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Week one
The Academic Study of Religion
Read:
Online activities:
- Explore your mentor's Website:
- Learning styles (optional)
Write in your journal regarding what you learn about
yourself:
do you think the assessment is accurate? How will you adjust
your learning strategies to adjust for your weak areas?
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For week two
Major Religions of the World
Due: Religious Scavenger Hunt
(E-mail or FAX to your mentor)
(to use worksheet: copy, paste into word processor, and enter findings or print and hand write on
worksheet. )
Use any or all of these as well as other Web resources (in addition to
regional Yellow Pages) to help you locate what you need for your Religious Scavenger
Hunt:
Read:
- Complete Kessler, chapters 1 & 2 if you did not finish
them last week
- Begin reading Browne & Keeley (if you are already
familiar with material in chapters 1, 2, & 3 you may begin
with chapter 4). You have three weeks to complete reading
through chapter 12. That's just 48 pages. Review the
"Appendix A" as needed should you have occasion to
document online resources.
Watch video: Religions Around the World (in
Woodbridge campus library)
You are encouraged to take notes and use the discussion board to
discuss points of interest and/or confusion.
Online Exploration & Reading:
- Read about several religions and Christian denominations that are new to you,
write about your explorations in your Journal: what religions did you read about and
why? What did you think of the religions you read about?
Possible sources:
- Religious Tolerance.org descriptions of non-Christian
religions
- Religious Tolerance.org descriptions of Christian faith groups
- Worldview Sampler
(major religions and worldviews in comparison)
- Beliefnet.com also has some interesting basic information on
various religions accessed through this
page. The "charts and resources" links towards
the bottom of the page provide a simple comparison between
religions on various issues (what do various religions believe
about heaven, angels, the devil, abortion, fasting, etc....)
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For week three
What is Religion?
First proctored assignment: Spiritual Autobiography
(Note: all three proctored assignments must be completed to
pass the course)
Before going to testing center, complete this online activity:
Report to the Woodbridge campus Testing Center with
printed results from your "Belief-O-Matic"
online activity. You will receive further printed directions from
the proctor.
Read:
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For week four
What is the Sacred?
Due: Preliminary Website critique (no late submissions!)
Post to discussion board!
Assistance for Website critique:
Read:
- Complete Browne & Keeley
- Kessler: Chapter 4
- ST chap. 1 (optional)
Watch video: Masks of Eternity (Power of Myth
series with Joseph Campbell)
You are encouraged to take notes and use the discussion board to
discuss points of interest and/or confusion.
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For week five
Is there really a God?
Due: Feedback on classmates' Website critiques (no late
submissions!) Post to discussion board!
On-line reading:
- Proofs for the existence (and non-existence) of God (online
resources - follow link for
details). As an independent learner, you should review all
the arguments. Then discuss them on the discussion board (reply
to specific message in chapter 4 forum).
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For week six
Sacred Stories
Due: Final, revised Website critique
(no late submissions!) Post to discussion board!
Read:
- Kessler: Chapter 5
- What
is a Myth? (online resource)
- "Metaphors be with you..."
(an essay by your mentor) (optional)
Write your response in your journal or share it and any questions in class
discussion
Watch video: The Message of the Myth (Power of
Myth series with Joseph Campbell)
You are encouraged to take notes and use the discussion board to
discuss points of interest and/or confusion.
Explore world myth at these sites (optional):
- World Myths and
Legends in Art: Here you can view works of art related
to myths from different times and places, you can select items
by culture or theme, from there you can read the story related
to a given piece and explore the cultural and historical
background of the story and details about the work of art. (This
site is also referenced for week 8.)
- The Big Myth:
a really cool, interactive site for exploring creation stories from around the
world
Write about your explorations in your journal: what did you think of these sites?
Did you use any other sites on myth? Which stories did you read? Did you notice any common themes? Other
thoughts...
