WORK TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER 18th

1. Father John Martin, the spiritual director of Shantivanam, a Christian ashram (learning community) in southeastern India that focuses on the relationship between Christianity and the religions of India (particularly Hinduism and Buddhism) asserts that all the major religions of the world can be compared to a group of hikers climbing up different sides of a high mountain. Each hiker (and religion) takes a unique route to the top. While they are climbing the mountain, they cannot necessarily see one another. They may not even be aware that those in the other climbing parties are also ascending the mountain. They think they are alone as they make the ascent. Yet when they reach the peak, the climbers are surprised to find one another. Think back over the religions studied this semester. Then answer the following:

• What do you think Father Martin is saying about the different world religions?
• Do you agree with him?
• Why or why not?

Be specific in your answer illustrating your position from both eastern and western religions. Post your answer on your blog.

2. Read your classmates’ interviews with religious leaders and write a response to at least three of them. Post your responses under the comment sections of the posts you’re responding to.

N.B.: All blog work (your postings on your own blog and responses on classmates’ blogs) that you want graded must be put on your blog by noon on Tuesday, December 18^th. Any work done after that will not be graded.

WORK TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER 11th

1. If Jesus and Martin Luther were time-warped to the present, how do you think they would each respond to each of the major forms of contemporary Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestantism)? Why? Post your answer on your blog.

2. Read your classmates’ interviews with religious leaders and write a response to at least three of them. Post your responses under the comment sections of the posts you’re responding to.

WORK TO BE DONE BY DECEMBER 4th

1. Carefully read 320-347 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. Post the part of your field project that is the interview with a religious leader in the tradition you’re investigating.

3. Prepare for your project presentation on December 5^th or 12^th. Remember that the material you’re presenting should not repeat information we’ve already covered in class but should be new and that, as part of the presentation, you should actively engage the class in learning some important ritual or tradition from the religion you’re studying.

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting.

Work TO BE DONE BY NOVEMBER 27th

(N.B.: This work is due in two weeks because of Thanksgiving vacation next week.)

1. Carefully read 298-308 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. Create a 30 second animoto video (http://animoto.com) on your view of contemporary Christianity and post it on your blog. (To do that, once you’ve finished making the video, click on the post it button at the bottom and then click the blogger option and follow directions.) When you make the video, please make sure that you consider all of contemporary Christianity, not just one denomination or group.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

Some suggestions for post topics would be:

• Listen to “The Jewish Roots of the Christian Story”, the radio show from Speaking of Faith found at http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/jewishroots/index.shtml
• Explore and comment on the website “From Jesus to Christ” found at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/jesus.

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting.

PROJECT PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

December 5^th

• Abel and Jason- Hinduism
• Staci and Chonte- Hinduism
• Santhamma and Sandra- Hinduism
• Rich- American Buddhism
• Wendy- Santeria
• Christy-Islam
• Ureena- Islam
• Robert
• Sarah

December 12th

• Sandra and Keren- Orthodox Judaism
• Christian – Orthodox Judaism
• Marcos- Conservative Judaism
• Krissy and Stephanie- Conservative Judaism
• Erica- Roman Catholicism
• Voni- Roman Catholicism
• Christopher- Presbyterianism
• Loren- Christian
• Jenny

WORK TO BE DONE BY NOVEMBER 13th

1. Carefully read 270-298 in your Hopfe textbook.
   

2. Write a post answering the following: First, how would you summarize the key points of Judaism? (This can be short enough to do while standing on one foot, like Hillel, or it can be a paragraph or two long, but it must be in your own words.) Next, given your summary, in what way are these points embodied in each of the modern forms of Judaism? Make sure that in your posting you discuss at least Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism. You may, as an option, also explore subgroups like Hasidism. Be specific in your answer.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc
   

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting.

WORK TO BE DONE BY NOVEMBER 6th

1. Carefully read 250-263 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. Post the write up of your observation of a religious rltual in the tradition you are studying. Make sure that you describe the setting (e.g. what did you see, hear, smell, feel) and your responses (feelings, thoughts, questions, etc.)

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

Some suggestions:

a. Read the profile and interview with Elie Wiesel found at http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/wie0pro-1 and then write up your reflections.

b. Listen to “Hannukah and a Rediscovery of Jewish Traditions”, the radio show from Speaking of Faith found at http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/hanukkah/index.shtml

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. Please note what a proper response is by rereading the section “blog responses” in your course outline. It is not just saying “I like your post” or “I agree with you.”

