REL 120 Syllabus

REL 120 Exploring World Religions
TR 8:00 AM - 9:20 AM CC 126-A (late start)
MW 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM CC 344
Dr. Timothy Hoare, CC 342, ext. 4526
Homepage: http://staff.jccc.edu/thoare
E-mail: thoare@jccc.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is a comparative study of the world's major religious traditions. The basic beliefs of primal/indigenous traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity and Islam will be explored. A comparative framework for religious studies will be provided, and essential differences between Eastern and Western religions will be noted. Literary texts and iconographic images will be studied as appropriate. Prerequisites and/or corequisites: None. Credit hours: 3. Contact hours: 3. Lecture: 3. Lab: 0. Course type: Transfer. Most recent date revised: Fall 2004. Fees/supplies: None.

REQUIRED TEXT

Novak, Philip. The World's Wisdom, San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1994.

Additional readings may be distributed periodically as supplements to primary text. Videotapes will be used in conjunction with the text and lecture (documentary and feature film selections).

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, the student should be able to:

1. Define "religion" and describe the diversity of religious experience.

2. Identify the major texts, central religious figures and ideas of the world's great religions.

3. Recognize concepts and issues basic to the study of religions in a comparative framework.

4. Identify the iconic and artistic traditions of the world's religions.

5. Apply critical methodologies for determining truth that permit correction and dialogue, and that subject the student's cultural beliefs and values to critical reflective thought.

6. Describe the historical context and development of the world's major religions and their systems of value.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

1. All assigned readings are to be read, which implies critical reflection, analysis and preparation for discussion. This further implies that your in-class participation can well make the difference between one grade and another.

2. The necessity for regular attendance should go without saying. As Woody Allen put it, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." More details about this below.

3. Nine quizzes, each of which will cover basic ideas in the religious tradition with which we are dealing at the given time.

3. Four quarterly examinations will be both objective and subjective in content.

4. A critical analysis paper of three-to-five pages on a visitation to a church, synagogue, temple or mosque in the Kansas City area. Specific criteria and guidelines for this paper are available online at this website (see link on homepage, as well as at the bottom of this syllabus).

5. Grading will be based upon the following point distributions:

Attendance/ participation in discussions: 25 points. I will allow a maximum of 3 "no questions asked" absences (2 for evening class if scheduled); I will deduct 2 points for each absence beyond this.
Visitation paper: 50 points.
Four quarterly exams @ 65 points each = 260 points.
Nine quizzes @ 10 points each = 90 points.
Total: 425 points.
If the student deems it necessary, he/she can earn extra credit points. Opportunities for doing so will be explained on the first day of the class.
No assignments, extra credit submissions, etc. whatsoever will be accepted following the last day of scheduled classes (i.e., prior to Finals Week).

TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE
MW 3:30 PM

Page numbers refer to required text for this course

All dates refer to Monday of the given week

WEEK 1 (8/17): introduction to course; approaches to "religious studies"

WEEK 2 (8/24): the nature of myth, ritual and symbol; Primal religious traditions (text, p. 333-379, esp. #s 1, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 32, 36, 42) : introduction and overview

WEEK 3 (8/31): Primal religious traditions, cont.

WEEK 4 (9/7): NO CLASS ON MONDAY 9/7 (LABOR DAY); Review

WEEK 5 (9/14): FIRST QUARTER EXAM; Hinduism (text, p. 1-48, esp. #s 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26)

WEEK 6 (9/21): Hinduism, cont.; Buddhism (text, p. 49-109, esp. #s 4, 7, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 35, 36, 38, 39, 45, 46, 47, 51, 55, 59, 61)

WEEK 7 (9/28): Buddhism, cont.

WEEK 8 (10/5): Film- Harold and Maude

WEEK 9 (10/12): Review; SECOND QUARTER EXAM

WEEK 10 (10/19): China: Characteristics of traditional Chinese religion; Daoism (text, p. 145-174, esp. #s 1.1, 1.7, 2.56, 3.2, 3.9, 3.22, 3.24, 3.27, 4.57, 4.60, 5.8, 5.78, 6.2, 6.11, 13a, 14, 17, 18e)

WEEK 11 (10/26): China: Confucianism (text, p. 111-144, esp. 1c, 2b, 4g, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 23, 25ae, 26); NO CLASS ON WED

WEEK 12 (11/2): Review; THIRD QUARTER EXAM

WEEK 13 (11/9): Judaism (text, p. 175-226, esp. #s 1-11, 15-18, 19abcd, 21, 23, 26, 28, 35-40); PAPER DUE ON FRIDAY

WEEK 14 (11/16): Christianity (text, p. 227-279, esp. #s 2, 3, 5, 7b, 9, 13, 18, 19, 20fk, 22b/hijk, 30, 31, 32bghkl, 35a, 44b, 45d, 55, 56)

