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This online section of Religion: Analysis and Interpretation will use a multimedia approach to explore
the basic concepts in the study of religion. This format's scope includes the exploration of concepts such
as deity, theodicy, cosmology and ritual and others such as religious social implications in society.
Students will explore how global issues and trends are interrelated with the development and practice of
religions. The student will be introduced to each concept through the textbook, videos, and PowerPoint
presentations by members of the Religious Studies faculty, each in their own research specialization.
Throughout the course the student will also be exposed to specific rituals, myths, doctrines, ethics and
symbols from various different world religions and cultures. Students will be tested on this material
through time-restricted quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam. Two essays will develop the student’s
critical thinking skills and writing abilities. For each of these essays, the student will conduct field
research by attending a religious service outside of their own tradition. This course fulfills the Gordon
Rule requirement.
COURSE OUTCOMES
Students will be able to:
Understand how an individual’s identity and outlook are shaped by religious influences
Analyze topics in the field of religions studies from multiple perspectives
Explain the history and development of the belief systems and practices of various religious
communities
Critically assess how global issues and trends affect the ways in which religions develop, spread,
and relate to one another
Appreciate the need for a willingness to think creatively about religious issues in the
contemporary world
Evaluate their own and others’ religious views as they relate to understanding other cultures and
solving common problems
Perform field research to better understand a particular religious community
TEXTBOOK & REQUIRED READINGS
Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion,
James C. Livingston,
Instructor: Erik Larson Course: REL 2011: Religion: Analysis and
Interpretation
Office: DM 305B Office Phone: 305 348 2729
E-mail: Please email me through Blackboard. (When you log in to the course, click on “Mail” under
Course Tools on the left. My name is the first one on the list.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
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Prentice Hall, 6th Edition
ISBN-10: 013600380X
ISBN-13: 978-0136003809
Appiah, K.A., The Case for Contamination, New York Times, January 1, 2006.
Online at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/magazine/01cosmopolitan.html
TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE
Thoroughly read all Course Content pages;
Log into the course at least a few times per week to check Course Mail;
Take all quizzes; and
Start your essays early! This cannot be emphasized enough.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course.
For more information about prerequisites, click here.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSTRUCTOR
E-mail: Contact me via my Blackboard email
Discussion Forum: It will be used for class discussions and other postings of general interest
that are directly related to the course. Everyone can read Discussion Forum postings; therefore,
do not post private information.
GRADING
Course Requirements Points Percentage
of Final Grade
Essay 1
(draft = 30 points and final essay = 70 points) 100 20%
Essay 2 100 20%
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Quizzes (13*110) / 13 110 20%
Exam 1
(objective part = 50 points and essay part = 50 points) 100 15%
Exam 2
(objective part = 50 points and essay part = 50 points) 100 15%
Global Learning Essay
10%
Total
100%
Letter Grade Range Letter Grade Range Letter Grade Range
A above 93 B- 81 - 83 D+ 67 – 70
A- 91 - 92 C+ 77 - 80 D 64 – 66
B+ 87 - 90 C 74 - 76 D- 61 – 63
B 84 - 86 C- 71 - 73 F < 61
GORDON RULE REQUIREMENT
As this is a Gordon Rule course, students will be required to write a minimum of two major
assignments, with the first submitted in both a first and a second draft. The first draft of Essay 1 will
account for 30% of that paper grade, and the second draft for the other 70%. Each paper should be 6-7
pages long.
QUIZZES
A time-restricted, online quiz will be given on each week's religious concept. You can take each quiz
twice, and the higher of the two attempts will be recorded. Even if you do well on the first attempt, it is
advisable to use both attempts. You will not receive the same quiz the second time; the computer
randomly chooses the questions from a quiz database. The objective Midterm (Exam 1) & Final (Exam
2) questions will be taken directly from this database. Thus, the more times you take the quiz, the more
questions you will receive and the better prepared you will be for the exams.
For the quizzes, you will have 11 minutes to complete 11 questions. Each quiz will be open for one
week, from Monday to Sunday, and you can take it on any of those days at any time.
