Ursuline College Accelerated Program CRITICAL INFORMATION! DO NOT SKIP THIS LINK BELOW... BEFORE PROCEEDING TO READ THE UCAP MODULE, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO READ AND ADHERE TO ALL UCAP POLICY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS LINK BELOW CLICK HERE... http://www3.ursuline.edu/ucap/modules/ucappolicies.pdf RS 205: Introduction to the Study of Religion Revised 3/08 by D. Blatnica, S.C. Course Description This course is a part of the Ursuline Studies program. Its purpose is to provide a broad understanding of the development of religion as a human response to mystery. Various approaches to the study of religion will be introduced: historical, sociological, anthropological, and theological. Special emphasis will be placed on the symbolic and ritual aspects of religious expression, faith, and creed. Throughout this survey nine world religions will be referred to. 1. Buddhism 2. Christianity 3. Confucianism 4. Hinduism 5. Islam 6. Jainism 7. Judaism 8. Taoism 9. Zoroastrianism Course Objectives Knowledge: The students will recognize religion as the central integrating phenomenon that links culture, personality, and society. focus on the critical theory and methodologies by which the study of religion unfolds in academic disciplines. survey the historical development of religion as a central dimension of the human experience.
understand that religion is constantly evolving and is always subject to refinement and enrichment. discover that to study religion is to study that which is ultimately valued by a human society. recognize the categories by which religion is classified for study: texts, rituals, symbols, icons, theologies, and important religious leaders or founders. Skills: The students will learn to ask questions of a distinctive type peculiar to the academic study of religion. apply the disciplinary approaches of religious studies to their own original study of a religious expression. critique the various disciplinary approaches of religious studies for their limitations and biases. become self-conscious about their own use of the various disciplinary methodologies and theories. Attitudes: The student will approach the various religious expressions of humankind with empathy and appreciation. sensitize themselves to the variety of religious expressions which arise out of fundamental /ultimate human values. appreciate the distinction between the academic study of religion and that, which flows from faith seeking understanding. Values: The student will enlarge their own horizon of human possibilities through the discovery of the multicultural expressions of religion. appreciate the deep bonds of origin and destiny that they share with other human beings as expressed in ultimate values. discover that they should take seriously what their fellow humans take seriously.
identify their own struggles for identity and meaning with that of human beings across the centuries. Required Texts: Roger Schmidt. Exploring Religion. 2 nd Ed. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth, 1988, (ER) Course Format The course format will include class discussion, lectures, and educational films. The format will hopefully chart the class s values and expressions as the class examines religious development. Readings, student reactions to readings, and efforts to link readings to present day life and work will provide avenues for class discussion. Preparation for class is essential as is the willingness to share your insights. It is expected that students spend at least ten hours per week preparing for each session. Course Requirements Students should carefully prepare for each class. In particular, they are expected to read the assigned sections of the text and mentally prepare the recommended discussion questions for that class meeting. Students will also be given two exams, a midterm and a final. These exams will be essay in format and comprehensive. The specific test areas for each exam will be given to the students a week before each exam for preparation. The final requirement will be an experiential PROJECT based on a visit to a religious worship service. This will entail a written report of the visit. Detailed directions regarding this visit will be given in class on March 31. Class participation 25% Midterm 25% Final 25% Paper and Presentation 25% Course Outline with approximate time distribution: Session I: Introduction to the course. Chapters 1-5. Session II: Chapters 6-10. Session III: Midterm, Chapters 11-14.
