CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES RS 100 (Class Number: 14080) SPRING 2018 Instructor: Mustafa Ruzgar, Ph.D. E-mail: mustafa.ruzgar@csun.edu Telephone: (818) 677-7779 Class hours & Classroom: MoWe 09:30 am 10:45 am & SH 384 Office hours & Place: MoWe: 11:00 am 12:00 pm & Tu: 12:45 1:45 pm @ SN 234 or by appointment Course Description: This course will introduce students to the basic elements of religion. Definition of religion, the ways religion is studied, common forms of religious experience and expression, common features of a religious worldview, and select contemporary religious issues will be discussed. These discussions will include, but not limited to, topics of religious language, myth, symbolism, ritual, scripture, social formations of religion, concepts of deity, cosmogony, theodicy, ethics, salvation/liberation, and the sacred and profane. Each topic will be discussed with concrete examples from the religions of the world. RS 100 Student Learning Objectives Study of the elements of religion and selected contemporary religious issues. Examines such subjects as myth and ritual, the sacred and profane, dreams and theophanies, priests and prophets, science and religion, history and religion, and the possibility of religious faith today. 1. Students will be able to recognize and to articulate (orally and in writing) the difference between an academic approach to religion and a personal, devotional approach. 2. Students will be able to demonstrate a basic level of proficiency in recognizing the major contributors to the modern study of religion and their models/theories from philosophy, theology, the history of religions, and the social sciences. 3. Students will be able to understand the following terms in their conventional, popular usage, and then discuss the variety of ways that religious studies scholars have critiqued, expanded, or problematized these: religion, religious, myth, ritual, symbol, philosophy, subjectivity, objectivity, secular/secularization, cult, sect, mysticism, theism, atheism, polytheism, monotheism, spirituality, magic, paganism, animism, canon, religious violence, post-colonialism, individualistic compared to community-based religions. 4. Students will be able to explain and give basic examples of the social function of religion with regard to gender, ethnicity, and nationality. 5. Students will be able to recognize religiosity in an aspect of modern culture such as different forms of media, art, music, films, politics, sports, and the public discourse on science. 6. Students will be able to demonstrate a basic level of proficiency in describing two specific religious traditions (perhaps one from North America, one outside of it), including their historical development, major beliefs and practices, and demonstrate a basic level of proficiency in interpreting religious texts and rituals from each religious tradition. GE SLOs 1
Goal: Students will understand the rich history and diversity of human knowledge, discourse and achievements of their own and other cultures as they are expressed in the arts, literatures, religions, and philosophy. Student Learning Outcomes Students will: 1. Explain and reflect critically upon the human search for meaning, values, discourse and expression in one or more eras/stylistic periods or cultures; 2. Analyze, interpret, and reflect critically upon ideas of value, meaning, discourse and expression from a variety of perspectives from the arts and/or humanities; 3. Produce work/works of art that communicate to a diverse audience through a demonstrated understanding and fluency of expressive forms; 4. Demonstrate ability to engage and reflect upon their intellectual and creative development within the arts and humanities; 5. Use appropriate critical vocabulary to describe and analyze works of artistic expression, literature, philosophy, or religion and a comprehension of the historical context within which a body of work was created or a tradition emerged; 6. Describe and explain the historical and/or cultural context within which a body of work was created or a tradition emerged. Required Texts: -- Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion (Sixth Edition) by James C. Livingston, (Pearson Prentice-Hall). ISBN (13): 978-0136003809; ISBN (10): 013600380X, (from here on, referred as Livingston). --There will be some additional material to be distributed in the classroom. Course Requirements and Assignments: 1-Attendance & Participation: Students are expected to come to class having read the assigned material and ready to participate in class discussions. Regular attendance and effective participation will yield 100 points. After three un-excused absences, each absence will take 3 points off from your grade. Those who have a legitimate excuse must inform the professor in advance. Attending all the class sessions does not mean that you will get 100 points unless you actively and effectively participate in class discussions. 