CALENDAR and ASSIGNMENTS
Part I: Introductory
Readings
Basic issues: 1) types of challenges from the social
sciences to religion
2) types of responses by religion:
inward-looking vs. outward; universalizing vs. localizing
Wed. Jan 3
[Roll call; pictures. Calendar. Webpage
located.]
Section I of the course: background on the major sources of
tension.
Readings for next class, with questions to be answered BRIEFLY on
a 4 x 6 card
Topic: background history of social science approaches to religion and
religious responses
Pals pp. 3-10 (7pp) on the scientific study of religion
1. Ques: what did Max Müller mean by a “science of religion”?
2. Ques: what happened after 1500 that led to this approach to
religion?
Barnes’ intro (3 pp), on the division of theologies into inward and
outward.
3. Ques: Explain briefly what this division is.
4. Ques: briefly describe the 3 "modern" ideas --
universalism, rationalism, individualism.
Historical-critical method (8pp), Protestant & Catholic inward responses
to this “scientific” approach.
5. Ques: identify some things that Martin thinks are wrong with the
historical-critical method.
6. Ques: What two presumptions does McCarthy say characterizes the
"neo-Patristic" approach.
[This
is in sections 7 & 8. You can skip the rest of McC if you like.]
Mon. Jan 8
Discuss possible paper topics
Discuss readings. Topic: The effect of the Enlightenment
on the authority of tradition
Readings for next class, with questions
Syllabus of Errors (2pp), Pius IX,
Vehementer Nos excerpt, Pius X, and
Schultenover (3pp), on the inward in older Catholic thought
1. Ques: pick an “error” in the Syllabus that you in fact think is correct,
not an error;
2. Ques: Explain whether Pius X was in favor of the
separation of church and state.
3. Ques: What future status for the Catholic Church did Leo XIII and Pius X
desire?
Consemius in Baum (Ch. 2) on Catholic anti-modernism, just pp. 14-15.
4. Ques: why were the Germans not accused of
modernism?
Pre-lectio this class on the influence of Kant, Schleiermacher, and
Renan
[attacking proofs for God; promoting
intuition; making Jesus fully human]
Wed. Jan 10
Discuss readings. Topic: some forms of "inward" responses
and possible implications.
Readings for next class, with questions
Hall in Baum, Ch. 1, on the Great War and the theologians (10pp)
1. Ques: What was the illusion which the Great War brought
an end to?
2. Ques: Identify some aspect of the "new theology.
(neo-orthodoxy).
Milbank, Theology and Social Theory (3pp) [skip pp.
406-407]
3. Ques: Cite some lines to support the claim that Milbank
rejects secular reason
Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrine (10pp)
4. Ques: Cite some lines expressing the idea that language
shapes experience.
5. Ques: religions are "idioms" for doing what, according
to L?
6. Ques: Explain how Lindbeck's position could be called
"inward."
Pre-lectio on neo-orthodoxy, on Milbank -- ungrounded "metadiscourse" &
postmodernism
-- and on Lindbeck -- criticism of emotive-expressive and
cognitivist interp of religion
Mon. Jan 15 MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY. No classes
Wed. Jan. 17
Discuss Hall, Milbank, and Lindbeck. Topic: still
looking inward
Readings for next class, with questions
Cox, handout excerpts from The Secular City (11pp)
1.
Ques: what are the three forms of desacralization Cox finds in Old
Testament thought
2. Ques: cite lines that indicate an "outward"
approach.
Robinson, excerpt from Honest to God, 1963 (4pp), "Wordly
Holiness"
3. Ques: briefly define or describe "worldly
holiness"
Cox in Baum, ch. 11, recanting about secularization. (8pp)
4.
Ques: what does Cox think is the most significant indicator of future
trends in religion?
Pre-lectio on Cox's book, The Secular City as outward-looking; +
worldly holiness.
Mon. Jan 22
Discuss Cox and secularization.
Topic: Can religion and the secular be reconciled?
Readings for next class
Schreiter in Baum, Ch. 13., on Vatican II . (14pp)
1.
Ques: In what ways does Vatican II theology differ from that of
Pius IX and X?
2.
Ques: How does that fit with the difference between “inward”
and “outward” theology?
Dignitatis Humanae excerpt (2pp)
3. Ques: identify a passage which may reflect
Enlightenment universalism or individualism
Tracy: excerpt from 1975 book, Blessed Rage for Order.
(2pp)
4. Ques: cite lines/ideas to identify Tracy as either
inward or outward
Prelectio on Vatican II and its major tensions.
Wed., Jan 24
Discuss Vatican II as a mixed Catholic "outwardness."
