The temple bell stops, but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers.  – Basho

World Religions Syllabus 
Fall 2002

Objectives    Expectations      Grading     Assignments     Course Outline

     EHS Phone: 713-512-3431 
     E-Mail:  spoteet@ehshouston.org 

     Class Objectives:

     1.        To explore the nature of religion as a Spiritual Ethos, or the way in which human beings connect and 
                respond in thought, emotion, and action to the mystery called life.

     2.       To recognize the value of grouping religious traditions into “family groups” based on characteristics 
               that they share, while affirming each tradition’s uniqueness. 

     3.       To develop an empathetic understanding of the faiths of others in the world, our school, and our class. 

     4.      To identify ways in which religion impacts how people live in the world socially, politically, and 
               personally. 

     5.       To become well versed with the basics tenets, literature, history, founder, rituals, and lifestyles of 
               major world religions both past and present. 

     6.       To become more informed about religious traditions so that we our knowledge might serve to teach 
             others and therefore avoid stereotypes and dispel misconceptions. 

     7.        To enter into dialogue with faith traditions so as to discover more about ourselves:  who we are, what 
               we believe and why, what our faith questions are, and however we live out our faith. 

     8.       To encounter, appreciate and celebrate, not just tolerate, the rich diversity of religious traditions that 
               exist in Houston; and grow in response. 

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     Understanding what is strange – especially humans whose goals, beliefs, personalities, and social constitutions appear other than one’s own – draws one toward the purpose of the human condition and toward the foundation of its creative impulse.  – Lawrence Sullivan 

   Class Expectations: 

     1.        Be prepared every day.  Prepared to write.  To learn.  To search and research.  To take notes. To 
ask questions and share answers.  To be respectful. Bring your laptop on days when we will use it.  However,
 you should take notes on paper. 

     2.       Be on time.  Tardiness effects participation.  For every third tardy you will earn you a mark. 

     3.        Stay current with the class.  You are responsible for keeping up with any notes or assignments you miss.  If you are absent, you are expected to get class notes or to schedule a tutorial.  Tutorials are held each afternoon until 4:00 p.m.

     4.      Turn your work in on time.  Don’t procrastinate.  For every day an assignment is late, 20 points will be deducted.  If an assignment is over four days late, you are required to see me in tutorials. 

     5.       Come to tutorials.  You HAVE to rely on tutorial periods, especially before tests if you want to do well and if you need further clarification.  You can also come before school.  I am generally here before 7:00 a.m. each morning and every afternoon. 

     6.       Proofread your papers.  When we do have a written assignment, you must proofread your paper – don’t just let the computer do it.  I would be glad to proofread a rough draft for you if you submit it before the official due date. 

     7.        Do your own work!  While you can get missed notes from another student, you MUST work alone on any homework assignment!  To do otherwise is a violation of the Honor Code.  If you need help on ANY assignment, simply come see me about it! 
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   Grading:

     My grading policy is explained as follows: 

     A = exhibits outstanding work that displays original thought, a full grasp and understanding of the material, and shows a high ability to critique materials.  An “A” is attainable by anyone willing enough to both work hard and ask questions for clarification. 

     B = work is better than “typical” work.  Shows promise though some key element is left out or you could have done just a bit more. 

     C = acceptable and passing work.  Reflects adequate, typical work.  The basic instructions of the  assignment were followed. 

     D = communicates that there are problems with the work that may have resulted from not following directions or a deficiency in learning course materials from poor preparation or poor study habits.  If you ever get a D, please discuss it with me.  No need to continue to visit Dland. 

     F = “the do it over again” grade.  Need to go back and work your way through this again.  If you ask, most assignments (if you get an F) can be made up to at least a  D. 
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     Graded Assignments:

     Periodic Quizzes.   Quizzes will be given on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis.  They are short and are designed to check your mastery of material, pat you on the back, and are good study sheets for tests. 10% 

     Three Tests.  We will have a major exam every five weeks after the end of a unit.  You will get a review sheet before the exam.  The exams will take the entire class period.  25% 

     Final Exam.  Comprehensive final may take the normal time of a regular in-class test.  Portions of the final may also be take-home with open notes and open book. 15% 

     Homework.  About two assignments a week will be given for daily homework.  These will cover readings in the text or from handouts you will receive.  WORK ON THESE INDEPENDENTLY!  15% 

     Sacred Writings Report. You will read a short selection (70 pages) of a sacred text of a major religion of your own choosing and write a short response paper to it. 10% 

     Group Presentations.   I want you to not just learn, but to be a good teacher in our class.   You will be asked to work in a small group throughout the semester on three small research projects that will be presented orally to the class. First, you will work lead our class in a fifteen minute discussion on issues that affect a major world religion using the CD-ROM, On Common Ground and articles you find on the Internet.   Second, you will be asked to visit a worship center of a faith tradition of your own choosing, take field notes.   Don’t put this off!   If you visit the site before your group report,  you can tell us about that worship center and faith in Houston.   Third, you will need to turn in a “field paper” that is a 3-page journal entry on your visit to a worship service of another faith tradition.  Guidelines will be passed out soon.   10% 

     Short Papers.  You will be expected to become the school “expert” on two religious traditions in the world. First, you will research and write a short paper on an indigenous, “primitive” religion in the world today. Second, at the end of the term, you will be asked to explore a “new religious movement” or what is sometimes
called a “cult”.    15% 

     Extra Credit.  If you would ever be interested in extra credit, one way to do this is to visit another worship service of a faith tradition that we have studied and write a second field paper.  What any extra credit would count for is negotiable, but will not count over 5% of your grade (not your test grade).

     Textbooks and Resources 

     1.        The main text for our class is Mary Pat Fisher’s Living Religions.  It is available in the bookstore. 
                Be sure and buy the blue-covered, fourth edition. 

     2.       Thich Nhat Hahn’s Peace is Every Step.  A short book on Buddhist meditation.  Available also at the 
               bookstore. 

     3.       Handouts.  I will give you copies of materials periodically as they cover some specific topic that the 
               other texts do not.  If you lose your copy, it is your responsibility to see me about a replacement. 
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       Course Outline                                                           Readings 
 
 

     Week 1,2                              What is Religion?  Theories and Approaches          Ch. 1, p. 16-42; handouts
                                                  Starting out at home – Defining Our Religious Heritages; 
                                                  What is Religious Experience?  Myth? 

     Week 3, 4                             Primitive, Indigenous Religious Traditions            Ch. 2, p. 45-75; Handouts

                                                 Research Paper 1: On Indigenous Faiths  

                                                                     TEST #1 

     Week 6, 7                             Hinduism                                                             p. 79-123; Handouts 

     Week 8, 9                             Jainism and Buddhism                                           p. 137-175 

                                                                               TEST #2 

     Week 10,11,12                     Zen Buddhism and Buddhist Meditation               Peace is Every Step 
                                                  Buddhism in Tibet, Japan 

     Week 13                              TEST #3 
                                                 Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto                                p. 178-217; Handouts 

     Week 14,15                         Zoroastrianism, Islam                                                 p.  344-390 

                                                    Book Report Due

     Week 16                              Sikhs, Judaism                                                      p.  220-270, 393-412

                                                  Field Paper Due

     Week 17                               Christianity                                                         p. 273-341 

     Week 18                                New Religious Movements

                                                 Research Paper 2: On New Religious Movements

                                                          FINAL EXAM 

     Last Note - Field Trips.    Please have your parents sign the permission slip.  With a new block schedule format, we will try and go on a few field trips during the semester.  The field trips will enrich our understanding of the faiths we will study. 

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