| Note | Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
I will be available in my office in Patterson 127 every day from 9:30 until 10:30, and at other times by arrangement.
The schedule of assignments, quizzes, etc. remains negotiable until Friday of week 9. Changes must be made before this date.
Week 1 - Introduction: the Academic Study of Religion
Wed. 1/23 Introduction to the course: the class
description, the webpage, and textbooks.
A brief
introduction to the academic study of religion.
Fri. 1/25 The Problem of Definition: terms and categories of the study as themselves providing models of religion. An introduction to the idea of "Dimensional" Models of religion.
How does this apply to contemporary America? See Diana Eck's A New Religious America and The Pluralism Project
Mon. 1/28 The "phenomenology" of religion.
Rel 111: Chris Arthur,
"Phenomenology and the Art of Story-telling."
Wed. 1/30 Smith's "point of departure," pp. 8 - 15 and
the Foreword, Preface, and list of contents from Novak's collection of texts.
(Note that required readings from the two
textbooks are shown in yellow. Other readings, usually
provided on the class R: drive, are shown in blue).
Fri. 2/1 Religious narratives as models of Human Experience.
See Rel 111: Clifford Geertz on Religions as "models of" and "models for" human life.
Week 3 - Religious Traditions: The Oral Traditions
See BigMyth.com for many of the world's
traditional oral myths.
Novak Chapter Eight, Smith Chapter IX. Mon. 2/04 Creation Myths. Water symbolism and creation.
See Novak's
collection for examples of the creation myths of oral peoples.
Fri. 2/08 QUIZ #1 (Definition, The Study of Religions, oral traditions)
Week 4 - Hinduism. Makes sure you know the basic geography of India. See Maps of India
In fact, make sure you know the location of all of the countries
involved.
See these maps (1)
& (2).
Varnasramadharma - the blessed rage for order.
Novak chapter One.
Mon. 2/11 The Four valid aims, and the Four stages of life.
Smith
16-25, 40-46,
Wed. 2/13 Class cancelled due to severe weather.
Fri. 2/15 The Four Yogas, The Four Vedas, and Varnashramadharma.
Smith 26 - 39.
Week 5 - Hinduism, Continued.
Mon. 2/18 Hindu myths: An Introduction to the BhagavadGita.
The BhagavadGita in the Mahabharata.
I have been unable to organize a visit to the Sri
Venkateswara Temple this semester. Normally vans leave from the carpark outside of Patterson Hall at 4:30 sharp and we are back by about 9:30.
Students are asked to dress respectfully.
See also
the Saivenkateswara Homepage.
Wed. 2/20 Video, 330 Million Gods. Take especial note of references to the various formal stages of Hindu life in the
family of Shivesh Takur. What other elements of the Varnashramadharma does the video touch upon?
Smith 47 - 57.
Fri. 2/22 A discussion of the video and of Rajayoga: How can "heterophenomenology" be applied to Hinduism? Especially to
Week 6 - Buddhism
The Buddhadharma - challenging tradition.
Novak chapter Two (especially pages 49-65)
Smith 59-97.
Mon. 2/25 Rel 111: The Life of the Buddha.
Wed. 2/27 Video, excerpts from Bertolucci's The Little Buddha.
Fri. 2/29 Discussion: Buddhist narratives as models of human experience: The Discovery of Meditative Insight, The parables of the Poisoned Arrow and Carrying a Girl (see Novak, pages 53, 64, 107).
Week 7 - Buddhism continued.
Mon. 3/03 The Dharma and the Sangha. Buddhist Meditation - the Saddhu and the Bhikshu.
Wed. 3/05 Video: Footprints of the Buddha.
Fri. 3/07 Discussion: Is Theravada Buddhism a "religion?"
Note that your research paper MUST
be determined by this time.
Please turn in a one
paragraph statement of your topic and your thesis
Week 8 - Chinese Religion
See these maps (1)
& (2).
San
Chiao - Unity and Diversity.
Novak chapters Three and
Four
Smith 99 - 143.
Mon. 3/10 Rel 111:
The San Chiao; China's three traditions.
See this website for Classical Chinese Scriptures.
See also this note on transliteration and this map of China during the Han period.
