Rel 2303 01 World Religions Syllabus Fall 2009 Greaux

Winston-Salem State UniversityREL 2303-01: Introduction to World Religions

Instructor: Eric James Gréaux, Sr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of ReligionFall Semester 2009

3 Credit Hours

Tuesday, Thursday9:30 A.M. – 10:45 A.M.Classroom: Coltrane 214

Course Description

This course aims to introduce students to the five major religious traditions of the world: Ju-daism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Course Objectives

In this course, students will learn the history, beliefs, and practices of the five most popular reli-gious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In a sense, religious traditions are a lot like languages: we can learn them from birth, we can acquire them as teenagers or adults, or we can spend our lives in ignorance and isolation, only able to understand one. If ignorance of the world’s diverse religious heritage was ever an option, it is no longer. Religion has been, is, and will continue to be a powerful and perennial force in human cultures. Whether we distance ourselves from religious traditions or embrace them, we cannot avoid the influence of religious ideas, practices, images, languages, and values in our everyday life, work, and play. This is especially true in the United States, which has become the most religiously di-verse nation in the world.

Accordingly, this course presents the students with the following specific goals and correspond-ing objectives:

1. IDENTIFY the history, beliefs, rituals, and ways of thinking in each tradition: Students will read primary documents and secondary scholarly monographs on each

religion under study Students will read novels that illustrate the history, beliefs, and rituals of the religions

under study2. THINK CRITICALLY and COMPARATIVELY about the differences between each tradi-

tion: Students will visit three (3) religious sites and write reports on their experiences

3. APPLY a critical lens and reflect an articulate voice on the religious events in contemporary religious culture:

Students will make periodic presentations on “Religion in the News”4. PREPARE students to take on the role of scholar in the study of religion

After an overview of the academic study of religion, students will engage in library research and share their insights in a variety of written and oral ways, including par-ticipation in large and small group discussion

of 14

Student Responsibility

Students are expected to complete the assigned readings, attend class regularly unless previ-ously excused by the professor, actively participate in class discussions, and take quizzes and the final exam.

Required Textbooks

Norman Solomon, Judaism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Linda Woodhead, Christianity: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Malise Ruthven, Islam: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Kim Knott, Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Damien Keown, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Peter Kreeft, Between Heaven and Hell: A Dialogue Somewhere Beyond Death with John F. Kennedy, C.S. Lewis & Aldous Huxley. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1982.

Student Behavior

In addition to the “Policies Governing Student Life” and the “General Guidelines for Student Be-havior” outlined in the catalog (page 27), students are expected to abide by the following:

Students will turn off all pagers, cell phones and other electronic devices BEFORE enter-ing the classroom.

Students will not read materials unrelated to the class (newspapers, magazines, text mes-sages, or online social networks) during class.

All class participants will exhibit respectful behavior to other students and the instructor. All students have the right and privilege to learn in the class, free from harassment and

disruption. Inappropriate language or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated (see “WSSU Class

Disruption Policy” on page 36 of the catalog).

Attendance

Winston-Salem State University expects prompt and alert student presence at every class meet-ing. Hence, in keeping with university policy, students who absent themselves more than three (3) times during the semester will have their total grade docked five (5) points, and then an addi-tional five (5) points for each subsequent absence. If you are ill, a medical excuse is necessary to

of 14

receive an excused absence. If you have an unavoidable conflict that will prevent you from meeting class, please present your documentation of this conflict before the class absence.

Students are expected to arrive on time and remain in class during the entire session. Three (3) late arrivals or early departures will equal one (1) absence.

Class Format

A variety of methods are used to engage students in the content of this course, including lectures, discussions, careful reading of the assigned texts, DVDs, PowerPoint slides, Internet resources, written and oral presentations, and examinations.

Course Requirements and Grading

Reading. The most important part of the course is the careful, thorough reading of the assigned materials. Some of the reading is quite difficult, so we will engage in close interpretation of the texts. Again, a learning community, especially a religion class, must be a safe community. I will see to it – and you must see to it – that we create a climate of respect for the opinions of others.

Class Participation. There will be a lecture in this class, but there will always be discussion. So, I expect everyone to be prepared for class each day. Being prepared implies that a student has read the assigned reading and is willing and able to participate in classroom discussion by asking questions, responding to questions proffered by the professor, and making comments and/or ob-servations on the reading, the remarks of the professor, and the remarks of other students. Class Participation is worth 10% of the total course grade.

Reflective Essay. Students will read one (1) of the following books (The Chosen or Night [Ju-daism], Mere Christianity or Simply Christian [Christianity], The Autobiography of Malcolm X or Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery [Islam], or Siddhartha [Buddhism]), write a reflective essay that highlights the religious aspects reflected in the monograph, and orally present their work during the appropriate time in the semester. See Appendix 1 for guidelines. The essay is worth 15% of the total course grade.

