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Week one
The Academic Study of Religion
Introductions, Review of syllabus 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
Note: Due to the Labor Day holiday, the Woodbridge
class will be a day behind the Loudoun class until we catch up at
week 9 (follow your printed schedule for precise dates)
Due: Religious Scavenger Hunt
(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.
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?
(Woodbridge begins this topic the second session of week 3)
Due: Spiritual Autobiography (including
"Belief-O-Matic" results)
Activity:
- "Belief-O-Matic": Take this self-assessment, e-mail results to yourself, print results,
include it with your Spiritual Autobiography and comment on the results in your
biography: Were you surprised by the results? What might you do as a follow-up to these results (e.g., find out more about the religions at the top of your list)? Did any of the questions on the assessment confuse
you?
(FYI: there are lot's of other interesting resources at this
Beliefnet.com site, including their
spirituality assessment and a whole slew of other "soul
surveys" trivia challenges to test your knowledge)
Read:
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Interlude: Hinduism
(week four)
Due: Select topic for Website critique (e-mail 1st, 2nd and 3rd
choice to mentor)
Read: Complete Browne & Keeley
Online activity:
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For week five
What is the Sacred?
Due: Preliminary Website critique (no late submissions!)
Post to discussion board!
Assistance for Website critique:
Read:
On-line reading: Is there really a God?
(third session):
- Proofs for the existence (and non-existence) of God (online
resources based on assigned topic - follow link for
details). Be prepared for in-class group discussion and
summary of what you read.
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Interlude: Judaism
(week six)
Due: Feedback on classmates' Website critiques (no late
submissions!) Post to discussion board!
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For week seven
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
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 10.)
- 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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Interlude: Islam
(week eight)
No class Monday or Tuesday
Due:
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For week nine
Sacred Ritual
Read:
Interlude: Buddhism
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
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For week ten
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 grace the class with a
presentation of your original, interpretive work - linking it to
religious or spiritual topics.
***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 eleven
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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For week twelve
Suffering and Evil
Due: Any late, NQA or revised work
No late submissions or revisions accepted after this week
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 be prepared to address these questions in class
discussion
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
Projects are due next week!
Note: if you are planning to make a presentation in class, be sure to schedule it with your mentor
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For week thirteen
Salvation: In this World and
Beyond
Due: Personal project (no late submissions!)
Read:
***Work on personal project and maintain journaling***
** If you haven't already done so, get in your
second field visit: reports are due next week! **
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For week fourteen
Morality, Ethics, and Values
Due:
Read:
***Maintain journaling***
No class Wednesday or
Thursday
Have a great Thanksgiving!
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For week fifteen
Sects, Cults & Denominations and Women
& Religion
Due: Submit journals for review (no late submissions!)
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***
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For week sixteen
Church-State
issues & Religious Pluralism
Due: "What is Religion?" essay (no late submissions!)
Church & State:
Read and explore Web resources:
- First Amendment Center religious liberty issues:
Required: Read and understand these two pages:
Be prepared for in-class group exercise: 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:
Although you've already submitted your journal, feel free to write your thoughts in
a supplement to your journal (for bonus points): 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.
Religious Pluralism:
Read:
Additional resources on the Web:
Explore
possibilities for interfaith opportunities:
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Finals Week
Concluding self-assessment will be done in class
Woodbridge: Monday, December 15 noon - 1:50
PM
Loudoun: Tuesday, December 16
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