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REL 002: 10 Intro to World Religions: East ... |
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REL 002: 10
Intro to World Religions: East
George Washington University
Spring 2007
Time: MW 12:45 - 2:00 PM
Location: Funger Hall, Room 207
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Prof. Prabhavati C. Reddy
Office Hours by Appointment
Office: Religion Department 2106 G Street
E-mail: pcreddy@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-6325
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Course Objectives
This course is an introduction to seven of the world's eastern religious traditions in India, China and Japan. While focusing on the broad outlines of historical development, we will explore key concepts, major figures, doctrinal beliefs and practices in the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Confucian, Taoist, and Shinto religious traditions. To become familiar with a multiplicity of Asian religions and their exploration in North American context are aimed to accomplish in this course.
Required Texts
- WR Willard G. Oxtoby, ed., World Religions: Eastern Traditions
- ARA Thomas A. Tweed and Stephen Prothero, Asian Religions in America: A
Documentary History.
Course Requirements
The overall grade for the course will be based on the following components:
- Four Quizzes 20% of the final grade
- Midterm exam 20% of the final grade
- Final exam (non-cumulative) 20% of the final grade
- Two Field Trips and reports 20% of the final grade
- Eight Film reviews 20% of the final grade
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Schedule of Classes and Readings
January 17W Religion and Migration: Exploring World Map
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Section 1 India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism
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| January 22M | Why Do We Study Religion? | WR, pp. 1-9, 449-467 |
| January 24W | Indus Valley Civilization; Indo-Europeans and Vedic Hinduism | WR, pp. 13-32 |
| January 29M | Classical Hinduism | WR, pp. 32-57 |
| Film 1: Hinduism |
| January 31W | Temple religion and Saint Traditions | WR, pp. 57-66, 71-97 |
| Film 2: Death and Rebirth in Hinduism |
| February 5M | Hinduism: Reform and Revival | WR, pp. 66-71, 97-113 |
| February 7W | Buddhism: Buddha & his teachings | WR, pp. 198-226 [QUIZ 1] |
| February 12M | Theravada Buddhism & its expansion to Sri Lankha | WR, pp. 227-243 |
| Film 3: Footprint of the Buddha |
| February 14W | Mahayana Buddhism | WR, pp.243-251 |
| Film 4: Mahayana |
| February 21W | Expansion of Mahayana to China | WR, pp. 258-278 |
| February 26M | February 26M | WR, pp. 252-258 |
| February 28W | The Jain Tradition | WR, pp. 160-197 |
| March 5 | The Sikh Tradition | WR, pp. 126-159 [QUIZ 2] |
MARCH 7W MIDTERM EXAM
Spring Break March 12-16
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Section 2 China: Confucianism and Taoism
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| March 19M | Chinese Ancient Religion | WR pp.316-338 |
| March 21W | Confucianism & Neo-Confucianism | pp. 352-376 |
| March 26M | Confucianism in Korea and Japan | WR pp. 376-382 Film: 5 Confucianism |
| March 28W | Daoism (Taoism) | WR 382-398 |
| April 2M | Popular Religion in Modern China | WR pp. 398-409 |
| Film: 6 Taoism- a question of balance |
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Section 3 Japan: Shinto and Zen Buddhism
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| April 4W | Shinto | WR, pp. 341-352 [QUIZ 3] |
| April 9M | Zen & Japanese New Religions | WR pp. 280-29 |
| Film 7: Japan'land of the Kami |
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Section 4 Eastern Religions in America |
| April 11W | Introduction | ARA, pp. 1-57 |
| April 16M | Encounters: Literary, Missionary, World's Parliament of Religion | ARA pp. 61-154 |
| April 18W | Eastern Dialogue during Exclusion, 1924-1965 | ARA pp. 159-218 |
| April 23M | Asian Migrations from 1965 to the Present, Religious diversity in America |
ARA, pp. 223-244 |
| April 25W | Buddhist Teachers and Movements [QUIZ 4] | ARA, pp. 261-285, 315-331 |
| April 30M | Asian Indian Immigrant Religions: Hindu, Jain, Sikh | ARA, pp. 289-312 |
| Film 8: Pilgrimage to Pittsburgh |
| May 1W | Asian Religions in American Culture and Interreligious Dialogue | ARA, pp. 335-388
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| All film reviews Due |
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| Important Instructions |
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- Final Examination: May 9 12:40-14:40
- Class attendance is mandatory. Come prepared to classes with assigned readings from WR and ARA (assigned readings for each class must be done prior to attending that class). Focus on study questions given at the end of each chapter in WR.
- Mid-term and Final Exams are based on lectures and readings; each exam consists of a combination of true-false type questions, concept definitions and short questions.
- Quizzes contain multiple-choice and true-false type questions.
Quiz 1 Indus Valley and Hinduism
Quiz 2 Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism
Quiz 3 Taoism, Confucianism and Shintoism.
Quiz 4 Eastern religions in America: material covered from 4/16 - 4/25
- Eight Films are shown in this course. You must write a one-page single-spaced review for each film and all reviews are due on May 1st (the last day of classes).
- This course requires of two field trips to temples/religious organizations located in the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia. Group trips are highly recommended. You are expected to write two reports about the temples you visited (one-page single-spaced) and they are due on May 9 (the day of final exam).
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