Site Visits. We will visit places most students will not likely have been exposed before – a Ro-man Catholic church, a Reform Jewish synagogue, and a Muslim mosque – and will hear speak-ers from each tradition who will answer questions. At the conclusion of the field trips, students will complete a Site Visit Report. See Appendix 2 for guidelines. Each report is worth 5% of the total course grade (3 reports at 5% each = 15%).

Writing Assignments. The following are guidelines for writing assignments throughout the se-mester. Please refer to them when you prepare a paper for this class.

All papers are to be computer-generated and double-spaced with 1” margins. You are to use a type face no larger than 12 point.

Use a cover page for every assignment. On the cover page, create a title for the assign-ment. Do not put your name on the pages following the cover page. Use a staple in the top left-hand corner to keep the pages of the assignment together. Do not use paper clips.

of 14

You are to maintain a writeable CD or mass storage device for this course. On it you will keep a copy of all your work, including any rough drafts.

On the date assigned, you will hand in a hard copy of your writing assignment. Exten-sions will be given only if a student speaks with the professor at least one class before the due date.

Papers should be free of grammatical and spelling errors.

All written assignments must be submitted at the scheduled time, except in case of personal emergency. In such cases, appropriate documentation will be required. There will be no make-ups, except by permission, in which case it must be completed within one (1) week. Late papers will be discounted by five (5) points per calendar day.

Quizzes. There will be five (5) quizzes over the assigned readings in the textbook. The quizzes are scheduled for September 10th (on Judaism), October 8th (on Christianity), October 22nd (on Islam), November 3rd (on Hinduism), and November 19th (on Buddhism). These quizzes may not be made up or taken in advance. Each quiz is worth 8% of the total course grade (5 quizzes at 8% each = 40%).

Final Exam. Each student will be responsible to take a comprehensive final exam covering the primary materials, secondary reading assignments and class lectures. The Final Exam is sched-uled for Friday, December 14th (10:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.). This exam may not be made up or taken in advance. The Final Exam is worth 20% of the total course grade.

Course Evaluation

The course grade will be calculated as follows:

Class Participation 10%Site Visit Reports (3 @ 5% each) 15%Reflective Essay 15%Quizzes (5 @ 8% each) 40%Final Exam 20%

100%

Grading Scale

A: 90-100%, B: 80%-89%, C: 70%-79%, D: 60%-69%, F: (Hopefully not necessary!)

No Incompletes will be given for this course. An extension may be granted only in the case of significant disruption in your personal life. Late work will be subject to at least one letter grade deduction in mark.

of 14

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is expected and required from every student. The quizzes, exams and written assignments must represent the student’s own work. Discussion of the written assignments out-side of class is encouraged, but each student is responsible for writing her or his own material. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, plagiarizing or representing another’s ideas as one’s own. Academic misconduct will result in failure of the assignment, and may result in failure of the course.

Disability Services

Students with a documented disability must register with the WSSU Disability Services Office each semester in order to receive consideration for any accommodations in this course. Accom-modations are not retroactive. You may reach the Disability Services Office by emailing [email protected].

Office Hours & Email

I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about your academic and research interests during my office hours, or at other times by appointment. I also welcome your feedback at any time, espe-cially any suggestions about how to make the class a more fruitful experience for you.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Tuesday, Thursday10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. 11:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.

Office Location: Modular East 136Office Telephone: (336) 750-8824Cellular Telephone: (919) 599-8202

My email address is [email protected]

of 14

mailto:[email protected]

Course Schedule

An Introduction to the Study of Religion

Tuesday, August 25: An Introduction to the Course

Thursday, August 27: The Academic Study of Religion “Religion in Today’s World,” in Introduction to World Religions, 435-55. U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Religious Beliefs and Practices: Diverse and Politi-

cally Relevant (June 2008). The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. American Religious Identification Survey 2008. Principal Investigators: Barry A.

Kosmin and Ariela Keysar.

Judaism

Tuesday, September 1: Jewish History & BeliefsSolomon, Judaism, 6-53, 136.

Thursday, September 3: Jewish PracticesSolomon, Judaism, 54-97. In addition to discussing the readings, we will watch scenes from Fiddler on the Roof

and Yentl.

Tuesday, September 8: The HolocaustSolomon, Judaism, 109-135. In addition to discussing the readings, we will watch scenes from Schindler’s List. Student Presentations on Night by Eli Wiesel.

