*Put all of your work on the Moodle site not in s to me.

Transcription

1 1 Dr. Steve Wilkes (office) (home) INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS/TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS, AND MAJOR AMERICAN CULTS MS 3405 SPRING/ STEVE WILKES, DMISS, PHD Course Description and Objectives This course is a general survey of the major world religions, Major American cults and an introduction to Folk or Traditional Religions. There will a focus on Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Catholicism. The course examines basic beliefs of these religions and is designed to help students understand the basic concepts in order to contextualize the message of the Gospel in appropriate forms and lead followers of these religions to faith in Christ. The objectives of the course include: acquainting students with the basic beliefs of the major American cults and world religions through a study of the religions equipping students with the tools to evangelize practitioners of these religions by offering ways the gospel of Christ answers their heart needs preparing students to teach this material to other Christians either at home or on the mission field by helping them develop teaching tools involving extensive research concerning a specific religious group developing and fueling a passion for missions by showing how adherents of these religions need the message of forgiveness through Christ. Course Texts Halverson, Dean C., gen. ed. The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, Rhodes, Ron. The Challenge of the Cults. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001 Ankerberg, John and John Wilder. The Facts on Roman Catholicism. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishing, *Put all of your work on the Moodle site not in s to me. Book Reviews (15%) Course Requirements The student will read and review the textbooks. The review will consist of two double-spaced typed page with correct form, 1. summary of contents, 2. discussion of the author's purpose, and 3. critical evaluation (strengths, weaknesses, usefulness) of the book. The end of the review must state, I have read the entire book, or the review will be returned. Each review will count 5% of the course grade. Halverson s review is

2 2 due September 11. Ankerberg s review is due September 24, and Tucker s review is due October 15. Project (Choose One) 1) PROJECT Each student will present to the class (on-line) a report on a minor cult or on an aspect of a world religion or cult. A list of topics from which you may choose is below, or you may do a subject you are particularly interested in with the approval of the professor (me). You will be given a date later in the term to present your project on-line. You should present the students and the professor a 2-3 page outline of your presentation. This Handout also includes a bibliography. You must use some creative forms of communication telephone interview, live interview recorded on video, very old materials on your subject, film clips, etc. You must do more than PowerPoint alone for an A! These reports will begin November 4, and the first student will put his presentation up by that date. This project counts 20% of your final grade. Possibilities for PowerPoint Teaching Reports: Satanism Satanic/Demonic Cults Scientology Inclusivism Exclusivism Spiritism Bahai Transcendental Meditation Universalism/Unitarianism An Aspect of a Traditional Religion that Interests You The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the Charismatic Movement Folk Catholicism The RCC and Evangelical Agreements of the 90 s The Apocrypha All About It Folk Religion and Practices in the Orthodox Churches Differences and Similarities between the RCC and the Orthodox Churches 2) NOTEBOOK Each student will prepare an 8-week notebook for teaching on cults and world religions. The notebook will list 1. A class schedule 2. Books and materials to be used in the course 3. Specific teaching materials including an original typed 2-page lecture for each of the 8 weeks 4. Student handouts 5. Plan for implementation, including promotional materials (flyers, postcards, PowerPoint slides). Suggested content includes some background on the subject, Scriptural support for your thinking or Power Point general principles for dealing with this cult or world religion, and some approaches to witnessing to the group. The student will present a plan giving his choice of a subject, an outline of the presentation, and some sources on November 7, and the completed notebook to me on-line by December 6. This project will count 20 % of the final grade. Creativity, usability, and content will be required for A grades. If you want a subject, let me know quickly. The subjects will be first come... Witnessing Requirement Find 2 people who are involved with a group studied in this course. Talk to them

