Course Syllabus

Sec. 01 (26636) meets MWF 9:15–10:20 a.m. in Bannon 331;  
Sec. 02 (26637) meets MWF 11:45 a.m.–12:50 p.m. in Bannon 331

Office Hours:  MWF 10:30–11:30 a.m. and by appointment
Office: Bannon 355; Phone: 408-554-4595

Religious Studies in the University Core Curriculum:

The Core Curriculum at Santa Clara University includes three courses in Religious Studies at sequential levels (Introductory; Intermediate; Advanced).  The Religious Studies Department also divides its courses into three areas: Scripture and Traditions (SCTR); Theology, Ethics, and Spirituality (TESP); and Religion and Society (RSOC).

As part of the SCTR area, “Religions of the Book” focuses on foundational religious texts and their interpretation.
As an introductory course, however, it is also intended to acquaint you with each of the three academic approaches to the study of religion, thereby giving you a solid foundation for your intermediate and advanced courses in the future. Thus, while we will focus on the writings considered sacred by three particular world religions, we will also explore some questions about the theological meanings of these texts and the socio-cultural contexts that shaped them.

[For more information about the rationale and requirements of the Core Curriculum, see http://www.scu.edu/core/]

Course Description and Learning Outcomes:

This introductory-level course seeks to deepen our understanding and enliven our appreciation of religion in general and Judaism, Christianity, Islam in particular (the three major “Western Religions,” a.k.a. “Religions of the Book”). We will survey various aspects of these three major religions, including their origins, history, theology, praxis, and contemporary situations. We will learn about (and compare and contrast) some of their central beliefs, liturgical rites, spiritual practices, moral teachings, popular piety, art and architecture, etc.  Our focus will be on their core scriptures (Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Qur’an), with a three-fold goal: a) to learn to read these texts critically; b) to explore the relationship between the literary content and the original historical settings of these texts; and c) to appreciate the various ways they have been interpreted throughout history and by different groups of people today.

As a result of this course, more concretely, students should be able to:

• describe what “religion” is and how the major religions of the world are usually named & categorized;
• explain the major similarities and differences between the three main monotheistic/Western religions;
• understand the foundational role of scriptures (Bible and Qur’an) for Jews, Christians & Muslims;
• know the principal figures & historical highlights of the growth & development of these three religions;
• explain the core beliefs & practices shared by all branches of Judaism, Christianity & Islam, respectively;
• know some of the main differences & conflicts between the various sub-branches of each of these religions;
• appreciate the complex relationships of Judaism, Christianity & Islam to each other and other religions;
• know how to find reliable information and resources for life-long learning about religion and spirituality.

Required Textbooks and Instructional Materials:

• Senior, Donald, ed. The Catholic Study Bible: New American Bible. 2nd edition. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. – ISBN 0-19-528278-7;  $34.99 new; $26.25 used
• Ali, Abdullah Yusuf, trans. The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an. 10th edition. Beltsville, MD: Amana, 1999. – ISBN 0-915957-77-9 (pocket-size);  $13.95 new / $10.50 used
• Bowley, James E., ed. Living Traditions of the Bible: Scripture in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Practice. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 1999. – ISBN 0-8272-2127-4;  $22.99 new / $17.25 used
• Readings accessible online through ERes (eres.scu.edu - select instructor "Just"; password "scripture") and/or the "Schedule" page of this course website.
• Regular use of email (you can have your SCU email forwarded to an off-campus account, if you prefer).

Recommended Readings and Related Resources:

See the pages entitled “Resources” and “Schedule” on this course website.

