Introduction to the Study of Religion Term: Fall 2006 Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays; Tuesdays and Fridays Time: Section A: TR 10:30 am to 11:50 am and Section B: TF 12:30 pm to 1:50 pm Classroom: Hamilton Classroom 7
Gregory Nelson Hite, Ph.D. Office: The Keating Center Mailbox: Cook Hall 104 Cell: 941-685-6930 Office: 941-359-4681 Hours: Wednesday 1:00 to 5:00 pm & by appointment. Email: ghite@ncf.edu	Table of Contents Course Description Course Requirements Goals Attendence Policy Obj ectives Textbooks Schedule MIDTERM FINAL EXAM Term Calendar Suggestions for Writing a Term Paper Peer Review Form Citations Writing Center Paper and Group Assignments

Course Description:

What is religion? How does one explain faith? How do men and women experience the divine? What is the relationship of religion to culture?  These are the questions scholars and practitioners, believers and non-believers have struggled to answer. This class will explore a number of different scholarly approaches (e.g. anthropological, psychological, historical, philosophical) to the study of religion and engage with a wide variety of religious traditions (American Judaism, Tibetan Buddhism, Modern American Charismatics, and American Catholicism).  Readings will be from a number of primary and secondary sources.

This course aims to encourage critical reflection about religious structures, ideals and practices; to develop empathetic insight into the fundamental ideas and values of other peoples, times, and places; and to foster critical self-consciousness about the values and commitments of one's own age and society. It aims to provide the student with an understanding of the complexity of religious phenomena and offers the advanced student a variety of methods appropriate to the study of religion.

Objectives:

• To be able to identify major persons, texts, terms, and concepts relating to the academic study of religion.
• To comprehend the internal logic and coherence linking various traditions' practices, history, social institutions and schools of thought as well as their development over time.
• To be willing to discuss openly and analyze critically the presuppositions of ones world view, religious and cultural tradition or conventionally held ideas in society and to offer arguments for one's own belief and stances rather than accepting them without question.
• To be proficient in writing analytic papers, expository essays and research papers that reflects standards of good writing and research, using appropriate literary skills.

Requirements:

The instructor will lecture on the first day of class in order to establish a context in which to frame the week's topic.   On the second day of class students will discuss the readings with the instructor and in small groups.

All reading assignments should be completed prior to the class period for which they are assigned. Attendance therefore is mandatory, and will be taken at each class.

Students will be required to:

• Write a three (3) five to seven-page papers. The first will examining a myth that you choose in consultation with the instructor, the second will address a ritual yout have observed in light of the materials and methods we have read and discussed in class and the third will examine the concept of civil religion in American life.. Students will be divided into small groups and will be responsible for peer reviewing each other's written work and completing a Peer Review Form.  
• FINAL Paper Due Dates: Myth paper is due September 22, Ritual Paper is due November 10, Civil Religion paper is due December 8. All papers due by 5 pm on the date specified. If you are in the least bit concerned that your electronic copy might not be recieved, please send as a read-receipt and/or place a hard copy in my mailbox in Cook Hall.
• Exams must be taken on the day schedules, unless prior arrangement is made with the instructor. The midterm will be given on October 12 and the final examination will be given on December 14.
• Each Student will be required to meet with the instructor at least one during the term in order to update him on their progress.
• Students are asked to arrive at class having completed all reading assignments and prepared to participate in class discussions.

Attendance Policy:  As participation is an essential component of my evaluation of your abilities attendance in class is mandatory. Attendence is helpful insofar as one participates in the discussions. Therefore, failure to regularly contribute in class is grounds for an Unsatisfactory evaluation.

Textbooks:

1. Dennis Covington. Salvation on Sand Mountain. Penguin Books. 1997. ISBN: 0140254587. (On Reserve)
2. Roger Eastman. The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Oxford. 1999. ISBN: 0195118359. ( On Reserve)
3. Gary E. Kessler. Studying Religion: An Introduction through Cases. McGraw-Hill, 2005. ISBN: 0767422279.
4. Donald Lopez, Jr. Prisoners of Shangri-La. University of Chicago. 1999. ISBN: 022649311.  (On Reserve)
5. Elizabeth Ehrlich. Miriam's Kitchen: A Memoir. Penguin. 1994. ISBN: 014026759-X.  (On Reserve)

Schedule:

Week 1
August 29, 31/1
Introductions

Kessler, Thinking about Being a Student of Religion. 3-17. The Field of Religious Studies 18-31.

