THIS IS THE PAGE FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND OTHER RELIGION-RELATED TOPICS.
First, a word of introduction: the term "religious studies" refers to an academic field that has much in common with other "soft science" interdisciplinary fields like psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Religious studies strives for a certain scholarly detachment and is therefore not the same as theology: the latter field is the province of people with intrinsically personal, religious motivations. Although the term "theology" has seen its definition expanded to include the types of discourse found in nontheistic/atheistic traditions like philosophical Buddhism and Taoism (the term "Buddhist theology" is not uncommon in academe), it refers primarily to an endeavor that is simultaneously creative/inspired and systematically logical: theology is, as one of my professors put it, ordered discourse (λογος, logos) about the divine (ϴεος, Theos).
The emphasis of the courses featured below is not theological: I expect my students to come from all walks of life, and to have a wide variety of motivations for learning more about religion. They might be Christian or Buddhist, Muslim or Hindu or Sikh; they might be atheists who jokingly worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster or agnostics who are on their own individual path of discovery. Theology might be discussed as part of any given course, but if it is, then the discussion won't be limited to specifically Christian thought, and the opinions of people with decidedly non-theological viewpoints will be welcome.
Below are brief summaries of the types of courses I hope to teach (the list may change over time). Implicit in the design of each course is the notion that it will be taught as if it were a for-credit, semester-long, undergrad-level program. In other words: there will be plenty of reading to do, there will be plenty of in-class discussion, and there will indeed be papers to write and exams to take. The advantage of this sort of course, though, is that it's not actually for credit.
Note, too, that an informal version of each course will be available: this type of course will last only a month (four 2-hour sessions), and will feature an extremely stripped-down curriculum. Reading material, if assigned, will be optional; the informal courses will focus primarily on discussion of the relevant issues, with any lecture kept to a bare minimum.
Introduction to Religious Studies
Although we casually bandy about the word religion in our everyday lives, it's not often that we stop and think about what the word really means. Religious studies is a field devoted to exploring the question, "What is religion?" Interdisciplinary in nature, religious studies dips into fields like history, psychology, anthropology, and sociology in its attempt to answer that core question.
This course will allow students to confront that question for themselves. We will survey a range of theories of religion that have been offered by various thinkers throughout history, and discuss those theories' various merits and demerits. By the end of the course, students will have a fuller appreciation of the word religion, and will use it with greater care, caution, and understanding.
Course options:
RE001 = Intro to Religious Studies, Formal Course
RE002 = Intro to Religious Studies, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
Traditionally, courses in the philosophy of religion deal with the sorts of questions that have tickled and plagued religious thinkers throughout the centuries. Theists, for example, have often asked themselves:
What is the nature of God?
What are the arguments for and against the existence of God?
How can evil exist if God is all-powerful?
How can people be free and responsible for their actions if God already knows the future?
What counts as evidence for belief?
What happens after we die?
How does one explain the diversity of religious truth-claims?
Introduction to Philosophy of Religion is a course that explores these issues. Our principal texts will be John Hick's Philosophy of Religion (4th Ed.), as well as Allen Stairs and Christopher Bernard's A Thinker's Guide to the Philosophy of Religion.
The course is not designed to provide firm answers to any of the above questions. Anyone familiar with philosophy can affirm that most of philosophy's basic questions remain unanswered to this day-- at least, no universally satisfactory answers have been found for them. Despite the theistic emphasis of the traditional philosophy of religion course, this course will include a greater-than-normal stress on issues of religious diversity and anti-religious responses to religious thought, especially given the increased media presence of "the New Atheism."
Course options:
RE003 = Intro to Philosophy of Religion, Formal Course
RE004 = Intro to Philosophy of Religion, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Religion and Film
Harry Potter as a Christ figure? Neo (Keanu Reeves) as a cyberspace combination of Jesus, Moses, and the Buddha? Movies are magical to us because they play on our emotions and are infused with symbolism-- much of it religious. How many of us are even aware that a movie is making a religious point?
