Introductions
August 30: Course Introductions, expectations
September 4: Class discussion: “Bracketing”
READ: ELIADE, “Chronological Survey”; McCutcheon, What is the Academic Study of Religion (.pdf)
Part I: Thinking about Religion
September 6: Learning to think outside the box…
READ: SEXSON, chapters 1-2
September 11: NO CLASS (Rosh HaShanah)
September 13: … by seeing what’s in the box…
READ: SEXSON, chapters 3-4
September 18: … and redefining “box.”
READ: Bruce, “Defining Religion”
Part II: Myth & Ritual
September 20: Defining Myth
READ: Honko, “The Problem of Defining Myth”
September 25: Deconstructing Myth
READ: GILGAMESH (entire)
September 27: Defining Ritual
READ: Geertz, “Religion as a Cultural System”
DUE: “Evidence of…” #1 (Myth)
October 2: Experiencing Ritual
READ: COVINGTON (entire)
October 4: Discussion of The Holy Ghost People (No new reading)
[Please watch the film BEFORE class, and complete the WORKSHEET]
October 9: Mid-Term REVIEW (No new reading)
Download: RELST 113 – Study Sheet #1
DUE: “Evidence of…” #2 (Ritual)
October 11: MID-TERM EXAMINATION
October 16: NO CLASS (Fall Break)
Part III: The Sacred
October 18: Introducing the Sacred
READ: TBD
October 23: Defining the Sacred, I
READ: ELIADE, “Introduction”
October 25: Defining the Sacred, II
READ: ELIADE, chapters 1-3
October 30: The Living & the Dead
IN-CLASS: Day of the Dead
November 1: Time & the Divine
READ: HESCHEL (entire)
Part IV: Good & Evil
November 6: Good & Evil, I
READ: Kohlberg, “Stages of Moral Development” worksheet; Gilligan, “In a Different Voice”
DUE: “Evidence of…” #3 (Sacred time / space)
November 8: Good & Evil, II
READ: TBD
Part V: Religion in the World
November 13: Religion & Politics
READ: Farnsley, “It’s Time We Think of Politics More Like Religion”
November 15: Religion & Politics in the US
READ: Bellah, “Civil Religion in America”
November 20: Religious Organization: Cults, Sects, Texts
November 22: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
November 27: Religious Organization: Sex & Gender
READ:
November 29: The Future of Religion
READ: Barber, “Jihad v. McWorld”
DUE: “Evidence of…” #4 (Text)
December 4: NO CLASS (PORT Day)
December 6: Conclusions (No new reading)
December 11: Exam Review (No new reading)
Download: RELST 113 – Study Sheet2
Final Exam
December 13 (Thursday), 8:00 – 10:30 a.m.
