India Studies Program BestSemester

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1 India s Religious Landscape (3 semester credits) Dr.Beulah Jeyaseeli. M.A., M.Ed., M.Sc( Edin)., M.Litt., M.Th (Oxon)., Ph.D Beuleeuk@yahoo.co.uk. Contact no Course Description This course will provide an introduction to and comparative study of the major religious traditions in Indian society with a particular focus on the two largest religions in India: Hinduism and Islam. Students will be exposed to the religious diversity of India through lectures, discussions, and visits both to local places of worship and to religiously significant sites across India. The course will also examine the question of an appropriate Christian response to the pluralistic culture of India and the history and contemporary challenges of the Christian community in India. Student Learning Goals To develop a general descriptive understanding and appreciation of the major religious traditions in India: their origins, historical developments, philosophy, theology, traditions, and contemporary trends and issues. 1. Understand the influence of India s religious traditions in contemporary India and its impact on the global community. 2. Reflect critically on the relationship between the religions of India and Christianity. 3. Understand the creative interface of these religions and their influence on India s selfawareness and responses to contemporary socio-economic challenges. 4. Discover strategies for successful coexistence and cooperation in a multi-religious society. Instructional Methods 1. Lecture and Class Discussion: Indian professors will provide a survey of the major religious traditions in India, with emphasis on Hinduism and Islam. Lectures will include speakers from various religious traditions and points of view. 2. Field trips: Students will visit a variety of places of worship in and around Coimbatore as well as a variety of religiously significant sites in India on regional trips and the final two-week trip at the end of the semester. These visits are particularly critical for this class as a first-hand supplement to the content delivered in lectures. Possible local visits include but are not limited to: Perur Temple, Gurudwara, Jain Temple

2 Course Outline UNIT I: HINDUISM: BASIC BELIEFS AND PRACTICES A. History B. Core Beliefs 1. Primary gods: Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, etc 2. Many ways to one truth. 3. Maya and Moksha. 4. Four ways to achieve Moksha C. Major Texts 1. Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas. 2. Epics: Mahabharata and Ramayana. 3. Bhagavad Gita. D. Life and Culture 1. Hinduism as a way of life. 2. Contemporary practices and rituals. 3. Major festivals. UNIT II: HINDUISM: PHILOSOPHY AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES A. Hinduism and social justice. B. Hinduism and religious pluralism. C. Christian perspective on Hinduism: connectors and dividers. D. Hindu view on environmental preservation. UNIT III: ISLAM A. History: 1. Life of Muhammad. 2. Spread of Islam. 3. Islam s arrival in India. B. Core Beliefs: 1. Monotheism (Tawhid). 2. Five Pillars. 3. The Qur an. 4. Sunni and Shi ite. C. Islam in India D. Contemporary Issues E. Christian perspective on Islam UNIT IV: MINOR FAITHS A. Buddhism B. Jainism C. Sikhism

3 UNIT V: CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA- Faith in action A. History of Christianity in India. 1. St. Thomas Tradition. 2. Missionaries: William Carrey. 3. Protestant Mission Societies: accomplishments and shortcomings. 4. Contribution missionaries: education, medical, social. B. Contemporary Indian Christianity. C. The Future of Christianity in India. D. Christian Perspective on Pluralistic Environment. 1. Challenges of evangelism/conversion 2. What does Jesus say to India today? Assignments and Evaluation India Studies Program Identify Your Lens Reflection Paper Read Chapter 1 of Clothey s Religion in India: a Historical Introduction. Write a 1-2 page reflection addressing some of the following points: with what lens do you approach India and her religions? Does Clothey do justice to the number and way in which he describes lenses in operation today? Would you change or add anything to his analysis? Do you agree with his description of a good lens? This paper is due Wednesday January 22 nd. Pre-Semester Reflection Papers Read The Christ of the Indian Road by E. Stanley Jones and The Story of my Experiments in Truth by M.K. Gandhi (Both texts can be downloaded for free). Write a 3 page paper (double-spaced, 12 pt font Times New Roman) based on your readings of Jones and Gandhi. The first 1 page should be written as a letter from E. Stanley Jones to Gandhi explaining why, in light of the ways in which Christianity has been contextualized in India (based on your reading of The Christ of the Indian Road), Gandhi should become a follower of Jesus. In the next 1 page write a response letter from Gandhi to Jones, informed by your reading of The Story of my Experiments in Truth explaining why he has chosen to remain a Hindu. In the last page, reflect on your own points of agreement/disagreement with Jones' and Gandhi's positions. What ideas from both texts do you anticipate helping/challenging you during your time in India? Your writing should demonstrate a familiarity with the personal experiences, philosophical assumptions, and outlook on Christianity and Hinduism of both writers as expressed in the required texts. Your paper should assume that Jones and Gandhi are familiar and respectful of each other's work. The citations should be made in the format most familiar to you(apa, MLA, Chicago etc) and the edition must be noted in the paper(for example: MLA 7th edition). The paper is due Monday, February 10 th.

