RELS 180: Introduction to Religion
California State University, Spring 2010
Professor Kate McCarthy
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Glenn Hall 212
E-mail:
kmccarthy@csuchico.edu
office hours: Tuesdays 12:30 to 2:30
Wednesdays 10:00 to 12:00
and by appointment
office location: Trinity 237
teaching assistant: Jake Acosta
(jacosta10@mail.csuchico.edu)
Jake's office hours: Monday 11 – 12:30
Thursday 2:30 - 4
at Upper Crust Bakery, 130 Main St.
Course overview and goals
This course is designed to make you religiously literate and religiously curious. It is impossible to read much of the
world's great literature, look at its art, understand its politics or speak meaningfully with most of its peoples without
understanding some basic things about religion, and the wild array of the world's religious ideas, behaviors, art, and
literature is--I will try to convince you--inherently fascinating and potentially personally instructive. This course will offer
an orderly investigation into some central questions about religion (What is it? Is it based on anything "real"? Is there
anything that unites all religions?), and a cross-cultural exploration of some of the basic categories in the study of
religion: scripture, ritual, religious experience, ethics, community, etc. Along the way, if you pay attention, you will pick
up passing knowledge of the basic worldviews of the world’s major religious traditions. The course assumes no prior
knowledge of any religion and no particular attitude toward religious belief in general. It would be great if this class
makes you want to go on to do more work in Religious Studies. It will suffice if it makes you more alert to the breadth
and complexity of the religious worlds that countless people inhabit, and equips you with some basic tools for
interpreting those worlds.
Read this!
Most basic course requirements
This class is large, and it is a 100-level course. This might lead you to think that this is a
course to slide through with minimal effort or engagement. That would be a mistake. We will
be
reading challenging primary and scholarly texts and exploring complex philosophical and
theological questions, often using unfamiliar and/or foreign terms. I assume no advance knowledge, but I insist on a
high level of participation and commitment. That means coming to every class, with assigned readings read and in
hand, participating thoughtfully in discussions and in-class activities, following up in office hours on things that aren't
clear, and doing your very best on written assignments, even if that entails multiple revisions. You will note that grading
procedures (see below) are designed to motivate this approach to the course. In return, you stand to gain (1) a huge
increase in your skills in critical reading, thinking, and writing that will be of value throughout the rest of your academic
career; (2) literacy in the field of religion that will make you an impressive conversationalist, and (3) familiarity with a
range of religious concepts and theoretical frameworks that may be of use in your own intellectual and spiritual
development over the course of your life.
General Education Area C-3
This is an approved General Education course in Area C, Arts and Ideas. As part of that program, it is one goal of this
course to make connections between the ideas, figures, and institutions we study and the wider cultural world, both
in the past and the present. To that end, you will be required in this course to attend four extracurricular cultural
events (lectures, performances, concerts, films, exhibits, etc.) and to write a brief (1 page/250 word) summary of
what you saw and its relevance. Due dates are indicated on the schedule below. The events you choose need not
be explicitly about religion, but should have enough serious content to be able to engage some of the ideas we’ll be
exploring. For instance, attending a panel discussion on the philosophical and social implications of the film “Avatar”
would be acceptable; watching reruns of “The Office” at home would not. Push yourself to attend something you
otherwise might not; I’ll offer plenty of suggestions. Failure to attend these events (or inadequate reports) will result
in a deduction of one point per event from your final score in the course. An outstanding job on any report will
result in one point of extra credit.
Required texts:
Please purchase these texts (available at the AS Bookstore) and bring assigned reading materials to class:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Ninian Smart, Worldviews: Crosscultural Explorations of Human Belief, 3rd editions
Thomas A. Robinson and Hillary Rodrigues, World Religions: A Guide to the Essentials
The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Stephen Mitchell
Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion
Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis
Additional readings posted on Vista.
Written Requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In-class paired reading responses ( 5 at 5 points each):
homework assignments*: Credit/no credit; revision possible (5 at 10 points each):
ritual observation report*:
midterm exam (objective):
final project:
total points:
25
50
50
25
50
200
*Specific instructions for homework assignments and ritual observation report will be posted on Vista.
Grade scale:
186-200
A
154-159
C+
180-185
A-
146-153
C
174-179
B+
140-145
C-
166-173
B
134-139
D+
160-165
B-
120-133
D
Other Things You Need To Know
Faculty Furloughs and Campus Closures:
Due to extraordinary budget cuts to the CSU, fees to students have been increased 32%, many sections have been cut
and faculty are required to take nine furlough days each semester. Three of these days occur on days when this class
would ordinarily have met; you will note them on the schedule. These furlough days will unfortunately mean that I will
be unable to include all elements of this class that I believe would provide the best educational experience.
Unfortunately this is the result of a dramatic cut to the CSU by the state after years of underfunding the system.
Attendance policy:
I will take attendance as a tool to learn names, not for grading purposes. If you do not come to class, you will not do
well in the course. Your choice.
Late Assignments:
In fairness to those who could have done better with more time, I will penalize late papers at the rate of 1/3 letter
grade per business day. For instance, a B+ paper that is two days late receives a B-.
Office Hours:
Use them. If you feel lost early on, let me know. If you don’t know why you did poorly on an assignment, discuss it
with me. If something from class piques your interest and you want to talk more about it, drop in to chat. If my
scheduled hours don’t work, we can arrange something else. One of the advantages of a place like Chico State is that
your professors are generally very accessible and eager to help. Take advantage of that.