3 3 about their faith, and attempt to witness to them. Write the conversation up on a brief format of one page double-spaced. Do not attempt to recreate the entire conversation, just do one page. This task should be done and reported to me by Dec. 3. Course Examinations (30%) Two exams will be given; a midterm (15 %) will be given October 7, and the final (15%) will be given December 17 or 18.Your exams will be sent to a proctor who is not a relative or a fellow student. Send me their name and address soon. Grade Scale Course Schedule Reading/Book Reviews 15% Project 20% Notebook 20% Exams 30% Participation 15% 100% Witnessing: +3% if done well, you will get 3 extra points. (must do the witnessing or you will get an incomplete!) Sept. 11 Sept. 24 Oct. Oct. 15 Dec. 3 Dec. 9 Dec 15, 16, or 17 Halverson Book Review Due Ankerberg Review Due Mid-Term Exam Tucker Review Due Witnessing Reports Due (on-line) Notebook or Presentation is due on-line for all the class. Final Exams Graduating Seniors Graduating seniors who carry a B average on the materials submitted are not required to take the final. All SENIOR work or projects are due by December 4. Late Papers A late presentation or notebook is penalized a letter grade if it is late not a letter a day, but a onetime penalty. Course Hours I have studied the time spent in an on campus course. For an average student who reads about 30 pages an hour, it would be a little over 85 hours to do this course on campus. I have designed this on-line course to take around 75 hours. Some of your hours will be spent answering forums and posts on-line that I post. If you do not answer

4 4 a forum or ANY post, I will take one point off your participation grade which take one point off your final grade. The instructor maintains the privilege to add to, delete, or change the content of this syllabus at his discretion. I consider it an honor and a great privilege to work with you on this course! Please let me help you when I can.

5 5 WORLD RELIGIONS MS 5403 GENERAL INTRODUCTIONS Anderson, Norman, ed. The World's Religions. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Braswell, George W. Understanding World Religions. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, Burke, T. Patrick. The Major Religions. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell, Burnett, David. Clash of Worlds: A Christian's Handbook on Cultures, World Religions, and Evangelism. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Corduan, Winfried. A Christian Introduction to World Religions: Neighboring Faiths. Downers Grove: IVP, Earhart, H. Byron, ed. Religious Traditions of the World. San Francisco: HarperCollins, Eerdmans' Handbook to the World's Religions. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Lewis, James F., and William G. Travis. Religious Traditions of the World. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Markham, Ian S., gen. ed. A World Religions Reader. 2 nd ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell, McDowell, Josh and Don Stewart. Understanding Non-Christian Religions. San Bernardino: Here's Life, Monk, Robert C., Walter C. Hofheinz, Kenneth T. Lawrence, Joseph D. Stamey, Bert Affleck, and Tetsunao Yamamori. Exploring Religious Meaning. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Olasky, Marvin. The Religions Next Door: What We Need to Know about Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam--and What Reporters are Missing. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, Pals, Daniel L. Seven Theories of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press Richardson, Don. Eternity in Their Hearts. Ventura, CA: Regal, Smart, Ninian, and Richard D. Hecht, eds. Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology. New York: Crossroad, AMERICAN RELIGIONS AND CULTS Anderson, Ross. Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011 Bickel, Bruce & Jantz, Stan. Guide to Cults, Religions, Spiritual Beliefs. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, Boa, Kenneth. Cults, World Religions and the Occult. Wheaton: Victor, 1990.

6 6 Breese, Dave. Know the Marks of Cults. Wheaton, IL: Victor, Carson, Herbert. The Faith of the Vatican. Durham, England: Evangelical Press, Goldberg, Louis. Our Jewish Friends. Chicago: Moody, Gruss, Edmond C. Cults and the Occult. 4 th ed. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, Martin, Walter Ralston. The Kingdom of the Cults. 3d ed. Hank H. Hanegraaff, gen. ed. Minneapolis: Bethany House, McDowell, Josh, and Don Stewart. Handbook of Today s Religions. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Ridenhour, Fritz. So What s the Difference. Ventura, CA: Regal, Rubin, Barry. You Bring the Bagels, I ll Bring the Gospel. Baltimore: Messianic Jewish Publishers, Sire, James W. Scripture Twisting. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, Tucker, Ruth A. Another Gospel. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, ISLAM Ankerberg, John, and John Weldon. Fast Facts on Islam: What You Need to Know Now. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, Braswell, George W. Jr. Islam: Its Prophet, Peoples, Politics, and Power. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, What You Need to Know about Islam & Muslims. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, Caner, Ergun & Emir Caner. Christian Jihad: Two Former Muslims Look at the Crusades and Killing in the Name of Christ. Grand Rapids: Kregel, Unveiling Islam. Grand Rapids: Kregel, Cook, Michael. Muhammad. New York: Oxford University Press, Dashti, 'Ali. Twenty Three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. 3d ed. New York: Oxford University Press, The Oxford History of Islam. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, Geisler, Norman L., and Abdul Saleeb. Answering Islam: The Crescent in the Light of the Cross. 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002.

