REL 101 - Survey of World Religions

1. Explain introductory concepts relevant to a study of world religions
   1. Identify different major world religions
   2. Describe basic common features of religions in general
   3. Distinguish between the more universal theological themes of a religion versus more specific institutional practices
   4. Identify different kinds of study of religion: historical, sociologi­cal, theologi­cal, philosophical, etc
2. Relate many of the major features of Hinduism
   1. Outline how Hinduism advocates that persons can meet their four basic wants of pleasure, success, commitment to others, and experi­ence of highest religious reality
   2. Explain how meeting the first two wants comprises the path of desire, whereas meeting the later two wants comprises the path of renunciation
   3. Describe how experiencing these two paths can extend over several lifetimes via a doctrine of reincarnation
   4. Explain the concept of Brahman as highest religious reality, as well as the concept of Atman as highest inner self
   5. Describe the four different yogas as ways to experience Brahman
   6. Explain the different kinds of personalities that best match each kind of yoga
   7. Identify the eight steps of the psychophysical exercises of Raja yoga
   8. Describe the different stages of human existence according to Hinduism
   9. Describe the different stations of life according to Hinduism
   10. Explain the key difference between Saguna Brahman as personal deity versus Nirguna Brahman as impersonal religious reality
   11. Describe the basic Hindu scriptures of the Bhagavad-Gita and the Upanishads
   12. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Hinduism today
3. Examine many of the major features of Buddhism
   1. Outline the major historical and spiritual events of the Buddha’s life
   2. Discuss the several different ways in which the Buddha criticizes his parent religion, Hinduism
   3. Explain the Buddha’s four noble truths
   4. Outline the Buddha’s eight-fold path as a culmination of living his four noble truths
   5. Describe Nirvana, the highest religious experience within Bud­dhism
   6. Compare Nirvana with the conception of God as a personal divinity within the Judeo-Christian tradition
   7. Discuss the Buddhist doctrine of anatta or no soul
   8. Outline the major similarities and differences between the two main historical branches of Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism.
   9. Relate the basic features of Zen Buddhism including the training techniques of zazen, koan, and sanzen, and the Zen religious experience of Satori
   10. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism today
4. Investigate many of the major features of Confucianism
   1. Outline the main events of the life of Confucius
   2. Describe the regional turmoil of China in Confucius’ time
   3. Discuss Confucius’ doctrine of Deliberate Tradition as a way to respond to the social turmoil
   4. Outline different basic values of Deliberate Tradition such as Jen, Chun Tzu, Li, Te, and Wen
   5. Discuss the deemphasis of the supernatural within Confucianism
   6. Analyze the extent to which Confucianism is an ethics or a religion (or both).
   7. Identify the major Confucian text called the Analects.
   8. Discuss the historical impact of Confucianism within China and elsewhere over the past 2,500 years
   9. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Confucianism today
5. Examine many of the major features of Taoism
   1. Outline the legend of the Taoist prophet Lao Tzu
   2. Discuss what the Tao is
   3. Relate the basic Taoist value of We Wei or Creative Quietude
   4. Discuss how water is the natural phenomenon best exemplifying Wu Wei
   5. Compare the emphasis on spontaneity within Taoism and the em­phasis on tradition or habit within Confucianism
   6. Discuss the Taoist rejection of self-assertiveness and competition in favor of humility
   7. Investigate the Taoist emphasis on the relativity of all values
   8. Describe the Taoist criticism of the profession of the soldier.
   9. Discuss the basic Taoist texts of the Tao Te Ching and Chuang Tzu
   10. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Taoism today
6. Relate many of the major features of Islam
   1. Outline the major historical and spiritual events of the life of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam
   2. Describe Islamic history beginning with God’s creation of the world through the life of Muhammad
   3. Identify the sacred scripture of the Koran in which Muhammad reveals the word of God
   4. Discuss the Islamic concept of God or Allah
   5. Describe the Islamic account of Allah’s creation of the world
   6. Outline Muhammad’s account of the nature of the human self
   7. Discuss Muhammad’s account of the Day of Judgment
   8. Outline Muhammad’s suggestions for how man is to interact with Allah as expressed through the Five Pillars of Islam
   9. Explain Muhammad’s social teachings incorporated in the concept of the Brotherhood of Islam
   10. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Islam today
7. Investigate many of the major features of Judaism
   1. Identify the major historical and spiritual events of the Jewish prophet Moses.
   2. Discuss the Jewish doctrine of deriving meaning in human life through rela­tionship with God
   3. Relate the Jewish account of God’s creation
   4. Outline the Jewish account of the history of the Jewish people beginning with Adam and Eve and extending through the origin of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah
   5. Identify the Jewish theological and moral precepts as expressed in the Ten Commandments
   6. Discuss the Jewish concept of justice as advocated by the progres­sion of Jewish prophets
   7. Describe the Jewish emphasis on the redeeming character of suffer­ing
   8. Describe the Jewish emphasis on God’s Revelation of Himself to man through the prophets
   9. Relate the concept of the Jews as a Chosen People
   10. Describe major religious texts of Judaism such as the Old Testament
   11. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Judaism today
8. Examine many of the major features of Christianity
   1. Outline the major historical and spiritual events in the life of Jesus
   2. Discuss the nature and significance of the resurrection of Jesus
   3. Relate some of the theological and moral teachings of Jesus as presented in the Gospels
   4. Describe the early activities of Jesus’ disciples as presented in the Acts of the Apostles
   5. Analyze the Christian theological concepts of incarnation, atonement, and the trinity
   6. Identify the major divisions of Christianity: Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Protestantism
   7. Identify geographic areas of the world where people practice Christianity today
9. Analyze how the different world religions stand in relation to one anoth­er
   1. Examine the thesis that one or another of the world religions is superior to the others
   2. Investigate the thesis that no one of the religions is superior to the others because in all serious respects the different religions are the same.
   3. Discuss the thesis that in certain ways the world religions are the same, whereas in other respects they are significantly different
   4. Relate the advantages of listening to the voices of the different world religions