REL 125 Religions of the East: Summer

REL 125 Religions of the East
Summer Session: 6/1 - 6/25, 9 AM - 11:45 AM CLB 412
Dr. Timothy Hoare, CC 342, ext. 4526
Homepage: http://staff.jccc.edu/thoare
E-mail: thoare@jccc.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Religions of the East is a detailed examination of the rich and diverse religious traditions of India, Tibet, China and Japan. Students will explore the histories, mutual influences, beliefs, and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto, stressing the characteristics they share, as well as those that differentiate them from each other and from Western religions. Primary and secondary texts, as well as the iconographic and artistic traditions of these religions, will be examined as appropriate. 3 hrs. lecture/wk.

REQUIRED TEXT

The Hindu Tradition; Embree, Ainslee T., ed., New York: Vintage Books, 1966.
ISBN: 9780394717029, Adoption date: Spring 2009.

The Buddhist Tradition; de Bary, William T., ed., New York: Vintage Books, 1972.
ISBN: 9780394716961, Adoption date: Spring 2009.

(additional readings in Chinese and Japanese religions will be distributed as supplements to primary required texts)

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Define the basic terminology, concepts, methodologies, and issues of religious studies.
2. Describe the historical context, important individuals, and cultural development of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
3. Identify and compare the major textual sources and literary traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
4. Describe and analyze the doctrines and ritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
5. Identify and compare the artistic and iconographic expressions of these religious traditions in their diverse regional variations.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

1. The basic format of Religions of the East will be lecture/presentation sessions and discussion. Lectures/presentations will be concerned primarily with historical development, beliefs, ritual practices, and visual materials (videos, slides). Discussions will focus on the assigned readings from the text (i.e., the course text and/or distributed texts). Students are expected to participate actively in discussion, and will be graded accordingly.

2. Four exams (weekly), both objective and subjective in content.

3. Four weekly quizzes, which will take place on the Wednesday prior to each exam.

4. Grading will be based on the following point distributions:

Attendance: 25 points. I will allow a maximum of 2 "no questions asked" absences; I will deduct 3 points for each absence beyond this.

Four quizzes @ 15 points each = 60 points.

Four exams @ 65 points each = 260 points.

Total: 345 points.

No make-up work whatsoever (quizzes, exams) will be accepted after the Wednesday (6/24) of the final week of the class.

TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Dates in parentheses refer to Monday of the given week.

WEEK 1: THE VEDIC AND HINDU TRADITION: INDIA (text: The Hindu Tradition)

Mon (6/1): Hinduism I: The roots of the tradition (p. 3-12, 17-21, 25-26, 41-43, 48-65, 210-212)

Tues (6/2): Hinduism II: The growth of the tradition (p. 69-100, 117-132, 136-150, 180-181)

Wed (6/3): Hinduism III: The faith and devotion of the tradition (p. 227-236, 246-249, 256-260, 313-322), WEEKLY QUIZ

Thurs (6/4): REVIEW, EXAM

WEEK 2: THE BUDDHIST TRADITION: INDIA, CHINA, AND SOUTHEAST ASIA (text: The Buddhist Tradition)

Mon (6/8): Buddhism I: Indian origins; (p. 3-15, 20-25, 32-36, 73-81, 95-101, 110-122)

Tues (6/9): Buddhism II: China; (p. 125-138, 139-143, 199-201, 204-207, 207-211, 225-231)

Wed (6/10): Buddhism III: Southeast Asia (no readings), WEEKLY QUIZ

Thurs (6/11): REVIEW, EXAM

WEEK 3: THE INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF CHINA (textual excerpts to be presented in class)

Mon (6/15): The Chinese worldview; Daoism

Tues (6/16): Daoism, Confucianism

Wed (6/17): Confucianism, WEEKLY QUIZ

Thurs (6/18): REVIEW, EXAM

WEEK 4: BUDDHISM AND THE INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF JAPAN (text: The Buddhist Tradition)

Mon (6/22): The Japanese worldview; Shinto (no readings)

Tues (6/23): Shinto, cont.

Wed (6/24): Buddhism IV: Japan- Pure Land and Zazen ( p. 255-265, 314-327, 355-363, 372-373, 393-398), WEEKLY QUIZ

Thurs (6/25): REVIEW, EXAM

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