7 7 Greenway, Roger S., ed. Islam and the Cross: Selections from The Apostle to Islam Samuel M. Zwemer. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed, Hoskins, Edward J. A Muslim s Heart: What Everyone Needs to Know to Share Christ with Muslims. Colorado Springs, CO: Dawson Media, Lewis, Bernard. The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror. New York: The Modern Library, Livingstone, Greg. Planting Churches in Muslim Cities. Grand Rapids: Baker, Madden, Thomas F. A Concise History of the Crusades. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, Moucarry, Chawkat. The Prophet & the Messiah: An Arab Christian's Perspective on Islam & Christianity. Downers Grove: IVP, Muller, Roland. Honor and Shame: Unlocking the Door. N.p.: Xlibris, Tools for Muslim Evangelism. Belleville, Ontario, Canada: Essence Publishing, Musk, Bill. Passionate Believing: The Fundamentalist Face of Islam. Printed for MARC in Great Britain: Monarch Press, The Unseen Face of Islam: Sharing the Gospel with Ordinary Muslims. Printed for MARC in Great Britain: Monarch Press, Parshall, Phil. Bridges to Islam: A Christian Perspective on Folk Islam. Grand Rapids: Baker, The Cross and the Crescent: Understanding the Muslim Mind and Heart. Wheaton: Tyndale, Inside the Community: Understanding Muslims through Their Traditions. Grand Rapids: Baker, New Paths in Muslim Evangelism: Evangelical Approaches to Contextualization. Grand Rapids: Baker, Payne, Robert. The History of Islam. New York: Barnes & Noble, Saal, William. Reaching Muslims for Christ. Chicago: Moody, Schimmel, Annemarie. Islam: An Introduction. Albany: State University of New York Press, Shelby, Audra Grace. Behind the Veils of Yemen. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2011 Sproul, R. C., and Abdul Saleeb. The Dark Side of Islam. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, Trifkovic, Serge. The Sword of the Prophet: Islam--History, Theology, Impact on the World.

8 8 Boston: Regina Orthodox Press, Inc., Vonder Werff, Lyle L. Christian Mission of Muslims: The Record. South Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, BUDDHISM Buddha: Life and Teachings. Mount Vernon, NY: Peter Pauper Press, n.d. Burnett, David. The Spirit of Buddhism. Turnbridge Wells, UK: Monarch, Conze, Edward. Buddhism: Its Essence and Development. New York: Harper and Row, Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Buddha and the Gospel of Buddhism. New York: Harper & Row, Davis, John R. The Path to Enlightenment: Introducing Buddhism. Communities of Faith. Series Editor Walter Riggans. London: Hodder & Stoughton, Gard, Richard A., ed. Buddhism. New York: George Braziller Hattaway, Paul. Peoples of the Buddhist World: A Christian Prayer Diary. Waynesboro, GA: Authentic Media, Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, Co-Publishers. Humphreys, Christmas. The Buddhist Way of Life: An Invitation for Western Readers. New York: Schocken Books, Lin, David, and Steve Spaulding, eds. Sharing Jesus in the Buddhist World. Pasadena, CA: William Carey, Saunders, E. Dale. Buddhism in Japan: With an Outline of Its Origins in India. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, Thirumalai, Madasamy. Sharing Your Faith with a Buddhist. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, Trainor, Kevin, gen. ed. Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide. New York: Oxford University Press, Yandell, Keith and Harold Netland. Buddhism: A Christian Exploration and Appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009 HINDUISM Berry, Thomas. Religions of India: Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism. New York: Columbia University Press, Burnett, David. The Spirit of Hinduism: A Christian Perspective on Hindu Thought. Turnbridge Wells, UK: Monarch, 1992.

