THEOLOGY 369 PERSPECTIVES ON THE RELIGIOUS QUEST Sections A and B Instructor: Theodore Ludwig Email: ted.ludwig@valpo.edu

Course Overview

Unit I. The Nature of Religion: Religions of Indigenous Peoples.

We approach the course with an interest in what religion is and how it functions in human experience throughout the world. We will try to understand some of the central dimensions and themes of religion by looking at basic human questions and the religious responses to them, identifying basic structures and themes in the history of religions such as myth, sacred space, symbols of the sacred, and rites of passage. These will be illustrated by selected examples from religions of ancient peoples and contemporary indigenous peoples.

Unit II. Families of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

We focus here on the family of religions arising in the Mediterranean world, understanding how they are related historically and how they join each other in calling Abraham "our father." We see their background in the religious milieu of the ancient Mediterranean world, and we also note particularly their common teachings of monotheism, prophetism, and devotionalism. Taking account of their similarities, we look more extensively at the unique history and configuration of faith and practice in each of the three.

Unit III. Religions From India: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

While the religions arising in the Indian subcontinent are closely related in history and share many basic ideas, each has its own distinctive approach to life. We look at Hinduism and Buddhism to understand the complexities of their nondualistic vision of reality, their conception of samsara (the rebirth cycle) and liberation, and their practices of yoga, meditation, and theistic devotion. And we look at Sikhism as a relatively newer religion of India that combines many of these ideas with belief in one God.

Unit IV. Religions of China and Japan.

Over a billion people live in East Asia, the home of ancient and sophisticated religious traditions: Confucianism, Daoism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Shinto. We attempt to understand the main strands of religious experience in China and Japan, revolving around themes of cosmic harmony and familial tradition. We will pay some attention to the role of these religious traditions still today in the changes taking place in East Asia. The course closes with some discussion of new religious movements and of the theological issues involved in the encounter of the religions with each other.

Course Objectives

I. Knowledge (content) Objectives. Students should develop:

• Knowledge and understanding of some of the major religions of the world, including Christianity, in terms of the historical uniqueness and the particular meaning system of each;
• Understanding of the nature of religion as an important dimension of human experience, as seen in basic patterns, structures and themes in the religions; and
• Awareness of the practice of dialogue between people of different religions, including the contribution of other religions to the theological task of clarifying and deepening one's own religious perspective.

II. Attitudinal Objectives. Students should develop:

• Respect for the importance of religion in all cultures and for the various forms and expressions of religion by which peoples of the world find meaning and value;
• The type of sensitivity necessary for understanding the religious traditions in terms of what these mean to those who live by them;
• The readiness to bring questions from the study of other religions to bear upon their own beliefs and practices, for a deepened understanding of their own religious commitment; and
• Interest in further understanding of religions other than their own.

III. Skill Objectives. Students should develop the skills necessary for liberal education, specifically focused on the task of understanding the religions of the world, namely:

• The ability to listen to and read with comprehension oral and written expressions of religious experience, and to observe with understanding a wide variety of religious practices.
• The ability to enter into discussion with such materials by becoming aware of their own beliefs and convictions, shaping questions appropriate to the material, placing themselves in sympathetic dialogue with each religious tradition; and bringing that meaning-structure into comparison with similar patterns in other religions;
• The ability to communicate orally and in writing both descriptive accounts of religious experience and critical-comparative investigations; and
• The ability to make use of library resources for studying the various religious traditions.

Texts

Theodore Ludwig, The Sacred Paths: Understanding the Religions of the World, third edition

Gary Comstock, Religious Autobiographies

Handouts on sacred texts

Course Requirements

1. Attendance in class is regarded as essential. After three unexcused absences, each addition absence will result in lowering the student's final grade by one minus grade.
2. It is expected that the student will complete all scheduled readings and participate in class discussion and assigned activities.
3. The student will take four examinations, one at the conclusion of each unit of study. The fourth examination (which is the final exam) will include comprehensive essay questions based on the main themes of the course.
4. Short essays: All students will write a series of short imaginative or interpretive essays, identifying with the people of each religion. These essays will be exchanged within peer reading groups, with each student writing responses on the other essays. The last essay will be the student's own reflections on the study of religions other than her own. It is essential that these essays be turned in on the day assigned; late papers will not be accepted except in cases of emergency. See the Guidelines attached to this syllabus for more information on these essays.

Honor Code

All your work in this course is done under V.U.'s Honor Code. You are encouraged to study together and to discuss topics and assignments. But when you write an exam or turn in a paper, it must be your own work.