WORK TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 30th

1 . Carefully read 233--250 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. Create your own Shinto kamidana and post it on your blog. Either:

a. gather the objects that would be important on your family kamidana and arrange them appropriately on your shrine and then take a photo of them, posting it on your blog along with an explanation of each object and why you’ve placed it on your kamidana. Also explain where in your home your kamidana will be located, why you’ve chosen that place, and how your kamidana meets the requirements of the Shinto religion.

OR

b. If you don’t have a way to post a photo you’ve taken on your blog, then instead find photos of the objects you’d put in your family shrine on the web and copy them onto your blog posting. Give a MUCH MORE DETAILED posting of why each object is being put on your kamidana, where it would be positioned, and why. Also explain where in your home your kamidana would be located, why you would choose that place, what kind of use you would make of your kamidana, and how your kamidana would meet the requirements of the Shinto religion.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. You can access classmates’ blogs by clicking on the individual blogs listed on the right hand side of this class blog.

WORK TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 23rd

1. Carefully read 197-209 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. For your first post of the week: Lao-Tzu and Confucius are asked to come speak to a group of Mercy College students about religion in China. Write an interesting, spirited dialogue in which these two wise specialists dialogue with one another on one of the following key issues:

• the question of human nature
• the meaning of life
• the nature of the Tao
• family and ancestors
• the role of government
• how to live a well-balanced life.

3. For your second post of the week: Consider how you would apply the ideas of the tao and wu wei to your own life and post your reflections, including your understanding of each term and what would be different in your life if you lived according to that principle. In other words, tell me both how your life would be changed and why.

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting.

WORK TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 16th

1. Carefully read 164-196 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. There are many fundamental or "big" questions to which all religions respond. Examples of "big" questions would include:

• What is ultimate reality/God?
• What is the nature of the cosmos?
• What is the nature of a person?
• What is the purpose of human life? Or how can we achieve "salvation"?
• What happens to us after death?
• What is morality or what is the basis of morality?
• What is the meaning of history?

Compare and contrast how Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism would each answer three of the "big" questions above. Make sure you refer to specific doctrines or concepts—e.g. nirvana, or the Eightfold Path— not ungrounded, abstract statements--as you answer these questions. Post your answer on your blog.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

Some possibilities:

-- Read the Kabir poems handed out in class and reflect on them. In what ways do they reflect the teachings of Sikhism?

--Read Karen Ellison’s Mastering Your Own Mind article, Psychology Today 9/2006 found at psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-4146.html and discuss how its findings agree or disagree with the view of meditation taken by eastern religions.

--Read selections from the Analects of Confucius. You may get a copy from a bookstore or library or read it at one of the following two links:

• http://www.wam.umd.edu/~stwright/rel/conf/Analects.html
• http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHPHIL/ANALECTS.HTM

and write about what you learned from it.

--Read the Tao Te Ching. You may get a copy from a bookstore or library or read it at one of the following two links:

• http://www.hm.tyg.jp/~acmuller/contao/daodejing.html
• http://www.religiousworlds.com/taoism/ttcmerel.html

and write about what you learned from it.

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting.
   

WORK TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 9th

1. Carefully read 112-119 and 151-158 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. Since its inception, Buddhism has attempted to find contemporary ways to communicate its ancient truths. And, since very early in the religion, the Buddhist concept of the bodhisattva emphasizes compassion for all beings. This week you are to become compassionately aware of those around you. Observe your own community (local or national). What are its present spiritual struggles? (Spiritual here may be interpreted in a broad rather than narrowly ‘religious’ sense of the term. You may look around and see many people who are distracted with competition, commercialism, war, craziness, etc.)
   Come up with your own analysis of what troubles your community and keeps it from awakening. Then create a discourse,based on the best you find in Buddhist teachings, in which you speak a liberating message to address the trouble you observe in the community. Be specific in your suggestions to the community and make sure you explain how the suggestions are connected with Buddhist teachings.

In other words, this assignment-posting has three parts:

1)Describe the community you are addressing.

2) State what you find to be the spiritual challenges with which this community is struggling.

