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August
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20 Wed
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INTRO class. For next class
[FNC] read the Intro in the text, pp., 1-8, and the selections from Chagnon
and Werner found through the Readings Link page. Be ready to discuss
[BRTD] whether the beliefs and practices of the
Yanomami and Kayapo constitute real religion.
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22 Fri
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Preliminary discussion about the
nature of religion; and about primitive religion. For next class
[FNC] read Ch. 1, pp. 10-28. BRTD whether classifying cultures by
stages is bad. Also read Genesis 1-3. Next class turn in typed response to the Reading Guide (RG) #1.
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25 Mon
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Review Genesis 1-3.
Discuss whether classifying cultures is bad. FNC read Ch. 2.
& the brief selections from Freud and from Eliade
[Readings] Be ready to discuss [BRTD] DQ whether reductionism
is correct and/or valid.
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27 Wed
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Discuss Ch. 2. Do
the skeptics undermine religion successfully? FNC read Ch. 3, pp
45-57. BRTD the idea that belief in a single Ultimate arose out
of earlier polytheisms
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29 Fri
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Discuss theisms and equivalents,
and Ch. 3 in general: The History of God in the West; FNC
finish Ch. 3 & read selections from the Hindu Tradition AND the Tao Te Ching. BRTD these.
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SEPT.
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1 Mon
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LABOR DAY. NO CLASSES
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3 Wed
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Finish Chapter 3. . BRTD Hindu and Taoist readings. For Monday read Ch. 4 and its description of the human
condition
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5 Fri
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DECIDE ON PAPER AND PRESENTATION DATE for those who have not done this yet.
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8 Mon
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Discuss whether Ch. 4 accurately
depicts the human condition. FNC read the Sermon at Benares
and hand in RG #2
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10 Wed
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Discuss the Sermon at
Benares, Buddhism in general, and what it means to be human.
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12 Fri
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Review for Exam #1:
on intro + Chs 1-4.
For WEDNESDAY read intro to Part II in the text, plus the readings
"After Death" -- 4 Bible excepts + background.
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15 Mon
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EXAM
#1. [For Friday read Intro to Part II and Ch.5,
pp.87-98, as well as "After Death" BRTD varieties of ideas
about an afterlife
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17 Wed
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Discuss Exam #1 and the course
so far. [Any changes in paper and presentation?]
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19 Fri
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Discuss Readings "After
Death" and early ch. 5. Theme: from worldliness to
world-rejection. FNC end Ch. 5; begin Ch. 6.
BRTD the difference between local identity (through one's own community)
and a common human identity.
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22 Mon
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Discuss rest of Chr. 5 and start
of Ch. 6. FNC read Ch. 7; Read notes on Berger
BRTD issues of identity and belonging as part of what it means to be human.
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24 Wed
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Finish Ch. 6. Begin Ch.
7. Discuss Berger and the problem of identity, and the related role
of religion.
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26 Fri
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Finish Ch. 7. FNC read 1
page on Kohlberg and the page "On Different
Types of Morality" FNC also begin Ch. 8, pp.
153-164. Discuss Kohlberg page and Heinz+ stories
(readings). Also read the "optional" reading "Honor
Killing in a Turkish Village."
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29 Mon
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Ch. 8. BPTD how you know
what is good. FNC read Ch. 9, 181-194
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OCT
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1 Wed
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Finish Ch. 8 & begin Ch. 9.
181-194.
FNC read end of Ch. 9, pp. 194-200, and the reading "Islam-Bida."
BRTD the relation between texts, leaders, and interpretation.
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3 Fri
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Finish Ch. 9. DQ = to connect
problem of bida in Islam to Berger's ideas. FNC hand in RG #3, on Mark's Gospel.
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6 Mon
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Guest Lecture by Branick on
Mark's Gospel. Next class: Discuss RG#3. Begin Ch. 10.
Come to class with your favorite ceremony or symbol story.
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8 Wed
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For Monday, begin Ch. 11, pp.
221-229. BRTD whether you yourself use theology as part of your
religious faith (or to challenge religion) -- which in either case is to
make systematic and rational arguments about a topic, rather than tell
stories.
