SP= Sacred
Paths of the West, 2nd edition, Ludwig (required
text)
Course
Syllabus
W 1/9 First class; course description. Assignment for
1/11: nada.
F 1/11 Perspectives on Religious
Experience. Assignment for 1/14: SP pp. 3-23; Discussion Qs
2,6,7,8,11.
M 1/14 Sacred Story. Assignment for
1/16: SP pp. 25-30; Discussion Qs 2-6.
W 1/16 Religion and Pre-History. Assignment for
1/18: SP pp. 65-73; Discussion Qs 1-5.
F 1/18 Ancient Mediterranean Religions.
M 1/21
MLK Jr. Day. No class. Assignment for 1/23: SP pp. 74-85; Disco Qs 1-7.
W 1/23 Zoroastrian Religion. Assignment for
1/25: Create ten good multiple choice questions on the material we have
covered.
F 1/25 Wrap-up and review for Test #1.
M 1/28
Test #1.
W 1/30 Introduction to Judaism. Assignment for
2/1: SP pp. 87-98; Qs
1-8 on p. 106.
F 2/1 History of the Covenant and Hebrew Scriptures.
Assignment for
2/4: SP 98-106; Qs 9-13.
M 2/4 Rise of Anti-Semitism. Assignment for
2/6: SP pp. 107-118;
Qs 2,4,7,9,10.
W 2/6 Jewish Theology; Deed over Creed.
Assignment for
2/8: SP pp. 119-132, Qs 1,2,3,4,10,11.
F 2/8 Sabbath
Observance and Halakhah.
Assignment for
2/11: Go to http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/rlesses/Heschel%20on%20Shabbat.html
and read take notes
on characteristics of the Sabbath according to Abraham Heschel.
M 2/11 Jewish Ritual.
Assignment for
2/15 (Friday): Read about Elie
Weisel using either library research or starting with http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/wie0int-1
on the Internet. This site also includes a good interview. Write a
two page summary of your research and make two copies, one to keep and one to
turn in.
W 2/13. No
Class. Happy Valentine's Day from me to you. See above for
assignment.
F 2/15 Elie
Weisel and Judaism after the Holocaust.
Assignment for
2/18: Create ten good multiple choice questions on the material we have
covered.
M 2/18
Wrap-up and review for Test #2.
W 2/20 Test #2.
F 2/22 Introduction to Christianity.
Assignment for
2/25: SP pp. 133-142; Disco Questions 1-6 on p. 157.
M 2/25 The New
Testament Gospels and the Life of Jesus.
Assignment for
2/27: SP pp. 143-148; complete Worksheet on Early Church.
W 2/27 Early Church Heresies and Orthodoxies.
Assignment for
3/1: SP pp. 148-157; Disco Questions 9-13.
F 3/1 The Reformation.
Spring
Break: Week of March 4-8.
Assignment for
3/11: SP pp. 158-169;
Disco Qs 1,6,7,9,10.
M 3/11 Sin and Atonement.
Assignment
for 3/13: Conduct research on a Christian
denomination or sect. You may use
library sources or go to http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/
online to research the Christian denomination of your choosing. Another
reputable site is http://hirr.hartsem.edu/org/faith_denominations_homepages.html.
Write up your results in 2 pages typed minimum with two sources and
bibliography.
W 3/13 Presentation of research findings.
Assignment for
3/15: SP pp. 170-184; Qs 1,2,3,7,9,10.
F 3/15 Holy
Days and the Christian Liturgical Calendar.
Assignment for
3/18: Go to http://www.the-faith.org.uk/tertullian1.html.
Skim the text by Tertullian (it's a long treatise) but make
sure you take a look at the introductory material. Then go to http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/
and see what this site says about Christianity and our culture. Compare Tertullian's point
of view with that found in hollywoodjesus.com. Write up your comparison and
bring two copies to class.
M 3/18 Christianity and Popular Culture.
Assignment for
3/20: Go to www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/Internet/1901-2000theologians.htm
which will give you Web sites and links for some twentieth century Christian
theologians. This list is arranged in chronological order, beginning with the
earliest authors. Choose one and explore the thinking of a twentieth
century theologian. [You may use another theologian who is not on this
list, but include your source.] In two pages, answer these Qs:
With what issues is your theologian concerned? What do
you read about the future of theology in the next millennium? Make two copies
of your report-- one to keep, the other to turn in.
W 3/20 Presentation of research on a 20th century
theologian.
Assignment for
3/22: Create ten good multiple choice questions on the material we have
covered.
F 3/22 Wrap-up
and review for Test #3.
M 3/25 Test #3.
W 3/27 Introduction to Islam.
F 3/29. No
class.
Assignment for
4/1: SP pp. 185-195. Disco Qs 1-6 on p. 208.
M 4/1 The Life of Muhammad.
Assignment for
4/3: Write up a comparison/contrast of these two Muslim authorities on a
particular issue of your choosing:
“Islam Questions and Answers” at http://216.205.122.233/index.php
and “Muslim Answers” at http://www.muslim-answers.org/
W 4/3 Islam
and Morality.
Assignment for
4/5: SP pp. 198-208; Disco Qs 9,10,12,13.
F 4/5
Sufism, Reform Movements, and the Modern
World.
Assignment for
4/8: SP pp. 210-220; Disco Qs 2,4,6,7,10.
M 4/8
There is no God but God.
Assignment for
4/10: SP pp. 221-235; Disco Qs. 1,2,3,7,9,10.
W 4/10
The Five Pillars.
Assignment for
4/12: Use the internet or the library to conduct research on a Muslim practice; 2 pages typed minimum with two
sources and bibliography.
F
4/12 Presentation of research findings on the practice of Islam.
Assignment for
4/15: Go to
http://www.greatbooks.org/programs/religions/islam/print.html
and this site for The Noble Qur’an which is indexed by topics
in English: http://islam.org/mosque/TOPICI.HTM
. Pick a few topics (e.g. Angels, Intoxicants,
Predestination) and read all references to these topics found in the
Qur’an. Write up your findings and make two copies to bring to
class.
M 4/15
Readings from the Qur’an.
Assignment for
4/17: Go to http://www.arches.uga.edu/~godlas/islamwest.html
The Islamic Impact on America or http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/reflect-nasr.htm.
Explore the site and take notes on what you learn about contemporary
Islam.
W 4/17
Islam and Modernity. Assignment for 4/19: Mysticism in Western Religious traditions. Go to http://www.digiserv.com/mystic/
Explore this site and take notes on your findings. ALSO: Topics for final projects due.
F 4/19 Mysticism.
Assignment for
4/22: Create ten good multiple choice questions on the material we have
covered.
M 4/22
Wrap-up and review for Test #4.
W 4/24 Test #4.
Week after last
test: Final projects presented in class. All papers are due no
later than 5/1. Sorry, no late papers
accepted.
Back to
RELS2021
maintained by Celia Marshall, instructor Dept. of Religious Studies
email:Acmssm@aol.com
last modified: January 10,
2002
©J. Murrey Atkins
Library, University of
North Carolina Charlotte