A course on religion and film can be approached in a variety of ways: the decoding of subtle or obvious religious symbols, the exploration of a given writer's or director's religious point of view, a survey of the relationship between religion and a certain genre (like science fiction).
The early part of this course will be about understanding how to "read" a film. The rest of the course will explore "religion and film" from a number of angles, depending on the semester. Some of the syllabus-related ideas I currently have include:
1. an exploration of the religious symbolism in prominent science fiction films and TV shows-- specifically the Matrix movies, the Star Wars movies, and the TV show "Battlestar Galactica."
2. a survey of how filmmakers have treated the lives of prominent religious figures such as Jesus ("The Passion of the Christ," "The Last Temptation of Christ"), the Buddha ("Little Buddha"), Moses ("The Ten Commandments," "Prince of Egypt"), Gandhi ("Gandhi"), etc.
3. a survey of movies that take a humorous approach to religion, such as Kevin Smith's "Dogma," Monty Python's "Life of Brian," or Ben Stiller's "Keeping the Faith."
4. a survey of religion-specific films, e.g., films specifically with Christian themes, such as Robert Duvall's "The Apostle"; films with Buddhist themes, such as "Why Did Bodhidharma Go East?"; films with Jewish themes, such as "The Chosen," etc.
5. a survey of films that map out a conflict between religion and some aspect of human culture, such as "Contact" (science versus religion), "A Man for All Seasons" (religion versus politics), or even-- dare I say it?-- "Rambo" (cyclical vision of history versus linear/progressive vision of history).
The possibilities are endless, and to be honest, I haven't created a curriculum for this course yet, so it's doubtful that I'll be teaching it this semester (i.e., fall 2011).
Course options:
RE005 = Religion and Film, Formal Course
RE006 = Religion and Film, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Introduction to Buddhism: History, Philosophy, Culture, and Praxis
Half a millennium before the birth of Christ, there wandered and preached an unassuming monk who had, through internal striving, found the Way. Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, known to the world as the Buddha, achieved enlightenment-- so the story goes-- while sitting underneath a tree. The principles he then expounded over the course of the next half-century were the basis for one of the world's most prominent and influential religious traditions: Buddhism.
This course will be taught in three principal parts: (1) it will trace Buddhism, as a religious movement and tradition, from its origins at the India/Nepal border to its globe-spanning stature today; (2) it will survey the principal philosophical and religious concepts that underlie Buddhist thought and practice; and (3) it will survey various forms of Buddhist art, architecture, ritual, folkloric beliefs, and other aspects of "Buddhist culture."
Course options:
RE007 = Intro to Buddhism, Formal Course
RE008 = Intro to Buddhism, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Survey of East Asian Religious and Philosophical Traditions
This course will focus on the major religious traditions that have coexisted in East Asia (i.e., China, Korea, and Japan) for centuries: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and primitive/animist belief-systems like Japanese Shinto and Korean shamanism. Emphasis will be placed on the general histories of these traditions; there will also be some discussion of major religious figures and movements, as well as an exploration of the philosophical and religious aspects of these traditions.
In the West, it's difficult to find a traditional Christian who also professes to be a member of another religious tradition. In East Asia, however, people routinely claim to be, for example, Buddhist and Confucian and shamanist: syncretism is the name of the game! How is this possible? One goal of this course is to give the student an understanding of the Asian mindset that makes the holding of multiple beliefs possible.
Course options:
RE009 = Survey of East Asian Religion and Philosophy, Formal Course
RE010 = Survey of East Asian Religion and Philosophy, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Zen Buddhism: History, Philosophy, Literature, Art, and Practice
Despite its popularity in the West, Zen Buddhism is probably one of the most comically misunderstood forms of Buddhism. With Jon Stewart offering us a daily "moment of Zen"-- by which he means "moment of bizarre, inexplicable behavior"-- we get the idea that the word "Zen" refers to something mystical and unreachable, something that can be understood only by those of a certain mindset. But as the saying goes, Zen is "nothing special." Far from being esoteric and inaccessible, Zen is practical, commonsensical, and as natural as breathing.
