Rel 2303 01 World Religions Syllabus Fall 2009 Greaux
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![Winston-Salem State University REL 2303-01: Introduction to World Religions Instructor: Eric James Gréaux, Sr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Religion Fall Semester 2009 3 Credit Hours Tuesday, Thursday 9:30 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: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Course Objectives In this course, students will learn the history, beliefs, and practices of the five most popular religious 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 diverse nation in the world. Accordingly, this course presents the students with the following specific goals and corresponding objectives: 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 study THINK CRITICALLY and COMPARATIVELY about the differences between each tradition: Students will visit three (3) religious sites and write reports on their experiences APPLY a critical lens and reflect an articulate voice on the religious events in contemporary religious culture: ,[object Object],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 participation in large and small group discussion Student Responsibility Students are expected to complete the assigned readings, attend class regularly unless previously 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 Behavior” 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 entering the classroom. Students will not read materials unrelated to the class (newspapers, magazines, text messages, 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 meeting. 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 additional five (5) points for each subsequent absence. If you are ill, a medical excuse is necessary to 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 observations 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 [Judaism], 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 Roman Catholic church, a Reform Jewish synagogue, and a Muslim mosque – and will hear speakers 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 semester. 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 assignment. 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. 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. Extensions 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 scheduled 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. 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 outside 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. Accommodations are not retroactive. You may reach the Disability Services Office by emailing waddellm@wssu.edu. 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, especially any suggestions about how to make the class a more fruitful experience for you. Monday, Wednesday, FridayTuesday, Thursday 10:00 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 136 Office Telephone: (336) 750-8824 Cellular Telephone: (919) 599-8202 My email address is GreauxEr@WSSU.edu 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 ,[object Object]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/rel2303-01worldreligionssyllabusfall2009greaux-090828123851-phpapp02/85/rel-2303-01-world-religions-syllabus-fall-2009-greaux-1-320.jpg)
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Rel 2303 01 World Religions Syllabus Fall 2009 Greaux
- 2. U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Religious Beliefs and Practices: Diverse and Politically Relevant (June 2008). The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
- 7. What did they say?
- 8. 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 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/organizationPart Two: Inside Reception (Maximum 25 points)_______Physical description of the building_______Art, symbols, and other decorationPart 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 beliefsPart Four: Experiential Learning (Maximum 40 points)_______Description of learning_______Comparison of experience with expectations_______Comparison/contrast with writer’s religious affiliationPart Five: Report Mechanics (Maximum 10 points)10Perfect work8-9One or two punctuation mistakes OR one spelling or grammatical or syntactical error5-7Three or more punctuation mistakes OR two spelling or grammatical or syntactical errors2-4Several punctuation mistakes OR three or four spelling or grammatical errors0Several punctuation mistakes OR more than four spelling or grammatical errors_______Total Points_______Less points for late submission_______Net Points Class Participation: Assessment and Evaluation POSITIVE ATTRIBUTESParticipates in class discussionsAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverOffers questions or comments during classAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverVisits at podium after classAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverNEGATIVE ATTRIBUTESSkips classAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverShows up lateAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverSleeps in classAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost NeverExhibits disruptive behaviorAlmost AlwaysOccasionallySeldomAlmost Never Additional Comments: 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: Routledge, 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 Essentials. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006. Young, William. The World’s Religions: Worldviews and Contemporary Issues, 3rd edition. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2009. Websites www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/guide_headings.aspx An internet guide to the study of religion maintained by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion www.sacred-texts.com An 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.com A commercial site with information and links related to the world’s religions www.religiousworlds.com/index.html A gateway site for the study of the world’s religions