Course Description

This course introduces you to the academic study of the complex and multifaceted phenomenon of religion. We’ll begin with the obvious question: What is religion? We’ll ask about its content, shape, and function: What is the essence of religion? Can we know religion when we see it? What language can help us describe and understand it? What does an academic study of religion entail? What effects does religion have on its practitioners and on the larger culture? We’ll also introduce ourselves to the great religions of the world in an attempt to understand their distinctive character, claims, and communities. In this section of the course, we’ll ask questions like these: Do the definitions and theories we encountered in the first part of the course help us make sense of specific manifestations of religion? Is (or can) religion be a force for good in today’s world? How do (or should) religious communities deal with those who are religiously different than they are? Over the course of the semester, we’ll explore these and other questions in relation to scholarly accounts of religion, first-person narratives from religious insiders, a sustained account of inter-religious dialogue, a symposium featuring world-class scholars of religion, several films, visits to five local sites of religion, and our own experiences of religion.

Course Objectives

1. Become conversant in definitions /theories of religion and approaches to its study.

2. Learn basic facts about religions of the world.

3. Reflect critically on the function of religion in the lives of its practitioners and the role of religion in the larger culture.

4. Consider the question, What good is religion in today’s world?

5. Whet your appetite for further study of religion.

Required Texts

These texts are available for purchase in the Millsaps College bookstore:

Eliade, Mircea. The Sacred & the Profane

Matthews, Warren. World Religions

Harris, Lis. Holy Days

Gallagher, Nora. Things Seen and Unseen

Eck, Diana. Encountering God

This text is on reserve at the library: Eric Mazur and Kate McCarthy, eds. God in the Details

Course Expectations/Requirements/Policies

I hope you will engage this course with passion, self-discipline, and an open mind. Such a disposition will undoubtedly make the course most meaningful to you. Even if you adopt a different posture, you will need to attend to the following requirements:

1. The Millsaps Honor Code. See the last page of the syllabus for details.

2. Regular , punctual attendance. You can’t learn if you’re not here, so be here. . . Every day. On time. With a smile on your face, even? Okay, maybe that’s asking too much, but do be forewarned that absences in excess of three will result in the discounting of your final grade by one grading increment (e.g., B to B-) per day, and significant or repeated tardies will be treated as one-half an absence. The student is responsible for material missed due to lateness or absence.

3. Completion of written work on time and in accordance with appropriate academic standards. Late papers will be discounted by one grading increment (e.g., B to B-) per day. Should a personal emergency impede the timely completion of assigned work, you must contact me as soon as possible and be prepared to provide supporting documentation. If you have questions about “appropriate academic standards,” don’t hesitate to raise them with me.

In general, written work will be evaluated in terms of command of material, clarity and organization of ideas, persuasiveness of argument/analysis, complexity of thinking, creativity of thought, and grammatical correctness. Guidelines for specific assignments are forthcoming.

4. Good-natured and respectful participation in class discussions, group work, and site visits. This course invites all of us to explore new territory. We should plan to be generous of spirit with one another as we travel this journey, each with our own baggage, experiences, hopes, and objectives. The aim of the course, ultimately, is to equip us for even further exploration into the world of religious studies, so during the semester we will be gathering tools, tips, and a map for interesting and informed travel. Bon voyage!

Course Outline and Assignments (subject to revision at instructor’s discretion)

Week 1 8/25 Welcome and introductions

I. What is religion, and how can it be studied?

8/27 One-page essay due: What is religion? What does religion do (or what is its function)? No outside sources–just your own head!

Week 2 8/30 What is religion? Substantive or content-based definitions

Paul Tillich, Rudolf Otto, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and others

9/1 Continuation: Substantive or content-based definitions

John Thatamanil, Lou Ruprecht, Michael Novak, and others

9/3 What does religion do? Functionalist definitions

Catherine Albanese, from America: Religion and Religions

Emil Durkheim, Clifford Geertz, and others

Week 3 9/6 no class: Attendance required at site visits 1 & 2.

9/8 How can religion be studied?

Brian Wallace on the anthropology of religion

9/10 Theorizing religion: Mircea Eliade, The Sacred & the Profane, 20-65

Eliade glossary part one due

Week 4 9/13 Eliade, 68-91, 95-102, 180-192

Eliade glossary part two due

9/15 Synthesis day: Defining, theorizing, and studying religion

Exploring Religion (Roger Schmidt), 4-28

9/17 Exam

II. Deep and Wide: Angles on the World’s Religions

Week 5 9/20 Hinduism, Matthews 49-76

9/22 Hinduism guest speaker: Seetha Srinivasan

9/24 Native America and Africa, Matthews 1-48

VISIT TO HINDU TEMPLE (date and time TBA)

Week 6 9/27 Buddhism, Matthews 123-168

9/29 Buddhism

Site visit #1 paper due

10/1 Jainism and Sikhism, Matthews 171-200

10/3 VISIT TO SIKH GUDWARA: Leave campus at 11:40am.

Week 7 10/4 China and Japan, Matthews 203-246

10/6 China and Japan: film

Site visit #2 paper due

10/8 Ancient religions of Iraq and Iran, Matthews 251-272

Week 8 Special Symposium: The Prospect of a World Community of Religions: Domination or Collaboration? Featuring eminent scholars of religion, Arvind Sharma, Joan Chittister, Marcus Borg, Amy-Jill Levine, John Dominic Crossan, Walter Brueggemann, Tex Sample, Phyllis Tickle, and Bill Mallard. Times TBA.

10/11 & 13 no class: Attendance required at Symposium events (see above).

10/15 Symposium scholars Crossan and Chittister are guests in our class.

Week 9 10/18 Fall Break

10/20 VISIT TO TEMPLE BETH-ISRAEL: Leave campus at 11:00 sharp.

10/22 Judaism film

Paper due on Holy Days

Week 10 10/25 Judaism, Matthews 275-321

10/27 Christianity, Matthews 325-375

10/29 Christianity film: The Apostle

10/31 VISIT TO ANDERSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Leave campus at 9:45am

Week 11 11/1 Christianity: Protestant Iconoclasm and Catholic Sacramentalism

Paper due on Things Seen and Unseen

11/3 Christianity: Black Church Tradition

11/5 no class: Attendance required at site visits 3 and 4.

Site visit #3 paper due

Week 12 11/8 Islam, Matthews 377-420

11/10 Islam film

11/12 VISIT TO MASJID MUHAMMED: Leave campus at 12:45pm.

Site visit #4 paper due

Week 13 11/15 Islam

11/17 Inter-religious Dialogue

Paper due on Encountering God

11/19 Inter-religious Dialogue

Week 14 no class: Attendance required at site visit 5 (your choice).

Week 15 11/29 Religion in Popular Culture

Paper due on God in the Details

12/1 Religion in Popular Culture

12/3 Wrap-up. Site visit #5 paper due

12/6 Final Paper Due at or before 5:00pm

Grading

Definitions/Theories/Approaches Exam 25

Textual Comprehension & Analysis Five Short Papers 30

Observance of Sacred Space/Time in Other Religions Five Reports 20

Critical, Integrative, Creative Thinking Thesis Paper 25

Letter grades are assigned to increments of 10 on a scale of 100.

A 94-100 A- 91-93 B+ 88-90 B 84-87 B- 81-83

C+ 78-80 C 74-77 C- 71-73 D+ 68-70 D 61-67

Note: Students with special needs because of a disability are encouraged to discuss those needs with me at your earliest convenience.