Course Syllabus
Syllabus for download:
Syllabus 2017-1.docx
Course Information
Harvard Extension School Spring Term 2017
Maxwell Dworkin 125 Thursdays 5:30-7:30
RELI E-1010/W WORLD RELIGIONS
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Queen Senior TA: Lina Verchery
99 West St, Wendell, MA 01370; phone 978-544-0216 Email: linaverchery@fas.harvard.edu
Email: christopher_queen@harvard.edu
Textbooks, sold at Harvard Coop and online; on reserve at Extension School’s Grossman Library:
Mary Pat Fisher, Living Religions (10th edition, 2016) “LR”
Fisher and Bailey, Anthology of Living Religions (3rd ed., 2011) “AR”
Smith-Christopher, Subverting Hatred: Nonviolence in Religious Traditions (2007) “SH”
Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation (2008) “LCN”
Schedule of Meetings and Assignments (page/chapter numbers)
Jan 26 Introduction to course, study of religions LR 1-32; AR 1-2
Feb 2 Myth and ritual in the primal religions LR 33-70; SH Intro & 5
Film: "Sacred Trances in Bali and Java" Essay 1 due
Feb 9 Hinduism and Yoga. Film: "330 Million Gods" LR 71-96; AR 3
Feb 16 Hinduism: Paths of action, knowledge, and devotion LR 97-120; SH 4
Feb 23 Early Buddhism. Film: "Footprint of the Buddha" LR 137-157; AR 5
The Three Refuges: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha Essay 2 draft due
Mar 2 Mahayana Buddhism: Pure Land and Zen Sects LR 158-186; SH 3
Religions of divine grace and self-reliance
Mar 9 Confucian civic virtue, Taoist natural piety LR 6; AR 6
Religion and secularity in China today SH 3; Essay 2 due
Mar 23 Hebrew/Israelite Religion: Covenant and Presence LR 246-280; AR 199-221
Patriarchs, prophets, and sages of ancient Israel SH 7
Mar 30 Judaism and the Holocaust: Film: "The Chosen People" LR 281-300; AR 222-234
Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and beyond Essay 3 draft due
Apr 6 Christian origins: Jesus' Life and Teachings LR 302-333; AR 235-251
through the eyes of the Early Church SH 8
Apr 13 Medieval Christendom and the Protestant LR 334-376; AR 252-273
Reformation; Trends in American Christianity LCN vii-91; Essay 3 due
Apr 20 Islam: Prophet Mohammad--Life and Mission LR 377-407; AR 275-315
Sufi mysticism and Shi'ite fundamentalism SH 6
Apr 27 Film: "There is no God but God"; guest speakers Essay 4 due; LR 408-432
May 4 Modernity, post-modernity, and pluralism: LR 396-520; AR 352-373
Convergence or clash of religious cultures today? SH Epilogue
May 11 Final Examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The historical origins, central teachings, and devotional practices of the major religious traditions¾ Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are considered in relation to common themes of human experience: the holy or sacred, evil and suffering, love and compassion, wisdom and justice, death and deliverance. Interpretive skills appropriate to religious studies will be explored through opportunities to write and revise descriptive and critical essays.
The goals of the course are to impart understanding of the essential doctrines and institutions of the world's religions, stressing their founding and normative principles; to identify similarities and differences of thought and practice among the traditions; and to clarify and articulate one's own religious attitudes and orientations in the context of comparative study.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCES
Course grades will be based on three graded essays, a final examination, and class participation, each of which is worth 20 percent of your overall grade. The class participation component of your grade is divided into two subcomponents: a) the submission of the first essay and the drafts for essays 2 and 3, and b) weekly online participation on the course discussion boards. Weekly posts should be at least a paragraph long and should comprise a thoughtful response to the week’s lectures or readings, or to another student’s discussion post. Responses to other students should always introduce a new idea and should not just repeat and/or agree with what was stated by the previous student.
Course policies: The readings and assignments listed to the right of class topics in the syllabus should be completed prior to that class (except for the first week). Class attendance is expected, except for students who have enrolled as “distance only” students. Noncredit students are encouraged to participate in class and in online discussions; they are not entitled to submit written work or take the final examination. Except in the case of a documented illness or family crisis, late final essays will be penalized one-third of a letter grade per day, and late essay drafts will not be marked and returned. Students who miss final exams must petition Academic Services for permission to take a make-up.
