UNDERSTANDING RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION
Schedule of Classes
The schedule of classes, quizzes, etc. remains negotiable until Thursday,
March 27th . Changes must be made before this date.
The class will meet Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 to 9:30 in Old
Main 210.
I will be available in my office in Old Main 223 on Mondays from 12:30
to 2:30, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:30 - 1:30, and by
arrangement.
Week 1 - Introduction
What are we studying?
Thr. 02/06 Introduction to the course, handbook, and textbooks. Definitions, terms and categories of the study. Smith's "point of departure," pp. 8 - 15, Novak's collection of texts, the phenomenology of religion.
Week 2 - Hinduism
Novak chapter One.
Tues. 02/11 Video, 330 Million Gods, and discussion.
Thrs. 02/13 The Four valid aims and the Four Yogas. Smith 7-39.
Temple Visit at a time to be arranged.
Week 3 - Hinduism cont.
Tues. 02/18 The Four stages of life and the Four Vedas. Smith 40 - 46
Thrs. 02/20 QUIZ #1 (Phenomenology and Hinduism)
Week 4 - Buddhism
Novak chapter Two
Tues. 02/25 Video, Footprints of the Buddha, and discussion.
Thrs. 02/27 The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Smith 59-97.
Week 5 - Chinese Religion
Novak chapters Three and Four
Tues. 03/04 Video and discussion.
Thrs. 03/06 The San Chiao; China's three religions. Smith 99 - 143.
QUIZ #2 (Buddhism and Chinese Religion)
Note that your research paper MUST be determined by this time.
Week 6 - Judaism
Novak chapter Five
Tues. 03/11 The History, the Texts, and the Ideas.
Thrs. 03/13 Smith 179 - 203.
Week 7 - Christianity
Novak chapter Six. Also read: Matthew 1 - 3; Mark 1; Luke 1 - 3; John 1; Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts 9, 22, Galatians 1; I Corinthians 13; Revelations 17.
Tues. 03/18 The History of Christianity.
Thrs. 03/20 The Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. Smith 205 - 216.
Spring Vacation: Saturday March 22nd through Sunday March 30th
Week 8 - Christianity continued and midterm assessment
Tues. 04/01 The liturgy of Christianity. Handout. Visit to Planetarium
to discuss the solar year?
Thrs. 04/03 The Church and the churches. The history and texts of Christianity. Smith 217 - 229. Midterm assessment. Discussion of the course so far.
Week 9 - Islam
Novak chapter Seven
Tues. 04/08 Visit from Dr. Ahmad Abul-Ela/visit to mosque?
Thrs. 04/10 The Prophet and the Book. Smith 145 - 159.
Week 10 - Islam continued
Tues. 04/15 The Five Pillars of Islam. Smith 160 - 177.
Thrs. 04/17 QUIZ #3 (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)
Week 11 - The Non-Literate Religions
Novak chapter Eight
Tues. 04/22 Birth, Death, and Human Experience. See especially
Essential Sacred Writings from around the World on the creation myths of non-literate peoples.
Thrs. 04/24 The Australian Experience and the Symbolic Mind. Smith 232 - 243.
Week 12 - Understanding Religious Experience
Tues. 04/29 Any conclusions? Where have we got so far? Smith 245 - 249.
Thrs. 05/01 History, Time, and the Sacred.
Week 13 - Religion as a Study
Tues. 05/06 Dimensional Models of religion.
Thrs. 05/08 Comparative Religion, Religious Studies, or the History of Religions: A brief introduction to the academic study of religion.
Week 14
Tues. 05/13 The last class. QUIZ #4 (Primal religion, dimensional models etc.) Student Assessments of the course. You can hand in your research paper today or on Wednesday (Reading Day). I will hand out the Take-home quiz today at the latest. It is due in on Monday 19th between 11:30 and 12:00, but if you give it to me personally you can hand it in earlier.