In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you
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take the “Online Learning Practice Quiz” from each computer you will be using to take your graded
exams. It is your responsibility to make sure your computer is compatible with Blackboard
(http://www.webct.com/tuneup) and that it meets the minimum hardware requirements
(http://online.fiu.edu/future_whats_required.html). Please take this practice quiz within the first 2 weeks
of class.
EXAMS
The Midterm Objective (Exam 1) & Final Objective (Exam 2) are both online, time-restricted
examinations. They are in the Assessments area.
The essay topics for the exams will become available in the Assessment area during the exam
availability time. The essay portions of these exams must be submitted to turnitin.com. All assignments
can be submitted to Turnitin.com via Blackboard. See folder under Course Content called "Turnitin.com
Assignments for links. They are labeled: "Midterm Fall-09 Essay" & "Final Fall-09 Essay".
GLOBAL LEARNING ESSAY
Students read “The Case for Contamination” by Kwame Anthony Appiah. You will post in the
discussion forum your answers to the following questions: What roles do religions play in Appiah’s
analysis? How is your own approach similar to or different from his? You will read the responses of
your fellow students and post a reply to at least three them. Then add a concluding page or two to your
original answer reflecting on how your views have changed or stayed the same since the discussion.
Submit both your original answer and your reflections together in the assignment box.
STUDENT HOMEPAGE
Every student should create his or her own student homepage using the course's Discussion Forum,
which can be found on course's left navigation menu. For help on how to use the HTML Creator to
develop a Student Homepage, click here.
COURSE POLICIES
Late Papers Late papers will be downgraded one letter grade for each day late.
Plagiarism Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarism, or attempting to pass off another's work as your own, falls
into three different categories:
1. A written work that is entirely stolen from another source;
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2. Using quotations from another source without properly citing them; and
3. Paraphrasing from another source without proper citations.
Students are expected to understand the definition of plagiarism. See the University Code of Academic
Integrity at http://www.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/2codeofacainteg.htm if you need further
clarification. Offenders will receive a grade of F for the plagiarized assignment, and possibly the course.
ESSAYS
Turnitin.com
These Essays, "Site Visit - Essay 1 (Final Copy)" and "Site Visit - Essay 2 (Final Copy)" and "Midterm
Essay" and "Final Essay", will be turned into Turnitin.com via a link in Blackboard. It is not necessary
to create a separate Turnitin account.
Students will write two 6-7 page essays during the semester.
The first essay will be handed in twice:
as a draft worth 30% of the final grade (turn in via the Assignment dropbox in the
Assignments area of Blackboard), and
as a final paper worth 70% of the essay grade to be turned in via turnitin.com.
For each essay, the student will do field research by attending a religious service or ceremony outside of
their own religious tradition. For more detailed instructions, please see the "Essays" � page in Course
Content. These two essays are not the same assignment as the essay portion of the exams.
Keep electronic and paper copies of all written work. For your own protection, keep a copy of your
turnitin.com electronic receipt (confirmation of assignment submission) until you have received your
final grade for the course.
To fulfill the Gordon Rule requirements for writing courses, students will write two essays during
the semester. Each essay will consist of both a draft (30%) and a final (70%) version. Each essay
must be 1,800-2,100 words (approximately 7 pages), double-spaced, with one-inch margins all
around.
FIELD RESEARCH
For each essay, the student must perform field research by attending a religious service outside of their
own religious tradition. For these assignments, I’d like you to immerse yourself in something
unfamiliar. Additionally, each essay must be on a different religious tradition. For example, do not write
one paper on Catholicism and one paper on a Protestant Christian sect. Both of these would be included
Comment [SD1]: Would it be possible to include a prompt in one of the essays that specifically addresses consideration of the ways in which global issues or trends affect the ways religions are practiced or relate to one another?
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under the broader category of Christianity, which is one religious tradition.
For the second essay, you should research on another religious tradition which is outside of your own
tradition (the same requirement as the first essay).
