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RELS 1010: INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES Instructor: Dominic Sur ([email protected]) UTF: Class time: Location: Old Main Hill, 321M Office Hours: Phone: (435) 797-9058 COURSE DESCRIPTION: Religion produces and conserves, imparts and authorizes structures of knowledge and practices that constitute culture and animate society. As such, religion motivates some of humanity’s greatest accomplishments—and some of our greatest grotesqueries. This course offers an introduction to major religious traditions of the world and their respective philosophical, social, and historical fields of production. That means, in addition to being a survey of the world’s major organized religions, students will also learn scholarly methods used to explore religion. During our term, we shall investigate Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, among others. Several questions drive our exploration. The term begins with the simple question: “What is religion?” During the course we discuss the How, What, and Why of religion. What, if anything is common to all religions? What, if anything, is significant about religious difference? How does religion negotiate the broader, more fundamentally humane issues at work in the lives of those who use it? This course neither promotes nor disrespects any particular religion. We shall endeavor to understand the varieties of religion within a spirit of respect, free inquiry and critical thinking. In short, prepare to leave preconceived notions, prejudices and proselytizing at the classroom door. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE: there are four general or basic objectives for students completing this course. Such students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate a basic literacy concerning the major religious traditions of the world 2. Understand the relationship between religion and culture, and think critically about the influence of religious value systems on individuals and societies 3. Read and analyze the sacred texts of different religious traditions 4. Pursue, if the student wishes, the advanced study of religion or related fields REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS: Huston Smith’s 1991 The World’s Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions (San Francisco: HarperCollins) Craig Martin’s 2012 A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion (New York: Routledge) Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) (New York: Penguin Publishing) Additional readings—including the fundamental readings on most of the world’s major organized religions—will be provided to you electronically (i.e., via Canvas) 4X6 index cards for various in-class purposes COURSE REQUIREMENTS: four response papers (100 points each = 400 points), one response to Siddhartha (150 points), mid-term exam (200 points), final exam (200 points), in-class reflections (totaling 50 points). Total points possible: 1,000. Evaluation Total points: 930 – 1000 A 900 – 929 A870 – 899 B+ 830 – 869 B 800 – 829 B770 – 799 C+ 730 – 769 C 700 – 729 C670 – 699 D+ 630 – 669 D 600 – 620 D599 or less F ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is mandatory. You get 4 “free” absences for things like travel, sports, family events, common illnesses, etc. Regular attendance results in no lost points. If you have more than 4 absences, 100 points will be deducted from your final grade. Chronic tardiness is not acceptable. It is your responsibility to make sure that your presence has been marked at each class. (If you attend a different section of RELS 1010 than your own, you will still be marked absent.) For medical emergencies or chronic conditions that require extended absences, please bring a doctor’s note and together we will make a plan for the semester. PARTICIPATION: At times, class lectures will be highly participatory in character and thereby providing students with an opportunity to foster a critical component of higher education: intelligent self-expression. This means articulating your thoughts by asking relevant questions and making insightful comments in class. This will help your comprehension of the material and also help your classmates. Your regular and thoughtful engagement in class is highly encouraged. GROUND RULES FOR LECTURES: Arrive on time. Turn your phone off. Use laptops only for legitimate class activities (note-taking, assigned tasks). Do not leave class early with out okaying with the instructor or your UTF in advance. Ask questions if you are confused