Academic Dishonesty:
If there is evidence that you have been involved in any form of academic dishonesty, you will receive an “F” grade for
the course, and a report will be provided to Student Judicial Affairs for further action. This happens to at least one
student in classes every semester. Don’t let it be you. Be careful in all of work to cite your sources properly (including
online materials). Please see the “Religious Studies Academic Integrity Policy” under “Student Resources” on the RELS
Department Home Page for more information on what constitutes academic dishonesty and the departmental policy.
Ignorance of proper citation methods is not a legitimate excuse for violation of this policy.
Students with certified disabilities:
Please notify me of any special need relating to your disability within the first two weeks of the semester. I will make
every reasonable effort to facilitate your success in this course. Please note that you may be required to show
documentation of your disability. For more information on services available, please contact Disability Support Services
(DSS) for coordination of your academic accommodations. The DSS phone number is 898-5959 V/TTY or FAX 898-4411.
Visit the DSS website at http://www.csuchico.edu/dss.
Course etiquette:
After the first class, we will create a contract specifying proper behaviors in this class on both your part and mine.
Signing the contract is a requirement for remaining enrolled.
Course Schedule: Topics, Readings, Assignments*
PART ONE: POINTS OF ENTRY
Dates
1/26, 1/28
Topic
Introductions: What are we studying
when we study religion? How and why
would we do this?
Reading
For 1/28:
Smart, Introduction and ch. 1
(pp. 1-30)
R & R, Introduction (pp. 1-18)
2/2
Basic maps to orient us
Smart, ch. 2,
(pp. 33-54)
Assignments due
1/28:
Sign Etiquette
Contract
PART TWO: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE: THE NUMINOUS AND THE MYSTICAL
●
●
●
"I have only one
burning desire.
Let me stand next to
your fire."
Dates
2/4
Topic
Varieties of Religious
Experience
Reading
Smart, ch. 3,
(pp. 55-70)
2/9, 2/11
Awe, Mystery,
Fascination: Otto's
concept of "the
Numinous"
Complete by 2/11:
Rudolf Otto,
excerpts from
The Idea of the Holy
(available on Vista)
2/16
Buddhism:
A Challenge to Otto?
R & R, ch. 7 (pp. 185-216)
2/18
Guest speaker :
Jason Clower on
Buddhist daily practice
--Jimi Hendrix,
"Fire"
●
●
●
"If you want to kiss the
sky,
better learn how to
kneel."
--U2, "Mysterious Ways"
*Subject to revision
Assignments due
Homework 1
Cultural event #1
PART THREE: THE SACRED IN MYTH AND SCRIPTURE
Dates
2/23, 2/25
Topic
What is The Sacred?
Monotheists,
Polytheist, Mystics,
and Atheists
Reading
Huston Smith, "Spiritual
Personality Types" (Vista)
Excerpts from sacred
scriptures (Vista)
Assignments due
For 2/25:
Homework 2
3/2
Faculty furlough day:
no class
3/4
The Sacred in Myth
and Scripture
Smart, ch. 4 (pp. 71-86)
“Notes on Mircea Eliade”
(Vista)
Cultural event #2
3/9
A Monotheistic Text
Up Close: Genesis 1-3
Genesis 1-3 (Vista)
R & R, ch. 3: “Judaism”
(pp. 43-78)
Review of course
material to date
3/11
MIDTERM EXAM
Bring Scantron answer grid
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 15-19
PART FOUR: CHALLENGES TO THE IDEA OF THE SACRED
Dates
3/23
Topic
A Challenge to
Traditional Concepts of
the Sacred:
Sigmund Freud
3/25
Faculty furlough day:
no class
3/30
Freud, continued
Reading
Freud, The Future of an
Illusion, pp. 1-42
(introductory essay
recommended)
Assignments due
Freud, pp. 43-71
Homework 3
4/1
State Budget Closure
Day: no class
4/6
Another Challenge:
Karl Marx
Daniel L. Pals,
“Religion as Alienation:
Karl Marx” (Vista)
Cultural event #3
PART FIVE: RITUAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE
Dates
4/8
Topic
Defining ritual;
types of ritual
Reading
Smart, ch. 7
(pp. 118-130)
Assignments due
4/13
Case studies in ritual
McCarthy and Mazur,
“Popular Ritual" (Vista)
Homework 4
At this point you should begin working on your ritual observation report.
Guidelines will be posted. The paper is due 5/4.
PART SIX: LIVING WELL: ETHICS, OBLIGATIONS, VIRTUE
Dates
Topic
Reading
4/15
Religious Ethics:
What constitutes a
good life?
Smart, ch. 6
(pp. 104-117)
R & R, ch. 6,
(pp. 151-184)
4/20
A Hindu Response:
The Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita,
Introduction and chs. 1-9
(pp. 13-30 and 41-120)
4/22
Bhagavad Gita,
continued
Bhagavad Gita,
chs. 10-18,
(pp. 121-198)
Assignments
due
PART SEVEN: LIVING WITH OTHERS: THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS
Dates
4/27
Topic
Theorizing the Social
Functions of Religion
Reading
Smart, ch. 8
(pp. 131-144)
R & R, ch. 4
(pp. 79-114)
4/29
Religious
Fundamentalism
Satrapi, Persepolis,
1st half (pp. 1-71)
5/4
Religious
Fundamentalism,
continued
Satrapi, Persepolis,
2nd half (pp. 72-153)
Ritual Observation
Report
5/11
Religious Pluralism
Kate McCarthy, “Theories
of Religious Difference”
(Vista)
Homework 5
5/13
Assignments due
Catch-up and review;
Cultural event #4
Final project will be
handed out
Final project must be turned in at or before the scheduled final exam session,
Thursday, 5/20, 10:00 – 11:50 am