Marshall University                                                             Fall 2000
                                                        RST 280:  Women and Religion

                                                            

                                             "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."- Russian proverb


Mentor:  Dr. Alan Altany [curriculum vitae]                                  Office:  Harris Hall 411
Email:  altany@marshall.edu                                                     Phone/Voice Mail:  304.696.2702
Web Site:  http://webpages.marshall.edu/~altany/                       FAX:    304.696.2703

Sessions:  Tuesday/Thursday 12:30 - 1:45, Harris Hall 445
Office Hours :  MW  10 - 11, 12 - 2,  T/Thr  11 - 12:30, F 10 - 11
Office Email:   Student email will be responded to within 24 hours

TextsWomen and Religion, Ferguson
         Wise Women, Cahill
         Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind, O'Halloran
         Anthology of Sacred Texts by and about Women, Young
           World-wide web sites for both assigned and free reading


Original web page: http://webpages.marshall.edu/~altany/rst280-0101.htm

Class size/type: undergrad/discussion; 30 students/2000 

Hours of Instruction: 2 1/2 hours/week over 15 weeks

Pedagogical Reflections


Religious Studies is an academic discipline in which the phenomenon of religion in human experience is studied in a
nonsectarian, unbiased manner using various kinds of historical-critical, analytical, comparative, phenomenological,
interdisciplinary methodologies.  Discussion should be conducted with honesty, enthusiasm, kindness, critical thought
and respect for the worldviews and beliefs of others. This course is not only for learning, but is itself to be a model for how
to learn, why to learn, and to learn to love to learn.


           The following course explanation, in its totality, is a syllabus that is dynamic and flexible

               according to the needs of the learners and of the learning process. It is not presented
               as complete at the beginning of the study, but as an initial trajectory for the study.  More
               specific guidance and resources will be available as needed along the way.  You, the learner,
               have a key voice in the directions our study of world religions take so that our work will be
               significant for you and for the class as a whole within a learner/student-centered context.

Course_Description
Course_Objectives
Computing in this Course
Attendance Policy
Drop Policy
Course Evaluation
Semester Schedule


Course Description
This special topics course takes an historical and comparative look at the role, meaning and self-understanding
of women in religious traditions from Paleothilic times to today, with an emphasis upon the modern world.  The
existence of matrilinear, goddess-focused ancient cultures will be examined in a global context as well as why
and how those cultures and spiritual traditions were gradually displaced and replaced by patriarchal cultures
and religions which continue to this day to be dominant influences upon the contemporary role and understanding
of women in the major religions and in society in general.  For example, why is the Ultimate or God, in the
western religions in particular, referred to as male or masculine?  What are the implications for the evaluation
of women in both religion and culture?  What does the experience of religious women contribute to an
awareness of the sacred and the meaning of being human?  What happens when that experience is not
integrated into the religious traditions and cultures?

We will read selected writings by women about their experience and analysis of religion and the spiritual
quest as it affects and is affected by women.  We will also read poetry, scriptural writings and other sources
in order to learn about the feminine in religious stories, symbolism, myth, ritual, mysticism, society, past and
present and what it all means for a vision of not only being a woman in religion, but for being human today.

The learners in the class will also have the opportunity for one-to-one and email discussion list dialogue with
students in a class on "Intercultural Communications" at a college in Sweden.

This course is a reading, discussion and writing oriented course.  On-line writing resources are available.  All
writings are to be completely the work of the individual or the group doing the writing, thus avoiding all plagiarism.
Through the media of telecomputing we will be able to have a semester-long contemplative focus upon the writings,
interpretation and evaluation of those writings, and upon our own thinking and thinking about our thinking.  The goal
is not simply the accumulation of information, but the growing into wisdom with the help of the writers, cultures
and religious traditions we will encounter and engage.
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Course Objectives
The goals of this course include the following:

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Computing in this Course
Each student needs to have the basic ability to use email that is web-sensitive such as Netscape Messenger or Microsoft
Outlook and to be able to find and utilize world-wide-web resources that are available for the study of religion and religions
through use of a web browser such as Navigator (4.0 or higher) or Internet Explorer (4 or higher).  The course will include
sending and receiving email, web site readings and research, an electronic discussion list (with web archive) and electronic publication of student writings, both individual and collaborative.

The educational use of telecomputing will facilitate ongoing asynchronous discussion, submission and revision of student
writings, peer review of student writings, collaborative group writings and projects, individual communication with the
professor, or among students, and publication of an electronic course journal with student contributions.

Telecomputing tutorials are available as is guidance on how to engage in respectful communication on the Internet
(netiquette).  In using web sources, please refer to documenting sources from the World Wide Web.

The purposes of the using of computer technology in this study are as follows:


Attendance Policy
Attendance at every class is expected and necessary to best benefit the act and art of learning through the discussion
and writing orientation of this course on a very complex subject.  Anyone not willing to be responsible for attending all
classes and for fully participating in all discussions is advised not to take this course.
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Drop Policy
The official withdrawal policy is observed where the withdrawal ("W") period for an individual course begins
August 28th and ends October 27th.
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Course Evaluation
              Discussion List, Swedish Dialogue & Selected Writings     -      20%
              Group Project                                                                 -      20%
              Course Journal                                                                -      30%
              Final Essay                              -      30%
* Voluntary participation in the writing, editing & publishing of issue of the course journal is available
All writings need to be received on time (allowing for computer system outages) for full evaluation.
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Semester Schedule

                                           "Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established,
                                            that, unless we love the truth, we canot know it."    - Pascal

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