RLST A100: Introduction to Religious Studies

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	10/07/2020
Top Code	151000 - Religious Studies
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)	OC Humanities - AA (OC1)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)	OCC Humanities - AS (OSC2)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

An introduction to the study of religion as an academic discipline with particular emphasis on the nature of religion, the methods used to study religious life, ways of expressing religious experience, and the practice of religion. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Identify various definitions of religion and multiple dimensions of religion.
Demonstrate familiarity with general history of, state of, and controversies within the field of Religious Studies.
Describe how the various dimensions of religion are expressed within several religious traditions.

Course Objectives

1. Identify the role of religion in relationship to the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures.
2. Identify the theological problems and advantages of religion.
3. Analyze tolerance in relationship to a wide range of religious views.
4. Describe how religions develop and change.
5. Analyze the art of meditation and its value.
6. Identify the adventure of exploring religious values and art as symbol.
7. Diagnose the similarities and differences of the Asian religions.
8. Define methods of dealing with destructive forces such as guilt and negativism.
9. Analyze and evaluate developing religious values and practices in the modern world.
10. Relate religious values to ethical and political views.
11. Justify the role of religion in gender problems.
12. Synthesize the historical and geographical relationship to religious view.
13. Identify religious holidays and rituals in a variety of world cultures.
14. Describe and give examples of religion in modern philosophical traditions.
15. Explain the social and psychological functions of religious rituals.

Lecture Content

The Universal Nature of Religion So-called Primitive Religions Magico-religious behavior in Paleanthropians Tools to make tools The domestication of fire The "opaqueness" of prehistoric documents Bones and Rock Painting Women, rites and imagination of Paleolithic hunters The discovery of agriculture-Mesolithic and Neolithic The Mesopotamian Religions Religion in Ancient Egypt Megaliths, Temples, Ceremonial centers and megalithic constructions India, Crete, Minoan, Pre-Hellenic Hittite and Canaanite and Israelite religious views Religions of the Indo Europeans - the Vedic gods Religions in India Religions in Greece The Olympians and heroes The Eleusinian Mysteries Zarathustra and Iranian religion Asian religions Teoism Confucianism Shintoism The Definition of Religion Supernatural ideas Naturalistic ideas A variety of definitions Philosophy and Religion Subjective Objective Qualities The Realistic Position The Neo-Scholastic Tradition Religion in modern philosophical traditions of existential, phenomenology, linguistic, process philosophy, scientific humanism, psychoanalysis, anthropology and historical Varieties of Religious Expression The Holy The Holy as Experience nb The Holy experienced in two ways The God who confronts His People Defense of Theism The Ontological Argument The Cosmological Argument The Teleological Argument Interiority Sacred Stories Myth and Sacred Stories Origins of Sacred Stories Creation Ancient Social and Personal Myths Mythic consciousness past and present Ritual Types of Religious Ritual Ritual in History Ritual as Play and Performance Social/Psychological Function Sacred Time Sacred Place Sacred Tradition Transcendent Power Transformation Power Individual and Group Rituals Ecosystem Cosmic Totality The Arts The Shaman as artist Art as Religious symbol Art as Religious Practice Art as Cultural Paradigm and style Belief Assertion Symbolic Expression The Belief Relationship Belief and Knowledge Classification of Religious Belief Vision of Life Scripture Identification of Scriptures The Function of Scriptures b Experience of Holy Preservation of Sacred Stories and Rituals Proclamation of moral behavior Resource for Belief Define the Ultimate Real Nature of the Self Human Destiny Morality and Ethics the Moral Imperative The External Pole The Internal Pole Moral Action Ethics Individual and Community Personal Religion religious Virtuosi Individual "Religions" Community Expressions Religious Community as Society and Nation The Future of Religions Religion as Symbol Systems Religion as Paths and Traditions Accents in Religion Journey out of the Present The Individual The Community Unrestricted Value The Imagined Future Methodological Reflections History and Problem of Method "Inside" versus "Outside" Inside the Scholarly Community Resolution

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

1. Lecture and exposition of the various topics. 2. Instructor will provide verbal feedback to students questions during lectures, and written feedback on papers students turn in. 3. Use of chalkboard, overhead, slides and videos. 4. Use of available multimedia. 5. Exams will be a combination of objective material and written answers. 6. Instructor will frequently provide handouts that relate to current religious events. 7. Create an atmosphere of adventurous inquiry and learning.

Reading Assignments

1. Students will write two papers explaining what their experience was in visiting two different religious meetings with which they were previously unfamiliar.2. Students will get credit for four papers on topics of their choice relating to religion in Eastern Europe. All papers will include at least two footnotes and two references in their bibliography. Papers will be written in ink, typed, or a printout from a computer.3. Course readings are published in a syllabus and this material will be analyzed in the tests.4. Student papers will include:a. What do your resource authors say about this view.b. What religious views are involved in your arguments.c. How does your personal experience relate to the views you are reporting.d. How do you explain the differences in religious views.e. How do cultural and political views relate to religious views.f. Explanations of their religious beliefs and practices

Writing Assignments

Out-of-class Assignments

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will write analytical papers as indicated in the "Writing Assignments." Students will engage in library resource reading to complete their written material. Students will participate in small group, in-class discussion. Objective examinations covering the texts and lecture material. Reports of visitations to religious meetings they have never attended previously. Compare religious ideas, such as, deity, conduct, how various religions view evil, how the various religions teach ways of overcoming evil and ideas of eschatology.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

1. Students will write two papers explaining what their experience was in visiting two different religious meetings with which they were previously unfamiliar. 2. Students will get credit for four papers on topics of their choice relating to religion in Eastern Europe. All papers will include at least two footnotes and two references in their bibliography. Papers will be written in ink, typed, or a printout from a computer. 3. Course readings are published in a syllabus and this material will be analyzed in the tests. 4. Student papers will include: a. What do your resource authors say about this view. b. What religious views are involved in your arguments. c. How does your personal experience relate to the views you are reporting. d. How do you explain the differences in religious views. e. How do cultural and political views relate to religious views. f. Explanations of their religious beliefs and practices.

Eligible Disciplines

Religious studies: Masters degree in religious studies, theology, or philosophy OR bachelors degree in any of the above AND masters degree in humanities OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Mircea Eliade.. A History of Religious Ideas,, ed. -, 0 Rationale: - 2. Required T. William Hall, Richard B. Pilgrim, Ronald R. Cavanagh.. Religion: An Introduction, ed. -, 0 Rationale: -

Other Resources

1. Selected material handouts provided and distributed by the instructor on current topics relating to religious beliefs and practices.

Academic Catalogs