Thursday, September 10: Site Visit to Temple Emmanuel (Rabbi Josh Brown)Solomon, Judaism, 98-108

Quiz #1 (on Judaism)

Tuesday, September 15: Conducting Research in Religion (O’Kelly Library)

Thursday, September 17: Writing Papers on Religion (O’Kelly Library)

Christianity

Tuesday, September 22: Jesus – The Founder of Christianity

Thursday, September 24: Christian History (Part II: Early Church to the Reformation)Woodhead, Christianity, 6-23, 46-127.“Branches of the Church,” by Michael Sadgrove, in Introduction to World Religions, 324-25.

of 14

Tuesday, September 29: Christian Beliefs Student presentations on Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis or Simply Christian by

N.T. Wright

Thursday, October 1: The James A. Gray Lecture Series on Religion & EthicsSpeaker: Deborah K. Banks (Dillard Auditorium, Albert H. Anderson Center)

Tuesday October 6: Christian PracticesWoodhead, Christianity, 24-45.

Thursday, October 8: Site Visit to St. Benedict’s Catholic ChurchTour Guide and Presenter: Father Larry HeineyWoodhead, Christianity, 128-50.

Quiz #2 (on Christianity)

October13: Fall Break

Islam

Tuesday, October 13: Islam, Muhammad, and the QuranRuthven, Islam, 1-48. Student Presentations on The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Thursday, October 15: Muslim BeliefsRuthven, Islam, 49-72.

Tuesday, October 20: Muslim PracticesRuthven, Islam, 73-148. Student Presentations on Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery

Thursday, October 22: Site Visit to Community Mosque of Winston-SalemTour Guide and Presenter: Imam Khalid Griggs

Quiz #3 (on Islam)

Hinduism

Tuesday, October 27: Defining HinduismKnott, Hinduism, 1-25, 109-17.

Thursday, October 29: The Gods and Practices of HinduismKnott, Hinduism, 26-66.

of 14

Tuesday, November 3: Hinduism and ModernityKnott, Hinduism, 67-108. In addition to discussing the readings, we will watch scenes from Gandhi

Quiz #4 (on Hinduism)

Buddhism

Thursday, November 5: The Buddha and the Beginning of BuddhismKeown, Buddhism, 1-28, 57-83. Student Presentations on Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

Tuesday, November 10: Karma, Rebirth, and the Four Noble TruthsKeown, Buddhism, 29-56.

Thursday, November 12: The James A. Gray Lecture Series on Religion & EthicsSpeaker: William C. Turner, Jr. (Dillard Auditorium, Albert H. Anderson Center)

Tuesday, November 17: University Day. No Class.

Thursday, November 19: Buddhist PracticesKeown, Buddhism, 84-125.

Quiz #4 (on Buddhism)

Tuesday, November 24: Retrospect & Prospectus

Final Exam: Friday, December 14th (10:00 A.M.-11:30 A.M.)

Disclaimer: The Course Schedule is subject to modifications that may be announced during the course of the semester.

of 14

Appendix 1: Reflective EssayA Critical Examination of a Religion Novel

Students will read one (1) of the following books and write a reflective essay.

Judaism Chaim Potok, The Chosen (New York: Fawcett Crest, 1967). Eli Wiesel, Night (New York: Hill and Wang, 2006).

Christianity C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1952). N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Matters (New York: Harper One, 2006).

Islam Alex Haley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X (New York: Ballantine Books, 1999). Baha Tahir, Aunt Safiyya and the Monastery: A Novel (Berkeley, University of California

Press, 1996).

Buddhism Herman Hesse, Siddhartha (New York: New Directions, 1951).

Guidelines for the Reflective Essay

Summary. A good book summary is an accurate, succinct description of the contents of a book. Your major goal should be to try to describe what the author of the book is up to in such a way that the author would recognize his or her work by reading your report. However, not everything in a book is of equal interest or significance, so you will need to be critical (that is, discerning and discriminating). The chief objective is to represent the contents of the book as faithfully as possible and yet as discriminating a fashion as possible.

Contribution. The most important step for our purposes is to evaluate the contribution of this work for knowledge of the religion under discussion. In other words, how does the book help to understand the religion? What rituals are reflected? Are religious symbols described? What re-ligious beliefs are reflected by the characters? What role does scripture play in the book? Are there any descriptions of sacred places, times, or people? If so, what is the significance of these to the work?

Evaluation. How does the book compare to your expectations? How does the book compare to your religious affiliation (if any)?