Topic: Secular Catholic??
Readings for next class
Juergensmeyer on 2 kinds of muslim theology (4pp)
1. Ques. What is his understanding of how the Enlightenment
affected religion?
2. Ques. What has happened to the idea of “secular nationalism” in
the world?
The Economist on Saudi Islam and the monarchy (6pp):
3. Ques What is the position of the sahwa movement?
Wright on Islam and democracy
4. Ques: what is Saroush’s position on democracy?
5. Ques. What is Ghannouchi’s position on democracy?
[Bibliographies due next week, Wed.]
Mon, Jan 29
Discuss readings on Islam. Topic: inward v. outward??
Readings for next class
Hargrove on fundamentalism.
1. Ques: What does she see as the underlying
motivations behind fundamentalism?
2. Ques: what does Hargrove think is now coming to
dominate our culture?
Jones (1p) + Patterson (3pp) on Fundamentalism
3. Ques: what does it mean to say that fundamentalism is
"reactive"?
4. Ques: what does it mean to say that fundamentalism is
"dualistic"?
5. Ques: can you identify anything about Islamic
fundamentalism that is "outward"?
Wed. Jan. 31
Discuss Hargrove, Jones, and Patterson. Topic: how
modern is fundamentalism?
Review for Exam #1.
Readings for next Wed
Readings from Pals and excerpts from original sources.
Pals: Ch. 1 on Tylor and Frazer. You may skip pp. 39-45 (ca. 24 pp).
Questions re Pals ch. 1 (brief answers will do):
1. What was Max Müller’s theory of the origin of Indo-European religion?
2. What is the difference between philology and ethnology?
3. What does Tylor mean by the word “animism”? For example?
4. To Tylor what is the relation between animism and modern science?
5. How does Frazer differ from Tylor on the relation between religion
and magic?
6. From the section called “Analysis” list items on which Tylor and
Frazer agree.
7. From the “Critique” section describe the 3 criticisms directed
against the theories of Tylor and Frazer
Prelectio on Anthropological approaches to religion
Bibliographies for paper due today (10 points).
Mon. Feb. 5
Review for First
Exam. Exam question.
Discuss the varied reactions of religious leaders and thinkers to the emergence
of “scientific” approaches to religion as part of the development of
"modernity."
Include the following in your discussion: 1) the place of rationalism;
2) the general difference between inward and outward responses; 3) the
nature of the historical-critical method in scripture interpretation,
and reasons given in the readings why this is dangerous ; 4) the type of
responses of the Popes in the late 19th and early 20th century; 5)
problems from the close relation of theologians to their cultural and/or
social context; 6) the different responses of Cox in the 1960s and Milbank in
the 1990s to the secular; 7) how Vatican II and Cox in 2000 see the near
future of religion in a secular world; 68 how similar issues appear in
Muslim thought and reactions; 9) how the response of
fundamentalism is similar to or different from any of these other
responses (inward or outward, modern or pre-modern or anti-modern).
OR: Devise an
interesting question that also requires that you review, explain, and
interrelate the materials of the first part of this course.
We. Feb. 7. FIRST EXAM
Part II:
Anthropology, religious studies, and theology.
Theories of the nature of religion, of primitive religion, with theological responses.
Basic issue throughout: can religion be “reduced” entirely to some
purely natural causes?
Mon. Feb. 12
Discuss Exams
Discuss Tylor, Frazer Topic: issues about anthropological
approaches to religion
Readings for next class: Pals, ch. 7, on Evans-Pritchard (you may skip
239 - 244) (24pp)
(There will be an excerpt from E-P handed out in class).
Topic: Still on the nature of religion, primitive religion, the
evolution of religion.
Questions to guide your reading (very brief answers on the 4 x 6 cards
will suffice):
1. What is E-P’s attitude toward theories of cultural evolution? What
reasons does he give?
2. How does Levy-Bruhl characterize primitive thought?
4. What does E-P think about the intelligence of the Azande?
5. Does the Nuer notion of soul fit with Tylor’s theory?
6. What is the difference between group rites and personal sacrifices?
7. How does E-P criticize reductionist and evolutionary theories of
religion?
8. Analysis section: what does it mean to say that E-P shows belief in
magic can be rational?
9. Critique section: How does Pals criticize E-P’s use of the “if I
were a horse” argument;
and how does Pals suggest there is indeed a “primitive” mind?
Pre-lectio on Nuer and Kwoth and other issues.
Wed. Feb. 14
Discuss Evans-Pritchard. Topic: still on issues about
anthropologies of religion
For next class read Pals, ch. 6, on Eliade (you may skip pp.