Wed. 3/12 Rel 111:
Cults and Sects in China.
Fri. 3/14 QUIZ #2 (Hinduism, Buddhism and Chinese Religion).
Week 9 Judaism
Novak chapter Five
Smith 179 - 203.
The People of the Book
Bear these questions in mind as you study.
Wed. 3/26 The Texts, and the History.
Fri. 3/28 General Discussion. Some consideration of Biblical narratives as models of and for human life.
Week 10 - Judaism Concluded.
Mon. 3/31 - A Review of the course material on Judaism so far and a consideration of the quiz questions.
An introduction to a very important research tool:
ATLA.
Wed. 4/02 - Video: Mightier than the Sword. "A detailed examination of the remains of some of the greatest cities of the time ... shows the nature of the Eastern Hellenistic civilization of which Jerusalem was a part and into which Jesus was born."
Fri. 4/04 - Guest Speaker: Rabbi Martin Shorr of the local Jewish community will speak to the class today.
Week 11 - The History of Religion in the Mediterranean World.
Mon. 4/07 Rel 111: The
Greco-Roman Context.
Greek and Roman Mysteries,
Mithraism and Gnosticism.
Wed. 4/09 Zoroastrianism: the religion of the Persian Empire.
Fri. 4/11 Discussion: Zoroastrianism and Early Christianity.
You are required to turn in a working bibliography for your paper at
the end of next week. This must contain at least five properly documented sources, written up in the style required by the
notes on the essay.
Introduction to the Insider/Outsider problem in the study of religion.
Read this as well.
Week 12 - Christianity
The Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. Smith 205 - 216.Mon. 4/14 Further discussion of the Insider/Outsider problem in the study of religion.
The Jesus of Faith and the Christ of History. The difference and the difference it makes.
Wed. 4/16 Christianity in History: the successful spread of the early Church.
Students should see Rel 111:
"Early Christian Growth.doc"
Fri. 4/18 Discussion prior to the Bulletin Board Assignment. "Myths and Models" in the Christian Canon:
Consider some examples, such as: "God Tests Abraham's Faith," Novak, p. 182 from Genesis 22:1-19; the battle between David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17:1-54; The marriage at Cana from John 2: 1-11; and The cursing of the fig tree from Mark 11:12-14.
Novak chapter Six.
Your working bibliography is also due today (Friday 18th) and should be sent by e-mail. This must contain at least five properly documented sources, written up in the style required by the notes on the essay.
Week 13 - Christianity Continued.
Mon. 4/21 Discussion of the Bulletin Board Assignment and The Sacraments of Christianity.
Wed. 4/23 Consider The Liturgy of Christianity and try to answer the question, "How do the Christian narratives of Easter and Christmas relate to the seasons of the solar year? What, in your opinion, is the significance of this?"
Fri. 4/25 QUIZ #3 (Judaism, Graeco-Roman Religion, and Christianity).
Week 14
Islam
Novak chapter Seven
Smith 145 - 159.
Mon. 4/28 Introduction to Islam: The Prophet and the Book, the Caliphate and the origins of the Sunni/Shia division.
Today is your last chance to have a rough draft of your paper
checked.
Wed. 4/30 The Five Pillars of Islam and Principles of Islamic Theology.
Fri. 5/02 Heterophenomenology and Islam.
Week 15
Smith 160 - 177.
Mon. 5/5 Guest Speaker, Dr. Ahmad Abul-Ela, a leading member of the local Islamic Society will talk to the class today.
Tues. 5/06 The last class. Your paper is due in today (as an e-mail attachment, by 4:30).
Explanation of the Final Examination.
Student Assessments of the course.
I will hand out the take-home final in this class.
The Completed take-home final examination must be handed in as an e-mail attachments anytime before the deadline, but you must await a positive response from me that I have received your paper before you assume that I have got it, because I will not accept any excuses whatsoever for final exams that have been somehow lost.
Reading Day: Wednesday, May 7th.
The deadline for the take-home
final is during the Final Examination Period from 11:30 to 2:00 on Thursday May 8th.
They can be
submitted earlier.
Finals period Thursday 5/08 to Monday 5/12.
Term
ends Monday 5/12.