or would like to know more about the lecture topic. WRITING RESPONSE PAPERS 1-5: (4 out of 5 for a total of 400 points possible) There are a total of six response papers given in this course. Students are required to complete five. From response papers 1-5, students must complete four; and all students must complete response number 6. The first five response papers should be approximately 500 words. From among response papers 1-5, I will grade four. I will definitely grade the first paper you submit. You should carefully study the comments/corrections you receive on the first paper, since this will help you improve your performance on future papers. After this, I will randomly choose 3 more response papers at the end of the semester to grade. Because I will choose the 2 papers randomly at the end of the semester, be sure to do your best on all of them. In these response papers, you are welcome to critically analyze or disagree with the readings you treat, but you should not be disrespectful. Try to be specific in your thoughts, and avoid generalities. (See Mark Damen’s writing guide and the writing rubric, both given below). Specific directions for each particular response paper is given below in the syllabus with that week’s assignment. Generally, response papers would have two clearly labeled parts: 1) An approximately 250 word summary of the reading you are focused on in the response. Your summary should highlight the major themes, ideas, or stories found in the reading. 2) An approximately 250 word response to the reading. You do not have to, though you may wish to, respond to everything in that week’s reading. Alternatively, you may choose a passage(s) from the reading(s) so that you can respond with some depth. Here are some questions you might think about while formulating your response: Why is this important for practitioners of this religious tradition? How does this passage compare with other readings from this chapter? How does this passage relate to what you have heard in class? All response paper should be 2 double-spaced typed pages with 12 point font and 1inch margins. You should submit your response papers on Canvas, where they will be checked for plagiarism through turnitin.com. No form of plagiarism or cheating will be tolerated. This is a serious matter. If you do not know what constitutes plagiarism and cheating, see: http://catalog.usu.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=265 RESPONSE PAPER 6: (150 points) Response paper is one double-spaced page longer than 1-5— approximately 750 words—and therefore worth more points. Paper submission: Because you get to skip 1 response paper, there will be no makeups for these assignments—and no late submissions will be accepted. If you submit only 3 papers, you will automatically lose 100 points. If you submit only 2 papers, you will automatically lose all 200 points. MID-TERM & FINAL EXAMS: (200 points each): The in-class exams will consist of multiple choice (including vocabulary) and short answer questions. A STYLE MANUAL IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Much of your grade in this course depends on your ability to write well. There is a world of difference between the following sentences: “Let’s eat, mom!” “Let’s eat mom!” The first is an invitation for mom to eat with us; the second suggests that we eat mom. The comma makes all the difference. A writing guide by Professor Mark Damen can be found at: http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/WritingGuide/00intro.htm. If you need additional help with your writing, please visit the university’s Writing Center (http://writing.usu.edu). The quality of English (grammar, proofreading, organization, etc.) will play a major role in how I grade your response, so make sure you write well. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students in RELS 1010 get one of the following writing style manuals: Strunk & White’s Elements of Style (fourth edition). Amazon has used copies for less than a dollar. This is the simplest writer’s manual. Knowledge and command of its contents (i.e. correct comma use, etc.) are requisite for every first year college student. Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers (6th or 7th edition). This is an excellent guide covering everything in Strunk & White, but with additional content on Academic writing and research. Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (7th or 8th edition). This book should be purchased by students intending to do work in the Humanities and Social Sciences such as History, English, Religious Studies, etc. If you are planning on pursuing a Masters Degree or Ph.D., then, in addition to one of the above style manuals, I strongly recommend purchasing Booth, Colomb, & Williams’ The Craft of Research (3rd edition). * NOTE TO S.T.E.M. STUDENTS: Students planning on going into the so-called STEM fields (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) might think that the particulars of writing are not essential for their fields—this is a mistake. People who are successful in STEM spend a significant amount of time writing—e.g., grant proposals (i.e. asking for money for their research). Thus, fluency in English composition is a must for those going into STEM fields. Several times during the term, students will be asked to write short reflections in class on 4X6 index cards. Students are responsible for bringing index cards to class for this purpose. There is no schedule for these reflections. They will be given without prior notice to students. Content s l e v e L e r o c S Writing Evaluation Rubric – Sur’s RELS 1010 Conventions Is well thought out and answers No spelling, grammatical, or the prompt punctuation errors Reflects application of critical thinking based on the readings and lectures A Has clear summary and response to the reading content Consistent integration and application of lecture material Implementation of vocabulary from lectures—and Martin’s A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion Proper citation of sources (see Style Manual) Organization Information is clearly focused in an organized and thoughtful manner Information is constructed in a logical pattern to support the solution Appropriately incorporates evidence from sources by accurate paraphrasing, citation, and analysis. Is well thought out and supports the solution Has application of critical thinking that is apparent B Has clear explanation of the reading Integration and application of lecture material Supports the solution Has application of critical thinking that is apparent C Has no clear explanation of the reading Uses a few examples from the reading s l e v e L e r o c S Content Conventions Few (1 to 3) spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors Information supports the solution to the challenge or question Good use of vocabulary and word choice Proper citations are used throughout the essay. All necessary citations are included in-text Incorporates evidence from sources by accurate paraphrasing, quotation, and analysis. Minimal (3 to 5) spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors Project has a focus but might stray from it at times Low-level use of vocabulary and word choice Some errors in proper citation. Little use of lecture material Provides inconsistent information for solution Has no apparent application of critical thinking D/ F Has no clear explanation of the reading Uses few to no examples Organization More than 5 spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors Poor use of vocabulary and word choice Chronic errors in citation Information appears to have a pattern, but the pattern is not consistently carried out in the project Information loosely supports the solution Content is unfocused and haphazard Information does not support the solution to the challenge or question Information has little to do with the topic No use of lecture materials Class Schedule & reading load: this course averages 50 pages per week. WEEK 1: RELIGION? August 31st, September 2nd & 3rd Martin, Preface, pp. xi-xv. Martin, Chapter 1: “Studying Religion: Laying the Groundwork,” pp. 1-18. Total: 48 pages Martin, Chapter 2, “How Society Works: Classification,” pp. 19-44. WEEK 2: BUDDHISM—THERAVADA September 9th & 11th No class Monday, 7th “RELS 1010 Buddhism” pdf on Canvas. Read through Buddhist Ethics, which ends on p. 167. Selected readings from Walpola Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught (pdf): Total: 49 Chapter 1, “The Buddhist Attitude of Mind,” pp. 1-15 Selections from Rahula on the Theravada Teachings of the Buddha: “Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth,” pp. 92-94 “The Fire Sermon,” pp. 95-97 “Universal Love,” pp. 97-98 “Blessings,” pp. 98-99 “The Words of Truth,” pp. 125-136 “The Last Words of the Buddha,” pp. 136-138 * Please look up words you do not understand—such as bhikkhu, Tathagata, etc.