Session IV: Chapters 15-16. Session V: Presentations of Paper and Final Exam. Attendance and Instructor Information Attendance is required every class unless an emergency arises. In the event that there is an emergency, the instructor must be notified. Materials This learning Module serves as the basis for the course. It contains five Learning sessions with topics for discussion that students and facilitators will address as they investigate and understand various components of religion. ************************************************************************ Assignment to be completed prior to Session #1 Read Chapters 1-5. Learning Session One What is religion? What is the historical process behind religion? What do theologians mean by holy. What do we mean by the religious experience? What is religious symbolism? These are some of the questions that will be proposed. This session will initially examine the meaning of the term religion and how individuals and cultures have interpreted this word since the dawn of human existence. It also includes an overview of the history of religion and several theories on the etiology of religion proposed by such scholars as E.B. Taylor, Emile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer. This session will also summarize the four classifications of religion; primal, archaic, classical, and modern. Session one will then examine the concepts of holy, religious experience, and symbolism. These concepts enhance the personal and spiritual elements of religion and raise numerous questions for the believer. Session one: In this opening session a film and slides will be incorporated into the discussions and lecture.
************************************************************************ Assignments to be completed prior to Session #2 Read Chapters 6-10. Learning Session Two This session will examine the language of religion with special emphasis on the genre of religion. Myths, stories, parables, and other literary types will be discussed. Scriptures of various religions will be examined along with the hermeneutic aspects of these scriptures. Special emphasis will be placed on the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Students will be presented with the differences between modern historical methods of biblical interpretation as opposed to fundamentalism. This session will also discuss the concept of God and all God-related entities. Cosmological, ontological, and teleological arguments regarding the God concept will be examined. Finally, the moral questions of suffering, sin, and evil will be discussed. Students will be asked to relate their personal views on afterlife and how these views have changed over the years. Session Two: Following a brief discussion on the upcoming midterm that will be given during Session 3, students will be asked to relate a childhood story that taught them a religious or moral value. During this session, students will be given samples of familiar stories from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures to read and interpret. The facilitator will then explain the historical critical method of contemporary biblical scholarship. The process of hermeneutics and its components of exegesis, criticism, and appropriation will also be explained. Some application will be made to the scriptures of other world religions, but the primary focus will be on the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. This session will also examine the students view of God and Jesus as depicted in traditional and contemporary films, art, music, etc.
Assignment to be completed prior to session #3 Prepare for Midterm Read Chapters 11-14 Learning Session Three This session will discuss the relationship between religion and society. Subtopics such as politics, gender, class, and economics and how these areas are interconnected with religion will be examined. Religion and how it influences change in our society will also be discussed. The instructor will then concentrate on religion and faith and have students discuss religious experiences that have challenged their traditional views on faith. The issues of conversion, discernment, and salvation will be studied. Finally, this session will conclude with an explanation on the concept of rites and how various rites affect our theological approaches to organized religion. Special emphasis will be placed on Christian rites. Session Three: Following the midterm, this session will examine various types of religious experience and how they influence faith development. Concepts such as confirmation, salvation, vocation, and mystery will be discussed. Students should be prepared to discuss the following questions. 1. Has your faith become weaker or stronger in your adult years? Why? 2. What are you personal views on salvation and the salvation theme reiterated throughout the scriptures? 3. Have you ever viewed your career as a vocation that would enhance your faith experience? If so, how? 4. What are some of the mysteries that persist about your faith? ***********************************************************************
Assignments to be completed prior to Session #4 Read Chapters 15-16 Learning Session Four Part of this session will continue and summarize Christian rites. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) will be discussed as well as concepts of sacrifice, purification, and thanksgiving. The instructor will then concentrate on the issue of nonbelief or the fallen-away believer. Terms such as pagan, heretic, atheists, agnostics, and dispossessed will be discussed. Students will be asked to relate how their faith developed. Who were the major influences on their religious growth and how did these individuals share their faith experiences with them. Session Four: Where does the believer go with his or her religious beliefs in a world where organized religion is challenged by secular thought? Has our contemporary American society created new religion-like activities that fulfill human needs that were addressed in earlier societies by formal religion? ************************************************************************
Assignments to be completed prior to session #5 Presentation of Paper Prepare for Final Exam Learning Session Five Following the final exam, students will present their findings from their experiential project. Depending on the size of the class, the students should be prepared to give a 5-7 minute presentation of their papers. The student is not to read his or her paper, but merely talk about it. Session Five: Presentation of papers and final exam. Students will be expected to respond with comments and questions regarding the content of the projects that will be presented. ************************************************************************