3) Offer a solution to the struggles, building on the best of what you have found in Buddhism, through a discourse to your community. This discourse may be done entirely in words, in words and pictures, in video, in music, etc. Be as creative as you need to be to reach the community you’ve chosen.

Post your answer to all three parts (the community, issue and your discourse) on your blog.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

Some possibilities:

• Listen to”The Buddha in the World” the radio show from Speaking of Faith found at http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/buddhaintheworld/index.shtml and write about what you learned from it.

• Explore the site “The Eight Gates of Zen” - http://www.mro.org/zmm/training/eightgates.php -offered by the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism. Focus on how these eight gates of American Zen Buddhism compare and contrast with the Eightfold path of the Buddha and traditional Asian Buddhism. (Make sure when you explore the site that you click on each of the “sublinks”—and consider the material linked there.)

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. You can access classmates’ blogs by clicking on the individual blogs listed on the right hand side of this class blog.

WORK TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER 2nd

1. Carefully read pages 123-143 in your Hopfe textbook.
   

2. After learning about Mohandas Gandhi, in what ways do you think he practiced Hinduism? What parts of Hinduism did he emphasize? What parts seemed less important to him? Would he consider himself a good Hindu? Would you agree with his self-assessment? Based on both the material in your textbook and the film we saw in class, reflect on these questions and then answer them in a well-developed essay for one of your blog posts this week.
   

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc
   

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. You can access classmates’ blogs by clicking on the individual blogs listed on the right hand side of this classblog. N.B.: Many of you are not yet doing this part of the weekly assignment or are not following the criteria for adequate responses spelled out in the ‘blog response’ section of your course syllabus.
   

5. You should email me the religion that you will be doing your field research project on by October 2^nd. This should include not only the general religion but the place where you will attend worship and the name of the clergyperson you will be interviewing for the project.

WORK TO BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER 25th

1. Carefully read pages 96-103 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. In a number of places in his well-known book The World’s Religions, Huston Smith alludes to a 'cardinal tenet' of Hinduism, namely that people are different and that religion needs to be adapted to different people's needs. Based on both the material in your textbook and the material we discussed in class, what different ways does Hinduism conceive itself as adapting to different people's needs? How do the four types of yoga fit into this adaptation? Which path(s) might best fit you and your personality? Why? Reflect on these questions and then answer them for one of your blog posts this week.

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

If you enjoyed Second Life last week, you might want to go and visit some of its Hindu meetings and worship places (for example, the Shrine to Ganesha or the Temple of Shiva, either of which you can get to by typing its name into Second Life’s search option and then teleporting there) and then writing of your experience.

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. You can access classmates’ blogs by clicking on the individual blogs listed on the right hand side of this classblog.

WORK TO BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER 18th

1. Carefully read pages 70-96 and 107-108 in your Hopfe textbook.

2. For one of your week’s posts, do the following and post your answer on your own individual religion blog by September 18. Religions are not dead belief systems, but continue to live and adapt to new and changing situations. One place in which we’re seeing this is in virtual worlds such as Second Life.

1. Go to http://secondlife.com and create an avatar on Second Life. Do this by clicking on the ‘join now’ link on the top right (it’s free) and then following the instructions. You’ll enter some details about yourself and be invited to choose your Second Life (hereafter SL) name. (This is the name by which people in Second Life will know you.) (For those of you who would like to do this on the Dobbs Ferry campus computers, Second Life has been installed in the library computer lab. You may go there to create your avatar and then to enter Second Life. Be patient when Second Life is opening after you sign in. It may take as long as 4 or 5 minutes to load all the software needed on the computer.)
2. After you’ve arrived in SL, orient yourself. Learn how to walk, how to fly, how to interact with others, and how to change the appearance of your avatar) within the world.
3. Then interview 3 other people/avatars that you meet in Second Life about their religious beliefs. (Please make sure that you explain to these people that you are doing this for a class assignment, so they don’t think you’re trying to convert them to some specific religious beliefs.) Do they consider themselves religious or spiritual? Why or why not? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? What do they think about religions other than their own? Post what you learn from the interviews (perhaps with snapshots of you interviewing the other person—easy to do by pressing the snapshot button at the bottom of the SL screen and saving it to a floppy or your hard drive and then loading it into the blog) as your blog entry.