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Schedule

UNIT I. THE NATURE OF RELIGION: RELIGIONS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
January 10	Course introduction. History of Religions as general education and as theological resource. Attitude toward religions other than one's own.
January 12	Sacred Paths, pp. 1-24; Comstock, pp. 15-31. Definition of religion and its dimensions. Basic human concerns and religious responses. Interpreting religious experience: hierophany, myth, sacralization of space & time. Start exploring Internet sites on world religions. Might begin with Wabash Center Internet Resources.
January 17	Sacred Paths, pp. 25-36. Handout on hunting and planting peoples. Religious experience of prehistorical peoples. Sacred stories of indigenous peoples. Religious world of early hunters and planters.
January 19	Sacred Paths, pp. 36-44. Handout on African traditional religions. Structures of the world as revelation of the sacred. Views of God, gods and goddesses, and spiritual beings. The world and human existence.
January 22	Sacred Paths, pp. 44-48; Comstock, pp. 47-68 Paths of transformation. John Fire Lame Deer's story.
January 24	Sacred Paths, pp. 48-58; Comstock, pp. 69-89. The sacred in art. Sacred people, sacred land, and the moral life. Mary Crow Dog's story.
January 26	Sacred Paths, pp. 58-61 Religious transformations in contemporary indigenous societies. Film on African religious experience.
January 29	Review. Discussion of film. Contemporary transformations. Imaginative essay on indigenous peoples due.
January 31	Examination I.
UNIT II. FAMILIES OF ABRAHAM: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM
February 2	Sacred Paths, pp. 305-338; Bible: Amos 1-3; Isaiah 40; 53 Religions of the ancient Mediterranean world. The Jewish story: covenant, land and kingdom, messiah, prophets.
February 5	Sacred Paths, pp. 338-349 Rabbinic Judaism and the Talmud. Persecution, Zionism, modern Judaism..
February 7	Sacred Paths, pp. 349-361; Bible: Genesis 1-3. Jewish worlds of meaning: one God. Revelation in nature and history. Creation stories. Human existence and the path of Torah.
February 9	Sacred Paths, pp. 362-375; Comstock, pp. 181-211. Sabbath and festivals; ritual and art. Jewish peoplehood and ethical life. Judith Magyar Isaacson's story.
February 12	Sacred Paths, pp. 376-383; Gospel of Matthew, chs. 5-9, 21-28 The Christian Story: Jesus' life and death. Imaginative essay on Jews due.
February 14	Sacred Paths, pp. 383-400 Beginnings of the Christian church. Canon, creed, clergy. Reformation era and modern Christianity.
February 16	Sacred Paths, pp. 401-412 Christian worlds of meaning: triune God, creation and sin, path of salvation.
February 19	Sacred Paths, pp.413-427; Comstock, pp. 233-257. Christian worship and ethical life. Padre Carney's story.
February 21	Sacred Paths, pp. 428-438 The Muslim sacred story: Muhammad as final prophet. Hijra and Ummah. Expansion of Islam.
February 23	Sacred Paths, pp. 438-459; Handout: Selections from the Quran Shi`ites and Sufis. Muslim belief in the unity of God. The world and human existence.
February 26	Sacred Paths, pp. 459-471 Guidance on the straight path: prophets and Quran. Worship in Islam: the Five Pillars.
February 28	Sacred Paths, pp. 471-478; Comstock, pp. 361-375 Slides on the pilgrimage. Life of Shri`ah: society and ethics. Zaynad al-Ghazali's story. Imaginative essay on Muslims due.
March 2	Examination II.
UNIT III. RELIGIONS FROM INDIA: HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, SIKHISM
March 5	Sacred Paths, pp. 62-83; Handout: Selections from the Rg Veda The Hindu Story: Indus Valley civilization; Aryan-Vedic religion. Elements of classical Hinduism.
March 7	Sacred Paths, pp. 84-89; Handout: Selections from the Bhagavad-Gita Hindu worlds of meaning: ultimate reality as Brahman, Dharma, God/Goddess. Shankara's levels of truth.
March 9	Sacred Paths, pp. 89-100 World creation. Human atman, samsara, rebirth, moksha. Three Paths to Liberation: knowledge, action, and devotion. Search the Internet for information on the great Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism, and turn in a summary of what you find.
March 26	Comstock, pp. 117-135 Video on Hindu religious life. Shudra Mazumdar's story: Write answers to the Discussion Questions (Comstock, p. 135).
March 28	Sacred Paths, pp. 101-115 Worship (puja) and festivals. Hindu castes, stages of life, aims of life.
March 30	Sacred Paths, pp. 116-132; Handout: Selections from Buddhist texts Sacred biography of the Buddha. Four Noble Truths and basic vision of the Buddha. Imaginative essay on Hindus due.
April 2	Sacred Paths, pp. 133-140. Ultimate reality in Buddhism: Dharma and nirvana. Nature of the world. Human existence, karma, rebirth, samsara and realms of rebirth.
April 4	Sacred Paths, pp. 140-146. Paths to nirvana and Buddhahood. Mahayana paths: meditation, relying on the power of the Buddha.
April 6	Video: Footprint of the Buddha
April 9	Sacred Paths, pp. 147-161 Buddhist worship and ritual. Monastic community and laypeople. Ethical life in society.
April 11	Sacred Paths, pp. 173-186 Guru Nanak and the other Gurus. Sikh views of God, humans, and the path. Worship and ethical life.
April 16	Examination III.
UNIT IV. RELIGIONS OF CHINA AND JAPAN
April 18	Sacred Paths, pp. 187-215 Religions of East Asia. Foundings of the Chinese story. Confucius and Laozi. Incursion of Buddhism. Development of popular religion. Christianity in China. Religion in modern China.
April 20	Sacred Paths, pp. 215-229; Handout: Selections from the Analects of Confucius and the Dao de jing Chinese worlds of meaning: Tian and Dao. Origin and operation of the cosmos; yin-yang; human existence.
April 23	Sacred Paths, pp. 229-237 Paths of transformation in China. Confucianism: study and ritual/propriety. Daoism: non-action and harmony with nature. Buddhism: worship of Amida Buddha (Pure Land) and meditation (Chan).
April 25	Sacred Paths, pp. 238-260 Ritual and festival in China: Confucianism, religious Daoism, and Buddhism. Chinese society and the good moral life.
April 27	Sacred Paths, pp. 261-276; Handout: Selections from the Kojiki The Japanese story: mythology of the kami. Buddhist developments. Religion in modern Japan. Imaginative essay on Chinese people due.
April 30	Sacred Paths, pp. 277-288; Handout: Selections from Honen and Shinran; Kami and Buddha-nature. Shinto view of the world and humans; Shinto path of purification. Buddhist paths of transformation: Pure Land, Nichiren, and Zen.
May 2	Sacred Paths, pp. 289-304; Comstock, pp. 162-182 Worship and festival in Japan. Japanese society and ethical life. Satomi Myodo's story.
May 4	Sacred Paths, pp. 479-496 New Religious movements. Encounter between the religions.
May 7	Sacred Paths, pp. 497-502 Dialogue and reflection. Essay on student's own reflections due.
Monday, May 14, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 10, 10:30 a.m.	Final Examination, section B Final Examination, section A