This essay need not be long; ordinarily three or four pages will suffice. The quality of your writ-ing is far more important than the quantity of your writing.

of 14

Reflective Essay: Grading Protocol

Part One: Summary (Maximum 20 points)

_______ An accurate, succinct description of the contents of the bookNotes: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Part Two: Contribution (Maximum 50 points)

_______ Summarizes the contents of the book to the religion for study_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of rituals in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of symbols in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of beliefs in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of scripture in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of sacred places in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of sacred times in the book_______ Identifies and discusses the significance of sacred people in the book

Part Three: Evaluation (Maximum 20 points)

_______ Comparison/contrast to expectations_______ Comparison/contrast to religious affiliation

Part Four: Essay Mechanics (Maximum 10 points)

10 Perfect work 8-9 One or two punctuation mistakes OR one spelling or grammatical or syntactical error 5-7 Three or more punctuation mistakes OR two spelling or grammatical or syntactical errors 2-4 Several punctuation mistakes OR three or four spelling or grammatical errors 0 Several punctuation mistakes OR more than four spelling or grammatical errors

_______ Total Points

_______ Less points for late submission

_______ Net Points

of 14

Appendix 2: Site Visit ReportsGuidelines for the Form and Content of Reports on Religious Site Visits

This semester we will visit Temple Emmanuel (a Reform Jewish synagogue), St. Benedict’s (a Roman Catholic Church), and the Community Mosque of Winston-Salem. Observe the physical location, building, rituals, practices and the people present during your visit and complete the following Site Visit Report on your reaction and comparisons with your religious affiliation (if you have one).

I. Content

A. Name of religious organization, religion, sect, denomination, other affiliations

B. Name of building, time, and location of visit

C. Organization details – history, how long at site

D. Common perception of religion/organization

II. Inside Reception

A. Physical description – layout, size, contents of room

B. Art, symbols, and other decoration

III. Service (for St. Benedict’s only)

A. Indicate what rituals took place; present each program item

B. Describe what occurred Who was involved? What did they say? What did they do?

C. Discuss how the program reflects beliefs

IV. Reflection

A. What did you learn? What surprised you?

B. How does your experience compare with your expectations?

C. Comparisons/contrasts with your religious affiliation

D. Anything else

of 14

Site Visit Report: Grading Protocol

Part One: Content (Maximum 25 points)

_______ Name of religious organization_______ Type of building, location, and time_______ Organizational structure_______ Common perception of religion/organization

Part Two: Inside Reception (Maximum 25 points)

_______ Physical description of the building_______ Art, symbols, and other decoration

Part Three: Service (For St. Benedict’s only – maximum 50 points)

_______ Description of rituals observed_______ Identified persons involved_______ Summary of what worship participants said_______ Summary of what worship participants did_______ Discussion of how the program reflects beliefs

Part Four: Experiential Learning (Maximum 40 points)

_______ Description of learning_______ Comparison of experience with expectations_______ Comparison/contrast with writer’s religious affiliation

Part Five: Report Mechanics (Maximum 10 points)

10 Perfect work 8-9 One or two punctuation mistakes OR one spelling or grammatical or syntactical error 5-7 Three or more punctuation mistakes OR two spelling or grammatical or syntactical errors 2-4 Several punctuation mistakes OR three or four spelling or grammatical errors 0 Several punctuation mistakes OR more than four spelling or grammatical errors

_______ Total Points

_______ Less points for late submission

_______ Net Points

of 14

Class Participation: Assessment and Evaluation

POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES

Participates in class discussions Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Offers questions or comments during class Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Visits at podium after class Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES

Skips class Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Shows up late Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Sleeps in class Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Exhibits disruptive behavior Almost Always Occasionally Seldom Almost Never

Additional Comments:

of 14

Suggested Readings

In addition to the resources listed in the textbook, students wishing to pursue studies in World Religions are encouraged to consult the following works:

Coogan, Michael D. World Religions: The Illustrated Guide. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 2003.

Herling, Bradley L. A Beginner’s Guide to the Study of Religion. New York: Continuum, 2007.

Hinnells, John, editor. The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion. New York: Rout-ledge, 2005.

Jones, Lindsay, editor. Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd edition. Detroit: Macmillan, 2005.

Partridge, Christopher, General editor, Introduction to World Religions. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005.

Robinson, Thomas A. and Hillary Rodrigues, editors. World Religions: A Guide to the Essen-tials. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006.

Young, William. The World’s Religions: Worldviews and Contemporary Issues, 3rd edition. Bos-ton: Prentice Hall, 2009.

Websites

www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/guide_headings.aspxAn internet guide to the study of religion maintained by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion

www.sacred-texts.comAn internet archive of sacred texts from the world’s religions

dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/The Yahoo directory for sites on numerous religions

www.beliefnet.comA commercial site with information and links related to the world’s religions

www.religiousworlds.com/index.htmlA gateway site for the study of the world’s religions

of 14

Rel 2303 01 World Religions Syllabus Fall 2009 Greaux

Education

Transcript of Rel 2303 01 World Religions Syllabus Fall 2009 Greaux