RELG 110: INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Professor: Katja Vehlow
tel: 777-1494
email: vehlowk@mailbox.sc.edu
Rutledge 324
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Fall 2009
MW 2:30-3:45
Davis 209
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Course Description:
Come and join me for an exploration of the major religious traditions of the west. While we will look at some expressions of the religious experience—reading key passages, listening to music, watching films, exploring central holidays and ideas—this course stresses in particular the American presence of these traditions. What does it mean to be a Muslim (or an atheist or a Jew or a Christian) today? In the eyes of the individual believer? And in the eyes of society at large? With that goal in mind, we will begin each segment of our class with an exploration of the contemporary identities of each tradition, and we will close with a turn to their southern religious experience. Students will have the opportunity to visit a synagogue, a mosque, and an Orthodox Church.
There will be 5 pop quizzes, ten 1-page papers, a midterm and a final project. In addition, you will be asked to follow current religious events and, periodically, to bring in newspaper articles or blogs for discussion. The final project leads you to your home town and challenges you to survey the religious traditions in the city you grew up in. This can be done in form of a notebook, an essay, a website, or a power point presentation (s. syllabus).
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course should be able to:
• Synthesize the basic tenets, practices, and ideas of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Analyze the impact of contemporary cultural and political ideas on these traditions.
• Talk with competence about the status and relationship of various religious traditions in their home town.
• Analyze primary texts in terms of their specific religious and historical messages.
• Communicate effectively in written work and oral presentations.
Course Texts:
The reader is available at the Universal Copy Shop on Main Street and as a pdf on Blackboard.
You will need access to a Bible. I recommend the New Oxford Annotated Bible (available at the USC Bookstores).
Course Requirements
| Homework, 10 1-page papers |
200 points |
| 6 pop quizzes (5 best count towards your grade) |
300 points |
| Midterm |
200 points |
| Final (project on the religious traditions of your home town) |
300 points |
Schedule of Readings
Introduction
August 24. Religion today
August 26. Approaches to religious studies.
Assignment: Choose a current newspaper/blog article dealing with Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Be prepared to explain what your article is debating and why you think this might be relevant for our class.
August 31. Atheism and religious identity
Assignment 1: Choose a current newspaper/blog article addressing atheism. In 1-2 pages, to be submitted in class, discuss what your article is debating and why you think this might be relevant for our class.
Judaism
September 2. Modern Jewish Identities.
Reader, pp. (Eisen and Cohen, The Jew Within (2000), pp. 1-12, 182-207).
Assignment 2: Choose a current newspaper/blog article dealing with Judaism. In 1-2 pages, to be submitted in class, discuss what your article is debating and why you think this might be relevant for our class.
September 9. Film: The Chosen (1982)
September 14. Workshop: Hebrew Bible.
Genesis 1-3, 17; Exodus 19-20; Leviticus 19; Deuteronomy 4-6, 34. (bring a Bible to class)
September 16. Workshop: Midrash, Mishna, and Talmud
Reader, pp. (excerpts: Babylonian Talmud, Tractates Shabbat and Avot)
Assignment 3: Choose 1 text. What is its main message or goal? What is your reaction to this text? Post before class on Blackboard.
September 21. Passover
Reader, pp. (excerpts from a traditional Haggadah and from the Human Rights Haggadah)
Assignment 4: Choose 1 passage. What aspects of the Exodus does your text address? How does it talk about the experience of liberation? Or does it? Post on BB before class.
September 23. Mitzvot: Shabbat.
Reader pp. (Heschel; Shabbat blessings). Listen to the sung/changed versions of the blessings on our website.
Extra credit: Synagogue visit.
September 28. Yom Kippur – no class
September 30. Jews in South Carolina—Student presentations
Reader pp. (Just like one of us). Recommended: read some typescripts of oral histories on http://www.cofc.edu/~jhc/stories/firstfam.html.
October 5. Midterm
Christianity
October 7. Modern Christian Identities
Assignment 5: Choose a current newspaper/blog article dealing with Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. In 1-2 pages, to be submitted in class, discuss what your article is debating and why you think this might be relevant for our class.
October 12. Film: TBA
October 14. Workshop: Early Christian literatures.
Reader, pp. (Gospel of Thomas); Matthew 1-2 (bring a New Testament to class)
October 19. Saints
Reader pp. (St. Francis of Assisi
• The saints are coming (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGhTWE98DU)
• Mother Teresa—Saint or Sinner? (8 minutes http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=saints&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wv#q=mother+teressa+saint&hl=en&emb=0)
• Louis Armstrong: Oh when the saints (http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=saints&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wv#q=saints+armstrong&hl=en&emb=0 )
• St. Patrick’s day (9 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TCB5QhHVJA)
Assignment 6: Choose 1 video. How does your example talk about sainthood? Who is a saint? Do you agree? Post on BB before class.
Extra credit: Write a 1-2 page review of The Saint of 9/11 (80 min http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/saint_of_911/)
October 21. Sacred time: Easter. Quiz.
October 26. Baptism
Extra credit: Church visit
October 28. Christians in South Carolina.
Student presentations
Islam
November 2. Modern Muslim Identities
Reader, pp. (F. Mernissi, Weaving Peace).
Assignment 8: Choose a current newspaper/blog article dealing with Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. In 1-2 pages, to be submitted in class, discuss what your article is debating and why you think this might be relevant for our class.
November 4. Film: The Messenger
November 9. The Qur’an.
Reader pp. (excerpts from the Qur’an)
Assigment 9: Choose 1 text. What is its main message or goal? What is your reaction to this text? Post before class on Blackboard.
November 11. Workshop: The Prophet Muhammad
Reader pp.
November 16. Sacred time: Hajj and Ramadan
Reader pp. (excerpt from In the Land of Invisible Women)
November 18. Sufism.
November 23. Sacred time: Ashura
Extra credit: mosque visit
November 25. Muslims in South Carolina
Reader pp. (Omar Ibn Said’s autobiography, b. ca. 1770)
Student presentations
November 30. Student presentations: Religious identities in the US
December 2. Student presentations: Religious identities in the US
December xyz. Final project due.
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