(If you absolutely can’t get onto SL, please email me and explain why and I’ll give you another assignment in its place. But please try to get used to Second Life, since we may use it in a few other assignments in the future.)

3. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc

4. If you have not already done so, you should read your classmates’ blog entries for this past week and write responses to at least three of the entries, posting them as comments directly below the entry upon which you’re commenting. You can access classmates’ blogs by clicking on the individual blogs listed on the right hand side of this classblog.

And BTW, my Second Life avatar’s name is Ishah Tripsa. If you meet me “in world” (the term for in Second Life) be sure to say hi.

WORK TO BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER 11th

1. Read pages 29-63 in your Hopfe textbook for general content material.

2. Create your blog following the directions in the course syllabus (and then on blogger). Remember to email me your blog’s address so I can link it to this main blog page.

3. For one of your week’s posts, answer the following and post your answer on your own individual religion blog by September 11^th.
Go here (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html) and do the “Belief-O-Matic” survey. (Please make sure that you not only select an answer for each question but also fill out the priority rating on each.) What did you learn from doing this survey? Was the religious tradition with which you most closely associate yourself at or toward the top of the list of religious traditions that the Belief-O-Matic selected for you? Were there other religious traditions at or near the top of your list that surprised you? Why do you think they appeared? How similar are your beliefs and theirs?

4. During the week, write at least one more post on a religion topic of your choosing. This could be comments on the assigned reading or from the introductory class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc. Or, if you’d like to answer the following as the second post:
George Bernard Shaw wrote: "There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it”. Do you agree with Shaw? If so, what are the essential characteristics and functions of that ‘one religion’? If not, why not?

Course Requirements

There will be no mid-term or final exams in this course. Instead your grade will be based on three things: 1) your individual blog entries, including both those assigned and those based on your own interests; 2) active informed participation (both in comments on others’ blogs and in class); and 3) your field research project.

1. Your Blog postings and assignments (worth 50% of your final grade).

Each of you is to create your own individual course blog using the free blog tool available at blogger.com and to email me the name and URL for that blog by September 11^th. Your blog will then be linked to the main class blog page so that other students and I can read it. You should also configure your blog in a way that allows anyone to comment and shows the comments (You’ll find the option in the settings section of Blogger.)

You are to make a minimum of 2 posts (each the equivalent of 3/4s to 1 1/2 pages of typing along with any relevant pictures, videos, etc.) a week on this site. At least one of these posts each week will be in answer to a weekly assignment that I post on the main course blog (relg109dfb.blogspot.com). Other posts may consist of: comments on assigned reading or from the class material; a link to an interesting and relevant webpage, video, book review, or article (along with an explanation of why you’ve chosen it); questions that you might have for me or other students in the class; a description of a conversation or experience you have during the semester that’s connected with the course content; suggestions for further reading or thinking; etc.

These blog postings are designed to elicit thoughts and comments from the rest of the class and should be as clearly written, interesting, and creative as possible. I expect them to reflect fundamentally sound writing and proper English grammar and spelling. To earn full credit for a blog posting, it must be completed and posted by the assigned deadline.

2. Informed class participation, both face-to-face and on the individual blogs of others in the class. Discussion will be one of the main learning styles used in this course. Class participation will count 25% of your course grade.

a. In the classroom, students are expected to participate frequently, voluntarily, and in a manner that reflects class preparation. This means that all assigned readings should be completed with care before the class during which the material will be discussed

b. Blog responses. Students are expected to respond to the thoughts and writings of other students. At least once a week, you should log onto the blogs of all classmates and read any new postings. You should then choose new entries from at least three of the blogs that strike you as intriguing and post substantive response comments. Here are some suggestions on how you might want to construct blog responses:

• Discuss what struck you about the student’s entry. Don’t just say “I really liked your discussion of Hindu temples.” Explain why this is so. Be as specific as you can.
• Look for weaknesses in the student’s position. Even a very good assignment answer can always be improved. Was something unclear? Was the student’s reasoning faulty? Could the author have used a better illustration or a different argument that would have improved the answer?
• Does the author’s response raise some interesting issues that were not addressed by the author? Is there an issue that could be further developed? Point this out and comment on how these issues are relevant to the topic the author selected.

