COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES

SPRING 2004

RELS 399-03: Ritual Studies

Joanne M. Pierce, Ph.D.
Office: Smith 421
Office Hours: M 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ; T 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. ; F 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ; and by appointment Office Phone: 793-3452

Email: jpierce@holycross.edu

Seminar Hours: Fridays 11:00-1:00 ; Smith 426

Course Description:

This advanced seminar will offer students the opportunity to integrate their previous work in religious studies (as well as in other disciplines) using the methodology of ritual theory as a framework. For most seminar meetings, a specific topic in the area of ritual will be discussed first in the abstract, and then illuminated by consideration of a specific ritual “case” from a religious tradition or other subject area. Many of these discussions will be led by guest lecturers from the Holy Cross faculty who are experts in these specific fields. This seminar will serve as a capstone course for religious studies majors, and will offer an integrative opportunity for advanced students in other areas of study with connections to ritual theory as well.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students should understand basic concepts in ritual studies, and should be able to apply them to their past and present work in religious studies (scripture, world religions, Christian theology, and ethics) and related disciplines. They should then be able to extend these insightsin discussion of their own experiences of religious, secular, and personal ritual in terms of various methodological and theoretical constructions offered in the area of ritual studies. Finally, students should be able to relate aspects of ritual studies to wider social and cultural issues.

Class Policies:

• Class material, a course calendar, and announcements will all be available on Blackboard. More details will be given in class.

• Class attendance is expected, and is especially important for a seminar course. If at all possible, students should either send me an email or call my office and leave a message if you expect to be absent from a class. The student is responsible for making up work (class notes, hand-outs, etc.) if a class is missed. More than two unexcused absences may cause serious problems in understanding course material.

• Essays and papers are due on the day assigned; unexcused late work will receive grading penalties. All assignments are to be typed using standard margins and an 11 or 12 point font. All assignments MUST be turned in BOTH in hard copy AND as e-files using either the Drop Box feature of Blackboard or as email attachments.

Course Requirements:

• Readings: Several groups of readings will be assigned for each class meeting: Try to skim or “sample” the readings until you come to one or two key ideas that interest you in some way (e.g. something you didn’t know before, something you agree/disagree with, something that seems especially striking or unusual). If you find one selection or section uninteresting, move on to another.

Readings assigned for a class must be read before the class meeting.

• Discussion sheets: Students will be asked to hand in short discussion sheets (2 pages) for each class in preparation for class discussion. These discussion sheets will present what you see to be the one or two key issues or ideas covered in the reading assigned for that class. The discussion sheets should also include some of your own reflections on why these issues seem to be important. The first page should deal with the theoretical readings assigned for the first hour of class; the second should deal with the reading assigned for the “case study” in the second hour of class. Each of these two pages should conclude with a general question for further group discussion in class. These discussion sheets will serve as starting points for class discussion on the seminar topic for that day. There are eleven (11) discussion sheets assigned; the lowest grade will be dropped.

• Academic Journal: Since this is intended to be a capstone course for RELS majors, one important goal is to provide both majors and non-majors the opportunity to integrate their past academic work, present study, and reflection on personal ritual experiences. To facilitate this, each student will be asked to keep an academic journal. These journals will be collected periodically and read by the instructor. More details will be given in class.

• Ritual Experiences: There will be several times during the semester when students will have the opportunity to engage in a ritual activity. Each student will be required to choose one of these “ritual experiences” and write a substantial reflection/ analytical essay on it (Length: about 8 pages). These will be discussed and planned once the course has begun.

• Final Project: Each student will be asked to do a final project that deals with ritual studies in a more specific way, tailored to the student’s own interests and expertise. This project may take several forms. For example, a student may choose to investigate a topic not covered explicitly in class (e.g. the biology of ritual behavior). The student may choose to examine a specific ritual activity more fully (e.g. a “secular” ritual, a ritual associated with a religious tradition); this may include attending a ritual event and analyzing it, as well as doing background research. The student may also choose to design a ritual to mark a specific life moment or other event. This, too, must be accompanied by detailed analysis of the design, as well as background research. (Length: 10+ pages) Students must consult with the professor on their choice of topic. Student presentations of final projects will take place during the last class/es. Further details will be given in class.