Resources for research: Your primary resources for essays 2-4 should be the course textbooks. Be wary of information you find on the Internet as much of it is misleading. Wikipedia is useful for getting a basic sense of a concept or idea prior to more in-depth research, but should not be cited as an authoritative source since it can be changed at will by virtually any reader. There are some good additional resources linked on the course website. Under the “Essay Instructions and Resources” module, there is a link to The Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd Edition (Lindsay Jones, ed., New York: Macmillan, 2005) and the Harvard library search tool.
The Writing Center of the Harvard Extension School is available to students preparing essays. Located in Grossman Library, 3rd Floor, Sever Hall, the Center is open Monday and Tuesday, 5-9 pm and Wednesday and Thursday, 3-7 pm. Call 495-4163 in advance to schedule a 30-minute appointment.
Disability Services: The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Accessibility Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities. Please visit www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/disability-services-accessibility for more information.
Communication with faculty: The instructor is available by email and phone. Teaching assistants are available by email. Students should expect a reply within 24-48 hours.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Writing-intensive courses at Harvard Extension School offer students the opportunity to develop their writing skills in the context of a particular academic discipline, and they all feature common elements. Students will develop core writing skills, as defined by the instructor, in the discipline of the course; complete multiple writing assignments of varying lengths, at least 2 of which must be revised; produce a minimum of 10-12 pages of writing, exclusive of the required drafts, over the course of the term; meet at least once in individual conference (in person, by phone, or electronically) with the instructor or TA to discuss writing in progress; and receive detailed feedback on their drafts and revisions, on both content and expression.
Please avoid plagiarism, the failure to identify another author’s words or ideas when they appear in your paper. You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-conduct/academic-integrity) and how to use sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting the wrong draft, or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity. To support your learning about academic citation rules, please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/tips-avoid-plagiarism), where you'll find links to the Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two free online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of academic citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools.
General directions for all essays and drafts. Essays and drafts are to be submitted under the “Assignments” tab on the course website. Click the appropriate assignment (i.e. Essay 1, Essay 2 draft, Essay 2 final, etc.) and upload your Word document. Before composing any essays, it is strongly recommended that you read the important documents under the “Essay Instructions and Resources” module on the course website.
In order to remain on schedule, late drafts cannot be read; late final papers will be penalized 1/3rd of a letter-grade per day. All papers will be marked and returned electronically by your teaching assistant.
ESSAY 1: Religion and the Interpreter (due 2/2, ungraded)
(Undergraduate and Graduate Credit students only. Page limit for Essay: 2 pages)
Part I Describe your religious background, affiliation, or outlook. State what you hope to gain by a study of world religions.
Part II Provide a definition of what you think “religion” means. Remember that this definition is different from your own personal religious outlook. Here you want to offer a working definition of religion which you may revise as the course develops. Look at the “Theories of Religion” page under the “Defining Religion” module for some examples. Discuss the elements of your definition and explain why you chose them.
In the study of religion, it is customary for the scholar to set aside or “bracket” his or her own beliefs when studying a foreign tradition. The idea is to view the world temporarily from another's perspective. This task is difficult, but it is even harder for someone who has not reflected upon her or his own religious outlook. This assignment will be useful to you and your reader as you approach the rest of the course. In order to speak about one's religious outlook, one must decide how to use the term "religion." Unfortunately (or, perhaps, fortunately), authorities in the academic study of religion disagree on the definition of this term. And while it is not "anyone's guess," it is important that you, as a writer on religion, indicate what you mean when using the term.
ESSAY 2: Devotion to God (draft 2-23, final 3-9 )
Undergraduate credit: 4 pages; graduate credit: 5 pages.
Devotion (bhakti) to God animates many selections from Hindu scriptures in our anthology (Fisher and Bailey, pp. 62-90). Yet the style of devotion and the nature of the devotee’s relationship to God may vary a great deal, depending on the manifestation of the divine being (god, goddess, spirit or force) that is being invoked. Your task in this essay is to choose one such expression of devotion and to convey its essence or flavor to the reader.
