He is a really nice guy. You read a lot of random things, but you only have three papers and the midterm and final. As long as you pay attention this this class you will do well.

He's a really quality guy. He makes theology fun, and doesn't take himself too seriously, which is a welcome change from the rest of the Jesuits teaching theo here. A lot of short readings which he explains really well in class. If you don't mess around, you'll be better than fine.

You don't have to read the book, just come and take notes in class. He's a nice guy and is interesting - the time passes fast.

Professor Ray is amazing. He is a funny guy, who makes class really interesting and engaging. He requires a lot of reading, but you could not do it and he still explains it all, incredibly well, in class. He is an easy and fair grader.

Amazing professor. Clear, entertaining, understanding, and just plain nice. Although I'm expecting a C that's only because I didn't bother doing the first paper/never really talked in class etc. If you actually do your papers and come to class, you'll definitely get at LEAST a B.

Very smart and it makes him intimidating in class, but he spoon feeds you the important stuff in class and grades fairly easy for how demanding he is in discussions

He's a great teacher, nuff said.

awesome professor, knows so much about the topic and explains things really well. The time passes incredibly fast because he is funny and very engaging. As long as you read the printouts and make an effort on the papers and test you will easily get an A. He expects a lot out of discussion and sometimes calls on you randomly

my favorite teacher, hes nice, helpful, and interesting. if you do the readings and listen in class you will do well. take his class!

I really like Professor Ray - very interesting. He makes discussions easy to listen to and although sometimes makes you participate, it is a fun class. There are short readings for every class, 3 very short easily graded papers and a midterm and final. do the readings and write down stuff on the board. Take his class!

I ADORE HIM! He is such an incredible teacher. Sometimes it is hard to concentrate because he is so hot. But, you have to be interested in the topic and also be prepared to be called on and possibly humiliated. Nevertheless, he is an amazing professor and you will learn a ton.

Class is moderately interesting. You don't have to do any reading, but make sure you bring the texts to class. When he says get started early on the research paper, he means it. Once it hits November, he's not gonna help you (and you will need it) unless you have your research mostly done already. Not the best class, but a decent 2nd Theology.

Midterm and final exam and two 5 page papers. The lectures are really interesting but he talks extremely fast, definitely need a computer for class notes. There's a lot of reading but it's not entirely necessary to do

One of the best teachers I've had at Georgetown. He's smart and constantly makes you think. Don't take if you dont like class discussion, since that's most of the course, but if you are, you'll thrive in the environment. Ray is nice, engaging, a fair grader, and cares about students. Reading passages are very interesting though main book is boring.

Amazing class, very hard though, I learneda ton, but definitely worked for my grade, would definitely reccomend

I took his Jews and Judaism in the World of Islam class. He's an exceptional teacher, insightful and knowledgeable!

Really good professor, especially for Problem of God. He really presses you to question your own prejudices, which was great.

Took Jews Under Islam, grad course at BHI at Towson. I agree with most of above comments that he is a very good teacher but impatient with students who haven't done the reading or don't make an effort. He is very good at pushing you to get think but despite riding students in class, I thought he graded fairly. Found the material fascinating.

Really great professor, one of the best I've had at Georgetown. Digs deep into the texts. Make sure you do all/most of the readings, because a portion of the class period is interactive. Overall, grading wasn't bad at all.

Incredible professor. He is brilliant. make sure to be careful with the readings because he asks you to get pretty deep with them. not the easiest class (judaism in america) but so worth it. easy b+, great professor

(Jews and Modernity). Professor really knows what he is talking about. Class is interesting. Papers were graded by a TA. I think it is relatively easy to get a B but not an A. Heavy reading class.

awesome professor. his lectures are fascinating and very clear. didn't know about nor have much interest in learning about judaism in america prior to attending to the class, but it ended up being my favorite class this semester. he expects you to get deep with the readings, but he is very helpful and makes himself available. definitely recommend.

Not a bad lecturer. We never used the textbook. Tests were really straight forward and based on lectures and short readings we did for each class.

Class got repetitive, but he's a great lecturer and leads great discussions as well. Workload was almost all reading. 2 short papers, midterm, final. Graded fairly.

Judaism in America. He's demanding and pretty intimidating. Prefers girls, without a doubt. However, excellent lecturer and interesting material. work load isn't bad, two papers (5pgs) and a midterm/final. Just do the readings, they're not bad

JayRay is the best! Straightforward and helpful. His lectures are entertaining and the readings are relevant, though it's not necessary to do all of them. Judaism in America has a manageable workload, and is a good way to fill the theology requirement with more history than theology. My favorite class this semester!

Professor Ray was awesome for Problem of God!!! The class is discussion based, which lead to a lot of interesting topics coming up. It's possible to skip the readings before coming to the class, but knowledge of them is crucial for the tests. Make sure to write down what he says in class since he highlights the important parts. Definitely take him!

