Religion 161 will meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30 to 11:30 in Old Main 201.

I will be available in my office in Paterson 126 on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 12:00 and on Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30 and by arrangement.

Click the number to see the week.

Week 1 - Introduction

Wed. 8/26 Introduction to the course, webpage, and textbooks. Smith's "point of departure," pp. 8 - 15, Novak's collection of texts, the phenomenology of religion. Definitions, terms and categories of the study as themselves providing models of religion.

Fri. 8/28 The Oral Traditions.
Novak Chapter Eight, Smith Chapter IX. Chris Arthur, "Phenomenology and the Art of Story-telling," (on reserve in McGill Library).

Week 2 - The Oral Traditions continued

Mon. 8/31 Traditional narratives as models of Birth, Death, and Human Experience.
See also Essential Sacred Writings from around the World on the creation myths of non-literate peoples.

Wed. 9/2 More Creation Myths. Water symbolism and creation.
See also Creation/Flood Myths of the World

Fri. 9/4 "The Australian Experience" and "The Symbolic Mind," Smith pages 232 and 241..

Week 3 - Hinduism

Varnasramadharma - the blessed rage for order.

Novak chapter One.

Mon. 9/7 The Four valid aims and the Four Yogas.
Smith 16-39,

Wed. 9/9 The Four stages of life and the Four Vedas.
Smith 40 - 46. A discussion of Rajayoga.

Fri. 9/11 Video, 330 Million Gods, and discussion.
Smith 47 - 57.

Week 4 - Hinduism cont.

Mon. 9/14 Hindu creation myths: Indra and Vrtra and the churning of the milk ocean.

Wed. 9/16 Other Hindu myths: An Introduction to the BhagavadGita.
The BhagavadGita in the Mahabharata.
There will be a visit to the Hindu Temple near Youngstown on Wednesday 23rd. Our host, Dr. Misra, has asked that we read chapter 11 of the BhagavadGita (see Novak, pages 36 - 39) before we go. Please make sure that you have read and considered this text.

Fri. 9/18 QUIZ #1 (Phenomenology, Non-literate traditions, and Hinduism)

Week 5 - Buddhism

The Buddhadharma - challenging tradition.

Novak chapter Two

Smith 59-97.

Mon. 9/21 The Life of the Buddha.

Wed. 9/23 Video, Footprints of the Buddha.

We will leave from the Wallace Memorial Chapel at about 5:30 and return at approximately 8:00pm.

Although I cannot require all students to go, there will be a small amount of extra credit available for those who do. Also there will be questions about our visit in the quiz on Friday. Those who do not go will still be able to complete the quiz but will not have as many questions to choose from as those who do.

Fri. 9/25 Discussion

Week 6 - Buddhism continued.

Mon. 9/28 The Dharma and the Sangha.

Wed. 9/30 Meditation - the Saddhu and the Bhikshu.

Fri. 10/2 Is Theravada Buddhism a "religion?"

Note that your research paper MUST be determined by this time.

Week 7 - Chinese Religion

San Chiao - Unity and Diversity.

Novak chapters Three and Four

Smith 99 - 143.

Mon. 10/5 The San Chiao; China's three religions.

Wed. 10/7 Is Confucianism a "Religion?"

Fri. 10/9 QUIZ #2 (Buddhism and Chinese Religion)

Week 8 - Judaism

The People of the Book

Novak chapter Five

Smith 179 - 203.

Mon. 10/12 The History.

Wed. 10/14 The Texts, and the Ideas.
A visit from Rabbi Joseph Moses has been scheduled for this class.

Fri. 10/16 - Models, Metaphors, and Meaning: Faith and Sacrifice.
See The Testing of Abraham from Genesis 22:1-19.

Week 9 - Myths and Models in the Greek and Roman Empires.

Mon. 10/19 Greek Myths, Mithraism, Gnosticism and other thought.

Wed. 10/21Greek Philosophies. Socrates as the model of the philosopher.
The Trial of Socrates (From the Apology
The Death of Socrates (From the Phaedo).
Each of these selections is from the middle of the dialogue. The previous and following sections should be read in order to gain a fuller understanding.

Fri. 10/23 What is religion? Discussion of the material so far.
You are required to turn in a working bibliography for your paper at the end of next week. This must contain at least five properly documented sources, written up in the style required by the notes on the essay.

Mid-Term Break: October 24^th to 27^th
Saturday through Tuesday

Week 10 -Christianity.

Wed. 10/28 Biblical texts.

Novak chapter Six. Also read:
The Coming of the Messiah from Matthew 1 - 3;
The Coming of the Messiah from Mark 1;
The Coming of the Messiah from Luke 1 - 3;
The Coming of the Messiah from John 1;
The Resurrection from Matthew 28;
The Resurrection from Mark 16;
The Resurrection from Luke 24;
The Resurrection from John 20;
Luke's account of the conversion of Paul from Acts 9 and 22;
Paul's account of his conversion from Galatians 1;
Paul's Hymn to Love from I Corinthians 13;
"Babylon the great, mother of harlots" from Revelations 17.

Fri. 10/30 - Discussion of Christianity.
The Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. Smith 205 - 216.
You are required to turn in a working bibliography for your paper today. This must contain at least five properly documented sources, written up in the style required by the notes on the essay.

Week 11 - Christianity Continued.

Mon. 11/2The Liturgy of Christianity.

Wed. 11/4 The Sacraments of the Christian Faith.

Fri. 11/6 QUIZ #3 (Judaism, Christianity, and Graeco-Roman Religion)

Week 12 - Islam

Novak chapter Seven

Smith 145 - 159.

Mon. 11/9 Introduction to Islam:
The Prophet and the Book.

Wed. 11/11 The History of Islam.
A visit from Dr. Ahmad Abul-Ela will be scheduled about this time.

Fri. 11/13 Islam and Sufism. Smith 160 - 177.

Week 13 - Comparative Religion, Religious Studies, or the History of Religions.

Mon. 11/16 A brief introduction to the academic study of religion.

Wed. 11/18 "Dimensional" Models of religion.

Fri. 11/20 QUIZ #4 (Islam, the study of religion, dimensional models).

Week 14 - The Study of Religion continued

Mon. 11/23 The following classes have been kept free to cover classroom visits and for issues requiring further attention.

Thanksgiving Break: November 25^th to 29^th, Wednesday through Sunday

Week 15

Mon. 11/30
This is your last chance to have a rough draft of your paper checked.

Wed. 12/2
I will hand out the take-home final in this class. This is due in between 1:30 and 2:00 on Wednesday December 9th in OM 201.

Fri. 12/4
Your paper is due in today.

Week 16

Mon. 12/7 The last class.
History, Time, and the Sacred. Student Assessments of the course.

Reading Day, Tuesday, December 8^th.
Final period December 9^th through 12^th
The take-home final is due in between 1:30 and 2:00 on Wednesday December 9th in OM 201. Wednesday through Saturday.
Term ends Saturday, December 12^th.