Your research should ideally progress in three stages:
(1) Preliminary Research. Before going to the service, it is a good idea to do some preliminary
research on the religious tradition. For example, if you’re attending a Hindu ceremony, you will want to
read the textbook chapter and watch the PowerPoint presentation on Hinduism. To place the religious
tradition in a contemporary context, do some research on current global issues influencing or influenced
by this tradition. An easy way to do this is to look up the religious tradition on the New York Times
“Times Topics” page (http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/index.html). There you’ll
find articles describing the interrelationship between the religious tradition and current local, global,
international, and intercultural events. Additionally, I strongly recommend that you call the site you’ll
be visiting and let them know you’re coming to do research for a class project. Ask them if there’s any
dress code requirements, or anything else you should keep in mind. You may also want to ask if they
will allow you to take notes during the service. (Some Jewish denominations, for example, do not allow
writing on Shabbat {Saturday}.)
(2) Field Research. Attend the service and observe closely. You may want to take notes. Some students
have found it helpful to attend services in groups, and you’re welcome to do this. While observing the
service and the place of worship, look for ways current events may be influencing or influenced by the
tradition. Does the sermon address global issues or trends? Do you notice any pamphlets or religious
groups advertising a position on current events?
(3) Supplementary research. After your visit, you’ll need to do research on things that may have been
unfamiliar to you. If you go to a Jewish service and you see the men wearing kippahs (or yarmulkes),
you don’t want to write in your essay, “There were these men and they were wearing these funny hats
but I don’t know why.” This is where your additional research comes in. Find out what the hats are
called, and find out why they’re worn. If you go to a Muslim mosque and you see the worshippers
washing their hands and feet, you don’t want to write in your essay, “Everyone was washing their hands
and feet but I don’t know why they did that and it was pretty weird.” Research the practice and find out
why it’s done.
Finally, after completing these three stages, write a detailed and insightful essay. You should
demonstrate a general understanding of the religious tradition and its contemporary context, but make
most of your essay about your visit. Use your research to explain your experience. What did you see
around you? What did the place of worship look like? Did you see any religious art or religious symbols
there? How were people dressed? What rituals were performed? Did you see evidence of the
congregation or tradition in the context of current events? Finally, include your personal reaction to the
service. How did you respond? Did you enjoy the visit or did you feel uncomfortable? Has your opinion
on the religion changed at all?
At the top of your paper, please include the name of the place you visited, the date you visited, and the
names of any people you may have interviewed. Also include the particular sect of the religion. [If you
visited a Muslim mosque, was it Sunni or Shi’ite? If you visited a Jewish synagogue, was it Orthodox,
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Conservative, or Reform? If you visited a Buddhist temple, was it Theravadan or a Mahayana sect?]
You may want to ask this when you call to find out if you visit is acceptable.
When reading your essays, I will be looking at three different elements: Content, Style, and Research.
Here are some guidelines as to how you will be evaluated in each area:
Content refers to the information in your paper. Is it correct? Is it detailed? Do you demonstrate basic
knowledge of the religious tradition? Is this knowledge evident in your description of the service?
Style refers to how that information is presented. This includes the way the information is organized
and language skills such as spelling, grammar, and proper sentence structure.
Research refers to the quality and quantity of your research. You must use at least three academic
sources for each paper. These can include interviews with people at the service. If you’ll be using
websites, make sure they are from a reputable source (i.e. a professor, a scholar, or a professional
organization).
A Works Cited page must be included with each paper. I don’t mind which style format you use (MLA,
APA, Chicago, etc.), but you must use one correctly and consistently.
Religious Sites To help you get started, here are the names and addresses of various religious sites in Miami and the
surrounding area. Feel free to attend other sites not listed here, however.
Buddhism Sokka Gakkai International (Nichiren Buddhist - Mahayana)
Miami Community Center
20000 SW 36th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332
954-349-5200
International Zen Institute of Florida (Zen – Mahayana)
Dharma House
3860 Crawford Avenue
Miami, Florida 33133
305-448-8969
Wat Buddharangsi Temple (Thai – Theravadan)
15200 S.W., 240th Street
Homestead, Florida
305-245-2702
Amida Temple ("Pure Land" Buddhist – Mahayana)
c/o Kuang-Hsi Wu
12815 S.W. 119 Terrace
Miami, Florida 33186
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305-385-2866
Kagyu Shedrup Chöling (Tibetan Buddhist)
1905 Monroe Street
Hollywood, Florida 33020
954-920-1346
Hinduism Shiva Vishnu Temple
5661 Dykes Rd.
(S.W. 160th Ave.)