Good professor for POG. He makes the topics pretty complex for POG, but you learn a lot. Readings definitely help but aren't necessary all the time for class. They are for tests. Can only miss 3 classes - by the books guy. Nevertheless, a very nice guy who's willing to help. Decent choice for POG. Taking another class with him

Nice guy. Class isn't so exciting.

Good teacher. Takes some time to appreciate but after a month or so started to really like him.

This is an amazing professor. There was only two five page essays and a midterm and a final but it was a great class. His lectures are funny and interesting. Take for sure!

Professor Ray is incredible and so smart. I took Jews and Judaism in Islam to fill a requirement, but I ended up loving the class. He is a very engaging lecturer, and I enjoyed every class. Take him!!

Jonathan Ray is a savage, but a well-intentioned savage. He may seem intimidating, but he genuinely wants the best for his students. Go to office hours and you'll make it.

Took for Judaism and Modernity. Prof. Ray was an engaging (and funny) lecturer in class and has extensive knowledge of his field. Never went to office hours. 2 papers about 6 pages in length, but not very difficult to write.

Professor Ray is one of the greatest lecturers I have ever had. He knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Judaism and cannot be stumped by any question, even if its not pertinent to the material for the day. You need to do the readings and participate in class to be liked, but the grading on tests and papers is clear and fair.

Couldn't recommend more highly! Such a nice, funny, and knowledgable guy. Make sure you print out the necessary materials, but reading everything isn't mandatory and assignments are straight forward.

Professor Ray is a master of his field, allowing students to develop a deep understanding of Judaism no matter their level of religiosity or affiliations.

I really loved Professor Ray for the Liberal Arts Seminar. He doesn't usually grade the papers (the TA does), but he is very knowledge about Judaism and the material he taught was incredibly interesting.

Professor Ray is a Master Teacher. Fully organized. Perfectly prepared. A brilliant lectureron top of his subject, stimulating and entertaining. His own writing, accessible and interesting.

Interesting guy and bold for teaching controversial topics in his "Jews and Judaism in the Islamic World" class. Learned a ton and JRay was objective for the most part, but definitely felt some of the biases in the beginning part of the course, especially regarding the advent of Islam.

I had Professor Ray for my Liberal Arts Seminar. He is very knowledgeable, approachable, and helpful. I would absolutely recommend a class with him.

Really great professor who can answer any question that you ask. Four short papers, along with a midterm and final that are pretty straightforward. Would definitely recommend taking his class for Problem of God. I learned so much,.

One of the best professors I have ever had. I would take his class again in a heartbeat. To be prepared for class you have to read most of the time. Amazing lecturer, and class participation does matter if you want an A.

One of the best classes I've taken at Georgetown

Gave super great lectures. Taught alongside another professor I didn't enjoy as much. He was always prepared and gave us readings that were intentional. A harsh grader, but quite accessible outside of class and always willing to help.

Ray is not an easy grader at all, but I learned a lot about Judaism in his class. Truly, he's one of the world's experts on the subject and he teaches you how to read a primary source document like no other professor I've had at Georgetown. Go to office hours though, and don't leave your papers to the last minute.

Professor Ray is fantastic. I learned so much in this class and to be honest it's probably the best one I've taken at Georgetown so far. The readings are sometimes a bit long but mostly reasonable and always interesting. Two fairly graded papers and midterms. If you wanna learn about Judaism from the best, take Ray!

Prof. Ray is awesome. You have to read and he will call you out if you don't, but it's worth it. You will learn a TON. Only a few assignments, so start them early and work hard. Participation really matters. NOT an easy A, but worth all the work!!!

Professor Ray is an amazing lecturer but this man can TALK. We only had to write two papers for his class which was very manageable. You need to do the readings to participate in class, but they are almost always less than 10 pages. He will however get very mad if you obviously didn't do the reading. His feedback on papers was great.

Love this man. Brilliant, friendly, and a world-class lecturer. Not like some of the other Problem of God classes where its a free A but if you stick it out, you'll learn a lot and have a great time.

Very smart man, lectures and readings were very interesting, learned a lot. Background knowledge of monotheistic religions definitely helped, but not required. Ended up not doing the background readings, didn't find them useful. 3 short papers, one midterm, one final exam. Easy grader on the papers.

Ray is brilliant and the class was genuinely engaging and interesting, even for people who aren't well-versed in the history initially. Most of class is lecture, then discussing readings which you have to prepare for each class, so decent workload but not very difficult. He gets mad if/when no one participates. Definitely take if you want to learn.

Professor Ray is a good choice for Problem of God. His lectures were interesting despite my limited interest in the subject. 4 very short papers, midterm, final, and mandatory attendance/participation. Easy grader on the papers but most of the grade is the midterm and final.

I love this man. Second class taken with him. Content was very interesting - much of the class had a background understanding of Judaism, but he understands if you don't. Go to class and do the readings so you can engage. The topics are interesting ad there is a lot of freedom on the paper topics. Great class.

Don't need to do all of the reading, but textbook could be useful if you don't have a background in Judaism. Care a little bit and you will be fine. Two short papers, midterm and final.

