Original Web Document: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Outline20103W98.html


THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES


Religious Studies 201.03

Winter 1998

World Religions--Western

Class time: MWF 9:00-9:50

Instructor:

E. Segal

Office:

Social Sciences 1330

Office hours:

M 9:50-10:50 or by request

Telephone:

220-5886

Internet:

E-mail:

elsegal@acs.ucalgary.ca

World-Wide Web:

Material related to this course, including class notes a lecture calendar, will be posted at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/201NotesList.html

Textbook:

It is also recommended that students have a copy of the Bible (containing Old and New Testaments)

Pedagogic Objectives:

This course is primarily descriptive in its orientation, designed to familiarize students with the main features of the three major Western religions. Emphasis will be placed on the retention and understanding of basic facts and ideas presented in the lectures and textbook. The course will not include a research component. Due to the current budget cuts, the library can no longer provide adequate resources for classes this size. This situation will work to your disadvantage in more advanced courses, where research and writing skills are expected. However, short essays will be included in each of the three tests.

Although students will be introduced to a number of different methodological perspective, the main approach taken in this course will be historical, tracing the evolutions of the religions, their ideas and communities from their beginnings until recent times, and noting both common and distinctive features of the respective religions.

Course Description:

"An Introductory study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam."


This course will examine the history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, tracing their development from their foundational scriptures-the Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Qur'an-and subsequent developments in their observances, communal structures and ideas.


Judaism:

Historical outline: The Hebrew Bible, its structure and historical scope (Text: 193-206). Second Temple and Talmudic Judaism (206-11). The Medieval and modern eras (211-24).


Main institutions: Torah, monotheism, religious law, ritual and ethics (225-37). Contemporary movements (237-9).


Christianity:


Historical outline: The New Testament, its structure and contents. The life and teachings of Jesus (241-52). The evolution of the Church and Christian theology (253-9). Medieval branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism and Byzantine Orthodoxy (259-68). The Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation (268- 73).
Main institutions: Worship, sacraments, festivals (275- 89). Contemporary trends (289-92).


Islam:


Historical outline: The life of the prophet Muhammad (297-305). Medieval and modern developments (325-37).
Main institutions: The Qur'an (305-8) and its central beliefs (308-12). Sunnis and Shi'ites (313-5). Sufism (315-9). The "Five Pillars of Islam" (319-24).


Course Requirements:

The weights of the three tests will be computed as 40%, 30% and 30%, with the 40% grade assigned to the test in which the student received the highest score.


Grading:


A numerical mark will be given for each course requirement. Following the final examination, a letter grade will be assigned on the following number and letter grade scheme:

Letter Grade Equivalents
 
    A 100 - 90 A- 89 - 85
B+ 84 - 80 B 79 - 75 B- 74 - 70
C+ 69 - 65 C 64 - 60 C- 59 - 55
D+ 54 - 50 D 49 - 45 B- 44 or less

Online copies of the class notes (the transparency overheads that were shown in class) can be obtained by clicking here


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