Introduction to Religious Studies Religion 201 Fall 2008
Section 001 TR 12:30-1:45 Section 002 TR 2:00-3:15 Kinard 312
Professor Information Dr. William P. Kiblinger Office: Kinard 326 Office Hours: MW 3:30-5:00 Office Phone/Voicemail: 803-323-4598 (email preferred) Email: kiblingerw@winthrop.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION The primary purpose of this course is to expose students to some of the major questions in the scholarly study of religion. What is religion? What do religious symbols mean? Why do religions exist? How should we account for the differences among religions? Can or should we make judgments about religions, especially given our own commitments and biases? How does or should religion relate to morality? What is the relation of religion to culture? To consider these questions, we will study the following texts. The work by Mircea Eliade opens with a general account of religious belief and practice (phenomenology of religion), giving us a good example of one of the leading theorists in the field of religious studies. The text by Irving Zeitlin explores further the work of the seminal theorists in the field, each oriented around various themes in the study of religion. In addition to these texts, students will examine a few supplementary readings on specific questions or by some of the primary authors. In the next section on hermeneutics, we will discuss the vexed issue of interpretation in religious traditions by reading texts by David Winter and Paul Tillich. This discussion will connect to another issue: women and religion. We will read articles by Mary Daly and Rita Gross in dealing with the issue of gender in religion. The latter will serve as a brief introduction to Hinduism. After these theoretical considerations, we will shift to a specific religious tradition: Zen Buddhism. To do so, we will read Eugen Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery. Next, the course focuses on religion as it relates to politics, race, and sexuality. We begin this part by reading John Wilson’s essay on the relation of church and state, followed by an essay by James Cone on black theology. After that, we will read William Countryman’s essay on sexuality and the Christian New Testament. Finally, we will read John Caputo’s On Religion as a culmination of the course and in preparation for the final presentations in the course. In this gathering of disparate issues and questions, numerous intertextual connections will emerge, and it is one of the primary tasks of the student to identify these common themes along the way. The course requires a demanding amount of reading, both for its quantity and quality, but its value repays the reader manifold if treated with care. The tests and writing assignments are meant to verify that students have accomplished this careful reading and made appropriate intertextual connections along the way.
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COURSE GOALS AND METHODS Goal 1: Engage in reasoned inquiry and self-reflection regarding the various values, beliefs, attitudes, and habits that define the nature and quality of life. Method: Read material thoroughly and think critically in order to make connections between the material and your own understanding of religious life. Goal 2: Model reflective participation in a learning community by learning to communicate with others effectively in speech and writing. Method: Share your reactions and understanding of religious issues with your classmates and learn to understand other perspectives by listening carefully and communicating clearly in class discussion and written assignments. Goal 3: Recognize the constructed nature of knowledge, i.e., the way in which knowledge arises from a diversity of perspectives. Method: Learn to identify multiple perspectives on religious issues and then engage this diversity of perspectives by dialectically taking ownership of them as possible viewpoints within yourself. Goal 4: Recognize and appreciate human diversity (both past and present) as well as the diversity of ideas, institutions, philosophies, moral codes, and ethical principles. Method: Read and discuss the research relating to the diversity of religious beliefs and practices and consider their impact on the values informing our lives.
EXPECTATIONS OF THE STUDENT 1. Class Attendance: Because this class is largely based on discussion and much of the critical “action” occurs in the classroom, your attendance is imperative. Attendance will be taken and is a factor in your class participation grade (about which see below). Absence for a valid reason given in advance is excusable but inadvisable. More than two absences will lower your grade. Fewer than two absences will raise your grade. 2. Readings: You are responsible for completing all of the assigned reading before each class meeting. Nota bene: the reading assignments may be fairly lengthy and will always be difficult. Plan ahead! You are not expected to master all of the details and arguments presented in the reading, but you should have engaged them rigorously, bringing questions you still have to class. Remember: there are no stupid questions (or not as many as you might think).
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3. Class Participation: One principal purpose of this course is to develop the student’s skills in interpreting difficult and ancient texts, in recognizing the influence of religious thought in contemporary contexts, and finally in constructing persuasive and well-reasoned arguments about these issues. Becoming an active participant in the learning community, displaying the poised “ready position” of an engaged thinker, and offering your own opinions, questions, and arguments are excellent ways to achieve the purpose of this course. Class participation accounts for 100 points. Please note that the instructor understands that some personalities are congenitally disposed to more extraverted and talkative forms than others. Your participation will be judged by your seriousness of attitude as well as prolificacy in speech. 4. Quizzes: There will be occasional unannounced reading quizzes, cumulatively worth 300 points. 5. Tests: There will be two tests covering a section of the course worth 150 points each. 6. Presentation: Students will make a culminating presentation at the end of the course and will turn in a written document to accompany the oral presentation. Students will make these presentations in small groups. Detailed instructions will be given later for this presentation. The presentation and written document together will count 100 points each. 7. Final Exam: The final exam will be worth 100 points.
