpret
religious traditions by examining religion(s) as historical, social, and cultural phenomena.
Furthermore, each student should be able to understand and interpret the subjective
dimensions of religion(s) through analyses that explore the psychological, philosophical, and
cognitive dynamics of religion and religious experience. And finally, to recognize the historical
evolution and influence of religion and religions in today’s world.

Course Contents
1. Introduction to the course: Religion and Religions in Spanish History.
2. Paganism, Monotheism and Heresy in Roman Hispania.
3. Visigothic Hispania
4. Al-Andalus I. Arabization and Islamization
5. Al-Andalus II. The Caliphate of Córdoba
6. Al-Andalus III. Faith and Reason: Aristotle, Averroes & St Thomas of Aquinas
7. Medieval Christian Iberia I. Political divisions and religious unity.
8. Medieval Christian Iberia II. Reconquest and Ideology.
9. The Catholic Monarchs.
10. The Expulsion and Diaspora of Sephardic Jews and Moriscos.
11. The Age of Reforms.
12. Enlightenment and Liberalism. The Constitution of 1876: Limited Religious Freedom
and the Return of the Jews
13. The 'Religious Question' during the II Republic and the Spanish Civil War.
14. From National Catholicism to the Non-Confessional State: Francoism and the
Transition to Democracy.
15. Religion(s) and religiosity in Spain today

Class Schedule
Week 1
- Introduction. Ancient religions and monotheism. The arrival of Judaism and Christianity to the
Iberian Peninsula during the period of Roman rule.
- The rise of Christianity to state religion in the Empire.
Week 2
- Arrival and settlement of Islam in the Iberian Peninsula.
- Rupture or continuity? Christians and Jews under Islamic rule
Week 3
- Who were the Andalusians? Arabization and Islamization.
- Al-Andalus, an Islamic society. The city in al-Andalus.
Week 4
- Knowledge and cultural exchanges in medieval Iberia.
- The peninsula as a cultural bridge between East and West.
Week 5.
- Christian Iberia during the Middle Ages.
- Christian society. Feudalism.
Week 6
- Jews and Muslims in medieval Christian Iberia
- From acceptance to rejection. The 14th century, the breakdown of coexistence between
religions. Anti-Judaism. 
Week 7
- Modern Spain (16th-17th centuries).
- Society in the modern age. "New Christians" versus "old Christians." Purity of blood as a
social regulator.
Week 8
- The converso and Moorish problem.
- The Protestant Reformation in Spain.
- The Spanish Inquisition (or New Inquisition).
Week 9
- The expulsion of the Spanish Jews.
- The Sephardic Diaspora.
Week 10
- The Morisco century (1502-1610): Who were the Moriscos? Evangelization and
Christianization. Repression and expulsion
- Resistance. The diaspora of the Moriscos.
Week 11
- The Golden Age.
- Church-State relations, 18th-19th centuries.
Week 12.
- The 20th century. End of the colonial wars. The civil war: "The Moors brought by Franco".
- General Franco's dictatorship: "anti-Semitism without Jews" and "the Spanish-Arab
brotherhood".
Week 13
- Student presentations
Final Exam (TBA)
*This syllabus is subject to change.