His classes are divided into two parts: his lecture on the background readings and a discussion on the historical texts. He knows a lot about what he teaches and gives engaging lectures. He is caring and helpful. However, you must do all the readings to succeed in class, and they can be tough for those who don't have prior knowledge about Judaism.

very tough grader but such a rewarding class. super tough to learn his wanted format and criteria for papers, but the content and lecture style is unmatched. a must-take professor!

Ray is an incredible lecturer. He is engaging, knowledgeable, clear, and the readings were really interesting. Only complaint is the grading. Midterm + Final is 70% of the grade + grades not posted to Canvas. Nothing is graded very harshly, though. Participation does matter if you want to get the most out of the class. Highly recommend for POG!

Professor Ray is not only one of the most accomplished professors at Georgetown but is an unforgettable professor. This class was small and very engaging (so do your reading!!!). All the course material was extremely interesting and Professor Ray does a great job at bringing it to life in class. could not recommend more.

Professor Ray was excellent. His lectures were great! We had four papers, a midterm, and a final take-home exam. The papers were a max of 750 words. Follow the directions and you'll be fine (make sure to analyze, and not summarize). The midterm was easy if you pay attention to the key words he puts on the board. Fair grader.

Professor Ray knows the material well, and you just need to listen to his lectures carefully to do well on the exams. Pay attention to the vocab terms, participate in class, and analyze the sources critically to succeed.

I had an awesome time taking Professor Ray's Problem of God class last fall. Excellent lecturer and engaging. We did have readings to do but nothing heavy, it was all pretty short. We had a midterm, a final, and a paper or two, but as long as you attend class (he doesn't have slides) and do the readings, you'll do great.

Prof Ray is incredible!! Definitely take him if you get the chance. Lectures were engaging, and for a big class he made sure everyone participated. His lectures are from his vast knowledge, without slides, and there is an average amount of reading. Grading was fair and he was accessible outside of class. Amazing class and prof!!!!!

History of Antisemitism was an incredible class. The professor does a great job eliciting class participation, breaking down complex concepts, and finding interesting readings. The background readings are heavy, but you could get by without doing them. Check in with him before writing your papers. Unbiased and meaningful content.

For someone without an interest in history I still found History of Antisemitism to be a valuable class. Grading criteria on papers are somewhat unclear, but tests are more than fair (do the background readings!).

Ray is a great professor and you will learn a ton in his class. Judaism in America was incredibly engaging. He can be a little tough on papers, but is incredibly clear on his expectations for the midterm and the final. Participation really matters, so you have to do the reading (at least skim) and go to class. Great guy and very smart.

I took his Judaism in America class and loved it! Genuinely learned so much in this class. Lectures the entire class but keeps things interesting so you don't fall asleep. However, you cannot achieve an A in this course if you skim everything. He likes in-depth understanding and wants you to know the details. Hard but rewarding class.

You just have 3 short papers, a midterm, and a final. The papers are very straightforward and easy: Just write out your thoughts about the readings (very informal!). He tests you primarily on the terms and concepts he covers in class so as long as you pay attention and do the readings, the class will be very easy and you actually learn a lot!

Solid POG choice. 4 response papers (always make an argument), 1 midterm, 1 final (essays). Make sure to know what the reading is about each lesson so you can participate a bit, even though he often re-reads it in class. Do not bother to get or read the textbook. He is a great presenter/lecturer so if Theo is not your thing you'll still be fine.

Great professor. Engaging lectures. Straight-forward tests and exams. Don't get too comfortable because if he notices you slacking he will switch up (one of our MCQ tests was turned into a writing prompt because he noticed people slacking on readings)

terrific lectures. Prof Ray was very willing to hear students out on just about anything and valued when students showed that they had done the readings. For many, the first paper was graded harshly, but Prof Ray provided solid feedback, and students who incorporated the feedback in the second paper did very well.

Professor Ray is genuinely one of the best lecturers I've ever experienced. He is so engaging and goes over homework/background readings very clearly. Having a good understanding of the timeline and organized class notes will help with the exams.

One of the best professors I've had at Georgetown. He's an outstanding at engaging students. The format of the class is simple: 2 Papers, a Midterm and a Final, and Participation. Can be a harsh grader on the papers, but if you stick to the primary sources, you should be set. Read the textbook for the midterm and final, and you should be set.

Probably the best professor I've had at Georgetown. Despite his no tech rule, he gives inspiring & engaging lectures that make you lose track of time. He inspires participation without being pushy. Readings are dense but not terrible. Make sure to participate. Papers are graded well & in-class exams are a lot of writing but reasonably difficult.

Modern Jewish History -- literally best course I have ever taken, he is an incredible lecturer and I look forward to taking another course from him. I didn't have any background knowledge of Judaism and I was able to get As on most assignments. GO TO OH before paper bc he's particular about good theses. two papers, midterm + final,

Loved Modern Jewish History -- was such an informative and really practical class. He is great and engaging and I would definitely take him again