— in the dictionary or on Wikipedia. In fact, you should look up every word that I use in class or that you come across in readings that you do not already know. WEEK 3: BUDDHISM—MAHAYANA September 14th, 16th, & 18th Total: 55 Vv. 16-58 of “Mahayana 1—Bodhicaryavatara” pdf, pp. 168-193 “Transforming Problems into the Dharma Path,” pp. 1-50 Response paper #1: (Buddhism) due 18th at midnite. There are three possible subjects for your response: (1) Compare and/or contrast the “Buddhist Attitude of Mind” (Rahula, ch. 1) with a Theravada teaching of the Buddha by asking the following question: how is the Buddhist attitude of mind expressed in this Theravada teaching of the Buddha? (2) Compare and/or contrast one section of “Transforming Problems into the Dharma Path” to Rahula’s “Buddhist Attitude of Mind” (3) Compare and/or contrast a Theravada teaching of the Buddha with a section or two of “Transforming Problems into the Dharma Path” WEEK 4: HINDUISM September 21st, 23rd, 25th RELS 1010 Hinduism pdf on Canvas. Do not read “Hindu (temple art and architecture)” on pages 446-448; but do read “Hinduism (thought and ethics), which ends on page 452, first column. Selected from Smith: “Four Paths to the Goal,” pp 26-29 “The Way to God through Knowledge,” pp. 29-32 “The Way to God through Love,” pp. 3236 “Many Paths to the Same Summit,” pp. 72-75 Total: 43 pages Selections from RELS 1010 Hinduism p2 pdf on Canvas 2.3.3.2 “Ramanuja dreams,” pp 42-45 3.1.4 “Salvation and damnation in the Bhagavad Gita,” pp. 56-57 4.1.1 “How Brahma created the universe,” pp. 65-68 WEEK 5: CONFUCIANISM September 28th, 30th, & October 2nd Huston Smith’s The World’s Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions, Chapter IV: “Confucianism,” pp. 154-194 Total: 40 pages Response paper #2: (Confucianism) due Oct 2nd: please provide a one page summary and one page response contrasting this reading to any previous reading. WEEK 6: JUDAISM October 5th, 7th, & 9th Excerpts from RELS 1010 Judaism pdf on Canvas. Please read the following in the following order of the pdf (*Note that the page numbers in this pdf are not in order.): Read “Judaism,” pp. 598-610. o Do not read below “Current Trend” (p. 610) or anything on p. 611. Read “Judaism (authoritative texts and their interpretation),” pp 576-577. o Do not read “festal cycle.” Read “Judaism (life cycle),” pp. 581-586. o Do not read “Judaism (mysticism)” (pp. 586-589). Total: 55 pages Read “Judaism (thought and ethics),” pp. 589-594 Read “Judaism, God in,” pp. 594-595 Excerpt from Smith, ch. VII: Judaism, pp. 271299 W WEEK 7: CHRISTIANITY October 12th, 14th… there is no class on Friday, 16th! — Martin, ch. 5: How Religion Works: Legitimation, pp. 93-116 RELS 1010 Christianity pdf on Canvas, pp. 240-264 Total: 47 pages Response paper #3: (Christianity) due Oct 16th by midnight: please provide a one page summary of Martin, ch. 5, and a one page response to the following questions: How is legitimation used in Christianity to maintain a social order? Who benefits from that? WEEK 8: ISLAM October 19th, 21st, & 23rd RELS 1010 Islam pdf on Canvas, pp. 498-539. Read everything except: o Do not read “Translation of the Qur’an,” pp. 517-518 o Do not read “Islam (ethics),” pp. 518-520. o Do not read “Islamic Jihad,” p. 529 Excerpts from the Qu'ran: Qur’an, Suras 1 & 47. Available at: http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/koransel.asp Total: 46 pages Qur’an, Sura 2. See footnote below for google book link to the text.1 In-class exam: October 23rd WEEK 9: ISLAM, RELIGION, & AUTHORITY October 26th, 28th, & 30th Total: 46 pages Martin, ch. 6: How Religion Works: Authority, pp. 117-143 Response paper #4: (Islam) due Oct 30th by midnight: compare and/or contrast at least one element from each of the following: RELS 1010 Islam, excerpt from Qur’an: Surah 47, and Martin chapters 5 or 6. WEEK 10: “TRUE RELIGION”(?), ATHEISM, & ETHICS November 2nd, 4th, & 6th Martin, ch. 7: How Religion Works: Authenticity, pp. 145-163 Total: 47 RELS 1010 Atheism pdf on Canvas, ch. 3: Atheist Ethics, pp. 37-56 * In-class assignment: be prepared to write a short comparison and/or contrast between Atheist and ethics in class. WEEK 11: HERMANN HESSE’S SIDDHARTHA November 9th, 11th, & 13th Siddhartha, pp. 3-65 Total: 62 pages 1 Ghai’s Selections From The Quran, pp. 37-44: https://books.google.com/books?id=gir5IUOsIKUC&lpg=PP1&dq=sElections%20from%20Qur 'an&pg=PA37#v=onepage&q&f=false WEEK 12: SIDDHARTHA (CONT.) November 16th, 18th, & 20th Siddhartha, pp. 67-132 Total: 65 Response paper #5: (Siddhartha) due Oct 20th by midnight: Does Siddhartha’s story legitimate Indian religious authority or challenge it? How? Top grades will integrate information from readings and lectures. WEEK 13: November 23rd No classes on the 25th or 27th! WEEK 14: Nov 30th, Dec 2nd & 4th