Course Grades:

Discussion sheets: 30%
Ritual experience essay: 20%
Final Project: 30%
*Participation: 20%
**************
Total: 100%

*Participation includes: Academic journal; interaction in class; class presentation of final project.

Readings

Bookstore :

Bell, Catherine. Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions.

Grimes, Ronald. Deeply into the Bone: Re-Inventing Rites of Passage.

Mitchell, Nathan. Liturgy and the Social Sciences.

Van Gennep, Arnold. Rites of Passage.

Library Reserve

Eck, Diana. Darśan.

ERes

Walter Burkert, “The Function and Transformation of Ritual Killing,” in Ronald Grimes, ed. Readings in Ritual Studies .

Girard, Rene. “Violence and the Sacred: Sacrifice,” in Grimes, Readings .

Goethals, Gregor. “Ritual: Ceremony and Super-Sunday,” in Grimes, Readings .

Hoffman, Lawrence A. “How Ritual Means: Ritual Circumcision in Rabbinic Culture and Today,” Studia Liturgica 23 (1993) 78-97.

Klawans, Jonathan. “Pure Violence: Sacrifice and Defilement in Ancient Israel ,” Harvard Theological Review (April 2001).

Miles, Margaret. “Image,” in Mark C. Taylor, ed. Critical Terms for Religious Studies.

Rouillard, Philippe. “From Human Meal to Christian Eucharist,” in R. Kevin Seasoltz, ed. Living Bread, Saving Cup.

Blackboard

Frederick Murphy, Early Judaism: the Exile to the Time of Jesus, Chapter 1.

Additional readings will be assigned: these may be web sites, handouts, or texts on ERes, Blackboard, or on reserve in the library.

Friday Class Schedule:

1) January 23: Introduction: What is Ritual? Part 1

Case Study: Your Experiences of “Ritual”

Case Study: Don Doll, S.J. and VisionQuest

On misuse of Native American rites: Grimes, Deeply, 117-121, 136-144

On Lakota Symbols and Ritual (MUST Read “Declaration of War…”): http://www.elexion.com/lakota/rites/index2.html

Doll Interview Transcript: http://net.unl.edu/artsFeat/dondolltrans.html

2) January 29: What is Ritual? Part 2 (with comments on the Lakota)

Bell , Ritual, Chapter Five; Mitchell, Chapter 1 (especially 16-27, 32-34) and Chapter 2, 35-49

Case Study: Ritual, Society, and Television

Gregor T. Goethals, “Ritual: Ceremony and Super-Sunday” in Grimes, Readings .

Bell , Ritual, Chapter Two (especially 38-46)

[Observation exercise: Watch TV! Note presidential primary coverage and Superbowl coverage]

3) February 6: Ritual: “Seeing,”and Image

Bell , Ritual, Chapter Four; Miles, “Image,” in Taylor, Critical Terms (especially 165-171).

Case Study: Prof. Todd Lewis, Pūjā [ 11:00-11:30 : rituals in Campion House, living room; 11:45 : discussion in RELS seminar room in Smith]

Eck, Darśan (especially chapters 1 and 2); re-read Bell , Ritual, 108-111.

4) February 13: Ritual as Play

Johan Huizinga, Homo ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture, Chapter I (1-27)

Case Study: Prof. Mat Schmalz, Healing and Play in India

Grimes, Deeply, 103-107, 336-344

Bell , Ritual, 115-120

Schmalz, “A Catholic Charismatic Healer at Play in North India ”

[His presentation will include: Charismatic healing meditation (“A Charismatic Healing of Memory”), Thursday 2/12, 8:30 p.m., Campion House living room; and slides on charismatic healing, Thursday 2/12, 9:00 p.m., in the RELS seminar room in Smith; both actually done during the class session itself.]

