Classroom: St. Robert’s Hall 248
CRN: 42985, Section 3
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:25 am to 10:40 am
Professor: Amir Hussain
Office: University Hall, Room 3724
Phone: (310) 338-5987 (or Department of Theological Studies at 338-7670)
Email: amir.hussain@lmu.edu
Web Page: http://myweb.lmu.edu/ahussain/
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 am to noon; 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the academic study of religion and of world religions, and to the religious traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The course examines the historical evolution, the fundamental doctrines and beliefs, the practices, institutions and cultural expressions of these religious traditions. The course also deals with some of the essential differences and similarities which exist among each religious tradition, and points to the uniqueness of each of them.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course students will 1) demonstrate that they will think both empathetically and critically about conflicting religious claims; 2) demonstrate that they have gained knowledge of the history and culture of several major religious traditions; and 3) through class participation and written assignments have improved their verbal and written skills.
Statement on the University Mission in Relation to Theological Studies:
Courses in the Department of Theological Studies serve the University Mission to encourage learning, educate the whole person, serve faith and promote justice.
Theological Studies courses encourage learning within the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Catholic tradition. They value imagination and intellect, seeking an integration of different kinds of knowledge, and promote ecumenical and interreligious discourse. They seek to educate the whole person and serve faith by an academic exploration of the possibilities, challenges, and ambiguities of faith, in dialogue with the contemporary world. By their structure and content, they strive to promote justice by encouraging students to engage their theological understanding in a broken world.
Theological Studies courses require students to think, speak, write, and reflect critically about the largest questions of human existence. To do this, students are required also to “acquire the arts of precise and elegant expression, a sound and critical grasp of ideas, a familiarity with the modern world’s ways of knowing itself, a personal understanding of this nation’s history and multicultural heritage, and an appreciation of other cultures and societies around the globe.” (University Bulletin)
Theological Studies courses invite students to become more reflective and responsible persons in their own intellectual, ethical, and spiritual development.
Required Texts:
Willard G. Oxtoby and Alan Segal, Editors, A Concise Introduction to World Religions, second edition (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2011).
The textbook is on reserve in Reserve Services of the Library.
Lecture Outlines, available from the LMU Bookstore. Please bring these outlines to each class meeting.
Evaluation:
It is important for each student to know at the outset that this course requires daily reading, journal writing, six written assignments and two essay exams. Moreover, regular class attendance and participation are required. Clear, grammatically correct composition and standard spelling are expected on all written assignments. Written assignments should be proofread and edited before being submitted for grading.
Class discussion and assignments will focus on the textbook. The mid-term and final exam will be based on this book. The exams will be graded on a) familiarity with the readings and b) independent questioning and reflection elicited by journal writing, written assignments and classroom discussions. Methodical reading, conscientious writing of the assignments, and participation in class discussion will prepare students for the exams.
Regular attendance and timely handing-in of the written assignments are mandatory. The dates for handing-in each assignment are given below. Active class participation will positively affect the student’s final grade. More than two unexcused absences during the semester will negatively affect the student’s grade. The University’s grading policy, including the plus/minus system, will be used. The University’s policy on Academic Honesty (discussed below) will be followed in this course.
Grades will be determined as follows:
30% Written Assignments (6 assignments, worth 5% each)
10% Class Participation
30% Mid-Term Exam (On Eastern Traditions, written in green books), Oct. 18
30% Final Exam (On Western Traditions, written in green books), Dec. 13
Statement on Academic Excellence in Theological Studies:
In keeping with the larger context of LMU’s mission, academic excellence is grounded in critical thinking, moral reflection, and articulate expression (both in written and oral form). Such critical thinking, reflection, and expression are rooted in the discipline of academic work. Critical thought and reflection, as well as the ability to articulate one’s beliefs clearly and thoughtfully, are the result of disciplined work, which constitutes the necessary condition for academic achievement.
The Department of Theological Studies maintains high expectations for academic excellence. Students in Theological Studies courses are expected to be engaged listeners and careful readers as well as to write and speak cogently about substantive theological matters. They are expected to understand and analyze pertinent primary texts, scholarly literature, and non-textual sources (such as rituals and the arts), and to assimilate lectures on complex topics. Moreover, students are expected to generate their own questions about the material under consideration, questions appropriate to the sub-field that they are studying and which reflect a firm grasp of the basic course content and methodological approach.
Courses in Theological Studies may require approximately 150 pages of reading a week and 40 pages of writing over the course of the semester. Moreover, class attendance, preparation, and participation are not optional, but essential. Faculty are not required to prepare detailed “study guides” that repeat or summarize class and lecture content, nor are they required to prepare students for quizzes or exams beyond the content of the course lectures. Grading standards are high for all courses in Theological Studies.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Students with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act who need reasonable modifications, special assistance, or accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the Disability Support Services Office. Any student who currently has a documented disability (physical, learning, or psychological) needing academic accommodations should contact the Disability Services Office (Daum Hall Room 224, 310-338-4535) as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential.
