This course is an introduction to religion as a world-wide human phenomenon.
Since, as a one-term introduction, it is necessarily very basic, the emphasis
is upon providing a background for understanding the varieties of contemporary
religion-as represented by the major religious communities and traditions that
have been influential in human life and history over the past few thousand years
(Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist, Shinto); but
also as represented by the wide range of contemporary manifestations within
each of these communities.
In general the lectures will follow the pattern set out in the textbook, World Religions Today. With respect to each major tradition, we shall look at (1) the way in which foundational ideas are developed in an initial formative or creative period, (2) the development of a relatively systematic and integrated set of ideas and practices in the classical period, and (3) the varying modifications of the classical vision in response to the situation of modernity (the key features of which vary for different communities and individuals, but may involve the rise of modern science, the rationalism of the Enlightenment, humanism, western imperialism/colonialism and post-colonialism, and the contemporary awareness of pluralism).
Course Requirements:
1. Quizzes There will be six quizzes each aimed at testing the student's knowledge of key terms and important details of the history of a specific tradition. Each quiz will count for 5 marks towards the final grade. The quizzes will be held at the beginning of the classes on February 3, February 19, March 4, March 30, April 15, and April 27.
2. Examinations There will be two examinations, each worth 20 marks. These will involve essay questions designed to enable the student to explore broader general topics and movements. The first will be a take-home exam handed out on March 4 and due on March 16. The second will be held in the Final Exam period, on Friday, April 30 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
3. Term Paper A term paper of approximately 2000 words will be written on a topic selected from a list provided by the instructor, or on a topic developed in consultation with the instructor. The essay will be due on April 15 and will be assigned 30 marks.
Textbook: John L. Esposito, et. al., World Religions Today.
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INTRODUCTION
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To Characterize Religion
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Categories for the Study of Religion (3-35)
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JEWS
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A Bird's Eye View of Jewish History (109-119)
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The Formative Era: Moses and the Prophets (120-129)
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Classical Rabbinic Judaism; Kabbalah and Hasidism (129-155)
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Jews in the Modern World (155-178)
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CHRISTIANS
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Jesus and His Interpreters (37-53)
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The Classical Era: From Nicea to Aquinas (53-70)
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Luther and the Reformation (70-80)
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LIberals, Fundamentalists, Ecumenists and Beyond (80-105)
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MUSLIMS
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Muhammad and the Quran (181-197)
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The Spread of Islam (197-205)
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Islamic Thought (Kalam and Sharia); the Sufis (205-226)
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Islam in the Modern World (226-267)
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HINDUS
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The Archaic Heritage and the Period of Creativity (273-285)
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Foundations of Classical Hindu Orthopraxy (285-290)
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Devotion to the Great Deities (290-300)
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Schools of Hindu Thought; the Advent of Islam (301-311)
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India and the West (311-348)
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BUDDHISTS
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The Man Who Woke Up: Life and Teachings of Gautama (353-365; 372-376)
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Theravada and Mahayana (365-372; 376-386)
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Buddhist Expansion to East Asia and Tibet (386-394)
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Modern Trends: Colonial and Post-colonial Developments (394-426)
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RELIGION IN EAST ASIA
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Confucius and His Interpreters (431-444)
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The Daoist Tradition (444-452)
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Indigenous Religion in Japan: Shinto (452-467)
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Contemporary East Asia (467-509)
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