REL 100: Introduction to the Study of Religion- 3 Credits
Overview
This course explores the various religious perspectives and ways of thinking about religious themes and religious experience.
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the general terminology, the recurring themes, and issues common to the religious outlook; to examine basic ideas common to all religions and to look carefully at the religious experience itself from a variety of perspectives.
The main overarching theme of the course is the question: “What is Religion?” Through this course of study you will spend the semester exploring the breadth and depth of religion through a comparison and contrast of examples drawn from a wide variety of the world’s religions. The material is presented thematically rather than as a systematic examination of each religion in turn. Such a thematic approach is designed to bring out the patterns that can be found, expressed in diverse ways, across religions.
In this course you will learn by...
Reading and reflecting on the material
Exploring supplementary online resources
Watching online videos
Doing research (online and real world)
Discussing issues with your classmates and mentor (through use of an online discussion board)
If you do well in this course, you
will be able to:
Define and discuss relevant religious terminology, such as "religion", "mystery", "the holy", "theism", "atheism", "pantheism", "monotheism", "ultimate reality", "myth", "symbol", "revealed truth", "ritual", etc.
Explore basic themes of religion, such as the nature of the holy, the sacred and the profane, the nature of religious experience, the place of evil in the world, etc.
Examine the use of religious language.
Explore questions about religion raised from within religious commitments, such as the adequacy of religious symbolism, or the role of religious institutions in the religious life, etc.
Explore questions about religion raised from those outside religious affiliations, such as the role of class in religious oppression, the social functions of religious institutions, the Freudian notion that belief in God is the result of infantile wish-fulfillment, the place of religion in a modern scientific world and other similar criticisms.
Learn and apply critical thinking skills in the context of the study of religion.
Develop an appreciation for religion in general and for religions beyond your own in particular.
Students are required to view Video on Demand lecture series (24 half hour videos) available online (free) through the NVCC Video on Demand pages (accessed through Blackboard). (details in course site). Broadband access recommended for ease of viewing.
Possible Assignments Include: (Subject to change each semester. The actual assignments are available in the Syllabus in the Blackboard course site on the first day of classes.)
Assignment
Points
Percentage of Grade
"Religion & Me" 500 word essay
50
5%
"Religion Basics" Worksheet
50
5%
Five Discussions (20 points each)
100
10%
Reflective Journaling (periodic paragraphs)
50
5%
Quizzes
150
15%
Exam I
100
10%
Encounter & Dialogue (field research)
100
10%
Exam II
200
20%
Group Discussion ("Is it a religion?" debate)
100
10%
"Religion is..." Concept Map
50
5%
Essay: "Reflections on the Study of Religion" (500 words)
50
5%
Totals
1000
100%
Your final grade may be based on the following scale.
Grade
Points
Percent
A
900-1000
90-100
B
800-899
80-89
C
700-799
70-79
D
600-699
60-69
F
0-599
0-59
Please note that you must also get a passing average across all exams in order to pass the course, regardless of your scores on the other assignments.