Introduction to World Religions [REL 1103.27194] (Course Syllabus)

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS [REL 1103.27194] | SPRING 2022 Matthew J. Pereira, Ph.D. Cell Phone: (310) 483–0862 Email: [email protected] Days and Time: M, W, F 12:30 – 1:20 pm Location: AGH 107 Matt’s Office Hours: SSH 160; T 1:00–3 :00 PM; TH 10:00-11:30AM or by appointment: Zoom Address: https://zoom.us/j/8690502942 Zoom ID: 869 050 2942 Teaching Assistants: Trent Alford; [email protected]; office hours: T, TH 10:30 – 11:30 am; Christopher Tucker; [email protected]; office hours: M, F 2-4 pm. Course Description: This survey course begins with an introduction to the field of Religious Studies, which Wat Muang Angthong Temple Thailand. as an academic endeavor, continues to encourage and invites analysis, questions and exploration from multiple perspectives, commitments and cultural locations. From the distribution of a wide range of beliefs, practices, customs, rituals to politics, science, economics, the arts, our bodies, language and popular culture – just about all aspects of our lives – are inflected by what may be called the religious. On the one hand, religious traditions and their actors who have competed against scientific, political and other spheres of authority and influence; then, on the other hand, religious traditions have cooperated and developed alongside other institutions of power and influence. Following an introduction to the nature of religion and its academic study, we will survey five of the major world religions in the following order: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Each section of this course begins with an overview of the historical, geographical and cultural background in which the respective religious tradition first emerged, then each unit transitions to an overview of the sacred writings, teachings, rituals and practices within, throughout and across the aforementioned religious traditions. In this introductory course in Religious Studies, we will evaluate how religious traditions have established (and continue to establish) ways of belonging, believing and becoming related to what may be known as the sacred and the profane, the divine and the humane, the transcendent and the immanent. We will conclude this survey course with an introduction to New Religious Movements with special attention afforded to The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints and The Nation of Islam. Recognizing that religious traditions continue to diversify when proliferated and transmitted, we shall seek to evaluate how these religious traditions are colored and textured within historical contexts. The underlying goal of this course is to encourage greater curiosity, appreciation, and cultivation of the interrelated disciplines of listening, reading, reflecting and writing to demonstrate an informed, nuanced and empathetic understanding of world religions. “Normally persons talk about other people’s religions as they are, and about their own as it ought to be.” - Wilfred Cantwell Smith, 1962 REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: A Concise Introduction to World Religions, by R. Amore, et. al, 4th Edition. 9780190919023 Oxford University Press, 2019. ADDITIONAL READINGS: See Files Folder in Canvas Homepage. “Religions are treasure chests of stories, songs, rituals, and ways of life that have been handed down for millennia - not covered in dust but evolving all the way- so that each new generation has something to choose from when it is time to ask the big questions in life. Where did we come from? Why do bad things happen to good people? Who is my neighbor? Where do we go from here? No one should have to start from scratch with questions like these. Overhearing the answers of the world's great religions can help anyone improve his or her own answers. Without a religion, these questions often do not get asked.” - Barbara Brown Taylor, Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon successfully completing this course, the following objectives will have been met: 1. Students will gain an understanding of methods and issues in the study of religion. 2. Students will learn how to engage in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of religion. 3. Students will identify, summarize, compare and contrast the beliefs, rituals and practices across the world religions. 4. Students will have improved upon their analytical reading of historical and religious texts. 5. Students will have improved upon their critical and empathetic interpretation of a range of beliefs and practices across the religious traditions. 