TRS 280 THE RELIGIOUS QUEST THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC 3 CREDITS FALL 2012 (NO PRE-REQUISITES)

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1 TRS 280 THE RELIGIOUS QUEST THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC 3 CREDITS FALL 2012 (NO PRE-REQUISITES) Professor: Christopher J. Born, Ph.D. Office: Caldwell Born@cua.edu Hours: M & W, noon 1:00 PM; Phone: x5712 (Office) T & Th, anytime or by appointment (Cell) Class Time: MWF: 1:10 or 2:10 PM Teaching Assistants: Catherine Levri (16shultis@cardinalmail.cua.edu) Michael Stell (71stell@cardinalmail.cua.edu) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Religion matters. After the horrific events of September 11, 2001, there was a substantial increase in the rate of church attendance across the United States. Before filing out to combat the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, rebels met at the mosque for evening prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. A firestorm erupted over Denver Bronco (now Jet) quarterback Tim Tebow and his professed religious beliefs and the Tebowing phenomenon which ensued. There was intense debate between and within religious communities after the HHS required contraception to be covered by religiously-affiliated institutions. With each presidential inauguration, the president-elect places their hand on the Christian Bible while swearing to uphold the oath of a constitution that separates the powers of church and state. Religion is all around us, yet we often overlook the power religious beliefs and sentiments have for groups and individuals even when going about our daily routines. TRS280: The Religious Quest attempts to understand the role of religion in human affairs. The course, in short, is an introduction to the academic study of religion. As with any introductory course this course will, by its nature, be incomplete; however, we will investigate the major topics within the study of religion and search for meaning as a human phenomenon. The course will investigate religion as an academic subject and does not propose to evaluate the veracity or falsity of truth claims proposed by the various religious traditions. Instead, we will primarily examine the religious phenomenon from the human perspective. First, any discussion of religion needs to define the term. Once we come to a working definition and classification of what is and is not under the heading religion, we can address the following essential questions: Is religion a universal human phenomenon? Why and how should religion be studied? How does the field of religious studies relate to theology and other academic disciplines? How does religion relate to other aspects of life such as ethics, salvation, ritual practice, and hermeneutics? What are the most distinctive features and common dimensions of religion? How can we best understand religious diversity? How do religion and (contemporary) society interact with one another? Our approach to these topics will be historical, analytical, and descriptive. We will approach the religious phenomenon through a variety of mediums, including literature, film, and music. It is essential that the student enter this class with an appreciation of a critical analysis of religion in general and specific religious beliefs and practices, in particular. Is coexisting possible in our world today? What would it take? TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

2 OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE: 1. To introduce the student to the challenges of defining religion as a concept. 2. To expand students understanding of the breadth and depth of the religious quest, including the forms religion has taken throughout human history. 3. To initiate students into the field of religious studies by acquainting them with its major figures and significant methods and approaches of investigation. 4. To demonstrate the central role religion (in all its manifestations) plays in all aspects of human society and to have the students recognize this fact in current events. 5. To encourage students in the further study of religion, whether through additional courses within the School of Theology and Religious Studies or through informal, personal exploration. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: Through lectures, reading, discussion, online activities, and writing, at the completion of the course the student will be able to: Demonstrate comprehension of the essential differences between theology and religious studies including the challenges in defining religion as a concept. Outline the universal forms of religious experience and expression as found in the world s major religious traditions. Recall the universal components of a religious worldview and show how the components are manifested differently within the religious traditions. Read and assess the different theories presented in the anthropology, psychology, and sociology of religion as well as emerging theories (such as rational choice). Explain the central importance religion plays in the lives of human beings and the resulting impact religion has on social institutions. Reflect on the history of the secularization debate and new theories involving the sustained levels of religiosity of the United States. METHODS AND REQUIREMENTS: This course will utilize a variety of instructional methods. Interactive lectures (using clicker devices), PowerPoint presentations, videos, discussion groups, online activities, and other pedagogical tools will be employed during the semester.. The student is required to attend all Friday discussion sections as outlined in the course calendar. The students are required to (1) complete the assigned readings, (2) attend the weekly class meetings, (3) submit questions/comments in response to the readings, (4) participate in discussion sessions, and (5) complete all other tests and written assignments. FREEDOM FROM RELIGION VS. FREEDOM OF RELIGION TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