Part I Choose one passage from the Hinduism unit in AR that reflects a feeling of praise, worship, or devotion to God. Provide some contextual information on your passage. Identify the type of scripture (e.g. hymn, sruti, smrti, sutra, saint song) and its origins, use in ritual, social settings, age. (Consult LR as well as AR here.). Introduce the form of God being praised in the poem or song.
Part II Based on this passage, what can you learn about the relationship between the devotee and God? What qualities does this aspect of God manifest, and what qualities does the devotee summon to praise and serve this aspect of God? Are there any literary figures being used to help express this devotion? Quote several lines from the text that help support or exemplify your conclusions. Does God reward the devotee for his/her devotion, or is the act of devotion its own reward? What does salvation or liberation look like under this type of devotion?
Part III How does the religious outlook and style of devotion contained in this text compare to your own? (Refer back to your first essay.) Your answer to this question will fall somewhere along the continuum from “Not at all” to “Somewhat,” to “Surprisingly well.” If some aspects of this outlook may be compatible with your worldview, and some may not be, explain how.
ESSAY 3: Encounter with Mystery (draft 3-39, final 4-13)
Undergraduate credit: 4 pages; Graduate credit: 5 pages
Religions express the mystery of life and the reality of the sacred through “symbol systems”: poetry, metaphor, paradox, objects, gestures, architecture – even silence. The sun dance in Indigenous Religions, the Hindu sound Om; the dharmacakra and mandala in Buddhism, the dao and wu-wei in Daoism, the covenant in Judaism, the cross in Christianity, and mosque architecture in Islam– all point to transcendent powers or relationships that go beyond conventional speech or logic.
Part I Choose an example of symbolic expression from a religious tradition that is a) not your own, and b) one that we have studied or will study in the course. Describe the symbol, gesture, or object, and give some background on its origin and place in the tradition. Quote and explain what religious authorities and/or religious texts say about your symbol. Provide examples.
Part II How does such a mode of expression work to produce a state of mind and or style of behavior for those who use it? What seems to be the purpose and impact of this symbol or teaching?
Part III What do you find appealing or unappealing about this symbol? Have you ever experienced the mystery of life that it points to? Are you drawn to such ways of expressing mystery?
Or do you hold that such indirect modes of expression obscure the truth about life and the world? Please be specific.
ESSAY 4: Religion: Scourge or Refuge? (due 4-27)
Undergraduate credit: 5 pages; Graduate credit: 6 pages
In Letter to a Christian Nation, Sam Harris presents religion (not only American Christianity) as irrational, obsolete, and guilty of great harm in the world. Harris questions not only the failings of contemporary religious believers and institutions, but the very beliefs that inspire religious life.
Part I Identify three distinct arguments that Harris makes against the Abrahamic traditions – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – stating the argument in your own words and citing evidence that Harris offers for each of these attacks on religious faith or practice. The arguments you select should pertain to at least two of the three Abrahamic traditions
Part II Choosing examples from the Abrahamic traditions in LR and AR, answer Harris’s criticisms. Bearing in mind that the purpose of the course is to emphasize the positive value of religion, use the texts you have chosen to show some of the benefits of religious faith and practice. The examples you select should pertain to at least two of the three Abrahamic traditions.
Part III Drawing from the essays in “Subverting Hatred,” show how a one specific religious teaching or practice (perhaps purged of the flaws Harris targets) might contribute to the easing of tension or the reduction of violence in the world today. Be specific and give examples. Show how this teaching or practice might be made acceptable to persons of any background.
FINAL EXAMINATION (5-11)
The final examination, worth 20 percent of the course grade, offers you a chance to sum up your study of world religions. The exam is an open-book, non-proctored series of short essays on interpretive questions we have explored throughout the course. It will test your understanding of the central teachings and practices of the world's religions, and ask why they have remained meaningful to millions of followers over the centuries. The questions will be emailed to credit students at Noon (Eastern Time US) Wednesday, May 10. Completed exams must be uploaded to the website by Midnight Thursday, May 11.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|