Academic Honesty:
Academic dishonesty will be treated as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that can range from receiving no credit for assignments/tests to expulsion. It is never permissible to turn in any work that has been copied from another student or copied from a source (including Internet) without properly acknowledging the source. It is your responsibility to make sure that your work meets the standard of academic honesty set forth in the“LMU Honor Code and Process” which appears in the LMU Bulletin 2012-2013.
Tentative Nature of the Syllabus:
If necessary, this syllabus and its contents are subject to revision; students are responsible for any changes or modifications distributed in class or posted on the instructor’s web site.
Schedule of Classes:
Aug. 28 – 30: Introductory Meetings. Methodological Issues in This Course (Reading: Foreword, A Tribute to Alan F. Segal, Chapter 1: “The Nature of Religion”)
Sept. 4 – 6: Hindu Traditions (Reading: 272 – 292)
Sept. 11 – 13: Hindu Traditions (Reading: 293 – 335)
Sept. 18 – 20: Buddhist Traditions (Reading: 372 – 391)
Sept. 25 – 27: Buddhist Traditions (Reading: 392 – 435)
Oct. 2 – 4: Chinese and Korean Traditions: Confucianism (Reading: 472 – 503)
Oct. 9 – 16: Chinese and Korean Traditions: Daoism (Reading: 504 – 535)
Thursday, Oct. 18: Mid-Term Exam, Based on Material Covered in the Course to This Point
Oct. 23 – 25: The Mythological Framework of Western Culture. Jewish Traditions (Reading: 80 – 108)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 1: Jewish Traditions (Reading: 108 – 139)
Friday, Nov. 2: Last Day to Withdraw or Apply for Credit/No Credit grading
Nov. 6 – 8: Christian Traditions (Reading: 140 – 156)
Nov. 13 – 15: Christian Traditions (Reading: 156 – 207)
Nov. 20: Muslim Traditions (Reading: 208 – 224)
Nov. 22: No Class Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov. 27 – 29: Muslim Traditions (Reading: 224 – 271)
Dec. 4 – 6: New Religious Movements and Current Issues (Reading: 572 – 615)
Thursday, Dec. 13: Final Exam (exam time 8:00 am), Based On Material Covered Since The Mid-Term
Journal Writing and Dates for Handing in Written Assignments:
For this course, you will be asked to keep a learning journal. This journal is intended to 1) improve your writing fluency, 2) increase your recall and comprehension of the readings, and 3) help you to articulate the ideas that you develop during the course. How you keep this journal is up to you. Many students prefer a spiral-bound notebook, others a looseleaf binder that they can divide into sections, and others an electronic journal. However you keep it, this journal is meant to be a personal record of your learning in this course. As such, you are the only person that will ever read your journal.
At times in the course, I will ask you to take out your journals and write in them. In addition to these opportunities to write in your journal during class time, you should write in your journal after you have done the reading for a particular section. You should write about 2 to 3 pages per week in your journal. Some topics you might address are:
- What were the important points of this reading (or lecture, or class discussion)?
- Do you agree or disagree with those points? Why?
- What questions do you have about the reading (or lecture, or class discussion)?
- How does the reading (or lecture, or class discussion) relate to your own experience, or to other outside reading/research that you have done?
For each religious tradition that we study, I will ask you to select from your journal the piece that you consider to be the most important to you, revise it, and submit it as a formal written assignment. This assignment should not be simply a summary of your notes, but your own reflection on what you have learned. Each assignment should be between two and three typed, double-spaced pages in length. These assignments will be graded on such things as spelling, punctuation, grammar, word precision and style, in addition to content. Journal assignments will be collected at the beginning of the classes indicated below.
Turn in late assignments directly to me and not to the department office. The penalty for late assignments will be one letter grade per day late (with the “day” ending at 5:00 p.m.). For example, if an assignment is due on Tuesday, it can earn a maximum grade of A. If it is turned in on Wednesday, it can earn a maximum grade of B+. If it is turned in on Thursday, it can earn a maximum grade of C+, and if turned in on Friday, a maximum grade of D+. The assignments are due on the following dates:
Thursday, Sept. 13: Assignment on Hindu Traditions
Tuesday, Sept. 25: Assignment on Buddhist Traditions
Tuesday, Oct. 9: Assignment on Chinese and Korean Traditions
Thursday, Nov. 1: Assignment on Jewish Traditions
Tuesday, Nov. 13: Assignment on Christian Traditions
Thursday, Nov. 29: Assignment on Muslim Traditions