This course will begin with a quick rundown on Buddhist history, and will then rapidly refocus specifically on the various Zen Buddhist traditions that emanated from China (Ch'an) and spread into Korea (Son), Japan (Zen), and even Vietnam (Thien). We will examine the lives of key historical figures in the tradition (some of whom may not even have existed!), examine some of the scriptures that are part of the Zen tradition, and review the many ways in which this dynamic species of nondualistic thought has shaped lives, cultures, and history. Finally, we will examine Zen practice, with special attention paid to the differences and similarities between Zen praxis in East Asia and Zen praxis in North Atlantic cultures.
Course options:
RE011 = Zen Buddhism, Formal Course
RE012 = Zen Buddhism, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
The Question of Religious Diversity
Religious diversity-- a topic that is near and dear to my heart-- has been a human reality since the advent of religious praxis and tradition. In the 21st century, the question of how to coexist with people who harbor conflicting, and even contradictory, worldviews has become even more pressing.
This course will be taught in three phases: (1) it will examine the primary religious attitudes of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism; (2) it will examine the philosophical implications of religious diversity; and (3) it will focus on specific forms of encounter: Christian-Buddhist, Christian-Muslim, Jewish-Muslim, and Jewish-Buddhist.
Some background in world religions will be a prerequisite. (See below.)
Course options:
RE013 = The Question of Religious Diversity, Formal Course
RE014 = The Question of Religious Diversity, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Science and Religion
This course will examine the history of the interaction between the scientific and religious viewpoints. The main textbook for this course will be John Haught's Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation, but the course will include material from other sources as well.
A significant part of the semester will be spent examining the so-called "New Atheism," whose major proponents are steeped in post-Enlightenment scientific thought. We will ask ourselves whether science and religion necessarily conflict, or whether they are, as biologist Stephen Jay Gould contended toward the end of his life, "non-overlapping magisteria," i.e., human pursuits that have different zones of authority. We will examine the perspectives of scientists who are religious, scientists who are atheists, and atheists like Sam Harris (one of the "Four Horsemen" of the New Atheism) who make allowances for the possibility of some sort of esoteric or transcendent dimension of reality.
Course options:
RE015 = Science and Religion, Formal Course
RE016 = Science and Religion, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Survey of Major Religious Traditions
This course will cover the following religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. Emphasis will be on these religions' history; their effect on their respective cultures and the cultures with which they have interacted over time; and their most noteworthy beliefs, doctrines, and practices. Later versions of this course may include units on African and Mesoamerican religious traditions.
Course options:
RE017 = Science and Religion, Formal Course
RE018 = Science and Religion, Informal Course
Teaching/learning options:
Modified in-residence teaching, i.e., this course, which assumes an enrollment of at least five students, can be taught at another person's residence (further assuming a roomy home), or could even be taught-- with permission-- at a church or other house of worship. The arrangement of a proper venue is extremely important; without a place to teach, there can be no class, unless the course is conducted online via Skype.
Lessons via Skype, i.e., via teleconferencing on computer. Students will need a fast, stable Internet connection to make this possible. Students will also need to be available at the specified class time. I believe I can manage up to three or four students via Skype, although it will be a bit difficult to do any whiteboard work, since I don't think Skype has developed whiteboard technology as part of its conferencing package yet.
DO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY, IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN COURSE IS BEING TAUGHT. A MAXIMUM OF TWO RELIGION COURSES PER SEMESTER WILL BE TAUGHT.
For legal reasons, the course cannot be taught at my own residence, nor can it be taught at a public facility (such as a high school).
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
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