4 Church Visit Reports Visit three diverse Christian Churches and report your observations. See Appendix A at the end of this syllabus for detailed directions for your church visit report. This is due Monday, February 17 th. Reflection Paper: Darsan: Seeing the Divine Image in India According to Eck, what does seeing the Diving Image mean for Hindus? Looking back at your time in India your readings, class content, field experience, informal interactions with neighbors how has that shaped your view of the Divine? Further, how has your perspective of your neighbors view of the Divine changed? Write a 3 page paper addressing these questions. This paper is due Tuesday, March 4 th. Exploration Paper Write a ten-page paper exploring in-depth a particular dimension of one of the religions covered in class and the impact of that faith dimension on the lives of contemporary adherents of the faith. Propose your own specific topic, subject to the approval of the ISP Director. Your research should come from two main sources: Clothey s Religion in India, other relevant texts and firstperson interviews; conclusions should be based on information gained from these interviews and the text. An excellent paper will incorporate at least three interviews with adherents of the faith being researched from different socio-economic levels, as well as information from class material, outside textual research, and students experiential learning throughout the semester. This paper is due Monday, March 24 th. Participation: See Attached ISP Course Policies handout. Evaluation Lens Reflection Paper: 10% Church Visit Reports: 10% Gandhi/Jones Reflection: 20% Eck Reflection: 20% Exploration Paper: 30% Participation: 10% Reading Schedule Unit I Clothey: Chapters 1, 2, 9, Gavin 1, 9 Unit II Clothey: Chapters 5, 7, Gavin 4, 10

5 Unit III Clothey: Chapter 6, Esposito 1,3, p Unit IV Clothey: Chapters 3, 4, 8 Unit V Article: The First Missions to India, Richard s Hinduism: 5, Richard s Christ Bhaki 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 Complete Diana Eck s Darsan by end of February. Main Texts: Required Reading: Clothey, Fred W. (2006) Religion in India: A Historical Introduction. Routledge Eck, Diana. (1996). Darsan: Seeing the Divine Image in India. Columbia University Press. Ghandi, M.K.. (1927) An Autobiography or The Story of my experiments with truth. Navajivan Publishing House. Jones, E. Stanley. (1925) The Christ of the Indian Road. Grosset and Dunlap. Esposito, John L., (1998) Islam: The Straight Path. Oxford University Press Flood, Gavin. (1998) An introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press Richard, H.L. (1991) Christ Bhakti: Narayan Vaman Tilak and Christian Work among Hindu. Asian Trading Corporation. Richard, H.L. (2007) Hinduism: A Brief Look at the Theology, History, Scriptures and Social System with Comments on the Gospel in India. William Carey Library. References: Basham, A. L. (1971). The wonder that was India. New Delhi: Rupa & Company. Chopra, P. N. (1982). Religions and communities of India. New Delhi: Vision Books. Radhakrishan (1927). The Hindu view of life. Bombay: George Allen & Union (India) Pvt. Ltd. Suda, J. P. (1978). Religions in India: A study of their essential unity. New Delhi: Sterling Pub. Pvt. Ltd.

6 Appendix A: Introduction to Indian Churches and the Coimbatore Christian Community Welcome to Coimbatore and the diverse Body of Christ! Your assignment is to briefly survey some of the variety of Christian churches in Coimbatore. Below is a suggested list of churches to choose from. You may also supplement this list with recommendations from your friends or home-stay families. You are welcome to visit a Tamil speaking service (many churches have both), but at least two of the churches in your report should be an English speaking service. Also, at least one visit must be to a non-protestant congregation. From the list below or your own choices, visit and report on three different worshipping communities. Below the list of churches you will find a list of questions to respond to in your report. Each report should be 1-2pgs. Due Date (for three compiled reports): Monday, February 17 th. Local Protestant and Evangelical Churches: All Soul s CSI church Immanuel CSI church C4 (non-denominational) In Touch Fellowship (non-denominational) Zion Church (Pentecostal) Bethel City Cathedral (Pentecostal) Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church New Life Fellowship (Non-denominational) Local Non-Protestant Churches (must choose at least one church from this list): St. Anthony s Catholic Church (Tamil) Christ the King Catholic Church (English) St Mary s Orthodox Church Points for Reflection: This report can be done purely on your observations. Write what you can gather based upon your first impression. Feel free to ask questions and to visit again. What are distinctive characteristics or values of this congregation and their worship? What does the space reveal about the congregation? What contrasts your own previous church experience? What questions does it raise? What is clear about the leadership, their roles and their relationship to the body? How does this church relate to the surrounding community? Are there any clues about witness, outreach or community engagement?