3 REQUIRED TEXTS/ITEMS Livingston, James C. Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion, Sixth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, (ISBN-13: ) Pals, Daniel L. Eight Theories of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press, (ISBN-13: ) ResponseCard NXT Clicker with Backlight by Turning Technologies (available from the Bookstore) In addition to the two books above which can be purchased or rented from various online sites 1 the student will be responsible for a number of articles and excerpts according to the schedule below. These additional readings are available through the Blackboard system. The Blackboard electronic readings can be found online at You can login with your own CUA username and password or as a guest. The Clicker will be used throughout the course for quizzes and polling. The clicker can be purchased through the bookstore and will be useable throughout your time at CUA. Students must register their clickers through Blackboard no later than the second class session. Students are responsible for bringing their clickers to each class period. No loaner clickers will be provided. Clickers utilized in class and are necessary for students to receive participation grade. ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Attendance/Participation/Quizzes: You are expected to attend every class session. If you cannot make it to a session, please let the instructor or teaching assistants know ahead of time. a. Students are expected to come to every class having read the assigned texts in advance. Students will be involved in the discussion (and called upon) and will need knowledge of the material to effectively participate. b. Students are allotted three missed classes without penalty. Thereafter, each unexcused absence will reduce the attendance and participation mark by one third of a letter grade. Absences may be excused only according to University guidelines and with full documentation. c. There will be short quizzes each Friday. These quizzes will be pulled from the reading material and presentations in class. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. The quizzes will make up a portion of the midterm and final exams. (2) Activity and Discussion Responses: Each Friday, there are discussion sessions. Each week, by Friday morning at 9:00 AM, students will submit (via BlackBoard) discussion responses to the posted questions. There may also be online assignments and the student can bring the results of their online activities with them to discussion sessions. The discussion sessions will be focused on the insights of the student responses. Intelligent and prepared participation in the discussion sessions will be measured and factor into this component of the grade. (3) Discussion Lead and Discussion Participation: Each student will take part in assisting in leading the discussion on a Friday session. Toward the end of the semester, two students 1 Please check textbooks.com, amazon.com, bookfinder.com, or alibris.com for used versions of these books. TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

4 per session will asked to come up with material and discussion questions (in addition to their own responses) to help facilitate the discussion. The material/questions can include links, videos, art, images, etc. that help highlight the topic being discussed that session. (4) Team Wiki Project: Students will be broken out into teams of five and they will be tasked to (1) decide upon a topic relating religion to some aspect of culture (i.e., religion and politics, religion and civil policy, religion and music, etc.), (2) build a Wiki page highlighting articles, images, links, etc. relating to their topic, (3) and present their page to the class. The page is due (and presented on) Monday, October 15. (5) Mid-term exam: A midterm exam will be given on Friday, October 19. A study guide will be distributed before the exam which will cover the content and the format of the exam. (6) Two short papers (6-8) pages: These papers will give the student the opportunity to show that they can incorporate the ideas presented in the readings and lectures into a wellcrafted paper. The first paper will be due on Friday, October 26 and will compare two thinkers addressed in the course. The second paper will be due on Friday, December 20 and utilize themes discussed in class and see how they apply in contemporary American popular culture. More specifics will be distributed on these papers well before the duedates. a. With regard to the papers, I will be using to assist with editing and grading electronically submitted papers. Another function of the site checks for plagiarized material in the paper. While I know this will not be an issue, I do want to inform the students of this process. (7) Final exam: The scheduling of the final exam can be found here: The final will not be comprehensive. A study guide will be distributed during the semester. GRADING: Reading quizzes (roughly each Friday) 10% Activities and discussion responses 10% Discussion lead and participation (including clickers) 10% Wiki project (group score) (Due Monday, 10/15) 10% Paper 1 (Due Friday, 10/26) 15% Midterm (Friday, 10/19) 15% Paper 2 (Due Friday, 12/7) 15% Final (not cumulative) 15% The point scale for this course is equivalent to the University grade system: A = B = C = A- = B- = C- = B+ = C+ = D = F = 64 and below LATE WORK: Late work may be accepted but deductions are up to the discretion of the instructor. If there are pressing needs for an extension, please inform the instructor some time before the due date. TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