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10 Fri
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Midterm break yesterday and
today
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13 Mon
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Finish Ch. 9; begin ch. 10
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15 Wed
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Finish Ch. 10. Began Chl.
11. For next class, read Aquinas's 3rd proof, plus ch. 11, pp.
221-235
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17 Fri
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Discuss Anselm and Hartshorne in
the text, as well as Aquinas's arguments. FNC read the remaining
parts of of Ch. 11 as well as the selection from William James.
BRTD your notions of "faith"
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20 Mon
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For Friday read Intro to Part IV
and Ch. 12, pp. 245-261 Also read Boyle and Paley (Deists)
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22 Wed
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EXAM #2.
Chs. 5-11 plus related readings. Big
Exam!!
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24 Fri
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Discuss "modernity" and
selections from Boyle and Paley. FNC read the selections from Darwin,
then pp. 259-266. Be ready to discuss Darwin's reasons for his agnosticism
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27 Mon
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Discuss selections from
Darwin, and pp. 259-269
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29 Wed
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Finish ch. 12 Be prepared
to discuss secular evolutionary humanism as a quasi-religion. For
class Wed. read 269-82 in Ch. 13, on method of science. BRTD whether
science is based on faith.
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31 Fri
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[Guest Lecturer on Buddhism]
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NOV .
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3 Mon
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View Film: The Color of
Paradise today or on the previous two
days. Barnes in Chicago at the AAR
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5 Wed
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Discuss Film [presentations on papers?] Begin
Ch. 13
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7 Fri
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Discuss method of science and
implications. FNC finish Ch. 13. Read the excerpt from Sartre's
"Existentialism is a Humanism." BRTD notion of autonomous
responsibility.
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10 Mon
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Discuss Sartre's ideas and
notions of "freedom." Begin Ch. 14, 288-303. FNC
write a short paragraph explaining which of the theologians or theologies
on pp. 295-303 you think is the best, and why. Which is the worst?
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12 Wed
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Review pp. 288-294 as
background; then discuss students' paragraphs on theologies. FNC read
303-310, plus the selection from Gustavo Gutierrez. Also: Friday:
Hand in RG #4 on Tribble.
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14 Fri
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Discuss Gutierrez both as liberation theology
and as a "secular" religious view, as well as his claim that the gospels demand that Christians try to
change the social order to create a new kind of person. . Begin discussion of Tribble as time
allows.
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17 Mon
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Finish Tribble discussion.
Finish Ch. 14. For next class read Ch. 15, pp
311-321. BRTD the continuing vitality of religion, as well as Fowler's
types or stages of religion, and to give concrete examples of people at
each stage or type.
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19 Wed
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Discuss the continuing vitality
of religion and Fowler's stages; FNC read the rest of Ch. 15.
Be ready to explain to what extent you might be a post-modernist. Be
ready to explain what is meant by: the social construction of
knowledge; cultural relativism; anti-accommodationism and anti-secularism;
limits to science; and how all this might relate to Fowler's stages.
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21 Fri |
Discuss Religion and Postmodernism.
FNC read Epilogue to p. 341. BPTD
the legitimacy of evaluating religions and the question of which criteria
should count [At this point, there are no more readings assigned
outside of the text. Class time will sometimes be spent in student
presentations, so the schedule will vary in this and subsequent classes.] |
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24 Mon
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Discuss first 1/2 of
Epilogue, about evaluating religions. FNC class finish the Epilogue.
BRTD ways in which religions may exempt themselves from evaluation.
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26 Wed
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Today and Fri =
Thanksgiving holidays ,
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DEC.
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1 Mon
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FNC finish the Epilogue.
Discuss the four defenses
against rationalist skepticism.
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3 Wed
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Discuss 3 types of religious
truth-claims, & the 4 defenses.
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5 Fri
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Wrap-up: Religion today,
including info from your papers, and what it means to be human.
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8 Mon
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Feast of the
Immaculate Conception: No classes
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10 Wed
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Last day of classes.
Review for final exam.
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12-16
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FINAL EXAMS 11:00 a.m.
class, Fri. Dec. 19. 10:10-12:00 [or take it Monday
with the noon class]
12:00 a.m. class, Mon. Dec. 15. 2:30 - 4:20
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