Introduces the beliefs, practices, and experiences of the major world religious traditions. In addition to examining the particulars of each faith, this course emphasizes current perspectives in religious studies that serve to clarify the nature and functions of religion as a force shaping, and being shaped by, the increasingly pluralistic contemporary world. Religion will be treated seriously as an important part of people’s identity and a crucial prerequisite for understanding and appreciating others and selves.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
To promote religious literacy, civil discourse, mutual respect and critical thinking.
- Understanding Religion
- The academic approach to Religious Studies
- Indigenous Religions
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
- Chinese Religions
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Contemporary challenges to the future of religion
- Explain the nature of religion and its key characteristics
- Identify and analyze the most important events, personalities, places, and stories/texts of the world’s major religious traditions
- Describe the basic beliefs, practices, and histories of the world’s major religious traditions
- Demonstrate the powerful interaction between religions and their wider cultural contexts and explain how the mingling of the two often leads to popular misunderstandings of religion*
- Critically analyze some major tensions existing between certain religious traditions, for example rival truth claims
- Critically analyze how ongoing developments in science, technology, and the converging global society impact religious traditions.*
Assessment and Requirements
Each instructor will identify and implement appropriate methods to assess the achievement of the learning objectives for the course. Such methods could include objective style tests, essays, research papers, journals, projects, etc.
Outcomes
- Humanities and Fine Arts
- Civil Society and Culture - U.S. and Global
- Humanities
- Category 5: Humanities and Fine Arts
Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Determined by department.