5 ACADEMIC HONESTY: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please see the university s policy on academic honesty at the following website: Clickers Students are not permitted to input answers for another students using the clicker system. Students found with more than one clicker during class will have all clickers in their possession confiscated and owners will be evaluated for violations of academic integrity. Students involved with any confiscated clickers will receive a zero for portion of the course. SPECIAL REQUESTS: Students with special needs, please let me know as soon as the semester begins so we can accommodate alternative due dates and possibly testing methods. IMPORTANT CUA DATES Friday, 9/7 Last day to drop courses without record Monday, 10/8 Columbus Day (No Class) Tuesday, 10/9 Administrative Monday - Monday classes meet this day Friday, 10/12 CUA Midterm (freshmen grades are due) Friday, 11/9 Last day to withdraw from courses (with a W ) Wednesday, 11/21 Thanksgiving (No Class) Friday, 11/23 Thanksgiving (No Class) Friday, 12/7 Last day of classes Monday, 12/10 Saturday, 12/15 Exams Wednesday, 12/19 Final grades due Class Schedule Date Topic/Leading questions Assigned reading for the day PART I: ASSESSING THE LANDSCAPE - RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN CONTEXT * Class introduction and syllabus overview None 8/27 8/29 8/31 * Why should we study religion in the first place? * Are we a Christian nation? Why or why not? * Why should we be religiously literate in the contemporary U.S.? ALWAYS BRING THE READINGS WITH YOU TO CLASS!! Check out the activity on BlackBoard due by Friday morning (8/31) at 9 AM * Using the ARDA website, what is the religious composition of your home county? Are you surprised by this? * Using the ARDA website, how has the religious demographics of your county changed over the past 20 years? Why should we familiarize ourselves with this information? * We will be reviewing how to use the clickers in class and the value they provide. * U.S. Religious Landscape Survey: Summary of Key Findings, Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life [Blackboard] * Stephen Prothero, Introduction, Religious Literacy * Be sure to check your schedule in Cardinal Station for time and location of your discussion session. * During class, using the Clickers from Turning Technologies (see bookstore), we will take the Pew Religious Quiz and discuss the results. * We will also discuss the religious compositions of you home counties. Bring this information with you to class. TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

6 9/3 9/5 9/7 9/10 9/12 No class: Labor Day * Defining religion (part 1) how should we define the term religion? What can and cannot be considered religion based on our definitions? * Can Macintosh devotion seriously be considered a religion? * What about sports? Can sports, somehow, be considered a religion? Why or why not? Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 9/7: *Think about how you would define religion. What do you think should be included in a definition? By the deadline, submit your definition of religion. Think through this exercise before Rattling something off. * We will then compare your own definitions to other definitions of religion in the field. We will vote on the best definitions as we move forward. * After discussing religion and sports, Mac devotion, and debating definitions of religion as a term, we will turn to the topic of civil religion in the United States. Does it exist? * Can sports serve as transmitters of this notion? What about post-9/11? * What are examples of civil religion you have found in your own American experience? Think of the Super Bowl festivities or Major League Baseball opening days can these American rituals be transmitters of American civil religion? How so? What about other holidays? * What does it mean to be religious versus being moral? * How do you define being religious? Which character in the short story is the most religious? Why? Be sure to reference back to your own definition. * Can we be good and moral without the threat of heaven? Can we be good without God? What is the difference between being religious and being moral? * Pui-Yan Lam, May the Force of the Operating System be With You: Macintosh Devotion as Implicit Religion, Sociology of Religion 62, no. 2 (2001): * Michael Novak, excerpt from The Joy of Sports * There is no reading assigned for this day, but it will be assigned for after class. We will cover Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 1: What is Religion? during class. * During class we will break into groups of 5 for the Religion in the News Wiki Project. Think about potential topics for this project: religion and * Robert Bellah, Civil Religion in America [Blackboard] * Flannery O Connor, A Good Man is Hard to Find * Tinder, The Atlantic, Can We Be Good without God? 9/14 9/17 Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 9/14. * Who defines who is in or out of a religious group? Can you be part of a religious group while not adhering to key teachings? * How much can one dissent from a religious group before they cross over into no longer being a member? * What is the importance of boundary maintenance for religious groups? * E.J. Dionne, Washington Post commentary * Freedom from Religion advertisement * Newsweek article on Melinda Gates PART II: STUDYING THE RELIGIOUS PHENOMENA HISTORICAL APPROACHES AND PITFALLS * Introducing the methods of studying religion. * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 2: Ways of * Benefits and drawbacks of approaching religion through Studying Religion other disciplines * Begin reading Eight Theories, Introduction * What lens do you bring to studying religion? and Chapter 1: Animism and Magic 9/19 * Anthropological approach to the study of religion: Tylor and Frazer. * Finish reading Eight Theories, Introduction and Chapter 1: Animism and Magic TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

