RELGH 101: An Introduction to the Study of Religion Spring 2006

Naomi Koltun-Fromm nkoltunf@haverford.edu Hall 108 x4975

MWF 10:30-11:30 Stokes 101


Description
What is Religion? What do we do when we study Religion in the academy? Which materials are the foci of our study? What questions do we ask of them? These questions and more form the basic intellectual building blocks of Religious Studies. In this class we will pursue several themes: theory in religion, myth, history, sacred text, sacred space, sacred time and sacred community, as a way to enter into the academic study of religion. We will not be studying any one religious tradition in depth, but rather we will look at the specific themes listed above within the context of several different religious traditions.

Expectations
1) Full and active participation in all classes
2) Careful and thorough reading of assignments
3) 1-2 page response papers on the readings each week for Friday discussion groups
4) One take home mid term exam
5) One 10-page research paper

Required books
Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane (Eliade)
Gary E. Kessler, Ways of Being Religious (Kessler)
Malory Nye, Religion, the Basics (Nye)
Assignments on Black Board (BB)

Schedule
Introduction to the Study of Religion
M Jan 16 Introduction
W Jan 18 What is Religion, how do we study it in the academy?
READ: Kessler pp 1-36.
F Jan 20 Religion and Culture
READ Nye chapters 1-2
M Jan 23 Religion, power and gender
READ Nye chapters 3-4
W Jan 25 Religion, belief and ritual
READ Nye chapters 5-6
F Jan 27 discussion groups: What is Religion, who do we study it

Myth, history, sacred text
M Jan 30 Scripture, holy text, sacred history
READ “Scripture,” from the Encyclopedia of Religion BB
W Feb 1 What is Myth?
READ “Myth” from the Encyclopedia of Religion BB
F Feb 3 Discussion groups: myth and scripture
M Feb 6 Creation Myths
READ Gen 1-3 (Kessler p 353) Babylonian myths: Near Eastern Myths (Chapter Two) from Primal Myths by Barbara C. Sproul (BB)
W Feb 8 Creation myths
READ African myths (Kessler 50-51); Native American myths (Kessler 78-81)
F Feb 10 Creation myths and sacred text in discussion groups
M Feb 13 Foundational Myths: Judaism
READ Kessler 343-367 (optional 368-400)
W Feb 15 Foundational Myths: Christianity
READ Kessler 403-431 (optional 431-470)
F Feb 17 Foundational myths in discussion groups Midterm exam handed out
M Feb 20 Foundational myths Islam
READ Kessler 475-495 (optional 495-530)
W Feb 22 Foundational myths Buddhism
READ Kessler 163-196 (optional 197-223)
F Feb 24 Foundational myths in discussion groups
M Feb 27 Text and interpretation
READ Nye chapter 7
W Mar 1 Text, interpretation and modernity
READ Nye chapter 8
F Mar 3 MIDTERM EXAM DUE 12noon to my office Hall 108

Spring Break

Sacred space, time, rituals and community boundaries
M Mar 13 Sacred Space
READ Eliade 8-65
W Mar 15 shrines, temples, mosques, synagogues and churches
READ D. Swearer, Becoming the Buddha, pp31-45; FF Peters, Jerusalem and Mecca pp 60-122. (BB)
F Mar 17 Sacred space in discussion groups Research paper assigned
M Mar 20 Sacred Time
READ Eliade 68-113
W Mar 22 Sacred time in Sacred Space: Guest Speaker Hank Glassman
READ: Mandalas
F Mar 24 Sacred time in discussion groups
M MAR 27 Ritual—Sacred Acts
READ Eliade 162-213
W Mar 29 Ritual—Rites of Passage
READ Victor Turner, “ Liminality and Communitas” from The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure (BB).
F Mar 31 Discussion group: rituals
M Apr 3 Passover and Easter rituals
READ Exodus 12-14, Luke 22, Paul, Passover Haggadah, selections (BB)
W Apr 5 circumcision
READ: Eilberg Schwartz, The Fruitful Cut (6), Circumcision and Israel’s Symbolic Language of Fertility, Descent, and Gender from The Savage in Judaism: An Anthropology of Israelite Religion and Ancient Judaism; SJD Cohen, “Why Aren’t Jewish Women Circumcised?” from Gender and the Body in the Ancient Mediterranean (BB)
F Apr 7 Discussion groups: rituals in practice
M Apr 10 Pilgrimage
READ “Pilgrimage” in Encyclopedia of Religion (BB)
W Apr 12 Passover—no class
F Apr 14 Passover—no class
M Apr 17 Pilgrimage—the Hajj
READ Kessler (12.4.2) 514-517; One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing about the Muslin Pilgrimage, (edited and introduced by Michael Wolfe) pp.xiii-xxxi, 3-32, 486-503 (BB).
W Apr 19 Pilgrimage—Hindu
READ Kessler 103-115, (6.7) 156-160; Diana Eck: Darsan: Seeing the Divine Image in India p59-75; Haberman, Journey through the 12 Forests preface and pp3-44. (BB)
F Apr 21 pilgrimage in discussion or videos?
M Apr 24 Material Religion—tied to RELG130 and symposium
READ Colleen McDannell's Material Christianity chapter 1 and 2. (BB)
W Apr 26 Material Religion—tied to RELG130 symposium
READ Chandler, “Manly Catholicism,” in With God on Their Side, pp. 99-116. (BB)
F Apr 28 Last class: wrap up what have we learned? RESEARCH PAPER DUE in class


Students who think they may need accommodations in this course because of the impact of a disability are encouraged to meet with me privately early in the semester. Students should also contact Rick Webb, Coordinator, Office of Disabilities Services (rwebb@haverford.edu, 610-896-1290) to verify their eligibility for reasonable accommodations as soon as possible. Early contact will help to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and delays.

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Last updated 01/11/2006