6. Students will practice being self-reflexive and reflective as part of developing critical self-awareness as the evaluator (and possible practitioner) of a religious tradition. COURSE STRUCTURE: This is a lecture intensive course. There will be 30 terms (identifications) or less provided for each unit covered within this course, which will be highlighted throughout lectures. For the purposes of evaluation, students will respond to discussion questions, complete six quizzes, one analytical essay, and two exams. RECORDED LECTURES: There will be recorded lectures provided for each class. Since the majority of recordings were done in a previous semester, please ignore any references to assignments made within the recorded lectures. Follow the syllabus and announcements with regards to guidance regarding the course assignments. I will also be providing Keynote presentations for each class. MASKS ARE EXPECTED TO BE WORN IN THE CLASSROOM: Per OSU policy and in light of the worldwide pandemic, masks are expected to be worn within the classroom. Per OSU policy and in light of the worldwide pandemic, masks are expected to be worn within the classroom. Please consider the fact that some students and professors have underlying medical conditions, and perhaps, we should do unto others as we hope would be done unto us if we were more vulnerable to severe illness due to contracting COVID. DISCUSSION BOARD (FOUR RESPONSES; 25 POINTS EACH; 100 POINTS TOTAL): In place of taking attendance, there will be discussion board questions provided at the end of each unit (see the calendar below). Students are to write responses to four of the discussion prompts throughout the course of the semester. Each discussion prompt is worth 25 points, thus, in total, the discussion board counts for 100 points (10% of the overall grade). Guidelines will be provided with the first discussion question, to be given at the end of the second week of the semester. 6 QUIZZES (50 POINTS EACH; 300 POINTS TOTAL): There will be six quizzes throughout this semester. There will be one quiz for each of the units covered throughout this semester except for the final section on the New Religious Movements. Quizzes may be in the form of multiple choice questions; true of false; and/or essay and reflections. Quizzes focus on identifications, lectures, and readings. All quizzes will be provided on Canvas. Students will have up to one week to complete the quiz from the date of its publication on Canvas. ESSAY: OSU HOMECOMING AS A RELIGIOUS EVENT (200 POINTS): The OSU Homecoming takes place in the fall semester. The most recent, 100th Homecoming took place on October. 24–30th, 2021. Here is the website: https://www.orangeconnection.org/s/860/18/hc-home.aspx?sid=860&gid=1&pgid=9658. In a creative and analytical essay, students are invited to provide a reflection that argues and explains how Homecoming may be described as a religious event/holiday. Students may draw from their own experiences in participating in the Homecoming and other material, including reports from media sources, and perspectives from other students and people (whether through an interview or informal conversation). This essay should be no less than five complete pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font. Guidelines will be provided at least two weeks before the due date of the essay. Due date: January 31st. ESSAY: MARTYRDOM OF PERPETUA (200 POINTS): Students are invited to write an analytical essay that draws from at least one secondary (scholarly) source, to be provided by the instructor, on the Martyrdom of Perpetua. This essay should be no less than five complete pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font. Guidelines will be provided at least two weeks before the due date of the essay. Due Date: APRIL 11TH FINAL EXAM (200 POINTS): The Final Exam will consists of essay questions, which will be take home, open note, open book. More details for the Final Exam will be provided later in the semester. EXTRA CREDIT (REFLECTIONS ON PRIMARY SOURCE READINGS | UP TO 20 POINTS EACH): For each unit except the first one on Studying Religions, there will be a primary source reading provided as an Extra Credit opportunity. Each reflection could be awarded up to twenty points, however, please note these are not free points, indeed, I intend to personally evaluate all extra credit reflections and am glad to reward 20 points when the student demonstrates strong engagement with the primary source reading. Lesser points will be rewarded if there is a lack of strong engagement. To earn twenty points, the student should first summarize the reading and thereafter reflect upon what they learned, found interesting, significant, and what questions were generated by reading the document. The student should also cite select passages from the Primary Source Document. Each reflection should be at least two pages (and no more than three pages), singled-spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman. Each primary source document is located in a folder in the Files titled “Primary Source Documents” within our Canvas Homepage. LATE WORK ASSIGNMENTS: Late work will be accepted up to one week after the due date. Late work may be penalized up to 20% prior to evaluating the work. After one week, zero (0) grade will be submitted for all missing work. If you have any issues or concerns regarding assignments, please reach out to myself and/or Trent and Chris. We will do our best to support each of you throughout the semester, but it is important, that you remain in contact with us if any issues arise. Thank you. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Please place all of your electronic devices, including laptops, cell phones, away and out of sight once the class has started. If you need to make a phone call or send a text, please feel free to step out of class and return when ready to be present. Points could be deducted from the attendance grade if a student is disruptive or distracting due to the use of electronics in class (I do not anticipate any issues). Thank you in advance. DISTRIBUTION OF THE GRADED POINTS (COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION): Discussion Board: 100 points Quizzes 300 points (50 points each) Essay: OSU Homecoming 200 points Essay: Martyrdom of Perpetua 200 points Final Exam 200 points ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: OSU is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct. This level of ethical behavior and integrity will be maintained in this course. Participating in a behavior that violates academic integrity (e.g., unauthorized collaboration, plagiarism, multiple submissions, cheating on examinations, helping another person cheat, unauthorized advance access to examinations, altering or destroying the work of others, and altering academic records) will result in an official academic sanction. Violations may subject you to disciplinary action including the following: receiving a failing grade on an assignment, examination or course, receiving a notation of a violation of academic integrity on your transcript, and being suspended from the University. To appeal any charge: 101 Whitehurst Phone (405) 744-5627| http://academicintegrity.okstate.edu STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL OR LEARNING DISABILITIES: If you need special accommodations the University will try to make appropriate arrangements. These arrangements will need to be made ahead of time through the Student Disability Services Office 315 Student Union | (405) 744–7116| Website: https://sds.okstate.edu/. WEEKS 1–2 | STUDYING RELIGIONS (JANUARY 10TH – JANUARY 21ST) What is Religion? Methodological & Theoretical Approaches to Studying Religions Basic Human Religion: Origins of Faith Basic Human Religion: Patterns of Faith 1/17 University Holiday | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Quiz 1: Studying Religions WEEKS 3–4 | HINDU TRADITIONS Holi Festival,Wat Muang Angthong Temple Thailand. (JANUARY 24TH – FEBRUARY 4TH) Origins and Overview Sacred Texts (Vedas and Upanishads) Hindu Epics (Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita) Classical Teachings The Varna System The Stages of Life Schools of Theology Rituals, Practices and Festivals Primary Source Reading: The Bhagavad Gita Quiz 2: Hindu Traditions Due Jan. 31: Essay on the OSU Homecoming as a Religious Event/Holiday WEEKS 5–6| BUDDHIST TRADITIONS New Year Festival, Bangkok, Thailand ( FEBRUARY 7TH – FEBRUARY 18TH ) Overview & Origins The First Gem (The Buddha) The Second Gem (Dharma) The Sacred Texts The Third Gem (The Sangha) Theravada (First Vehicle) Mahayana (Second Vehicle) Vajrayana (Third Vehicle) Primary Source Reading: Dalai Lama, “The Source of Happiness,” in The Art of Happiness Quiz 3: Buddhist Traditions WEEKS 7–8| JEWISH TRADITIONS (FEBRUARY 21ST – MARCH 4TH) The Western Wall, Old Jerusalem Overview & Origins The Hebrew Bible The Second Temple Period Rabbinical Judaism Jewish Life under Christianity and Islam Haskalah and Branches of Judaism Jewish Life in the 20th century Primary Source Reading: Primo Levi, “The Down and the Saved,” in Survival in Auschwitz Quiz 4: Jewish Traditions Due by October 1: Essay: Bhagavad Gita (Amar Chitra Katha) WEEKS 9–12 | CHRISTIAN TRADITION Holy Mount Grabarka, Poland. Pilgrimage (MARCH 7TH – APRIL 1ST) Origins & Overview New Testament & Early Church Monasticism Medieval Christianity The European Reformation Roman Catholicism Eastern Orthodoxy WEEK 10 | SPRING BREAK (NO CLASSES) BETWEEN MARCH 14TH – MARCH 18TH Primary Source Reading: The Martyrdom of Perpetua Quiz 5: Christian Traditions (APRIL 4TH – APRIL 15TH) Origins and Overview WEEKS 13–14| MUSLIM TRADITIONS The Kaabah & Great Mosque, Saudi Arabia The Qur’an Muhammad and the Hadith The Five Pillars Sharia (Islamic Law) Sunnis and Shi‘ites Philosophy and Science Sufism Islam in the Contemporary World Primary Source Reading: Selections from the Sufi (Mystical) Tradition Quiz 6: Muslim Traditions Due April 11th: Essay on the Martyrdom of Perpetua WEEKS 15–16 | NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah (APRIL 18TH – APRIL 29TH) New Religions, Sects & Cults New Religions (Eastern traditions) New Religions (Abrahamic Religions) Wicca, Raëlians, Scientology The New Age Movement Pre-Finals Week is April 25th – 29th Primary Source Reading: “Mecca” in The Autobiography of Malcolm X Tentative Nature of Course Syllabus: If necessary, this syllabus is subject to revision. Students will be held responsible for modifications distributed in class time, and/or communicated by an email correspondence, and/or provided on Canvas. Usually, all three of these mediums will be employed to communicate any changes.