Pembroke Pines (Davie), FL
954-689-0471
(I-75 North, Exit Sheridan, go west to Dykes Road, then go North for about a mile, temple on left)
The South Florida Hindu Temple
13010 Griffin Road
Davie, FL
954-438-3675
Islam Good times to attend their prayer services are on Friday and Sunday, usually around 1:30 p.m.
Mosque of Miami (Sunni)
7350 N.W. 3rd Street
Miami, Florida 33126
305-261-7622
Masjid Al-Ansar (Sunni)
5245 N.W. 7th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33127
305-757-8741
Miami Gardens Mosque (Sunni)
4305 N.W. 183rd Street
Miami, FL 33055
Islamic Jafferia Association Imambara (Shia)
10554 N.W. 132nd Street
Hialeah Gardens, FL 33016
(305) 557-6835
http://www.ijamiami.org
Islamic School of Miami
Masjid al-Noor (Sunni)
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11699 S.W. 147th Ave.
Miami, FL 33196
(305) 408-0400
Judaism and Christianity For Jewish and Christian services, please consult the Yellow Pages for the church or synagogue nearest
you.
EXPECTATION OF THIS COURSE
This is a fully online course, meaning that all course work (100%) will be conducted online.
Expectations for performance in fully online courses are the same as for traditional courses; in fact, fully
online courses require a degree of self-motivation, self-discipline, and technology skills that can make
them more demanding for some students.
Fully online courses are not independent study courses. You will be expected to interact online with the
professor and your fellow students; to do assignments; to meet deadlines; and in many classes, to work
in virtual groups. In some fully online courses, you may be required to come to campus to take midterms
and exams, but in most, you will take your tests online..
COURSE CALENDAR
Date Topic Text
Week of Jan. 4
Review and fully familiarize yourself with the course and site. Print
and read the course syllabus and course calendar.
Section I. The Study of Religion
View Presentation: Dr. Northup - What Is Religion? How Is It
Studied?
Topic: Defining Religion. Why Are Humans Religious? Why Study
Religion? The Perspective of the Student–Commitment and
Objectivity. The Ways Religion Is Studied. Interpreting and
Explaining Religion.
Take Quiz 1: What is Religion?
Chapters 1-2
p. 3-34 Do not
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Week of
Jan. 11
Section II. Universal Forms of Experience and Expression
View Presentation: Dr. Huchingson -The Sacred and the Holy.
Topic: The Concept of Sacred Power. The Ambivalence of Sacred
Power. The Holy as Mysterium Tremendum and Fascinans. Sacred
Space and Sacred Time. Religion as Ultimate Concern.
Take Quiz 2: The Sacred and the Holy
Chapter 3
p. 37-52
Week of Jan. 18
View Presentation: Dr. Northup - Sacred Symbol, Myth, and
Doctrine.
Topic: Symbolic Communication. Religious Symbols. Metaphor,
Parable, and Story. Religious Myths. Models and Doctrines.
Take Quiz 3: Sacred Symbol, Myth, and Doctrine
Chapter 4
p. 53-73
Week of Jan. 25
View Presentation: Dr. Northup - Sacred Ritual.
Topic: Ritual Action. Types of Sacred Ritual. Ritual and Sacrifice.
Rituals as Sacraments.
Take Quiz 4: Sacred Ritual
Chapter 5
p. 74-95
Week of Feb. 1
View Presentation: Professor Larson - Sacred Scripture.
Topic: The Pervasive Role of Sacred Scripture. Using the Term
Scripture. Some Distinctive Features of Sacred Scripture. The
Authority and Canonicity of Scripture. The Reception and Uses of
Scripture. The Interpretation of Scripture.
Take Quiz 5: Sacred Scripture
Site Visit Essay #1 Draft Copy due February 4, 11:55 pm Assignments area NOT Turnitin. Must be in Word or rtf (rich text
format)
Chapter 6
p. 96-123
Week of Feb. 8
View Presentation: Dr. Wuaku - Society and the Sacred: The Social
Formations and Transformations of Religion.
