Course Description & Format: 

This course will introduce students to the central beliefs of the world's major religions. I assume that students who enroll in the course believe that there is something valuable to be learned from these traditions and that it is possible to respect all of them while still practicing the teachings of one of them—or of no religion. Thus my job will consist in presenting each of these traditions in a sympathetic (though not uncritical) light. The class will be a mixture of lecture and discussion, though I hope discussion will predominate.

Student Learning Outcomes, or, what should you get out of the class? 

By the and of the class, students should be able to (1) describe varieties of religious experience, belief and practice; (2) critically compare and interpret religious texts in the context of traditional beliefs; (3) appreciate the varieties of religious belief and experience; (4) analyze the world’s religious traditions through the writing of essays totaling a minimum of 3000 words; (5) demonstrate in discussion and writing the ability to think creatively, independently and critically about the varied issues, problems and concerns of religions around the globe.

Prerequisite & Workload: 

While there is no prerequisite for this course, all formal requirements of this section require good writing skills, and eligibility for English 1A would be a distinct advantage—having completed English 1A would be better still. As you will see, there is a fair amount of reading for this course. College courses assume that the student will spend two hours outside of class for each hour in class—thus students should expect to spend 7 hours preparing for class each week. I have organized the reading and writing requirements of the course so that you should be able to remain within these boundaries.

Quizzes: 

We will begin each week with a quiz whose intent is to “encourage” you to keep up with the reading, so it is important that you come on time. The quizzes will ask questions about broad themes from the week's reading. Each quiz will pose two short answer questions, both of which will be graded 0, 1, or 2, with the total averaged. You must average one point per quiz to pass the class. There will be no make-ups for quizzes; if you can't help missing a quiz and wish to make it up, I will have you write something in lieu of up to two quizzes if you inform me ahead of time (via email or voicemail if necessary). The two students with the highest quiz total at the end of the semester earn an “A” in the class without needing to take the final exam provided they have met all other course requirements. I will drop all students who miss both of the first two quizzes. Leaving before the end of class may result in your not receiving credit for that day's quiz.

Essays: 

Students will write two five-page essays. The first essay, defining religion, will be due July 2. The second essay, on the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, will be due July 22. Students may write a final essay instead of the final exam; final essays will be due on the last class meeting prior to the final. Each essay and exam is worth 100 points. End of term grades are assigned as follows: ≥ 90%, A; ≥ 80%, B; ≥ 70%, C; ≥ 60%, D, <60%, not passing. Cheating/plagiarism on any course requirement is grounds for failing the course.

the first essay should (1) suggest a definition of what religion is (about a page) and (2) apply that definition to primal religions, Confucianism, & Taoism (about 4 pages). I am not asking what the content of your religious views are but that you describe what definition you think describes religion itself: “dinner” is not just what you ate last night. Huston Smith suggests several aspects of religion that you might consider in writing your essay (pages 92-94). An excellent essay will not only draw on the description of these traditions in Smith but will give illustrations from the writings of Confucianism & Taoism found in Van Voorst. You must submit the first essay on time or make arrangements for an extension to remain in the class thereafter.

the second essay: Adopt the perspective of a first century Jew—who might or might not be a follower of Jesus. Describe the continuity between Judaism and Christianity: is Judaism “completed” or “fulfilled,” in Christianity (as Christians claim) or does Christianity require a significant reinterpretation (and possibly change or betrayal) of Judaism? While I am interested in your opinion, be sure to reinforce it by discussion of specific passages from the assigned reading that support your view from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. In order to grade all students fairly, I will be particularly interested to see how you interpret the readings from the course syllabus, though you may supplement them with quotes from other parts of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Avoid reference to the “Old” Testament, since there is no “New” Testament in the first century.

essays should be five (or more) numbered pages, typed (double-space), spell-checked, proofread. If you use quotations you must cite them properly (I am not fussy about which academic convention you use). Failure to number pages, cite quotes, or spell-check will result in the reduction of your grade by 3 points each.

Optional Essay in Lieu of Final: 

(1) Write a critical essay assessing The 10 Commandments, The Last Temptation of Christ or Jesus of Montreal, and The Message, assessing on the way that each film interprets the origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; or, (2) Extend the theme of the 2nd essay from the perspective of Islam—Does Islam flow logically from Judaism and Christianity, or does it require a significant reinterpretation of them? or, (3) Write a short spiritual biography of Abraham contrasting the way each of the three monotheistic traditions interprets his life. 5-7 pages, due on the last class meeting prior to the final exam.

Exams: 

Students will take two in-class exams. The first exam will be July 9. The second exam will take place during the scheduled final exam time slot (July 30). Both exams will provide students with trios of quotations taken from the primary religious texts we will read—students will choose a single quote trio and use the quotes to describe, compare, and contrast the views in the quotes and the traditions from which they derive. You must contact me ahead of time (via voicemail if necessary) if you hope to make up an exam missed due to illness or other unavoidable circumstance. Include a SASE with your final if you wish to have it returned to you—if you don't, I will read and recycle the exam.

Students with documented disabilities that might impact on their performance in this course should speak with me or contact Disabled Student Services at 222-8060.

Send mail to richard.mahon@rcc,edu with questions or comments about this web site.