WEEK 15 (11/23): Islam (text, p. 281-332, esp. #s 1de, 2a, 3, 5acd, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10del, 11, 12, 36a, 37c, 41c, 45); NO CLASS ON WED-FRI (THANKSGIVING BREAK)

WEEK 16 (11/30): Islam, cont.; Review for final exam

WEEK 17 (12/7): Review, cont.; FINAL EXAM WEEK IS THURSDAY 12/10 - WEDNESDAY 12/16
EXAM TIME FOR THIS CLASS IS: WEDNESDAY 12/16 @ 3 PM

TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE
"LATE START" TR 8:00 AM

Page numbers refer to required text for this course

All dates refer to Monday of the given week

WEEK 1 (8/31): introduction to course; the nature of myth, ritual and symbol; Primal religious traditions (text, p. 333-379, esp. #s 1, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 32, 36, 42)

WEEK 2 (9/7): Primal religious traditions, cont.

WEEK 3 (9/14): Review; FIRST QUARTER EXAM

WEEK 4 (9/21): Hinduism (text, p. 1-48, esp. #s 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26)

WEEK 5 (9/28): Buddhism (text, p. 49-109, esp. #s 4, 7, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 35, 36, 38, 39, 45, 46, 47, 51, 55, 59, 61)

WEEK 6 (10/5): Feature Film- Harold and Maude

WEEK 7 (10/12): Review; THURSDAY NO CLASS

WEEK 8 (10/19): SECOND QUARTER EXAM; Characteristics of traditional Chinese religion; Daoism (text, p. 145-174, esp. #s 1.1, 1.7, 2.56, 3.2, 3.9, 3.22, 3.24, 3.27, 4.57, 4.60, 5.8, 5.78, 6.2, 6.11, 13a, 14, 17, 18e)

WEEK 9 (10/26): Daoism, cont.; Confucianism (text, p. 111-144, esp. 1c, 2b, 4g, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 23, 25ae, 26); THURSDAY NO CLASS

WEEK 10 (11/2): Confucianism, cont.; Review

WEEK 11 (11/9): THIRD QUARTER EXAM; Judaism (text, p. 175-226, esp. #s 1-11, 15-18, 19abcd, 21, 23, 26, 28, 35-40)

WEEK 12 (11/16): Judaism, cont.; Christianity (text, p. 227-279, esp. #s 2, 3, 5, 7b, 9, 13, 18, 19, 20fk, 22b/hijk, 30, 31, 32bghkl, 35a, 44b, 45d, 55, 56); PAPER DUE BY FRIDAY

WEEK 13 (11/23): Christianity, cont.; THURSDAY NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING)

WEEK 14 (11/30): Islam (text, p. 281-332, esp. #s 1de, 2a, 3, 5acd, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10del, 11, 12, 36a, 37c, 41c, 45);

WEEK 15 (12/7): Review; FINAL EXAM WEEK IS THURSDAY 12/10 - WEDNESDAY 12/16

FINAL EXAM TIME FOR THIS CLASS IS: TUESDAY 12/15 @ 8 AM

SOME ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

1. All JCCC students are issued a college e-mail account that is accessed through MyJCCC. This account is used by the college to communicate course, grade, financial aid, enrollment and other important college information. It is your responsibility to check your JCCC e-mail account regularly for important information.

2. I am a strong proponent of the liberal arts. I approach material in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner. In this Humanities course, religion, philosophy, ethics, art, literature, theatre, psychology, the media, history, political science, et al. will inevitably come into conversation with one another. Education is about gaining proficiency with the tools to discern and explore these interrelationships, to interpret and evaluate them critically, and to continue to do so throughout your lives. In short, there's a world of people, places, ideas and books out there; after you graduate, you have to be able to go to a dinner party and talk competently about something besides your job!

3. I am not simply a lecturer who loves the sound of his own voice. Expect me to ask questions of you and to generate discussion with you. While I most certainly want you to understand my ideas and opinions on the material, I value your efforts, your opinions, your input and your reflections as well.

4. I am a gracious host who likes gracious guests. It's not enough simply to arrive, sign the register and then sit in an out-of-the-way corner. Be prepared to take part in the class.

5. We all have doctor appointments, childcare concerns, or "just one of those things" that come up now and again. If you have to leave a session early, please inform me before the class begins. It is simply the courteous thing to do.

6. I care about the ambience in which I teach and in which students learn. I expect you to be attentive, to turn off your cell phones, and to treat one another with respect while you are here, and to pick up after yourselves when you depart (papers, soft drink cans, etc.).

7. Last but not least, academic dishonesty, i.e., cheating on exams, intentional plagiarism on written assignments, will not be tolerated. A first offense will result in an "F" on the exam, paper, etc. concerned. A second offense will result in an "F" for the course.

LINKS TO STUDY AIDS and GUIDES

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