Classical Ideas: Introduction to Major World Religions

Teacher: Greg Soden

Email: (preferred)

Phone: (573) 214-3300

Room: G210

Block: 1st Hour, B Days

Why Study Religion and Philosophy?

Simply stated, religion matters. Religion matters not only for personal reasons, but also for social, economic, political, and military purposes. Unfortunately,studies suggest that religious knowledge and cultural literacy for any religious tradition is in decline in the United States. The United States is vastly majority Christian, but it is also the most religiously diverse nation on earth. While American knowledge about Christianity is lacking, American knowledge about the world’s other major religious traditions is virtually non-existent. Today, religion is implicated in nearly every major national and international issue. The public arena is awash in religious explanations and arguments for nearly every issue. The goal of Classical Ideas is to empower students with the core knowledge of major world religions to improve citizenship and agency in a diverse society.

What this course IS and IS NOT

This course is aimed at developing core knowledge about the world’s major religious traditions and discussing the historical and contemporary importance of each tradition. This course will study essential vocabulary, practices, and texts and will offer students the opportunity to meet and converse with experts and practitioners of each tradition. This course will not be a worship-based class with the purpose of converting or influencing anystudent’s own religious affiliation.

Course Conceptual Framework

At the heart of this course is a simple, four-part approach to religious studies. This course will address each framework component in each unit. Each student will be able to articulate and converse about each framework component. Each religion articulates:

1. A Problem

2. A Solution to this problem

3. A Technique(s) for moving from problem to solution

4. An Exemplar who chart this path from problem to solution

Additional essential themes for each unit will address:

  • Purpose/meaning of life
  • Ultimate Reality
  • Hope for the Future
  • Views of the Afterlife
  • Ethics & Moral Code
  • Unity with Others
  • Sense of Belonging
  • Understanding the Natural World
  • Order
  • Security
  • Guide for Life

Readings

We will read excerpts from the following works:

  • The Bhagavad Gita
  • The Essentials of Hinduism (Bhaskarananda)
  • Dao de Ching
  • The Old and New Testaments of Judaism & Christianity
  • The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings (Thich Nhat Hahn)
  • A Concise Introduction to Major World Religions (Oxtoby & Segal)
  • The Holy Qur’an
  • The Analects of Confucius
  • Suggested Additional Readings List
  • Oxtoby, W. G., & Segal, A. F. (2012). A concise introduction to world religions. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Prothero, S. (2007). Religious literacy: What every American needs to know-and doesn’t. New York, NY: HarperOne.
  • Prothero, S. (2010). God is not one: The eight rival religions that run the world. New York, NY: HarperOne.

Many of our in-class readings will be available as reproductions on our Blackboard website.

Assessments

This course is an elective. The course grade will be determined based on in-class discussion of readings, essays and short writing responses (argumentative/persuasive & compare/contrast writing), and individual and/or group research presentations.

Year-at-a-glance Units & Topics (Tentative and subject to change)

Unit One: What is “religion” anyway?

-Elements of “religions,” Ethics, Creation/Design, Psychology, Belief, Philosophical proofs

Unit Two: Hindu Traditions

-History

-Holy Books

-Karma, Reincarnation, & Ethics

-FourYoga’s

-Concept of God

-Iconography

-Means to Liberation

-Worshipping in Hinduism

-Hindu Way of Life

Unit Three: Buddhist Traditions

-The Buddha

-Samsara

-Dukkha, Anatta, Anicca

-Four Noble Truths

-Eightfold Path

-The Sangha

Unit Four: Jainism

-Key Teachings

Unit Five: Chinese Traditions of Confucius and Dao Te Ching

-Laozi & Confucius

-Key Teachings

Unit Six: Shintoism (Japan)

- How is Shintoism different from traditional western religions?

  • - How is Shintoism practiced in modern Japan?

Unit Seven: Judaism

-God and his people

-Scriptures

-Aspects of Worship

-Styles of Judaism

Unit Eight: Zoroastrianism

-Key Teachings

Unit Nine: Christianity

-Jesus Christ

-Beliefs about God and the Trinity

-Scripture

-Aspects of Worship

-Way of Life

-Sects of Christianity

Unit Ten: Islam

-Mohammad

-The Qur’an

-The Five Pillars

-The Doctrine of God

-Key Beliefs

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