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Introduction to the Study of Religion

Study Guide (Livingston)

PowerPoints:

• The Academic Study of Religion

• What is Religion?

• The Seven Dimensions of Religion

• On Defining Religion

• Ways to Study Religion

• Major Religions of the World: a brief overview

• Responses to Religious Diversity

• Beliefs about Ultimate Reality

• Arguments for (and against) the existence of God

• Mysticism/Spiritual Experience

• Symbolism (an interactive tutorial)

• Sacred Stories

• Sacred Texts

• Sacred Action  

• Sacred Community

• Church & State

• What the religions believe about the nature of life

• Suffering & Evil

• Morality

• Death and the afterlife

Websites & Online Readings:

• What is the Academic Study of Religion? by Russell T. McCutcheon, Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama

• Studying Religion by Russell T. McCutcheon, Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama (an in-depth look at the history and problem of defining religion)

• Studying religion (the Open University) (printable version)

• Religion today: Themes and issues (the Open University) (Printable Version)

• That Religious Studies Website HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
  "an independent website exploring themes and topics in the philosophy of religion, theology and ethics. ...written to inform readers about various religious and ethical topics. It is not intended to promote belief in, or non-belief in any faith, creed, religion or God" 
  This is a decent introductory level source, addressing topics covered in many introduction to the study of religion texts. You may actually find the presentation at this site easier than our text and a good supplement to the text readings.

• Ninian Smart: The Seven Dimensions of Religion (.pdf file)

• Body Ritual Amongst the Nacirema by Horace Miner (.pdf file)

• Websites on specific topics in religion (online resources to explore as a supplement to reading)

• Websites on the World's Religions

• On Eastern Religions

• On Western Religions

Handouts:

• Defining Religion  

• Definitions of Religion

• The World's Religions

• Timeline of the World's Religions

• World Religions Word Search

• Interfaith Relations and the Unity(?) of Religion (an essay)

• Bibliographic and Other Resources

• The "99 Names of God"

• Beliefs about Ultimate Reality

• What the Religions Believe

• Metaphors be with You... (an essay)

• A Millennial Interpretation of History

• The Seven Days of our Spiritual Creation

• The Word of God or Man? (an essay)

• My God (an essay)

• Interpersonal Relationships as a Spiritual Ideal (an essay)

• The Golden Rule

• Encounters with the Holy

• Was Jesus a Mystic? (an essay)

• Mysticism Scale

• Holidays and Holy Days

• Ethnic vs. Universal Religions  

Overheads:

• What is Religion?

• Elements of Religion

• History of Religion

• Religion: East & West

• Religious Demographics (worldwide population) 

• Inter-religious Influences

• Stages of Faith Development (chart)

• Symbols and Their Meaning

• Science, Religion and Philosophy

• Rational Arguments for the Existence of God

• Holy Rites and Rituals

Examples of student work:

Note: some of these projects are better than others. Review and assignment directions (click on link for "project") and then take a look at the various projects and see if you can tell what makes for a better or worse interpretation/presentation of the project (what's missing from those that are not as good?)

Project I: Baha'i Faith   Buddhism Catholicism Islam Mormons   Rastafarianism1 Rastafarianism2 Seventh Day Adventists   Shinto Sikhism   Spiritualism (a website)   Wicca   Voodoo   Zoroastrianism1 Zoroastrianism2

Project II (fall 2005) Beliefs about God Flood Stories Evil & Suffering Important People Sacred Texts Spirituality Meditation Women in Religion 1 Women in Religion 2 Afterlife Beliefs Death & the Afterlife Funerals Coming of Age Rites Interfaith Marriage Religious Commandments Dietary Regulations Dress in Religion Dress