Dr. Ann Gold
Office/Phone: 507 HL; x3861; e-mail: aggold@mailbox.syr.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday, 2:00-3:00; Friday, 9:00-10:00; & by
appt.
Dr. Richard B. Pilgrim
Office/Phone: 520 HL, x3861; e-mail: rbpilgri@cas.syr.edu
Office Hours: Monday, 2:00-3:00; Tuesday, 11:30-12:30 & by appt.
Fax for Gold or Pilgrim: 443-3958
Teaching Assistants:
Heath Atchley, 514 HL; 443-5721; e-mail: jhatchle@mialbox.syr.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday, 2:00-3:00; Thursday, 11:00-12:00
Naoko Sasaki, 514 HL; 443-5721; e-mail: nsasaki@mailbox.syr.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday, 2:00-4:00
An introduction to the nature and significance of religion within human culture and existence as evidenced in the various religions of the world both past and present.
Religions of the World is a collective effort of the Department of Religion faculty, with instructors rotating year to year. This fall, Dr. Gold is the "official" instructor, with Dr. Pilgrim co-teaching. Other Department of Religion faculty members participate as occasional guest lecturers throughout the semester. This gives students the opportunity to hear experts speak on traditions they know best; each visitor brings not only different specialized knowledge but a different perspective on the study of religion.
Aims and Expectations
If you successfully complete this course you should have gained two kinds of understanding:
Course requirements reflect these aims:
In order to achieve aim #1, you are expected to learn and retain some basic information -- names, dates, definitions, and so forth. When you are tested on these, assessment can be based on whether you're right or wrong.
There are several ways to demonstrate your accomplishment of aim #2 -- that is to reveal to your instructors that you have stretched your minds around some complex ideas. You will participate in discussion in your sections, write informal response papers at home and short essays for exams. One-fifth of your grade will be based on your written and oral reporting on a small "fieldwork" project. In these we look for thoughtful reading, for comparative perceptions (linking syllabus materials with one another and with things you know from outside the classroom), for serious reflection. Here we may judge your performance as demonstrating careful reading and thought, as insightful and richly supported; or as hasty, careless and "clueless" -- but not as correct or mistaken.
Requirements
**Attendance Policy**
TAs will record attendance at lectures and sections beginning Wednesday, 9/2. Two penalty-free lecture skips and one section skip are allowed during the semester. Each absence beyond those (whether lecture or section) will significantly lower your participation grade, and may damage your course grade beyond 15%. Be award that exams may include lecture content that is not in your books.
We request that you be present in mind as well as body. Please do not sign the attendance sheet if you do not intend to remain in class until the period ends. Courtesy, always a virtue, is especially important in 101 because of our many guest lecturers.
Note: We regret that we are unable to accept late work. It is bad for you and bad for us. If you miss a class it is UP TO YOU to obtain any assignment hand-out -- from your instructor, TA, or the Religion office (501 HL). Not receiving a handout is not a valid excuse for late or inadequate work. No matter what you accumulated points, you cannot pass this course if you miss either of the two in-class exams, or two or more out-of -class writing assignments.
Textbooks
The following four books contain all the required readings and should be available for purchase at the University bookstore and the Orange Bookstore. They have also been placed on 2-hour reserve in Bird library.
A very useful website for exploring many different
aspects of religion is:
http://weber.u.washington.edu/~madin/
Note: Section discussion topics are broad and flexible; section leaders may often assign a more specific focus (topic or text) for their groups.