GRADING Class Participation: Quizzes: Tests (2): Presentation: Final Exam: TOTAL 100 points 300 points 300 points 200 points 100 points 1000 points Grading scale: 930-1000: A 870-899: B+ 770-799: C+ 670-699: D+
900-929: A830-869: B 730-769: C 630-669: D
800-829: B700-729: C600-629: D0-599: F
TEXTS In Bookstore: 1. Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion 2. Irving M. Zeitlin, The Religious Experience: Classical Philosophical and Social Theories 3. Eugen Herrigel, Zen in the Art of Archery 4. John D. Caputo, On Religion Electronic Reserve: 5. Paul Tillich, “The Lost Dimension in Religion” 6. David Winter, excerpts from Believing the Bible 7. Paul Tillich, “Symbols of Faith,” in Dynamics of Faith 8. Mary Daly, “After the Death of God the Father” 9. Rita Gross, “Hindu Female Deities as a Resource for the Contemporary Rediscovery of the Goddess” 10. John F. Wilson, “Religion, Government, and Power in the New American Nation” 11. James H. Cone, “The Gospel of Jesus, Black People, and Black Power” 12. L. William Countryman, “New Testament Sexual Ethics and Today’s World”
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PLAGIARISM Students in this course should be aware of the strong sanctions against plagiarism (misrepresentation of another person’s work as one’s own) stated in the Student Conduct Code. (See section V. Student Academic Misconduct of the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook.) If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an automatic "F" in the course and possible expulsion. If you have any questions or doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials and the works of others, be sure to consult the instructor. Proper citation procedures are provided in all standard writing manuals. For more information, see the Student Handbook at www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Winthrop University is dedicated to providing access to education. If you have a disability and need classroom accommodations, please contact Gena Smith, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 323-3290, as soon as possible. Once you have your Professor Notification Form, please tell me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first {test/paper/assignment}. FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE Section 001 TR 12:30-1:45 Section 002 TR 2:00-3:15 Thurs., Dec. 11, 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM Wed., Dec. 10, 3:00 – 5:30 PM
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DATE WEEK 1 Tues., Aug. 26 Thurs., Aug. 28 WEEK 2 Tues., Sept. 2 Thurs., Sept. 4 WEEK 3 Tues., Sept. 9 Thurs., Sept. 11 WEEK 4 Tues., Sept. 16 Thurs., Sept. 18 WEEK 5 Tues., Sept. 23 Thurs., Sept. 25 WEEK 6 Tues., Sept. 30 Thurs., Oct. 2 WEEK 7 Tues., Oct. 7 Thurs., Oct. 9 WEEK 8 Tues., Oct. 14 Thurs., Oct. 16 WEEK 9 Tues., Oct. 21 Thurs., Oct. 23 WEEK 10 Tues., Oct. 28 Thurs., Oct. 30 WEEK 11 Tues., Nov. 4 Thurs., Nov. 6 WEEK 12 Tues., Nov. 11 Thurs., Nov. 13 WEEK 13 Tues., Nov. 18 Thurs., Nov. 20 WEEK 14 Tues., Nov. 25 Thurs., Nov. 27 WEEK 15 Tues., Dec. 2 Thurs., Dec. 4
TOPIC Introduction to Phenomenology Openings Sacred Space Religious Phenomena Sacred Time Sacredness of Nature Modernity and Its Critics Human Existence and Sanctified Life Rousseau and Hegel Religious Atheism Feuerbach and Marx Test Day Sociology of Religion Protestantism and Capitalism Disenchantment and Religion Primitive/Modern Dialectic Invention of Primitivism Critique of Primitivism Hermeneutics Reading the Bible Symbols Women and Religion God the Father Hindu Goddesses Zen Buddhism Zen Buddhist Practice Zen Buddhist Experience Politics and Religion Church and State Black Theology Sexuality and Religion Election Day Dirt, Greed, and Sex Postmodern Religion Religion and Love Post-Secularism Postmodern Religion Religion and Culture Religion Without Religion Presentations Test Day Thanksgiving Presentations Presentations Presentations
ASSIGNMENT
Eliade, Ch. 1 Eliade, Ch. 2 Eliade, Ch. 3 Eliade, Ch. 4 (pp. 162-167; 201-213) Tillich, “Lost Dimension” (reserve) Zeitlin, Ch. 1 & 2 Zeitlin, Ch. 3 (pp. 23-32) & 4 Test 1 Zeitlin, Ch. 6 (Weber) Zeitlin, Ch. 7 (Weber) Zeitlin, Ch. 10 (Malinowski) Zeitlin, Ch. 11 (Freud) Winter, Believing the Bible Tillich, “Symbols of Faith” Daly, “After the Death of God…” Gross, “Hindu Female Deities…” Herrigel (first half) Herrigel (second half) Wilson, “Religion, Gov’t, & Power” Cone, “The Gospel of Jesus…” No class Countryman, “New Test. Sexual Ethics…” Caputo, Ch. 1 Caputo, Ch. 2 Caputo, Ch. 3 & 4 Caputo, Ch. 5 Test 2 No class Groups 4-6 Groups 7-9 5
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