7 9/21 9/24 9/26 9/28 10/1 Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 9/21. * What is your opinion: in order to comment on a religious group, does one need to be an involved member of that group? * What are the advantages/disadvantages to standing outside your subject of inquiry? * In your opinion, does the university experience downplay the differences among the religions and squash them all into a single appropriate and tolerable Christianity (184)? * Psychological approach to the study of religion, Part I: Freud. * How does Freud define religion? What are the implications of his definition? * Psychological approach to the study of religion, Part II: James * What is a conversion experience according to James? Can you think of any historical (or biblical) examples? Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 9/28. * Are religious people healthier than non-religious people? Why or why not? And healthier in what way? * What, in your opinion, is the link between religion and * Robert A. Orsi, Snakes Alive: Religious Studies between Heaven and Earth, Between Heaven and Earth: The Religious Worlds People Make and the Scholars Who Study Them, * Videos where the perspective is at issue. * Eight Theories, Chapter 2 Religion and Personality: Sigmund Freud, pp ; 64-72; * Excerpt from William James, Varieties of Religious Experience * TBD article(s) on the link between religion and psychological (and physical) well-being? psychology in the modern context? * Economics and power in religion: Marx and Nietzsche * Eight Theories, Chapter 4 Religion as Alienation: Karl Marx, pp ; * Friedrich Nietzsche, selections [Blackboard] 10/3 10/5 10/8 TUES 10/9 * Sociological approach to the study of religion, Part I: Durkheim Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 10/5. * Specific prompts will be posted on BlackBoard as more stories develop over time between these two topics. * Religion and Politics: What are the links between the two? Can religion be used as a predictor of voting patterns? Or is it more complicated. * What role, if any, has your religious faith had in your support of political issues and candidates? Do you think that religions institutions should involve themselves in political issues and races for certain offices? * Does the religious identification of a political candidate have an impact on your likelihood to vote for them? Specifically, would you vote for an atheist? Please explain why or why not. No Class Administrative Monday Administrative Monday * Sociological approach to religion, Part II: Peter Berger * What does it mean to say that everything happens for a reason? * How do societies pass on religious ideals from one generation to the next? Why is this important? * Eight Theories of Religion, Chapter 3 Society as Sacred: Emile Durkheim pp ; 88-90; * Lyman A. Kellstedt, Religion, the Neglected Variable: An Agenda for Future Research on Religion and Political Behavior. In Rediscovering the Religious Factor in American Politics or other reading. * Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy, Chapter 1: Religion and World Construction [Blackboard] TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