|
Week/Date |
Topic/Readings |
|
M 8/31 |
Introduction and organization |
|
W 9/2 |
Thinking about religion and religions (Gold and Pilgrim; Read: Fisher, Chapter 1 *definitions and RP#1 hand-outs* |
|
F 9/4 |
Sections: How do we (you) define religion RP#1 due!! |
|
M 9/7 |
Labor Day - No Class |
|
W 9/9 |
Religious traditions of indigenous peoples: Native Americans; Guest: Philip Arnold, Department of Religion; Read: Fisher, Chapter 2 |
|
F 9/11 |
Sections: Indigenous religions |
|
M 9/14 |
Hinduism 1: Historical overview (Gold) Read: Fisher, Chapter 3, pp.69-94 |
|
W 9/16 |
Hinduism 2: Central concepts (Gold) Read: Fisher, Chapter 3, pp.95-113 |
|
F 9/18 |
Sections : Dharma and Karma |
|
M 9/21 |
Hinduism 3: Ramayana (Gold) Read: Narayan, pp.3-64 *RP#2 hand-out* |
|
W 9/23 |
Hinduism 4: Devotion to deities, with and without form (Gold) Read: Narayan, pp.65-95 and 131-167 |
|
F 9/25 |
Sections: Meet in classrooms as usual, but all sections will visit Lowe Art Gallery to see the special exhibit: Changing Myths and Images: Twentieth Century Popular Art in India RP #2 Due!! |
|
M 9/28 |
Buddhism 1: Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha in Theravada Perspective (Pilgrim) Read: Chapter 5, pp.126-145; begin Dhammapada |
|
W 9/30 |
Yom Kippur - No Class |
|
F 10/2 |
Sections: Close focus on Dhammapada Read: finish Dhammapada |
|
M 10/5 |
Buddhism 2: The Mahayana Reformation (Pilgrim); Read: Chapter 5, pp.145-163 *RP#3 hand-out* |
|
W 10/7 |
Buddhism 3: Mahayana case study Guest: TBA; Read: same |
|
F 10/9 |
Sections: Buddhist teachings and practice *"living religions" project hand-out* RP#3 Due!! |
|
M 10/12 |
Buddhism: 4 & review (Pilgrim and Gold) Read: Catch up! |
|
W 10/14 |
**In-Class Exam #1** |
|
F 10/16 |
Fall Break - No Class |
|
M 10/19 |
Judaism 1: Historical Overview Guest: Zachary Braiterman, Dept. of Religion; Read: Fisher, Chapter 9, pp.216-238; Fieser & Powers, pp.27-69 |
|
W 10/21 |
Judaism 2: Thematic Overview: God, Torah and Israel Guest: Zachary Braiterman, Dept. of Religion; Read: same |
|
F 10/23 |
Sections: Close focus on Tanakh extracts in F & P |
|
In sections from weeks 9-14, "Living religions" group project reports to be scheduled (written reports are not due until December 4, but oral reports should begin on October 30). | |
|
M 10/26 |
Judaism 3: Mysticism and storytelling Guest: Ken Frieden, Dept. of Religion Read: Fisher, pp.238-263; F & P, pp.78-85 |
|
W 10/28 |
Judaism 4: TBA Read: same |
|
F 10/30 |
Sections: Religious storytelling Living Religions Group Project reports 1 |
|
M 11/2 |
Christianity 1: Historical Overivew Guest: Eric Holzwarth, Dept. of Religion Read: Fisher, 00.265-298; F&P, pp.87-122 |
|
W 11/4 |
Christianity 2: Teachings and experience Guest: James Wiggins, Dept. of Religion Read: same |
|
F 11/6 |
Sections: Close focus on Gospecl extracts in F&P Living Religions Group Project Reports 2 |
|
M 11/9 |
Christianity 3: American Religion Guest: James Wiggins, Dept. of Religion (Professor Gold will be out of town.) Read: Fisher, pp.299-330; F&P, 130-146 |
|
W 11/11 |
Christianity 4: Historical perspective on gender roles Guest: Patricia Miller, Dept. of Religion Read: same |
|
F 11/13 |
Sections: Gender and religion in America Living Religions Group Project Reports 3 |
|
M 11/16 |
Islam 1: Historial Overview (Gold) Read: Fisher, pp.331-352; F&P, pp.147-165 * RP#4 handout * |
|
W 11/18 |
Islam 2: Teachings and practices Guest: Ahmed Kobeisy, Islamic Chaplain, Hendricks Chapel Read: Fisher, pp.352-374; F&P, pp.165-197 |
|
F 11/20 |
Sections: Close focus on Qur'an extracts in F&P RP#4 Due !! Living Religions Group Project Reports 4 |
|
M 11/23 |
Islam 3: Islam in America [Professors Gold and Pilgrim will be in Disney World. . . at the American Academy of Religion meetings that is . . .however, Attendance will be taken!] Video: Islam in America Read: Catch up! |
|
W 11/25 |
Thanksgiving Holiday |
|
F 11/27 |
Thanksgiving Holiday |
|
M 11/30 |
Islam 4 & begin New Religions (Gold & Pilgrim) Read: Fisher, pp.394-421 |
|
W 12/2 |
Religion and Postmodernity Guest: Charles Winquist, Dept. of Religion Read: same |
|
F 12/4 |
Sections: Religion in a postmodern world? Living Religions Group Project Reports 5 Living Religions written project reports due!! |
|
M 12/7 |
Religion and Popular Culture Guest: Gail Hamner, Dept. of Religion Read: Fisher, pp.422-436 |
|
W 12/9 |
Review and evaluations Take-home essay questions hand-out |
|
F 12/11 |
Sections: In-class exam #2 |
|
M 12/14 High Noon |
TAKE-HOME essays due in 501 Hall of Languages |