3. Field Research Project: The student, either alone or with one classmate, is to engage in an independent three-part Field Research Project. It is to be on one of the of the five major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, or Christianity), focusing either on an unfamiliar religious tradition. (In other words, you may not do the field project on a religion you practice or in which you were raised.) The religion you’re working on must be approved by October 3^rd.

The three parts, all of which are to be on the same religion, include:

a. Observation of a religious ritual in that tradition (1 to 2 pages in length) due on your blog by November 7^th. This is to be written up as a descriptive analysis of the religious ritual you observed as well as the reason for the ritual. (The latter may require some independent background reading.)

b. At least one interview with a clergy person (or equivalent leader) of this religious tradition regarding the tradition’s beliefs, ethics, and ritual practices and how they are related to one another. The write up of the interview is due on your blog by December 5th.

c. A 20-minute class presentation that includes: (1) a basic survey of the tradition’s beliefs, ethics, and ritual practices you experienced. This should not repeat material we’ve already covered in class but should be a chance to present new material that you learned from your interviews and observances, supplemented if necessary by outside research; and (2) an interactive demonstration of one key ritual and exposition of what key beliefs and ethical values it conveys. Both components must actively involve the class in the presentation, and the ritual demonstration in particular should appeal to as many of the senses as possible; use of authentic dress, music, and foods is encouraged.

This requirement will count as 25 % of your final grade. N.B.: If you choose to do this project with a classmate, both of you must be present at the observation of the religious ritual and the interview and both of you must participate in the class presentation. I will not be saying anything more about this assignment, though I will be glad to answer any questions you may have about it. I will be assuming that you are working on this on your own and that you will have the work ready to submit by the appropriate dates listed above.

As an optional extra credit activity, you may participate in four hours of community service (neither proselytizing nor "outreach") within this religious community.

Attendance and Plagiarism

PLAGIARISM: Work that is obtained from sources such as persons, books, and articles and used in your writing assignments or field research project must be properly cited. This is true on all kinds of writing—your blog postings, your comments on others’ blog entries, and your field research project. Without such citations, use of materials is considered plagiarism and has serious consequences, including a failing grade and possible expulsion. Mercy College is subscribed to Turnitin.com, an online service that checks for plagiarism. A student who is found guilty of plagiarism will be reported to the Associate Dean for Academic Affair.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Two unexcused absences are allowed. Further unexcused, undocumented absences will be penalized in the assignment of grades. For each unexcused absence after the second, your final grade will be lowered by one level (e.g. B to B-). Two latenesses of more than 15 minutes constitute one absence.

Course Outline

1. Introduction

· Why Study Religion?

· Approaches to the Study of Religion

· Types of Religion

2. Basic Religions—Past and Present

· Prehistoric Beginnings

· Animism, Magic, and Divination

· High Gods

· Spirit World

· Ancestors

· Death and Life After Death

· Native American and African Religions Today

3. Hinduism

· Vedic Traditions

· Postclassical Hinduism

· Modernization and Hindu Values

4. Buddhism

· Life and Teachings of the Buddha

· Theravada Buddhism

· Mahayana Buddhism: Contrasting Paths of Zen and Pure Land Sects

5. Jainism and Sikhism

· Mahavira

· Jain Sects

· Jainism Today

· Nanak’s Life and Teachings

· Religious Life

· Holy Days

6. Chinese Religions

· Yin and Yang

· Taoism

· Confucianism

7. Shinto

· Mythology

· State, Sectarian and Domestic Shinto

Japanese Festivals

8. Judaism

· The People of Israel: Origins, Exodus, and Land

· Torah, Prophets and Exile

· Religion in the Diaspora: Talmud, Synagogue and Survival

· Responses to Modernity

9. Christianity

· Teachings of Jesus and the Early Church

· East-West Schism and the Protestant Reformation

· Contemporary Christianity: Ecumenism and Pluralism

10. Islam

· Muhammad and the Qur’an

· Religious Institutions of Islam

· The Caliphate

· Variations within Islam: Diversity within the Muslim World

Conclusions

Course Description

An overview of the major religions of the East and West as well as of their role in world history and an introduction to some fundamental questions underlying the study of all religions: Where does religion come from? Were the religions of early civilizations "primitive"? Are there reasons for religious beliefs or is religion simply a matter of subjective feeling? How would one try to distinguish between religion and magic?