Relg 141 Introduction To Religious Thought

Relg 141: Introduction to Religious Thought

Instructor: Dr. Tom Dickens Fall Semester, 2012
Office: 108 Clare Center T, Th 1:00-2:25; 2:35-4:00
E-mail: [e-mail] Siena Hall 105

Course Description:

A survey of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam that familiarizes students with their most important theological and ethical dimensions. Among the topics considered are notions of the divine, human existence, and the world. Using both primary and secondary materials, students will examine these religious traditions' diverse perspectives on these topics within their respective historical, social, and cultural contexts. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Objectives:

This course shares with other courses in the core curriculum the following objectives: To encourage critical thinking, to familiarize students with methods of study appropriate to the discipline, and to provide students with tools they will need to thrive within and contribute to a rapidly changing and diverse society. More specifically, students who do consistently excellent work in this course will, by the end of the semester, be able to

1. identify the assumptions students and scholars of religion bring to the study of religion; 2. identify the most significant persons, events, rituals, and beliefs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; 3. appreciate the historical and contemporary diversity within and among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; 4. analyze the logical relationships among arguments presented in sacred texts of, as well as in historical and contemporary works by adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; 5. understand some of the practical, social implications of being an adherent of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam; 6. understand the human problems identified and the solutions proposed by adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; 7. understand and assess the main responses to some of the most pressing contemporary challenges confronting adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and 8. make informed, critical comparisons of their own views with those of the authors we read.

The mission and learning goals of the Religious Studies Department are listed here: http://www.siena.edu/pages/1937.asp

Required Texts:

The one required textbook for the course is World Religions Today, 4th edition, edited by John L. Esposito et al. Excerpts from other texts will be assigned as the occasion warrants. See the course outline in the syllabus for where to find them. There will be a modest copyright fee assessed for these materials.

Requirements:

Class participation will account for 20% of your final grade.
The best participation grades will go to those who consistently demonstrate an excellent command of the material; who volunteer to participate frequently; who respond to my questions accurately; who comment thoughtfully, and who make insightful connections between the course materials and our world, including issues and ideas raised in other courses. Simply attending class without active, intelligent participation, as defined above, will yield a C- for participation. If you plan to miss class, you must let me know the reason before class by email. Failure to do so will lower your participation grade. So will more than four absences. More than seven absences will lead to a failing grade for the
course.

Most of our time together in class will be spent discussing the assigned readings. You will find on the Blackboard course site a list of discussion questions based on the readings that we will use to organize our conversation. If you email me responses to these questions by 5:00 pm on Monday of the week we discuss them, you will improve your participation grade. These responses will not be graded, nor handed back, so I encourage you to keep a copy for yourself to use when preparing for the exams. Please place your responses in the message field of your email rather than sending them as an attachment. (I will require that everyone hand in these responses if the class' participation is inadequate.) I also invite you to send me, by email, any questions that you believe will spark discussion. These questions are not required, but they will improve your participation grade if they are insightful.

On one occasion during the semester (September 25), you will be asked to submit a 1200-1400 word, typed, double-spaced essay on one of the assigned readings. This must be in your own words; lengthy quotations and close paraphrasing are unacceptable. You should begin with an introductory paragraph that states your thesis and identifies the main topics you will be discussing. Follow this with a logically ordered defense of your thesis. This will involve an account of the readings, citing page numbers where appropriate. Conclude with a question that you think we should discuss. (The discussion question, but not the essay, should be emailed to me by 5:00 pm on September 24. Please place your question in the message field of your email; do not attach it as a separate document. The essay, including your discussion question, should be emailed to me as a Microsoft Word compatible attachment by 9:00 am on September 25.) I do not expect you to understand every word of the assigned reading before we discuss it in class, but your paper should demonstrate a concerted effort to master as much of the material as possible. Your essay must have a thesis. That is, you must have a point to make by writing the essay. A mere summary, even with some assessment, will receive no higher than a B-. This essay cannot be handed in late. You may submit a rewritten version of the essay, bearing in mind the comments I make on the original, two weeks after I hand the original back to you. (Just as with the original, your rewritten version must be emailed to me as a Microsoft Word compatible attachment.) This essay will account for 20% of your final grade.

The three exams will be a mixture of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. They will cover the assigned readings, lectures, and discussions from the previous section. They will be given in class, during the semester. More specific instructions will be given later. Together the exams will account for 60% of your final grade.

Grading Procedure: Class participation. 20% Essay 20% Examinations 60% I use a 12-point scale when grading. You can determine your grade by referring to the scale, below. Keep in mind that when calculating the final grade, I round up from .6. That means, for example, that a 5.6 = C+ and a 5.5 = C. 12=A+ | 11=A | 10=A- | 9=B+ | 8=B | 7=B- | 6=C+ | 5=C | 4=C- | 3=D+ | 2=D | 1=D- |

Additional Notes: I am happy to meet with you in my office in the Clare Center (room 108, at the back of the building) during my regular office hours (M, 1-4; T, Th 12-1) or by appointment. Generally speaking, the best way to reach me is by e-mail ([e-mail]).