Optional (for extra credit) (too much to do this week? You
can do this in following weeks):
Try your hand offering a creative and original interpretation of a
sacred story and/or try writing an original myth or parable of your
own. For some inspiration and guidance you might visit these sites:
Write about the experience of writing a story in your journal. You can submit your finished story for extra
credit. You might even create a PowerPoint illustration of your
story and present it in class (as part of your Personal
Project)
** If you haven't already done so, get in your first field visit: reports are due next week!
**
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For week seven
Sacred Ritual
Due:
Read:
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
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For week eight
Sacred Space, Time, & Art
Read:
Optional Online explorations:
Optional (for extra credit): create
your own altar (sacred space) and sacred ritual
Other Options for extra credit: If you are an
artist, dancer, or musician, you might do some original, interpretive work - linking it to
religious or spiritual topics. (submit to mentor for credit)
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
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For week nine
Spiritual Experience and Spiritual
Practices
Read:
Explore mysticism online at these sites (optional):
Write in your journal your thoughts on what you learn about mysticism from these
sources
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
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Last
day to withdraw from class: Thursday, October 30th |
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For week ten
Suffering and Evil
Read:
- Kessler: Chapter 9
- ST chap. 2 (optional)
- "Degrees of
Evil" (online resource from The Atlantic Monthly, Feb. 2002):
Also note these questions to
consider as you read
Write your thoughts in your journal and address these questions
on the discussion board
Watch video: Rabbi Harold Kushner (Searching for
God in America series)
You are encouraged to take notes and use the discussion board to
discuss points of interest and/or confusion.
This is the last video you will be asked to view.
Second proctored assignment: Video Response Essay
(Note: all three proctored assignments must be completed to
pass the course)
Having now watched all four videos, report to the Woodbridge
campus testing center to complete your second proctored assignment.
You will receive further printed directions from the proctor.
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
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For week eleven
Salvation: In this World and
Beyond
Due: Any late or revised work
No late submissions or revisions accepted after this week
(you will have no time to do them and I will have no time to grade
them - there is plenty of other work due in the following weeks)
Read:
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
Projects are due next week!
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For week twelve
Morality, Ethics, and Values
Due: Personal project (no late submissions!)
Read:
** If you haven't already done so, get in your
second field visit: reports are due next week! **
***Maintain journaling***
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For week thirteen
Sects, Cults & Denominations and Women
& Religion
Due: Second Encounter & Dialogue report (no late submissions!)
Post to discussion board!
Read:
Online exploration:
- Demographics of religion in the USA (optional):
- New Religious Movements (NRMs) and the issue of cults (many of
these links are also noted in the above referenced essay by your
mentor; review any or all that interest you):
Write your thoughts in your journal: which sites did you look at? What did you learn?
***Maintain journaling***
Have a great Thanksgiving!
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For week fourteen
Church-State
issues
Due: Submit journals for review (no late submissions!)
Read and explore Web resources:
- First Amendment Center religious liberty issues:
Required: Read and understand these two pages:
Share on discussion board: under what
conditions is and is not religious practice in public life
considered constitutional? What conditions do the courts take into
consideration when making such rulings?
You may also want to review some of the other material at this
site:
Write your thoughts in your journal: Which pages did
you read? What are your thoughts? Has your understanding of
First Amendment rights changed? In what way(s)?
Optional (extra credit): Freedom of and freedom from religion:
You might propose a situation, perhaps taken from the headlines (e.g., allowing prayer in schools), and discuss your thoughts on the issue before and after reading this material. A well written essay can be submitted for extra
credit.
The Freedom
Forum provides access to news items
related to this issue.
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For week fifteen
Religious Pluralism
Due: "What is Religion?" essay (no late submissions!)
Read:
Additional resources on the Web:
Explore
possibilities for interfaith opportunities:
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Finals Week
Third and final proctored assignment:
Self-assessment essay
(Note: all three proctored assignments must be completed to
pass the course)
Report to the Woodbridge campus testing center to complete
this last proctored assignment. You will receive further printed
directions from the proctor.
Please complete this assignment by noon
Thursday, December 18th.
Grades will be submitted that afternoon and if I do not have
all three of your proctored assignments by then, I will not be
able to give you a passing grade (no matter how well you've done
on your other assignments).
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