Course Work and Expectations:

1. Attendance: On-time attendance each day is crucial to your learning and your success in this course. Please inform me in advance (personally, by phone, or by e-mail) if you have to miss, be late, or leave early for any class, or ASAP afterward in case of unanticipated illness, accident, or other crisis. Your course grade will decrease for each unexcused absence, tardy, or early departure. Five or more unexcused absences will result in a failing grade for the course.
2. Required Readings:  All reading assignments should be completed before you come to class each day, so that you can better understand the lectures and contribute to the discussions.  In addition to readings from our textbooks, certain online readings (ERes or webpages) are also required, so check the online version of the “Class Schedule” regularly. “Primary Texts” refer to ancient writings (Bible, Qur’an); “Secondary texts” refer to modern scholarly writings.
3. Participation:  Always come prepared to summarize the readings, take notes, ask questions, and challenge assumptions (your own and those of others - but always respectfully!). While this is primarily a “lecture” course, about 20 minutes each day will be devoted to discussion (in small or large groups).  You will often be asked to fill out a “worksheet” before class to guide your understanding of the readings and/or facilitate your participation in the class discussions.
4. Examinations:  We will have three shorter exams (only about 30 minutes each, one after each main unit of the course) and a comprehensive final exam.  Early or make-up exams may be available only in extremely exceptional cases.
5. Site Visits:  Teams of 2-3 students will visit at least one synagogue, church, or mosque (outside of your own religious tradition), attending a regularly scheduled weekend service, if possible.  Each team will jointly write a brief report (3-4 pages) about your experience, focusing especially on the use of scripture by the religious group you visited. Visits should be completed by Nov. 10; reports are due on or before Nov. 17. More details will be provided soon.
6. Group Project:  Groups of 4-5 students will be responsible for conducting one class session during the last three weeks of the quarter, both presenting a comparative topic and leading the class discussion for that day. You will form groups and choose topics early in the term, select (with help from the instructor) appropriate texts from HB, NT, and Qur’an for the whole class to read, and prepare some supporting materials (in paper or any electronic format) to enliven your in-class presentation. Further guidelines will be provided soon.
7. Extra Credit:  You can earn up to 33 points for attending events and exhibitions (on or off-campus), reviewing videos, following news stories, doing more site visits, or other activities that are somehow related to the topics of our course (and writing a brief report about it).  Periodic announcements will be made in class and/or on the course website; you may also propose ideas of your own at any time.  All extra work must be submitted by the last day of class (Dec. 1).
8. Office Visits:  Please visit, call, or email me at any time during the quarter to discuss any questions or problems. Scheduled office hours are on the top of this syllabus; please make an appointment if you wish to meet at other times.
9. Disability Accommodations:  To request academic accommodations for a disability, students must contact SCU’s Disability Resources office in the Drahmann Center, Benson room 214, phone (408) 554-4111; TTY (408) 554-5445. Students must provide documentation of a disability to Disability Resources prior to receiving accommodations.
10. Academic Honesty and Integrity:  I strongly encourage you to study together, learn from one another, and make use of outside sources (books, people, websites) to help you learn even more than you would by yourself. All written work, however, must obviously be your own, unless you are citing directly from sources that you have properly documented and credited.  Copying from any person, book, website, etc., without properly documenting your source (even if you change a few words), is a serious offense (plagiarism!), which will result in a failing grade for the assignment or the entire course! Please review the statements and policies on academic integrity in the SCU “Student Handbook.”

Course Grades:

Final letter grades will be based on a total of 500 points possible in this course:

• Attendance & Participation:  150 points (attendance; discussions; worksheets; etc.; 30% of the course total)
• Shorter Exams:  150 points (3x50 pts; 30% of the course total)
• Site Visit / Reports:  50 points (10% of the course total)
• Group Project:  50 points (10% of the course total)
• Final Exam:  100 points (20% of the course total)

Disclaimer: 

This syllabus may be modified slightly during the quarter, as announced in class and on the course website.

An “Educational Covenant”:

The process of teaching and learning requires attention to several basic principles:  a) respect for one another;  b) respect for the subject material;  c) respect for the learning process.
To make these principles concrete, all of us need to contribute to the learning endeavor in mutually supportive ways:

Affirmation of Acceptance:
We, the undersigned student and teacher, agree to abide by all the stipulations of the “Course Syllabus” (especially the section entitled “Course Work and Expectations”), and the above “Educational Covenant,” to the best of our abilities.

Student's Name: ____________________________  Signature: ____________________________  Date: ____________

Instructor's Name: __________________________  Signature: ____________________________  Date: ____________

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