5) February 20: Ritual: Rites of Passage: Marriage and Death

Van Gennep, I (short but key), VII (and VIII, if you have time)

Grimes, Deeply, Chapters 3 and 4

Case Study: Prof. Nancy Andrews (CLAS): Ancient Greek/Roman Marriage Rites

Readings : Homeric Hymn to Demeter, and two Catullus poems about marriage (Catullus, nos. LXI (61) and LXII (62)

6) February 27: Ritual: Rites of Passage: Birth and Initiation

Van Gennep, IV and V (VI is very long, but sample it if you have time, esp. 65-74 and 93-97)

Grimes, Deeply, Chapters 1 and 2

Case Study: Prof. Alan Avery-Peck (RELS): Circumcision

Readings : Hoffman, “How Ritual Means: Ritual Circumcision in Rabbinic Culture and Today”

“Service at a Circumcision,” from The Authorized Daily Prayer Book (1948, 1975).

7) March 5: Ritual, Purity, and Sacrifice

Walter Burkert, “The Function and Transformation of Ritual Killing,” in Grimes, Readings .

Douglas , Purity and Danger, 29-34

Case Study: Prof. Frederick Murphy (RELS): Purity, Ordination, and Sacrifice in Leviticus

F. Murphy, Early Judaism: the Exile to the Time of Jesus, Chapter 1 (especially the section on priestly religion); see Blackboard.

Rene Girard, “Violence and the Sacred: Sacrifice,” in Grimes, Readings .

Jonathan Klawans, “Pure Violence: Sacrifice and Defilement in Ancient Israel,” Harvard Theological Review (April 2001); see Blackboard.

Leviticus 8-9, 16 *Please bring a Bible to class! *

[NB: Some readings and events from this date on have not yet been set!]

8) March 12 - - No Class – Spring Break

9) March 19: Ritual and Meaning: Performativity

Case Study: Prof. Christopher Dustin (PHIL) and Prof. Johanna Ziegler (VAHI): What does ritual “do” and what does it “do” to us?

C. Dustin, “The Liturgy of Theory.”

10) March 26: Ritual and Purity

Douglas, Purity and Danger, 34-40 (dirt), 94-99, 112-113 (power), 114-128 (external boundaries)

Case Study: Prof. Ibrahim Kalin: Ritual Ablutions and Purity of Life in Islam

Optional event: Friday worship at a mosque with Prof. Kalin

General Information on Muslim worship:

http://www.islamicity.com

(click on Mosque and Religious button on left, then choose on Prayer. Also look at the sections on the Hajj and the Fast.)

See also:

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~godlas/practices.html#Prayer

http://www.uga.edu/islam/

11) April 2: [Note: The date and time of this class will have to be rescheduled]

Ritual and Catholic Liturgy (here, the Eucharist/Mass)

Mitchell, Chapter 2, 49-end, and Chapter 3

Tom Driver, “Transformation: The Magic of Ritual” in Grimes, Readings .

Philippe Rouillard, “From Human Meal to Christian Eucharist,” in Seasoltz, Living Bread.

Case Study: Prof. Pierce, Reform of the Catholic Mass

Readings : The Order of Mass 1962 (Tridentine Rite) and 2001 (Vatican II) are on ERes; feel free to refer to them.

[Ahead of time: Tridentine Rite Mass; Vatican II Rite masses: 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass in St. Joseph ’s Chapel; 7:00 p.m. Sunday Mass in Mary Chapel; 12:05 noon (or 10:00 p.m. ) weekday Mass in the McCooey Chapel]

[Ritual event TBA: The Life of a Biblical Symbol: Jacob’s Ladder

Exhibit in the Cantor Art Gallery , March 10-April 16

Read: Genesis 28: 10-22]

12) April 9 - - No Class – Easter Recess

[Ritual event: Attend a celebration of the Catholic Easter Vigil]

[Ritual event TBA in April: Japanese Tea Ceremony]

13) April 16: Ritual and Feminist Liturgy

Case Study: Profs. Alice Laffey, Mary Hobgood, and Rosemary Carbine (RELS)

Readings : TBA

14) April 23: Ritual: Conclusion: What is Ritual? Part 3(+)

(Note: and what should be “done” with it?)

Bell , Ritual, Chapter Eight

Grimes, Chapter Five and Conclusion

*Case Studies: Student presentations of final projects (4)

15) April 30: *Case Studies: Student presentations of final projects (8)

*These presentations are limited to 15 minutes!

[16) Wednesday, May 5: Study Days Begin]

*Final Projects Due: Monday, May 10*

NOTE: The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.