Week 2
September 5, 7/8
Defining Religion

Kessler, On Defining Religion 33-49 and Sacred Power 53-77.

Week 3
September 12, 14/15
The Mythic Imagination

Kessler, Sacred Story 78-100.
Mircea Eliade, Sacred Space and the Making of the Sacred World and Sacred Time and Myth (Online)

Guide to Eliadian Terms

Film: Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
Hamilton Classroom Teaching Auditorium
September 12 8pm to 10 pm

Rough Draft of Myth Paper Due Monday September 18th @ noon to peer review groups.

Week 4
September 19, 21/22
Boundaries

Kessler, Sacred Action 101-124 and Sacred Time and Space, 125-152
Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger (Online)

For a further discussion of Judaism see Eastman Chapter 7. (Recommended)

Final Draft of Myth Paper Due FridaySeptember 22nd @ 5 pm to me.

Week 5
September 26, 28/29
Religion as a Lived Experience

Elizabeth Erhlich, Miriam's Kitchen

For a further discussion of Judaism see Eastman Chapter 7. (Recommended)

Film: Shalom Ya'll
Hamilton Classroom Teaching Auditorium
September 26 8pm to 10 pm

Week 6
October 3, 5/6
The Sociology of Religion

Kessler, Human Existence and Destiny 218-258
Max Webber, The Sociology of Religion (Online)

Week 7
October 10, 12/13
Review and Midterm

NOTE: Take home exam will be posted on web
All exams must be returned to to me via email by

Fall Break
No Class October 17, 19

Week 8
October 24, 26/27
Holy Ghost People

Covington, Salvation on Sand Mountain

See Eastman Chapter 8 (Recommended)
See Peter Cartwright: Frontier Preacher in Eastman, 490-499 (Recommended)

Film: Holy Ghost People
Hamilton Classroom Teaching Auditorium
October 24 8pm to 10 pm

Week 9
October 31, November 2/3
Ritual Analysis

Kessler. Ritual as Sacred Action, 95-117.

Vic Turner Liminality and Communitas (Online)
Pierre Bourdieu, Rites as Acts of Institution (Online)
Ronald Grimes, Modes of Ritual Sensibility (Online)

Rough Draft of Ritual Paper Due Monday to Peer Groups November 6th @ noon to peer groups.

Week 10
November 7, 9/10
The Psychology of Religion

Kessler, Religious Experience 153-188.
William James, Selections from Varieties of Religious Experience Part 1, Part 2, Part 3(Online)

Final Paper Due to Prof. Hite Friday November 10 at 5 pm to me.

Week 11
November 14, 16/17
Theocidy

Kessler, Evil 189-217
The Book of Job (Online)

Film: Faith & Doubt at Ground Zero
Hamilton Classroom Teaching Auditorium
November 14 8pm to 10 pm

Thanksgiving Break
No Class November 22, 23

Week 12
November 28, 30/December 1
Civil Religion

Kessler, Institutionalized Religion 298-338

Robert Bellah, Civil Religion (Online)
Catherine Albanese, Requiem for Memorial Day (Online)
Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (Online)

Rough Draft of Civil Religion Paper Due Monday December 4th @ noon to peer review groups.

Week 13
December 5, 7/8
Rethinking Tradition

Lopez, Prisoners of Shangri-La

See Eastman Chapter 2 (Recommended)

Film: Lost Horizon
Hamilton Classroom Teaching Auditorium
December 5 8pm to 10 pm

Final Draft of Civil Religion Paper Due Monday December 8th @ 5 pm to me.

Week 14
December 12, 14/15
Review and Final Exam

Final Exam will be posted onlineWednesday at 10 am. Must be returned to me by 6pm. Note: Cook Hall closes at 5 pm.