REL 125 Syllabus

CRN 11752 REL 125 Religions of the East
TR 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM GEB 342

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 presented 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.
4. Describe the historical context, important individuals, and cultural development of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
5. Identify and compare the major textual sources and literary traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
6. Describe and analyze the doctrines and ritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto.
7. 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. The necessity for regular attendance should go without saving. As Woody Allen put it, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." More details about this below.

3. Four exams (quarterly), both objective and subjective in content.

4. Eleven weekly quizzes.

5. A critical analysis paper on a visitation to a Hindu temple, Buddhist temple, or meditation center in the Kansas City area. Specific criteria and guidelines for this paper are available online (see link "click here" just below).

Site visits-- for paper guidelines, click here (also available from bottom of this page and from homepage)

The Hindu Temple and Cultural Center (Lenexa, KS)

The Laotian Buddhist Temple (Olathe, KS)

The Kansas Zen Center (Lawrence, KS)

The Rime Buddhist Center (Kansas City, MO)

The American Buddhist Center (Kansas City, MO)

The Temple Buddhist Center (at Unity Temple, Kansas City, MO)

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

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

Eleven weekly quizzes @ 10 points each = 110 points. Quizzes will be available on ANGEL and MUST be completed within the allotted time frame of 48 hours from point of posting. Once closed, online quizzes will NOT be re-opened. See ANGEL calendar for quiz schedule and hours.

Visitation paper: 50 points. To be submitted online through ANGEL. LATE VISITATION PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Four exams @ 65 points each = 260 points.

Total: 445 points. BE AWARE: Everything matters! There are no "unimportant" points-- the loss of attendance, exercise, and/or quiz points can have an effect on your final grade.

Summary of grading scale by points:

445 – 399 = A
398– 354 = B
353 – 310 = C
309 – 265 = D
264 and less = F

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 extra credit submissions whatsoever will be accepted following the last day of scheduled classes (i.e., prior to Finals Week).

TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Page numbers refer to required text for this course

All dates in parentheses refer to Monday of the given week

WEEK 1 (1/14): Introduction to class and ways of approaching religious studies; the nature of symbol, myth, and ritual

PART I: THE VEDIC AND HINDU TRADITION: INDIA (text: The Hindu Tradition)

WEEK 2 (1/21): Hinduism I: The roots of the tradition; p. 9-12, 17-23, 23-26, 48-65, 208-212, 218-223

WEEK 3 (1/28): Hinduism II: The development of the tradition; p. 69-73, 74-100, 117-135, 136-150, 180-181, 189-205

WEEK 4 (2/4): Hinduism III: The practice of the tradition and the fine arts; p. 227-260, 313-322

WEEK 5 (2/11): REVIEW (Tues), EXAM (Thurs)

PART II: THE BUDDHIST TRADITION: INDIA AND CHINA (text: The Buddhist Tradition)

WEEK 6 (2/18): Buddhism I: Indian origins; 3-15, 20-25, 32-36, 73-81, 95-101, 110-122

WEEK 7 (2/25): Snow day (Tues); Buddhism I, cont. (Thurs)

WEEK 8 (3/4): Buddhism II: Early sectarian developments; Buddhism in China; 125-138, 139-143, 199-201, 204-207, 207-211, 225-231

WEEK 9 (3/11): Buddhism III: China, cont.; Tibetan Buddhism

WEEK 10 (3/18): SPRING BREAK

WEEK 11 (3/25): REVIEW (Tues), EXAM (Thurs)

PART III: THE RELIGIONS OF CHINA

WEEK 12 (4/1): Daoism (textual excerpts to be presented); NO CLASS ON THURSDAY (NOT A CAMPUS CLOSING!)

WEEK 13 (4/8): Confucianism (textual excerpts to be presented)

WEEK 14 (4/15): REVIEW (Tues), EXAM (Thurs)

PART IV: BUDDHISM AND THE INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF JAPAN

WEEK 15 (4/22): The Japanese worldview; Shinto (textual excerpts to be presented); VISITATION PAPER DUE ONLINE FRIDAY BEFORE MIDNIGHT

WEEK 16 (4/29): Buddhism V: Zazen (text: The Buddhist Tradition); 255-265, 314-327, 355-363, 372-373, 393-398

WEEK 17 (5/6): REVIEW FOR FINAL EXAM (Tuesday only)

WEEK 17-18: FINAL EXAM WEEK 5/9-5/15; FINAL EXAM TIME FOR THIS CLASS IS: Tuesday, May 14 @ 3:00 PM

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, as well as your ANGEL e-mail account.

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