Religion 20 Classical Approaches to the Study of Religion Summer Term 1998 v.1

Transcription

1 Religion 20 Classical Approaches to the Study of Religion Summer Term 1998 v.1 Instructor: Kevin Reinhart office 315 Thornton; phone ; blitzmail office hours: Monday and Wednesday after class; other times by appointment; whenever I m in my office except right before class Class meets: 11 hour: 11:15 12:20 MWF Course Description: Religion 20 is part of a sequence including 21 (Prof. Penner) and 22 (Prof. Frankenberry) designed to initiate our students into the Study of Religion. This course is designed to introduce you to the Study of Religion as a discipline, and to introduce you to some of the major figures who have made the field what it is today (for good and ill). In the course of the term you will also become acquainted with several of the major intellectual trends in the academy during this century. After a brief introduction to the field and to some of its characteristic concerns, we will rapidly survey several of the most important figures in the history of the field, and we will read from major works that have shaped the Study of Religion in this century. Assignments: Because one of these three courses is required of majors, the assignments for all three are roughly the same: a critical review graded check, check plus and revised until acceptable; (on reserve and explained 10 July; I urgeyou to take care of this requirement as soon as you can; no critical reviews will be accepted the last week of class!) 15% papers submitted by week X may be revised an unlimited number of times, by week Y only once, by week Z may not be revised. Revised papers must be submitted with the earlier version(s). A 4-5 page paper on a major work in the Study of Religion (topics provided 6 July; Due 7 August) 20% a take-home midterm (c. 4-5 pages), (Questions provided 20 July; Due 29 July) and 20% a take-home final essay (c. 8 pages) (questions provided 10 August; Due 21 August (extensions permitted)) 35 % attendence, class participaton, preparation 10% In addition you may be asked to help lead one of the discussion sections Required Purchase (from Wheelock Books only): Sharpe, Comparative Religion: A History Durkheim, Elementary Forms of Religious Life William James, Varieties of Religious Experience Max Weber, The Sociology of Religion Mary Douglas, Natural Symbols Laidlaw & Humphrey, The Archetypal Actions of Ritual Sourcebook, Available from Valley Copy. Religion 20 1 printed: 6/1/07

2 Reserve Reading: (Separate List provided) Religion 20 2 printed: 6/1/07

3 Lectures, Discussions and Reading: Schedule No. Date Topic Reading June First Day of Classes June What Do We Mean by Religion? Handout: Religion from the OED, ER, ERE Smith, Neusner, Penner: Is the Comparative Study of Religion Possible? 3. 1 July The Proto-History of the field Sharpe Chapter July 4th of July Holiday NO CLASS 5. 6 July Historicism & Evolutionism List of Paper Topics Provided Sharpe Chapter 2, 3 Tylor Reading (SOURCEBOOK) Levi-Bruel reading (SOURCEBOOK) 6. 8 July Durkheim & Durkheimians Sharpe 4, 5, Durkheim, Elementary Forms [You will find the translator s introduction very helpful] Introduction 1-18; Book 1 Preliminary Questions; sections 1 (Definition) (21-44), 2/I-II (animism and naturism [skim] (45-81), II-4 (84-95) Read carefully) July Critical Review articles on reserve Durkheim & Durkheimians Durkheim, Elementary Forms Book 2 The Elementary Beliefs, chapter 1 ( The Totem as Name, ), 4 (The Individual Totem [skim] ), 6 &7, July Discussion: Durkheim & Durkheimians choose better readings for this sectiondurkheim, Elementary Forms Book 3 Principal Ritual Attitudes, chapter 2 (Elements of Sacrifice), Conclusion July Psychology of Religion Sharpe Chap 5, 9 Wm James Varieties Lecture 1 & Postscript (skim) Lecture 2 Religion 20 3 printed: 6/1/07

4 July Psychology of Religion Wm James Varieties: Lecture 3, 8, 14&15; July Discussion: Psychology of Religion Take Home Midterm Provided July Max Weber and the Sociology of Religion July Max Weber and the Sociology of Religion Wm James Varieties 16&17; 19; Conclusions (skim) Bellah: The Sociology of Religion (SOURCEBOOK) Max Weber (biography and excerpt) readings on charisma (SOURCEBOOK) Weber, Sociology Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5 Weber, Sociology Chapters 9, 12, 13, 15, July Mental Health Day Dumont as Weberian? July Phenomenology & North European Religionswißenschaft Takehome Midterm Due July Psychology and Phenomenology: Eliade August Phenomenology and August Phenomenology and August Phenomenology and Paper Due Otto: The Idea of the Holy (SOURCEBOOK) Sharpe, 7, 10; Van der Leeuw:Religion in Essence & Manifestation (SOURCEBOOK) Sharpe, 11, 12, 13 Eliade, Methodological Remarks Eliade Readings: from Patterns; Eliade: Consecration of a Place J. Z. Smith In Search of Place (all from SOURCEBOOK) Meaning and End Chapters 1-4 Meaning and End Chapters 5-8 Wilfred Cantwell Smith, (excerpt from) Faith and Belief (SOURCEBOOK) (excerpt from) What is Scripture?(SOURCEBOOK) August Conteporary Classics: Durkheim Redux--Mary Douglas Douglas Natural Symbols (Intros, skim) Chaps 1-6 Religion 20 4 printed: 6/1/07

5 Takehome Final provided August Conteporary Classics: Durkheim Redux--Mary Douglas August Contemporary Classics: Religion and Culture--Clifford Geertz August Conteporary Classics: Laidlaw&Humphrey August Conteporary Classics: Laidlaw&Humphrey Douglas Natural Symbols Chaps 7-10 Geertz: Religion as a Cultural System (SOURCEBOOK) Laidlaw & Humphrey: The Archetypal Actions of Ritual Introduction, Chapters 4, 5, 7 Laidlaw & Humphrey: The Archetypal Actions of Ritual chapters 8, 9, August Discussion Takehome Final Due August Exam Prep Time August Conclusions Religion 20 5 printed: 6/1/07