Topic: The Reciprocal Relationship between Religion and Society.
Types of Religious Communities. Voluntary Religious Communities.
Chapter 7
p. 124-149 Do not
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Protest and Change in Voluntary Religious Communities. The Sect.
The Cult: New Religious Movements.
Take Quiz 6: Society and the Sacred
Week of Feb. 15
Section III. Universal Components of a Religious Worldview
View Presentation: Dr. Huchingson- Deity: Concepts of the Divine
and Ultimate Reality.
Topic: Polytheism and the Worship of Nature. Dualism. Pantheism
and Monism. Monotheism.
Take Quiz 7: Deity
Chapter 8
p. 153-182
Week of Feb. 22
Take Midterm-Exam 1 (objective and essay parts)
February 25, 12:00 am - February 28, 11:59 pm
Week of March 1
View Presentation: Rabbi Shulkes - Cosmogony: Origins of the
Natural and Social Order.
Topic: The Practical Basis of Cosmogony. Emergence or Procreation
from a Primal Substance or Being. The Sexual Union of a Primal Male
and Female. Creation by Conflict and the Ordering of Chaos. Creation
by a Divine Craftsman. Creation by Decree or from Nothing. The
Rejection of Cosmogonic Speculation. Cosmogony Today.
Take Quiz 8: Cosmogony
Site Visit Essay#1 - Final Copy due via Turnitin.com March 4,
11:59 pm
Chapter 9
p. 183-210
Week of March 8
View Presentation: Dr. Wuaku - Anthropology: The Human Problem.
Topic: Modern Views of Our Human Plight. Stoicism. Christianity.
Theravada Buddhism. Confucianism.
Take Quiz 9: Anthropology
Chapter 10
p. 211-234
Week of March 15
Spring Break
Week of March 22
View Presentation: Dr. Gudorf - Theodicy: Encountering Evil.
Topic: The Persistent Demand for Theodicy. Theodicy of "Mystical
Participation." A Future, This-Worldly Theodicy. Other-Worldly
Theodicy. Dualism. The Karma-Samsara Theodicy. Monotheistic
Chapter 11
p. 235-258 Do n
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Theodicies.
Take Quiz 10: Theodicy
Week of March 29
View Presentation: Dr. Gudorf - Ethics: Patterns of Moral Action.
Topic: Virtues and Obligations. The Sources and Norms of Moral
Authority.
Take Quiz 11: Ethics
Chapter 12
p. 259-286
Week of April 5
View Presentation: Dr. Huchingson - Soteriology: Ways and Goals
of Salvation and Liberation.
Topic: Ways of Salvation and Liberation. The Way of Grace through
Faith. The Way of Devotion. The Way of Action and Obligation. The
Way of Mediation and Insight. Goals of Salvation and Liberation.
Psychic Wholeness and a Healthy Social Order. Resurrection,
Immortality, and Eternal Life. Samadhi and Nirvana.
Take Quiz 12: Soteriology
Site Visit Essay #2 - Final (and only) Copy due April 8 by 11:59
pm via Turnitin.com
Chapter 13
p. 287-338
Week of April 12
Section IV. The Sacred and the Secular in Modernity
View Presentation: Dr. Bidegain - The Sacred and the Secular in
Modernity.
Topic: Secularization and Pluralism. The Reactions of Religious
Fundamentalisms Today. The Characteristics of Contemporary
Religious Fundamentalism. The Status and Roles of Women in
Religion. Relations between Religion and State.
Global Learning Exercise: Read Appiah’s “The Case for
Contamination and post answers to Discussion Forum no later
than April 14 at 11:59pm.
Respond to fellow students and submit original answers and
reflections on April 18 by 11:59pm via Turnitin.com
Take Quiz 13: The Sacred and Secular in Modernity
Chapters
14-15
p. 339-398
Week of April 19
Take Final - Exam 2 (objective and essay parts)
April 21, 12:00 am - April 24, 11:59 pm
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