207.5-213.5)
There will also be a handout in class: an excerpt
from Eliade.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. What are Eliade’s two basic axioms? Explain what they mean.
2. In what ways does Eliade agree with Otto on the nature of religion?
3. What is the role of reason in the use of symbol and myth, according
to Eliade?
4. What does it mean to say that Judaism made religion historical?
[recall Cox].
5. What is “historicism” according to Eliade
6. Analysis section: does Eliade praise or condemn “archaic” thought?
Explain.
7. Critique section: How precise and consistent is Eliade in defining
“sacred”?
Pre-lectio on the Schleiermacher to Otto to Eliade sequence.
Mon. Feb. 19
Discuss Eliade.
Topic: A “phenomenological” respect for religion.
Next class shifts from anthropological to sociological interpretations
of religion.
For next class read Pals Ch. 3 on Durkheim (you may skip 103.5
through 106)
There will be an excerpt from Durkheim handed out in class.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. What is the sacred and how does it differ from the supernatural?
2. Describe Durkheim’s theory of the role of the totem in
Australian Aboriginal society.
3. Analysis section: Why can it be said that Durkheim is a
functionalist?
4. Critique section: What evidence from anthropology conflicts with Durkheim’s ideas about the sacred, supernatural, and profane? Is
Durkheim’s theory reductionist about religion?
Begin Part III of course: sociological theories of religion
Wed. Feb 21
Discuss Durkheim. Topic: whether Durkheim's approach is
reductionistic
Read for next class: handout from
and on Berger
Questions to guide your reading
1. What does Berger say is the "stuff" out of which society is
made?
2. In relation to Ch. 1, points d. and e., and Ch. 2. point f,
describe some specific social practice or rule today that at least some
people would say God supports.
3. In relation to Ch. 2. g. in your own words define what is
meant by "marginal situation."
4. The "alienation" which Berger describes is in fact an
alienation from one's own true selfhood, from one's own powers and
talents. Describe or illustrate what this means. (See the
next question for a hint.)
5. In your own words explain why self-alienation prevents anomy.
Mon. Feb. 26
Discuss
Berger. Topic: religion against anomy; types of
theodicies (with a handout); self-alienation.
For next class read handout from Geertz. (You may skip Pals'
chapter on Geertz.)
1. What is the rationalization of a religious tradition?
2. According to Geertz, why are the Balinese Hindus rationalizing
their tradition?
For next class also read the 6-page handout by Barnes
3. What are the four major stages of culture according to Barnes
(following Bellah and Parsons)
4. Give a brief statement of the 3 different modes of religion
that appear in the first three cultural stages
Prelectio on Geertz and on Barnes
Wed. Feb 28
Discuss Geertz Topic: The implicit evolution stages from
traditional to rationalized
Discuss Barnes. Topic: of those we have read so far, with
whom does Barnes agree most?
Next class: Discussion of "reductionism" and theological
responses. Review of materials for Exam #2.
Mon. March 5 Non-reductionist alternatives. Review for Exam #2.
Wed. March 7
EXAM #2
This exam covers both Part II and Part III.
Each of the theories covered has something to say about the origin,
nature, and development of religion. Some of these theories are
reductionistic (thoroughly naturalistic); some are supportive of
religion, however.
Exam, in two parts:
A.
Anthropological part: explain what the various theories of cultural and
religious evolution have in common and where they differ in any
significant way. Explain
which are more sympathetic to religion and how this sympathy is
expressed.
B.
Sociological part (this can be shorter than Part A): explain how Durkheim and Berger are alike and how
they differ in their interpretation of the sociological function of
religion. Offer a theological (non-reductionist) response to each.
For class on Mon., March 19 -- after Spring Break -- read excerpts from Feuerbach and Marx.
Part IV. Psychological
Theories of Religion and Theological Responses.
Part V. Political Theories of Religion and Theological
Responses.
Begin Part IV
Mon. Mar. 19
Reading: Pals, ch. 4, on Marx (skip 124-136, 148-152),
Excerpts from Feuerbach and Marx.
Topic: religion as an expression of self-alienation based on
psychological needs.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. For Marx, what is the base of any society’s moral superstructure?
2. What does “ideology” mean?
3. To what does Feuerbach attribute belief in God? (See the excerpt
also.)
4. According to Marx what does religion offer to the oppressed? (See the
excerpt also.)
5. What does it mean to say that religion expresses human
self-alienation?
6. Analysis section: explain how Marx’s ideas are a reductionistic
functionalist approach.
7. Critique section: does Marx’s theory apply to primitive religion? If
not, so what?