GUIDELINES FOR IMAGINATIVE/INTERPRETIVE ESSAYS

Each student will write a series of short imaginative or interpretive essays (each about 3-4 pages typewritten), focusing on many of the religions we will be studying. The purpose of these essays is to make a creative, imaginative effort to get inside the thinking and the experience of the people who live by each of these religions.

A guiding question for these essays might be, "What would it be like for me if I were an adherent of this religion?" Make a creative effort in your essay to express something of the meaning the religion supplies for those who follow its path. For example, you might speak with the voice of a member of that particular religion in your imaginative effort. Or you might create a character within that religion, describing views and feelings as a novelist does. Another possibility is to provide a sensitive, accurate interpretation of how these people find meaning in some aspect of their religious path.

After writing the imaginative/interpretive essays on some of the world's religions, for the last essay the student will write a 3-4 page reflective essay, responding to the study of other religions from the point of view of her or his own religious perspective. This essay might discuss issues related to the truth claims of your religion over against such claims in the other religions (Is your religion true and all others false? Are all religions equally true? etc.). Or you might focus on the kinds of attitudes you think people of your religion should have about people of the other religions (should you be in competition with people of other religions? Should you seek out ways of cooperating on common problems? Can you learn something from people of other religions that deepens your own religion? etc.).

These essays will be exchanged in peer reading groups, and each student will write responses to the other essays.

Essay on:	Due:
Indigenous Peoples	January 29
Jews	February 12
Muslims	February 28
Hindus	March 30
Buddhists	April 11
Chinese people	April 16
Student's own reflections	May 7