Religion 260 – Spring, 2000

Religions of the World

Instructor: Dr. Pamela J. Owens

Syllabus for March-April

From week 8:

Introduction to monotheism.

Zoroastrianism

Read MPMF chap. 6, question 5.

Week 9: Tues - Thurs, March 14 - 16 - Judaism

Tuesday: Lecture on backgrounds and history of Judaism through the beginnings of Christianity (or as far as we get).

Thursday: group presentation on Judaism

Read MPMF chap. 7, questions 8, 9, 10 only. But read the other questions as you go along through the chapter, to help you see what is important.

Fisher chap. 8 - these are the more helpful and important group of questions. You should know the answers to all of them, but for "describe," substitute "outline" or "name" or "list," for the purposed of the notebook. Some of these answers may also be found in MPMF, for example the one on Maimonides.

Week 10: Tues - Thurs, March 21 -23 - Christianity

Tuesday: Lecture finishing the history of Judaism and beginning the history of Christianity

Thursday: group on Christianity presents

Read MPMF chap 8, again, look at the questions to guide you in reading the chapter. In your notebook, only write down (outline, not detail) questions 6 and 15, but if you think you would not be able to answer any of the others, please ask in class.

Fisher chapter 9, questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16; for the other questions, read the question and think about it as you read that selection in the chapter

Week 11: Tues - Thurs, March 28 - 30

Continue discussion of varieties of Christianity

Thursday, Quiz #4 (Judaism and Christianity)

Begin the background to Islam

Projects due April 11 - 13 (web page or syllabus)

Week 12: Tues - Thurs, April 4 -6 - Islam

Tuesday: Islam - group presentation

Thursday - conclude Islam

Read MPMF chap 9, questions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13

Fisher chapter 10, questions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15a

Week 13: Tues - Thurs, April 11 -13

Tuesday: Quiz #5 (Islam)

Native American religions present

Read Fisher chapter 2, no questions to write (but read them and know them)

Week 14: Tues - Thurs, April 18 -20

Religions of Africa and the Black Atlantic present

Begin presentation of projects

Read MPMF Chapter 10

Fisher ch. 12

Week 15: Tues - Thurs, April 25 -27

Dialogue among religions and Continue presentation of projects

The future of religion

Read Fisher, chapter 13

Final exam will be essay style and comprehensive.

For date, see college exam schedule. If you do not keep up all semester, you will not do well on the exam.

Other important information

• All work must be your own. If you have any questions about what is or is not plagiarism in completing assignments for this class, see me in advance of turning in the assignment. Since this is not a writing based class, this should not present a problem except perhaps with regard to the major project.
• Students for whom English is a Second Language, and others with a Learning Disability or any other special need for extra time should consult with me to determine whether extra time is needed for any aspect of this class.
• I reserve the right to modify this syllabus if necessary. Changes will be announced in advance, except for the cancellation of class for unanticipated emergencies.
• Inclusive language is expected in all written work and class conversations. This applies both to pronouns for human beings and for the divinity.
• Keep all of the work which I have turned back to you in this class until you receive your final grade. I am not responsible for any mistakes you may find in my assigning of your grade if you cannot show me the work you think I recorded or averaged incorrectly.

Prentice Hall has a web site for our text book. The address is

http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/ellwood/

You will also be interested in the web sites for the Council for the Parliament of World Religions:

http://www.cpwr.org/index.html

http://www.cpwr.net/