2- Six Quizzes: There are going to be six quizzes on the specified dates (please refer to the schedule). All the quizzes will consist of multiple-choice questions and will be strictly from your reading assignments for the week you are given the quiz. Your lowest graded two quizzes will be dropped off and the rest (remaining four) will count towards your final grade. There will be absolutely no make-ups for the quizzes. 3- Midterm Examination: The midterm examination will include short essays, definitions, true or false questions, and multiple-choice questions from the topics discussed prior to the exam. 4- Final Examination: The final examination will include short essays, definitions, true or false questions, and multiple-choice questions and will be cumulative. 5-Reflection Paper: Write a reflection paper focusing only on one of the weekly topics. Your reflection paper should be five to six pages, typed, double-spaced, and with an organized body. Address what you knew about this particular topic before coming to this class and point out how this class changed, improved, or obliterated your 2
previous perception. You must not use any sources except for your textbook, lecture notes, and class discussions. No electronic submissions will be accepted. Policy on Assignment Due Dates: All the assignments must be submitted on the specified due dates. No electronic submissions will be accepted for the Reflection Paper. No computer excuses for late submission will be accepted (system crash, lack of lab seating, lost files or passwords, etc.). Special Needs: If you have any special needs, please see me after the class to discuss your options. Test and Exam Policy: Make-ups will be granted for the midterm and final exams only in the case of severe emergencies, which include severe illness requiring doctor s visit or hospitalization, death in the family, and college-excused events (which must be approved ahead of time). All emergencies must be documented in writing. Policy on Academic Dishonesty: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any form of cheating or plagiarizing will result in a failing grade for the course and be reported to the university for appropriate disciplinary action. Grading & Rubrics: Attendance and Participation: 100 points Quizzes: 100 points (25 points for each quiz) Midterm Examination: 200 points Final Examination: 400 points Reflection Paper: 200 points Grading Scale: Percentage Grade 1000-960 points A 959-900 points A- 899-870 points B+ 869-830 points B 829-800 points B- 799-770 points C+ 769-730 points C 729-700 points C- 699-670 points D+ 669-630 points D 629-600 points D- 599 points or below F Provisions for Possible Syllabus Addenda or Revisions: There may be some changes in the syllabus. Students are required to comply with any changes made by the instructor. 3
Week 1 (January 22, 24) Introduction; Getting to know each other TENTATIVE SCHEDULE Week 2 (January 29, 31) What Is Religion? Readings: Livingston, Chapter 1 Week 3 (February 5, 7) Ways of Studying Religion Readings: Livingston, Chapter 2 Week 4 (February 12, 14) Quiz # 1 (February 12) The Sacred and the Holy Readings: Livingston: Chapter 3 Week 5 (February 19, 21) Sacred Symbol, Myth, and Doctrine Readings: Livingston: Chapter 4 Week 6 (February 26, 28) Quiz # 2 (February 26) Sacred Ritual Readings: Livingston: Chapter 5 Week 7 (March 5, 7) Quiz # 3 (March 5) Sacred Scripture Readings: Livingston: Chapter 6 Week 8 (March 12, 14) MIDTERM EXAMINATION ON MARCH 14 Society and the Sacred: The Social Formations and Transformations of Religion Readings: Livingston: Chapter 7 Week 9 (March 26, 28) Deity: Concepts of the Divine and Ultimate Reality Readings: Livingston: Chapter 8 Week 10 (April 2, 4) Quiz # 4 (April 2) Cosmogony: Origins of the Natural and Social Order Readings: Livingston: Chapter 9 4
Week 11 (April 9, 11) Views of the Human Problem Readings: Livingston: Chapter 10 Week 12 (April 16, 18) Quiz # 5 (April 16) Theodicy: Encountering Evil Readings: Livingston: Chapter 11 Week 13 (April 23, 25) Quiz # 6 (April 23) Ethics: Foundations of Moral Action Readings: Livingston: Chapter 12 Week 14 (April 30, May 2) Soteriology: Ways and Goals of Salvation and Liberation Readings: Livingston: Chapter 13 Week 15 (May 7, 9) REFLECTION PAPERS ARE DUE ON MAY 9 Secularization New Religious Revitalization Movements Contemporary Religious Fundamentalism Readings: Livingston: Chapter 14 FINAL EXAMINATION: Wednesday, May 16, 2018, from 08:00 am to 10:00 am at SH 384 5