Each of you is expected to know and abide by Siena College’s standards of academic integrity, which can be reviewed at the website listed here: http://www.siena.edu/pages/2667.asp In sum, academic integrity means that all academic work, on examinations, quizzes, and papers, must be your own.
A special word about plagiarism is in order. Plagiarism includes submitting a paper written in part or whole by someone else, using or quoting in your paper someone else’s words or ideas without giving proper credit, and permitting someone else to use your work in this way or doing their work for them. Using the same material for more than one course without express permission from all instructors will carry the same penalty as plagiarism. If any of you hands in written work that is plagiarized, you will receive a failing grade on the assignment. If in my judgment the offense warrants it, you will also receive a failing grade for the course. In addition, I will notify the appropriate administrators of your case, which may result in further
penalties.

Siena College is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from its programs and services. To receive accommodations, a student must have a documented disability (physical, psychiatric, and/or learning disabilities) as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and provide current documentation of the disability. Eligibility for reasonable accommodations will be based on the documentation provided. If you are a student with a documented disability, or feel that you may have a disability, please contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities at 518.783.4239. See this web page for further information: http://www.siena.edu/pages/2759.asp

In the event the college closes due to a pandemic, we will need to make some changes to how we communicate and to the course requirements. First, consult the following website for emergency information: http://www.siena.edu/pages/2887.asp Second, if Siena's Blackboard and email networks are working, then we can stay in touch that way. I will be checking my email regularly, especially during my regular office hours. If the Siena communication networks fail, send me your course work by regular mail, keeping a copy for yourself, of course. Correspondence should be addressed to Prof. W. T. Dickens, Siena College Dept. of Religious Studies, 515 Loudon Rd., Loudonville, NY, 12211. Third, during a pandemic, the written responses to discussion questions will be assigned throughout the semester, and they will be graded. They should be two pages long, typed, double-spaced. The best answers will reflect a thorough familiarity with the assigned readings. They will be due on the Thursday of the week during which the assignment is given. Fourth, the analytical essay will remain an obligation, with due dates unchanged. Fifth, the exams will be mailed to you along with specific instructions regarding format and due dates. Naturally, all of this will have to be adjusted if your health does not permit you to complete assignments—or mine does not permit me to grade them!

Course Plan

Date | Topic and Assignment | | | Sept 4 | Introduction; Genesis 1-3 | | | Sept 6 | JudaismREAD: Esposito, 75-95; Genesis 1-3(http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=55867319; BE SURE TO INCLUDE VERSE NUMBERS BEFORE PRINTING) | | | Sept 11 | JudaismREAD: Esposito, 95-115; Isaiah 40-42 (http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=55867770; BE SURE TO INCLUDE VERSE NUMBERS BEFORE PRINTING); Exodus 22, 1-15 and Talmud, Book 8 (Blackboard course site—please print and bring to class) | | | Sept 13 | | | | Sept 18 | JudaismREAD: READ: Esposito, 115-43; Oxtoby, 111-130 (class handout) | | | Sept 20 | | | | Sept 25 | JudaismREAD: excerpts from Conversations with Elie Wiesel (class handout)WRITE: Analytical summary and response due | | | Sept 27 | | | | Oct 2 | First examination (held during class) | | | Oct 4 | ChristianityREAD: Esposito, 147-66; Luke 6.17-49 (http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=55870697; BE SURE TO INCLUDE VERSE NUMBERS BEFORE PRINTING) | | | Oct 9 | Christianity READ: Esposito, 166-81; The Nicene Creed (http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm); the Chalcedonian definition (http://www.reformed.org/documents/chalcedon.html). Please print both and bring to class. | | | Oct 11 | | | | Oct 16 | Christianity READ: Esposito, 182-99; Commonweal Theology Issue: Marking Vatican II's 50th Anniversary (class handout) | | | Oct 18 | | | | Oct 23 | ChristianityREAD: Esposito, 199-211; "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" (email handout) | | | Oct 25 | | | | Oct 30 | Second examination (held during class) | | | Nov 1 | IslamREAD: Esposito, 215-32; excerpts from the Qur’an, Surah 2 (Blackboard course site—please print and bring to class) | | | Nov 6 | | | | Nov 8 | IslamREAD: Esposito, 232-53; Bouthaina Shaaban, "A Syrian Muslim Woman Speaks Her Mind," in Corrigan, pp. 368-76 (class handout) | | | Nov 13 | | | | Nov 15 | NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Break | | | Nov 20 | | | | Nov 22 | IslamREAD: Esposito, 253-92; H. al-Turabi, "The Islamic State" (class handout) | | | Nov 27 | | | | Nov 29 | Third examination (held during class) | | | Dec 4 | The academic study of religionREAD: Esposito, pp. 3-16 and 22-34 and one of the online essays by religious studies faculty members (available on Blackboard course site)WRITE: a 200 word analytical response to the online essay you read | | | Dec 6 | | | |