WORLD RELIGIONS
Course Syllabus



COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course satisfies the F2 general education requirements for inter-cultural study since it provides an introduction to and an overview of the major world religions in their historical and cultural developments (see course objectives below). We will examine the various traditions in terms of their appropriations of Sacred Reality and the expressions of that Reality in symbol, ritual, and myth. We will focus in each tradition on questions of human identity and purpose (anthropology), the status of the world (cosmology), and access to Ultimate Realtiy (metaphysics).

COURSE OBJECTIVES: My teaching philosophy for this course is quite simple; it is simply a matter of turning my students into amateur historians of religion with all the requisite skills and critical methodologies which that lofty and noble vocation entails. Doing that requires some work. It involves making them aware of the history of interpretation and the contemporary hermeneutical options as well as the ambivalent, contradictory, and complementary paradigms that sift and shift through the multivalent religious traditions found in human culture. By necessity this course is inter-disciplinary, aims for multi-cultural lucidity, and emphasizes empathy and understanding of the other and cautiousness in interpretation of otherness (epoche), hence, critical thinking. Since there is much that appears as exotic and esoteric to the uninitiated, this course will serve as an initiation into the mysteries of the scientific study of religion as well as an invitation to self-scrutiny and personal quest. My ambition is to render sophisticated philosopical concepts accessible, to create an appreciation for the subtle, and to build an "ecosphere of the spirit" in the minds of my students that values the quest for transcendance, human identity, purpose, and meaning within the traditions of humanity. As I said, my teaching philosophy is quite simple, it's my work ethic that makes the demands.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: reading assignments, class participation, one mid-term examination, one research paper on a relevant topic of your choice, a glossary, one final-examination, and, of course, good mental hygiene.


THE RESEARCH PAPER: The choice of paper topics has a wide range of flexibility in the hopes that the students will pursue subjects that command their interests and spark their imaginations. You will want to begin exploring possible topics from practically the beginning of the course and should not only feel free but consider it a necessary step in your preparation to consult the instructor concerning your topic. Various strategies for generating a viable topic will be discussed in class.

Texts: LIVING RELIGIONS;
ANTHOLOGY OF WORLD SCRIPTURES

Assignments and grading criteria: All assignments will be given in class. Preparation and class participation are factored into the grading. Students must attend class. This cannot be emphasized enough. The mid-term accounts for approximately 30% of your grade, the final about 30%, and the research paper 30% with a 10% margin based on class participation. Class attendance is considered a given: 2% will be subtracted from your overall grade for each class missed. My scale includes plus and minuses. Make-ups are possible only by divine intervention.