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2.320 Comparative Theologies of Religion
Spring 2008
Mondays 1:30-4:10
Office Hours: by appointment
Dr. Kristin Johnston Largen
Rationale
Part of the introduction to the Historical-Theological Studies curriculum reads as follows: “As the Christian tradition is received from the past and creatively imagined for the future, the present global, human, experiential context or crossroads is the dynamic location where the gospel must be received and passed on.” There is no denying or avoiding the fact that in our 21st Century context, an integral aspect of the crossroads of this global society in which we all live is its multi-religious character. Christianity grows and thrives among a variety of non-Christian religions that are also growing and thriving, and the existence of these religions demands our attention and our respect. In today’s world, it is no longer possible to either interpret or proclaim the Christian gospel faithfully without an awareness of and consideration of those who believe differently than we. Thus, those called to public ministry must be willing to engage non-Christian believers with openness and honesty, with a desire not only to speak but to listen, with the will not only to change but to be changed. In order to do this essential theological work faithfully, it is necessary to have some knowledge of non-Christian religions, and also to understand the means by which we might engage fruitfully in comparative dialogue. This course attempts to address those twin goals, in order to better equip a new generation of leaders for public service in the 21st Century church.
Course Objectives
At the
conclusion of this course, the students should be able to:
1)
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam,
with an emphasis on the main beliefs and practices of each.
2)
Analyze selected sacred texts from each religion
3)
Constructively compare each of the above religions to one’s understanding of
Christianity, and illustrate the ramifications such a comparison might have
on one’s understanding of Christian doctrine
4) Exhibit clarity of
thought and depth of theological understanding in oral and written
communication
Strategies for achieving course objectives
Students
will be expected to meet the following class requirements:
- Required Reading:
There are two types of reading assigned for this course: one secondary source textbook and four different primary texts. The required textbook is World Religions Today, by John L. Esposito, Darrell J. Fashing, and Todd Lewis. The chapters assigned in this book will be helpful to the student in providing a general overview of each of the religions under discussion, and a framework for understanding the different structure of each religious tradition. In addition to this textbook, there are also four required primary sources: The Ramayana, The Glorious Qur’an, The Lotus Sutra, and The Holy Bible [NRSV]. It is my belief that it is important for students to read various sacred texts from the different religious traditions first-hand, so that they might develop their own view of the religion and evaluate some of its truth claims for themselves, rather than relying only on the instructor’s interpretation. For this reason, careful and thorough reading of all assigned texts is critical to succeeding in this course.
- Class Participation:
All students are expected to attend class regularly, actively participate in discussions, and read all assignments prior to class time. Students are also encouraged to ask questions during lectures.
In this class, and in this seminary, we respect the rules of inclusivity, as stated in the academic catalog, pages 13-14. Please note that written work that does not conform to these standards will be returned for a re-write; and in the classroom, we will practice referring to both human beings and God in ways that are respectful of personhood and inclusive in terms of gender, race and class.
*A word about laptop computers: The use of a laptop in the classroom is a privilege, not a right, and this privilege can be revoked at any time during the semester by the instructor, if any student is found to be using his/her computer for personal business. Such action is a distraction to the class, and disrespectful both to the instructor and one’s classmates: forewarned is forearmed!
- Class Assignments:
Timely completion of all assignments is expected of all students. Late work may or may not be accepted, at the instructor’s discretion. A reduction in the grade should be expected for late work.
a) Unit Exams
During the course of the semester, there will be four take-home essay exams, each of which covers one of the major world religions studied in the course. The purpose of these exams is to help the student assess her/his comprehension of the major beliefs and practices of each religion, and provide the opportunity for the student to explain key aspects of each religion in his/her own words. The exams will cover material from the lectures and the readings.
b) Final Paper
There will be one final paper, due on the last day of class, in which the student will make a comparative analysis of some aspect of one of the four religions discussed in class to something similar in Christianity. The paper should have two primary parts: first, an explanation of the two topics being compared; and second, an analysis of what insights and/or challenges the non-Christian topic under consideration might offer traditional Christianity. In other words, after making the initial comparison, the student will be invited to suggest ways in which Christian practice and/or doctrine might be positively transformed through the dialogue.
This paper will be roughly 10 pages in length, with proper footnotes or endnotes. The student is welcome to turn in a paper topic and/or outline in advance, if s/he would like early feedback from the instructor. The student should be prepared to present the paper on either the penultimate or the ultimate class, April 28th or May 5th.
