Department of Humanities & Social Sciences/LUMS Comparative World Religions POL 427/ Fall Semester 2014 Tues / Thurs 2 pm—3:50 pm, SDSB 201 Professor: Dr. Ejaz Akram Office: 20, New 8S Wing 1, Phone: X 8108 Email: ejaz@lums.edu.pke Office Hours: Wednesdays 8am-Noon Teaching Assistant Mma Qureshi (321-633-2470 TUmagureshi7@gmailcomCourse Description: ‘This course introduces students to the academic study of religion through descriptive, explanatory, and normative methods. Currently, this course is being offered at LUMS within the Politics Stream, it is equally useful for other Humanities & Social Science students. This course is expected to enable students to intelligently think, talk, and write about religion. The course encourages students to be critical but not lose sight of human responsibility when dealing with ideas that may be dear to others. Religious Studies/Comparative Religions has a bumpy history in the early modern academia, but at this juncture, the methodology to study religion that is widely practiced is based on temporary suspension of one’s judgments when studying a religion/belief system other than one’s own, in an effort not to demolish the field of study while studying it. While studying other religious traditions, we will approach the teachings of that religion as the adherents of that religion believe them. The course will begin by studying the philosophy of religion which is geared towards developing your ability to think philosophically regarding the religious and/or spiritual dimension of experience. After the first three sessions, the study of eight religious traditions will be introduced. The last two sessions will be devoted to understanding the causal factors in the resurgence of global fundamentalisms and remedial avenues available to placate and mollify the vituperative aspects of the fundamentalist religion. ‘The course vies to investigate the way human societies envisage their scriptures, seek meanings, and pose questions about their world. Through the selective study of their holy texts, this course analyzes beliefs and values of eight major and living religious traditions of the world: Five Eastern religious traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shintoism) and three Western religious traditions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). The field of Religious Studies is different from its other ‘HSS cousins’, because it touches nearly all aspects of human experience. Therefore the study of religion is an indispensable conversation partner with other fields of study. It contributes to and draws on the entire range of humanistic and social scientific disciplines, thereby at once transcending the narrow but necessary disciplinary constraints and enriching their theoretical foundations by expanding the paradigmatic frontiers.Requirements: Final grades will be assigned according to your performance on the following areas: 1) Research Project 30% 2) Final Exam 30% 3) Midterm Exam 30% 4) Attendance & Participation 10% Attendance and Class Participation: It is expected that students attend regularly and participate actively in class. I will take attendance during the first five minutes of the class. If you came late, you will be marked absent. Incompletes: No incomplete grade or make up examinations will be granted. Cell Phones: Absolutely no Cell Phones in Class!! All phones must be switched OFF and inside your bags or pockets. They must NOT be visible Note on Academic Quality: In addition to the above issues, my main priority is to promote academic quality and make sure that students who come out of my classes meet the highest educational standards. This is a shared responsibility of the professor and the students. My part is to come to class prepared, update my lectures, be involved, address your questions, and be available during office hours. Your part is to come to class on time, do the readings in advance, raise questions and participate effectively in class discussions, turn in your assignments on time, and be involved. Let us all work together to fight mediocrity (According to Oxford Dictionary, a mediocre person is: indifferent, ordinary, common place, average, medium, third-rate, inferior, poor).OUTLINE What is Religion? Session 1: © Religion. Religion in the Modem World Lord Northbourne © The Idea of God. Religion in the Modern World Lord Northbourne © The Revolution in Western Thought. Beyond the Post-Modern Mind. Huston Smith Session 2: The Point of Departure (Introduction) Religions of Man Huston Smith Religion and Religions. Religion and the Order of Nature S. H. Nast Form and Substance in Religions. Islam and the Perennial Philosophy. Frithjof Schuon The Past in the Light of the Present. Ancient Beliefs and Modern Superstitions Martin Lings Session 3: © Religion and Tradition In Quest of the Sacred, the Modern World in the Light of Tradition. Victor Danner © Tradition and Anti-Tradition Religion in the Modern World Lord Northbourne ‘* The World of Today in the Light of Tradition. In Quest of the Sacred, the Modern World in the Light of Tradition. Martin Lings Modernism Religion in the Modern World Lord Northbourne The Modern World and Traditional Man. Ride the Tiger: A Survival Manual for the Aristocrats of the Soul. Julius Evola Hinduism Session 4: Hinduism in Historical Atlas of World Religions Venkatarama Raghavan, David E. Sopher, Ed. Session 5: ‘* Selected Textual Study of Rg Veda (to be distributed in class) Buddhism Session 6: © Theraveda Buddhism in Historical Atlas of World Religions G.P. Malalasekera, David E. Sopher, Ed, ‘© Mahayana Buddhism (China) in Historical Atlas of World Religions C. Wei-hsun Fu, David E. Sopher, Ed. © Mahayana Buddhism (Japan) in Historical Atlas of World Religions Joseph M. Kitagawa, David E. Sopher, Ed.Session 7: © Selected Textual Study of P: Taoism Session 8: © Taoism & Confucianism in Historical Atlas of World Religions C. Wei-hsun Fu, David E. Sopher, Ed, Session 9: © Selected Textual Study of Tao Te Ching & I Ching (to be distributed in class) Confucianism Session 10: © Taoism & Confucianism in Historical Atlas of World Religions C. Wei-hsun Fu, David E. Sopher, Ed. Session 11: © Selected Textual Study of Analects (to be distributed in class) Session 12: © Shinto in Historical Atlas of World Religions Joseph M. Kitagawa, David E. Sopher, Ed. Session 13: Selected Textual Study Chronicles/Nihongi (to be distributed in class) Judaism Session 14: «Judaism in Historical Atlas of World Religions Jacob A. Agus, David E. Sopher, Ed. Session 15: * Selected Textual Study Old Testament (to be distributed in class) Session 16: «Documentary Christianity Session 17: © Christianity in Historical Atlas of World Religions Gerald Sloyan, David E. Sopher, Ed, Session 18:* Selected Textual Study New Testament (to be distributed in class) Session 19: © Documentary Session 20: «Islam in Historical Atlas of World Religions Ismail R. al-Farugi, David E. Sopher, Ed. Session 21: © Selected Textual Study Quran (to be distributed in class) Session 22: © Islam in the Islamic World Today. Islam and the Plight of Modem Man. S.H. Nast © The Harmony of Contemplation and Action in Islam. Islam and the Plight of Modern ‘Man. 8. H. Nast © Documentary Fundamentalism & Threat to World Peace Session 23: ‘© Fundamentalism and the World of 1990s (Epilogue) Fundamer H. McNeill ‘© Religion and Secularism, Their Meaning and Manifestation in Islamic History. Islamic Life and Thought. $.H. Nasr The Political Extreme The Eleventh Hour Martin Lings The Meeting of Extremes. Ancient Beliefs and Modern Superstitions. Martin Lings The Poverty of Fanaticism Islam, Fundamentalism and Betrayal of Tradition T.J. Observed William Methods of Interfaith Dialogue & Prospects of Interfaith Harmony—I Session 24: © Introduction. The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times. Rene Guenon ‘© Uniformity against Unity. The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times. Rene Guenon © The Challenge of our Time, Unveiling Islam. Roger Du Pasquier Methods of Interfaith Dialogue & Prospects of Interfaith Harmony—II Session 25: «Freedom and Equality. Ancient Beliefs and Modern Superstitions. Martin Lings Islam and the Encounter of Religions. Living Sufism. Katherine O’Brien © The Western World and its Challenges. Islam and the Plight of Modern Man. S. H. Nast