Wed. Mar. 21
Reading in Pals, Ch. 2, Freud (you may skip 56-63 (background on
psychoanalysis) and 72-75 (Moses and Monotheism) )
Excerpts from Freud (to be handed out in class)
Topic: what characteristics of the human psyche might account for
religion?
Questions to guide your reading:
1. Briefly describe Freud’s explanation in Totem and Taboo of how religion
originated.
2. Briefly describe Freud’ explanation in The Future of an Illusion of why
people hold on to religion.
3. How does Freud differentiate between “illusion” and “delusion”?
4. Analysis: Explain in your own words why Freud’s position is a functionalist reductionism.
5. Critique: What is the problem of circularity to which Pals points?
Mon. Mar. 26
Readings: Reiss article;
Fowler handouts; I-E-Q studies (in class)
Topic: some empirical studies of religion and psychology.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. Summarize Reiss’ conclusion about what motivates religiousness in
people. Comment on whether this shows that Freud was wrong.
2. Think of some current examples for each of the five stages of faith
of Fowler.
3. [in class: what might the I-E-Q studies imply about religiousness in
people?]
Wed. Mar. 28
Readings: Baum, ch. 5 by Sweitzer.
Social Gospel handout.
Topic: various effects of Marxism in relation to theology: A Protestant
instance.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. Explain what is meant by the “social gospel” and identify some major
proponents. (Handout)
2. Ch. 5. What led Niebuhr to take a socialist position; what then led
him to reject/modify it?
3. Ch. 5. In what way was the Canadian FCSO a response to Marx?
4. What critique did the FCSO offer of capitalist individualism?
5. How did Niebuhr and the FCSO differ on what can be hoped for in
history?
Mon. Apr. 2
Papers due -- first draft. Bring two copies, one for a peer-critique and one
for Barnes.
Reading in Baum, ch. 9 by Elizondo, & Hennelly handout on Liberation Theology.
Topic: other effects of Marxism on theology: Catholic liberation
theologies.
Questions to guide your reading:
1. Describe Hennelly's view of the future.
2. How good has the effect been of missionary activities, to the world
and specifically to Latin America, according to Elizondo?
3. Sum up the impact of the Medellin conference of bishops in 1968.
4. Give an example of an issue of concern for the All India Seminar of
1969 and of an issue for the African General Synod of Evangelization of
1974.
5. Name something in religion that is distinctively “Asian” according to Elizondo.
6. What is good and what is bad about globalization, according to Elizondo? How should the Catholic Church deal with a plurality of
cultures?
Wed. Apr. 4
Readings: Susan Ross in Baum, ch. 15.
Elizabeth Johnson excerpt. April 5.
Topic: changed social consciousness concerning women has lead to a
change in theology
1. According to Ross what virtue did Valerie Saiving say women needed to
develop, and why?
2. Briefly list the 4 “streams” of development in theology as part of
the women’s movement.
3. In what ways did the women’s movement affect “theological
anthropology”?
4. In her "critique of speech about God" what does Elizabeth Johnson say
are the 3 major problems in the use of masculine images of God?
5. According to Johnson, "an idol comes into being" when something
happens to images of God. What is that something that happens?
Easter break begins after the last class today, April 4.
Mon. Apr. 9 -- part of Easter break
Wed. Apr. 11. Receive comments on first draft of papers from
your co-reader and from Barnes.
As time allows, Barnes will review some evolutionary psychology theories
about religion (this material will not be on the exam, but it is
interesting).
Mon. Apr 17 = Final version of paper due;
Review course themes : inward-outward theologies in response to modern
social science theories; reductionism and theological responses.
Wed. Apr. 18 STANDER SYMPOSIUM. No regular classes.
Mon. Apr. 23
Student presentations on the papers -- 5 minutes each + 2 minutes for discussion.
Wed. Apr. 25.
Evaluation of course. Review for Final Exam.
Final Exam, Mon. April 30, from 4:30 to 6:20.
Both Marx and Freud interpret religion as a mistake that arises because
of certain human conditions or needs. Explain the basic theories of each
and show how they differ. Use the article by Reiss and the handouts on
Fowler to show the limits of
Freud’s speculative theories. Describe the social gospel movement and the reponses
of both Niebuhr and the FCSO to it, as well as liberation
theologies -- both Hispanic (as in Elizando and Hennelly) and feminist
(as in Ross and Johnson) -- and explain how they might be called positive responses to
Marx. Discuss the degree to which various positions tend more to
an outward or an inward approach (various positions = FCSO and Nieburh,
accepting studies by Fowler or Reiss, liberation theology and feminist
theology)
This page was last changed on March 20, 2007