Evaluations
- Unit Exams: Each exam will be worth 10% of the course grade [40% total]
- Final Paper: The final paper will be worth 40% of the course grade
- Class Participation: Active participation in class, including attendance and classroom preparation will be worth 20% of the course grade
Course Outline:
January
28th
Class Introductions
Introduction to the Syllabus
Introduction to the Course
Hinduism
February 4th Origins
World Religions Today, pp.3-34 Sacred Literature:
The
Ramayana, pp.1-97
The Ramayana
The
Mahabharata
The Upanishads
February 11th Hindu gods & goddesses
World Religions Today, pp. 273-349 Worship & Rites of Passage
The Ramayana, pp. 97-171 Hinduism Exam
Judaism
February 18th Origins & Jewish Faith
GUEST LECTURER
Exodus 1-20
Deuteronomy 6
February 25th Jewish Worship
Genesis
1-25 Rites &
Rituals
World Religions Today, pp. 109-178
March 3rd Judaism in Modern Times –
Genesis
26-50 After the
Holocaust
Judaism Exam
March 10th SPRING BREAK
Buddhism
March 17th
Life
of the Buddha
Teachings
of the Buddha
The Lotus Sutra, pp. 1-116
March 24th Geographical Spread of Buddhism
The Lotus
Sutra, pp. 117-195 Turning the Wheel of
Dharma
World Religions Today,
pp. 353-428
March 31st Buddhist Practices
The
Lotus Sutra, pp. 196- 324 Buddhism in the
West
Buddhism Exam
Islam
April 7th
The
Messenger & the Message
The Glorious
Qur’an, sûrahs
1, 2, 3, 5 The Five Pillars of Islam
April 14th Historical Development
The Glorious
Qur’an, sûrahs
12, 19, 24, 28, 61
World Religions Today, pp.
181-267
April 21st
Islam in the 21st
Century
The Glorious
Qur’an,
Fundamentalism
Sûrahs 75, 76, 92, 93, 94, 96,
The Role of Women
107, 112, 113, 114
Islam Exam
April 28th Student Presentations
May 5th Student Presentations
Select Bibliography
Hinduism:
The Mahabharata, translated by Chakravarthi Narasimhan
The Bhagavadgita, translated by Sir Edwin Arnold
The Principal Upanishads, by S. Radhakrishnan
The Rig Veda, translated by Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty
The Myths and Gods of India, by Alain Danielou
Darśan: Seeing the Divine Image in India, by Diana Eck
A History of India, vol. 1, by Romila Thapar
A Short Introduction to Hinduism, by Klaus Klostermaier
Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, by Jonah Blank
Judaism:
Basic Judaism, by Rabbi Milton Steinberg
Living Judaism, by Rabbi Wayne Dosick
Introduction to Judaism: A Sourcebook, by Lydia Kukoff
An Introduction to Judaism, by Nicholas de Lange
Judaism: A Very Short Introduction, by Norman Solomon
The Way of Torah: An Introduction to Judaism, by Jacob Neusner
The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Night, by Elie Wiesel
The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal
Buddhism:
A Short History of Buddhism, by Edward Conze
The Story of Buddhism, by Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
The Buddhist Religion, by Richard Robinson and Willard Johnson
The Experience of Buddhism, by John S. Strong
Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience, by Donald W.Mitchell
Prisoners of Shangri-La, by Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
The Diamond that Cuts Through Illusion, Thich Nhat Hahn
Islam:
Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization, by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Islam: A Thousand Years of Faith & Power, by Jonathan Bloom & Sheila
Blair
Islam: Belief & Observances, by Caesar E. Farah
Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet, by Karen Armstrong
The Oxford History of Islam, edited by John L. Esposito
Islam: Continuity and Change in the Modern World, by John O. Voll
World Religions:
Gifts of the Spirit, by Philip Zaleski & Paul Kaufman
The World’s Religions, by Ninian Smart
The Many Faces of Faith, by Richard Losch
Interreligious Dialogue:
A New Religious America, by Diana Eck
Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Banaras, by
Diana Eck
Living Buddha, Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hahn
Zen & Western Thought, by Masao Abe
Hindu Wisdom for all God’s Children, by Francis X. Clooney
Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths, by Bruce Feiler
The Jew in the Lotus, by Rodger Kamenetz
Beyond Dialogue, by John Cobb
The Myth of Christian Uniqueness, edited by John Hick & Paul Knitter
