If you do well in this course, you will be able to:
- Identify and define relevant terminologies such as Tanakh, covenant, Torah, Bar mitzvah, diaspora, prophets, Talmud, Gospels, Christ, Trinity, atonement, salvation, sacrament, resurrection, Quran, Hadith, Tawhid, jihad, Sunnis, Shiites, Shari'ah, Five Pillars of Islam, etc.
- Explain the role great religious founders have filled in human history
- Summarize the origins, teachings, organization and practices of the religions studied
- Interpret some of the sacred writings and mythic imagery of Western religions
- Compare and contrast recurring themes in the religions studied such as teachings, mysticism, scripture and tradition, religious leadership, worship and ritual, ethics, etc.
- Discuss the historical connections among the religions studied
- Analyze the complex relations between religion and society/culture in various historical and contemporary contexts
- Respectfully experience and discuss previously unfamiliar religious events/communities