9 9 Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Hinduism and Buddhism. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, Cross, Stephen. The Elements of Hinduism. Elements of Series. Shaftesbury, Dorset, Rockport, MA, and Brisbane, Queenland: Element Books, Daniel, Again. Hindu Polytheism. New York: Random House, Embree, Ainslie T., ed. The Hindu Tradition. New York, Random House, Renou, Louis, ed. Hinduism. New York: Braziller, Sen, K. M. Hinduism: The World s Oldest Faith. Baltimore: Penguin Books, The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal, The Principal Texts Selected and Translated from the Original Sanskrit. Translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester. New York: Penguin, Thirumalai, Madasamy. Sharing Your Faith with a Hindu. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, White, David. The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation with Commentary. New York: Peter Lang, Zaehner, R. C. Hindu and Muslim Mysticism. New York: Schocken Books, Hinduism. New York: Oxford University Press, ASIA Bush, Richard C. Religion in China. Niles, IL: Argus Communications, Ching, Julia. Chinese Religions. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, Johnson, David L. A Reasoned Look at Asian Religions. Minneapolis: Bethany House, Overmyer, Daniel L. Religions of China :The World as a Living System. New York: Harper & Row, Ross, Nancy Wilson. Three Ways of Asian Wisdom. New York: Simon and Schuster, CATHOLICISM AND ORTHODOX BODIES Ankerberg, John and John Weldon. The Facts on Roman Catholicism. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publisher, 1993 Carson, Herbert M. The Faith of the Vatican: A Fresh Look at Roman Catholicism. Durham, England: Evangelical Press, 1996.

10 10 Clendenin, Daniel B. Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective. Grand Rapids: Baker, Geisler, Norman L. and Ralph E. McKenzie. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995 Godspeed, Edgar J., trans. The Apocrypha. New York: Vantage Book, Nida, Eugene A. Understanding Latin Americans. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, Norman, Edward. Christianity in the Southern Hemisphere. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, Yamaori, Tesunao, and Charles R. Taber, eds. Christopaganism or Indigenous Christianity? Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, INCLUSIVISM, EXCLUSIVISM, AND PLURALISM Arnold, Clinton E. Powers of Darkness: Principalities and Powers in Paul s Letters. Downers Grove: IVP, Baker, David W., gen. ed. Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment. Grand Rapids: Kregel, Clarke, Andrew D., and Bruce W. Winter. One God, One Lord: Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism. Grand Rapids: Baker, Crockett, William V., and James G. Sigountos, eds. Through No Fault of Their Own: The Fate of Those Who Have Never Heard. Grand Rapids: Baker, Fackre, Gabriel, Ronald H. Nash, and John Sanders. What About Those Who Have Never Heard? Three Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelized. Downers Grove: IVP, Groothuis, Douglas. Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, Knitter, Paul F. No Other Name? A Critical Survey of Christian Attitudes Toward the World Religions. Maryknoll: Orbis, Nash, Ronald H. Is Jesus the Only Savior? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Netland, Harold A. Dissonant Voices: Religious Pluralism and the Question of Truth. Leicester, England: Apollos, Nicholls, Bruce J., ed. The Unique Christ in Our Pluralist World. Grand Rapids: Baker, Pinnock, Clark H. A Wideness in God s Mercy: The Finality of Jesus Christ in a World of Religions. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Plantinga, Richard. Christianity and Plurality: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 1999.

11 11 Richard, Ramesh P. The Population of Heaven: A Biblical Response to the Inclusivist Position on Who Will be Saved. Chicago: Moody, Sanders, John, ed. No Other Name: An Investigation into the Destiny of the Unevangelized. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.