RE 260 – Religions of the World
Fall 2010
Meeting Times: 11:00 - 11:50 am M, W, F
Home: 2333 S. Arch Ave., Alliance
Meeting Place: Bracy 20
Home Phone: (330) 823-6773
Office: Keener House Office 1
email: lyonsil@muc.edu
Office Phone: (330) 823-2469
ivory_lyons@yahoo.com
Office Hours: Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 - 2:00 pm and on
Fridays in Campus Grounds and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 - 9:00 am in my
office. You can also make an appointment to meet with me or you can drop by my office
anytime.
Texts: World Religions by Warren Matthews
Course Objective: This course is designed to introduce you to some of the major
religions of the world—Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
At the end of the course, you will have increased your awareness of the important
elements of the major religions—their myths, symbols, rituals, doctrines, moral codes,
and artistic expressions. You will recognize the differences among religious traditions.
You will better understand the religious issues and conflicts in the modern world. You
will have a deepened appreciation of your own religious background and that of the
community in which you live.
Policies:
Attendance: Those who attend all classes generally perform well. Those who do not
generally do not do very well. Each student will be allowed 2 absences (excused or
unexcused). If a student is absent more than 2 times he or she will lose 10 points for
each absence (excused or unexcused). More than 7 absences will result in a failing
grade for the class.
Academic Honesty: It is expected that you will do you own work and will cite all sources
used for your paper or presentation. Any student caught submitting someone else’s
work as his or her own will be in jeopardy of failing the class. See MUC Catalogue for
further details.
Syllabus Changes: The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus as
necessary.
Note: If you are a student with a documented disability who will require
accommodations in this course, please register with the Karen Saracusa, Director of
Student Accessibility Services, in Room 113 Hoover-Price Campus Center, ext. 7372,
for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs.
Grading Policy
Assignments
Group Project
Evaluation Form
Groups will present a particular religion; one group for each religion. The presentation
may use Power Point, a lecture format, video clips, audio format, drama/role playing,
web sites or a combination of these. Each group will be responsible for doing research
on their assigned religion. The presentation will cover at least 4 of the following areas:
special places, festivals and holidays, sacred rituals and rites of passage, sacred
objects, and famous or important people. The presentation must be a minimum of 15
minutes. The group presentation project is worth 100 points.
Sacred Text Reflections
Each student will be required to write 10 reflections. One reflection for each of the
religions studied in class based on one of the texts selected from each of the religions
presented; there are nine of these. The student will also be required to write one
reflection on the student's personal philosophy about other religions with regard to the
three positions outlined in class. Each reflection is worth 10 points (100 points total).
Mandala Project
Each student will be required to write a two page reflection on a mandala. This project is
worth 20 points.
Exams (three)
There will be three area exams. Each exam is worth 100 points.
Site Visit
The student is required to visit and write a four page paper on a non-Christian or
Orthodox or Apostolic or African American or American Indian or Hispanic/Latino
or Asian or Mennonite religious site. The paper is worth 100 points.
Attached are grading standards for writing.
Submission: All of the assignments, unless otherwise stated, will be put in a drop box
in ANGEL in Microsoft Word, RTF, ODT or Text format on or before the due date.
Papers put in the drop box after the date may or may not be accepted. If they are
graded they will be reduced by one full letter grade.
Town Meeting
Each student is required to participate in a class project—The Class Town Meeting.
In the town meeting you will demonstrate your knowledge of the religion that your group
presented by working to resolve some problems in the town. There will be about four
members who will not represent any religion but will respond as members of a nonreligious group and you might be one of these members. The class project is worth 100
points for each student.
Extra Credit
There may be extra credit opportunities throughout the semester. In order to get extra
credit the student must do all of the regular assignments.
Grade Range Percentages minimum:
A 94
A- 90
B+ 87
B 84
B- 80
C+ 77
C 74
C- 70
D+ 67
D 63
F < 63
August 30
Why Group Projects
Introduction to Religion: The Challenge of Definition
Religious Pluralism
A breakdown of the religions of the world
Sacred Text Exercise – The Tao Te Ching
Reading: World Religions, Introduction
September 6
Religions in Asia (map)
Hinduism
Reading: WR, Chapter 3
How to read sacred text
Reflection 1: Personal philosophy about other religions due (9/10)
Trip to Hindu Temple in Penn Hills, PA (9/11)
September 13
Jainism
Reading: WR, Chapter 5, pgs. 145-155
Reflection 2 on Hindu text due (9/17)
September 20
Sikhism
Reading: WR, Chapter 5, pgs. 153-165
Reflection 3 on Jain text due (9/24)
September 27
Exam 1 (9/29)
Reflection 4 on Sikh text is due (10/1)
October 4
Buddhism
Buddhism Theravada, Mahayana
Reflection 5 on Buddhist text due (10/8)
Reading: WR Chapter 4
October 13
The Mandala Project
Buddhism continued
October 15-18
Fall Break
October 20
Taoism
Confucianism
Reflection on Mandala due (10/22)
Trip to Olivet Institutional Baptist Church (10/24)
October 25
Confucianism (cont)
Exam 2 (10/29)
Reflection 6 on Taoist text due (10/29)
November 1
Religions of the Family of Abraham
Judaism [Group Presentation]
The Torah, Development
Reading: WR, Chapter 8
Reflection 7 on Confucian text due (11/5)
November 8
Christianity
Jesus, The Church, Further Development
Reading: WR, Chapter 9
Reflection 8 on Jewish text due (11/12)
November 15
Islam
Islam, Five Pillars
Reading: WR, Chapter 10
Reflection 9 on Christian text due (11/19)
Trip to Masjid (11/19)
November 22
Islam (cont.)
November 24-28
Thanksgiving Break
November 29
Exam 3 (12/1)
Group presentations
Reflection 10 on Islamic text due (12/3)
December 6
Group Presentations (cont.)
Town Meeting questions
Site Paper due (12/10)
Final Exam
Monday, Dec. 13, 1 - 4 pm
Groups
Hindus
Jeremy Glutting
Kelly Pizzoferrato
Kaylie Seifert
Steven Welich
Jains
Natalie Griffin
Meg Nurnberger
Abby Rufener
Megan Zenobi
Sikhs
Paul Batt
Josh Fink
Tyler Kleeberger
Buddhists
Adam Hood
John Reid
Ryan Ringwalt
Clark Story
Taoists
Andy Ronath
Brandon Jarvis
Laura Sefcik
William Warren
Confucians
Xinru Cai
James Harsh
TJ Hrabak
Laura Kibby
Jews
Sarah Crawford
Emily Gillis
Emily Reichard
Hannah Laps
Christians
Nichole Beebe
Megan McDonough
Kyoko Niiyama
Muslims
Nicole Bencze
Kyle Brehm
Rebecca Jackson