World Religions
Mr. Nohel 2014-15
Email: Richard.nohel@mpls.k12.mn.us
World Religions is a great course for people who are interested in learning about how people think and
view the world in different ways. Our study will be based on this core idea.
The following National Council for the Social Studies Guidelines will be observed in this course:
1. Study about religions should strive for awareness and understanding of the diversity of religions,
religious experiences, religious expressions, and the reasons for particular expressions of
religious beliefs within a society or culture.
2. Study about religions should stress the influence of religions on history, culture, the arts, and
contemporary issues.
3. Study about religions should permit and encourage a comprehensive and balanced examination
of the entire spectrum of ideas and attitudes pertaining to religion as a component of human
culture.
4. Study about religions should examine the religious dimension of human existence in its broader
cultural context, including its relation to economic, political, and social institutions, as well as its
relation to the arts, language, and literature.
5. Study about religions should deal with the world’s religions from the same perspective (i.e.,
beginnings, historical development, sacred writings, beliefs, practices, and impact on history,
culture, contemporary issues, and the arts.)
6. Study about religions should be academic in nature, stressing student awareness and
understanding, not acceptance and/or conformity.
7. Study about religions should emphasize the necessity and importance of tolerance, respect, and
mutual understanding in a nation and world of diversity.
8. Study about religions should be descriptive, non-confessional, and conducted in an environment
free of advocacy.
Course Essential Questions:








Can one study religion objectively? If so, how?
To what extent is religion culturally based?
Why are some religions politheistic while some are monotheistic?
How can indigenous religion blend or merge with one of the more universal or modern religions?
Why are some religions interested in seeking converts while others are not?
How are the world’s major religions related?
How can the 7 Dimensions of Religion help us to understand the purpose of religion over time?
What challenges do religious institutions face today?
We will begin our study by looking at the whole idea of whether it is possible to objectively study World
Religions. Then we will examine religious practice and evolution from the time of early man
Unit Schedule:
Unit 1- Approaches to the study of religion: phenomenological, sociological, psychological, and critical
theory. Looking at Paleolithic and Neolithic religious practices
Essential Questions: How do our biases interfere with an objective study of religion? What evidence is
there that early man practiced religion?
Unit 2-The Seven Dimensions of Religion; Early and Indigenous Religions; all religions have attributes of
the Seven Dimensions. We will examine this phenomenon by looking first at Egypt and then several
indigenous religions of North and South America, Africa, Australia, and South and Southeast Asia
Essential Questions: How are each of the religions listed above reflective of the 7 Dimensions? How do
people’s perceptions of the cosmos and the world differ in these regions?
Unit 3-Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism: Religions of India
Essential Questions: How are these religions related? Why do they exist separately given their
similarities? How did they evolve historically? How did Hinduism influence the culture and society of
India?
Unit 4- Buddhism
Essential Questions: How is Buddhism related to Hinduism both in terms of beliefs and historical
development? Why has Buddhism experienced revived interest in recent years? How do Buddhist sects
differ from each other?
Unit 5-Confucianism and Taoism-Religions of China
Essential Questions: How do Confucianism and Taoism differ from other religions we have studied from
an ethical/legal point of view?
Unit 6-Shinto
Essential Questions: To what extent is Shinto an ethnic Japanese religion? How does Shinto thought
compare to Confucianism and Taoism?
Unit 7-Monotheism: Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Essential Questions: What are the common beliefs of these religions? How have differences among these
3 religions become sources of conflict though out history?
Unit 8-Religion and the 21st Century
Essential Questions: How have the world’s major religions changed in the past 50 years? What are the
major influences on religion today? How have sectarianism and splits within the major religions impacted
their relationships with their followers? What kind of issues will the major religions face in the future? How
and why have new religions developed in the 21st Century?
Procedures
All students will be expected to attend class and complete all the assigned work ON TIME. The South
High and City-Wide discipline policies will be followed. Students are expected to keep their cell phones
and other electronic devices put away during class unless otherwise directed. All students will be
expected to have TWO single subject notebooks, one for our weekly journal assignments and the other
for class notes and some assignments.
Assignments
Students’ grades will be calculated using the following approximate break down of assignments THAT
WILL NOT BE WEIGHTED:
Homework:
30%
Class work including participation:
20%
Midterm/Final Exams:
20%
Journal:
10%
Projects:
20%