8 10/10 * Sociological approach, Part III (Berger) * How important is it to make events in our lives meaningful? * How would Berger respond to the phrase things happen for a reason? * Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy, Chapter 2: Religion and World Maintenance [Blackboard] 10/12 10/15 10/17 10/19 10/22 Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 10/12. * Prompts to be posted on BlackBoard * What do you consider to be sacred space? Why is it Set apart how is it treated differently? WIKI PROJECTS ARE DUE * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 3: The Sacred and the Holy. * Eight Theories of Religion, Chapter 6 The Reality of the Sacred: Mircea Eliade, pp ; * Each group will present their project for 5-6 minutes to the class. * Rational Choice Theory and the economic study of religion: Stark, Finke, and Iannaccone MIDTERM EXAM * Rodney Stark, Economics of Religion, Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion PART III: COMPONENTS AND FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE * Universal forms of religious expression and experience (Sacred/Holy and Symbol, Myth and Doctrine) * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 4: Sacred Symbol, Myth, and Doctrine. 10/24 10/26 * Universal forms of religious expression and experience (Sacred Scripture) * Introduction to hermeneutics * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 6: Sacred Scripture. * Genesis I and Genesis II [Blackboard] PAPER #1 DUE * In class viewing of Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers (1988) 10/29 10/31 * Universal forms of religious expression and experience (Society and the Sacred) * Society and Sacred in action: Popular Churches The significance here is not that the popular churches are unlike anything ever seen, but rather that they are consistent with social patterns for relocating the religious impulse. * 44% of people polled no longer adhere to the religion they were raised in as a child. Also, more and more and more people are developing their own personal spirituality being spiritual but no religious. At the same time, people continue to belong to various communities. What does this article say about the need to belong to something? Do you feel the need to belong to something? In your opinion, why do you feel this way? Other than explicitly religious communities, what other communities do you belong to that satisfy some of the same needs/wants historically reserved for religious organizations? * What is the role of collective experiences and rituals in building up these communities? Have you participated in rituals that utilize the notions of liminality and communitas (page 265)? * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 7: Society and the Sacred. * Julie J. Ingersoll, The Thin Line between Saturday Night and Sunday Morning: Meaning and Community among Jimmy Buffett s Parrotheads from God in the Details: American Religion in Popular Culture. * Also, there are some Buffett songs uploaded in the "Course Readings" folder to listen to...if you so choose. TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

9 11/2 11/5 11/7 11/9 11/12 11/14 No class. * Universal components of a religious worldview (Deity): What is the nature of divine and its role in human affairs? * Universal components of a religious world view (Human Problem): Why are we here and why do we have to suffer? Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 11/9. * Is the use of religion in The Simpsons and South Park offensive or is it merely reflective of how religion functions in peoples lives taken to the extreme. * What other examples are there in pop-culture utilize religious themes? What does this say about us as a nation? * Universal components II (Cosmogony): How did the world come into being? Why does this matter? * Universal components IV (Theodicy): Why do bad things happen to good people? At some point during the semester, students need to watch three documentaries and respond to the prompt question after viewing all three. They are all available online through BlackBoard. Devil s Playground Religulous Jesus Camp * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 8: Deity. * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 10: Views of the Human Problem. * Mazur and McCarthy, Homer the Heretic and Charlie Church: Parody, Pietism, and Pluralism in The Simpsons. * View The Simpsons Episode where Bart and Homer almost convert to Catholicism * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 9: Cosmogony. * From the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, An Open Letter to the Kansas School Board [Blackboard] * In addition to reading the Open Letter, go to to see the other side of the argument. * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 11: Theodicy. 11/16 11/19 Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 11/16. Prompt will be posted on BlackBoard. * How do we use religion to deal with difficulties in life? Is it a crutch or effective means of dealing with issues? * How have you dealt with tragedy/challenges in your own life? Do you see yourself using any particular theodicy in making tragic events meaningful? * Excerpts from the Book of Job: Chapters 1-10 and * Excerpts from Why Bad Things Happen to Good People * Excerpt from Night * Universal components IV (Ethics): What would you do? * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 12: Ethics. * View Mother Night (available online) 11/21 11/23 11/26 11/28 No Class Happy Thanksgiving! No Class Happy Thanksgiving! * Universal components VI (Soteriology): How do we get into heaven? *Inter-religious relations: How do others get into heaven? * How should one approach religious claims that do not fit with one s own? * Which theological model (outlined by Jones) best fits your own understanding of the many religions in the world * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 13: Soteriology. * Charles B. Jones, The View From Mars Hill, Chapter 5: Current Theological Models. [Blackboard] TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall

10 11/30 12/3 12/5 12/7 Response to prompt on BlackBoard due by 9 AM, 11/9. * Conversion dynamics: How do people switch religions? * Rodney Stark, The Rise of Early Christianity, Chapter 1: Conversion and Christian Growth. [Blackboard] * Watch episode of Boy Meets World and ensuing discussion. Secularization? Where is religion headed in the future? * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 14: Secularization. Culture wars and religion and the state * Anatomy of the Sacred, Chapter 15: * What should be the relationship between the religion and Contemporary Challenges to Traditional the state? Religion. * Do you perceive a culture war in the United States? How so? * Do you want the leaders of the U.S. to be religious? To what extent? Why or why not? Paper #2 Due Final Exam Week: Monday 12/10 Saturday, 12/15 TRS 280 The Religious Quest Fall