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Description
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As a general introduction to the academic study of religion,
REL 100 examines the function of religion in relation to human
beliefs, social practices, and culture in general. The course
surveys a broad number of important debates in the history
of religious studies, such as the definition of religion,
the insider/outsider problem, theories on the origins of religion,
the comparison of religions, religion's psychological, sociological,
and political functions, and the manner in which human communities
authorize systems of behavior. As a Core Humanities course,
REL 100's goal is for all students to learn to define, accurately
describe, and compare in a non-evaluative manner so as to
discover significant similarities and differences in various
forms of human behavior.
Note: Although we will examine some of the world's
religious traditions, this course is not simply an introduction
to world religions; rather, it is an introduction to the study
of religion and its tools, in which religion is conceived
as an observable aspect of human culture and history.
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Syllabus
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Fall
2010 Syllabus (PDF)
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"Create
Your Own Religion"
Group Assignments (PDF)
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Religion
Group Assignments (PDF)
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Tests
Tests in this course are multiple choice, using "bubble"
scoring sheets. To fill in the answer sheet during the test
you will need to use a pencil and you will need to
know your new Campus-Wide ID (CWID) number.
Once the tests are graded, you will be able to obtain your
test results over the web by visiting www.ssc.ua.edu/query
and selecting "Student Grades," and then entering
your CWID number and password. Note: If you incorrectly
entered your CWID on the scoring sheet you will not be able
to access your test grade online, since your test score will
not be matched correctly to your login.
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Books (required)
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Nye, Malory
Religion: The Basics
ISBN: 0415263794
NY:Routledge, 2008 2nd Ed
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Rodrigues, Hillary, and Harding, John S.
Introduction to the Study of Religion
ISBN: 041540889X
London & NY: Routledge, 2009
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Jacobs, Steven
Current
World Religions (PDF)
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Readings
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"The
Study of Religion: An Introduction and Provocation"
by Kenneth MacKendrick
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study religion? |
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"What
is the Academic Study of Religion?" by Russell T.
McCutcheon (PDF)
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"Insides,
Outsides, and the Scholar of Religion" by Russell
T. McCutcheon
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"Theses
on Method" by Bruce Lincoln
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Misunderstood
Concepts, by Mark Taylor
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(Don't)
Give Me That Old Time Religion, by Don Troop
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One
University, Under God, by Stanley Fish
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Scholars
Infuse Religion With Cultural Light, by Alan Wolfe
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Religion
and Culture: Views of Ten Scholars
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What
is Religion?, by Thomas Idinopulos
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Why
Religion Still Matters, by James Carroll
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Toward
Open Definitions of Religion, by W. Richard Comstock
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Religious
Studies: A Part of the Human Sciences (PDF)
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The
Provocations of Mark Taylor (PDF)
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A
Canterbury Tale (PDF)
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Soul
Talk (PDF)
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Egypt
Announces Plan to Revise Religious Studies Curricula, Removing
Extremist Content and Promoting Tolerance (PDF)
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The
New War between Science and Religion (PDF)
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God,
Science, and Philanthropy (PDF)
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Wrestling
With One God or Another (PDF)
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Religion
as Something Absolutely Ordinary (PDF)
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Limitations
of Religious Freedom to Conform to the Standards of an Open
and Democratic Society (PDF)
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The
Complexity of Religion and the Definition of "Religion"
in International Law (PDF)
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Religion
in World Affairs (PDF)
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God
and the 21st Century (PDF)
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"Covenant"
The New Yorker (PDF)
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Powerpoint
Presentations (PDF)
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