December 2011 Archives

We'll more or less wrap up our new material on Christianity today. As long as you don't annoy me too severely, my plan is to give you a copy of the Christianity quiz to do in class using notes/resources near the end of the hour.

Think Again: The Catholic Church - Foreign Policy magazine does a feature each issue where they challenge the "conventional wisdom" on a particular topic. In an issue from two years ago, it was the Catholic Church. We'll take a quick look at these.

Trends Within Modern Christianity: This is by no means a complete listing. Notice that we are largely avoiding denominational differences here.

DISCLAIMER: I suppose this probably isn't necessary, but I want to make it clear that these links are here to provide a variety of perspectives, and none of them carry any sort of endorsement by me or the class or the school or whatever... Consider them "primary" sources, and interpret them as you see fit.

Ecumenism: Ecumenical movements within Christianity strive to recognize the diversity among Christian groups and work toward reconciliation. (In its most idealistic format, an ecumenical movement may seek to do the same among different religious traditions.)

• Unitatis Redintegratio - Decree on Ecumenism - Vatican Conference II
  
• Ecumenism - Here's an update from a very Christian-based organization calling itself the Jeremiah Project
  
• World Council of Churches - Homepage

Evangelicalism: Broadly speaking, this refers to the teaching of Christian gospel in an attempt to convert others to Christianity. This tends to be associated with Protestant denominations. One modern manifestation of this movement has been the spread of "televangelists" with which many of you are familiar. Some of the most prominent (and controversial) have included Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Bakker, and Jerry Falwell.

• "What is an Evangelical?" - Here's an essay from the "Worldwide Church of God."
  
• "What does it mean to be born again?" - This is from a site called GotQuestions.org
  
• Current Televangelists - The TelevANGEList Network Here's a list of links to many of the current crop of televangelists.
  
• "Where does world-famous televangelist's money go?" - This is the transcript of an NBC News/Dateline report focusing on Benny Hinn, one of the most well-known of modern televangelists. He is perhaps best known for his claim of being a "faith healer."

Fundamentalism: Within any religion, a fundamentalist is one who interprets scripture and belief at a literal level. Again, this would be more commonly heard in reference to certain Protestant groups.

• Christian Fundamentalism - A List of Resources - Jerry Seay (College of Charleston)

This contains a number of resources, both from within and outside of the fundamentalist viewpoint.

Liberation Theology: "What must be done? as opposed to "What must I believe?" This movement grew out of the Catholic Church in the 1960s. It attempts to address and redress inequalities and oppression through a Christian perspective. Most of the early focus of the movement was in Latin America, but it has certainly spread to other areas. Later, other groups adopted the principles of the movement to seek similar reforms.

• Liberation Theology Resources Online
  
• Preliminary Notes on Liberation Theology - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (You might know him better as Pope Benedict XVI...)

HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, January 3rd

You could begin making progress reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

The Christianity Short Essay questions are posted. Friday, January 6th seems like the logical due date to set for those.

I "officially" said that the Judaism Short Essay questions are due on Friday, December 16th, but I recognize that many of you will use the winter break to complete them. That is fine. (I didn't post the Judaism - Timeline as I only got back half the groups. However, here is an older version of the Judaism Timeline if that helps you with the exam questions.)

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due after break. You are also welcome to complete one of the others for extra credit if you would like. (There are links to all of these on the Christianity - Day #1 Blog entry.)

The Christianity Blog Entry should be posted by Wednesday, January 4th.

"The tolerance of all religions is a law of nature stamped on the hearts of all men."- A.C. Boquet

Let's start today with a look at what many identify as several of Christianity's most distinctive features.

Distinctive Christian Tenets:

Defining terms: Trinity, atonement, incarnation,

• Trinity: Check out Smith (pp. 344-346)
• Atonement: Check out Smith (pp. 343-344)
• Incarnation: Check out Smith (pp. 340-343)

MPA's 2011 "Vatican" Conference You will be asked to read two sections of the cover story from the an issue of Newsweek that appeared several years ago. I haven't exactly decided on a format, but let's do this:

I'd like to hear summaries of the issues raised by each of the four "readings".

I. The Gay Dilemma
II. Celibacy and Marriage
III. Factoring in Females
IV. The Next Mission

Next, we'll open the floor to discussion of these issues. I encourage you to think about this from three perspectives: a Catholic Church official, a lay person, and as yourself. Feel free to share any or all of those perspectives with the group.

Denominations influenced by Christianity: This is a tricky area. Generally speaking, members of these faiths label themselves as Christians. Many "mainstream" Christians consider these faiths to be on the "fringe," if they recognize them as Christian at all. The issue of the "label" is probably of secondary concern to an understanding of the beliefs themselves.

DO THIS: You will look at one on these three groups. In addition to the web resources, be sure to get the corresponding handout from me. (You can write on these or highlight them if you want.) Note that these articles were written by adherents (believers) of the faith, and be aware of the influence that might have upon their positions.

You and you group members need to prepare evidence for both sides of this question: Should the (insert group) be considered Christians? In other words, make the case for the faith being considered Christian. In addition, show us the reasons why others may dispute that claim. You should introduce us to the basics of the faith's history and founders, key beliefs, and unique features during your discussions.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: 

Although they are working to remove this label, these are the people commonly referred to as Mormons.

Official Website: This is the official webpage of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

lds-mormon.com: This site claims to objectively discuss "the good, the bad, and the ugly" regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There are a number of resources linked here.

Jehovah's Witnesses:

Watchtower: Official Web Site of Jehovah's Witnesses: As the title implies, this official site is maintained by those who are Jehovah's Witnesses.

Freeminds.org - formerly known as Watchers of the Watch Tower World: An organization calling itself Free Minds, Inc. maintains this web site, claiming to "keep an eye" on the Watchtower. The disclaimer at the bottom reveals more about their mission.

Christian Scientists: 

Note: This group is in NO way affiliated with the Church of Scientology. Do not confuse the two. In addition, this organization publishes The Christian Science Monitor, a highly regarded daily newspaper. Its coverage of domestic and international affairs is excellent, and the vast majority of it is not in any way directed by a religious agenda.

The Church of Christ, Scientist: This is the official web site of the organization whose members are commonly referred to as Christian Scientists.

The Testimony of Carolyn Poole: This is an article written by a woman who explains her reasons for leaving the church.

HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Friday, December 16th

You should be making progress reading the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

The Judaism Blog Entry and Buddhism Short Essay questions are now past due.

I'm going to say that the Judaism Short Essay questions are due on Friday, December 16th, but I recognize that many of you will use the winter break to complete them. That is fine.

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due after break. You are also welcome to complete one of the others for extra credit if you would like. (There are links to all of these on the Christianity - Day #1 Blog entry.)

The Christianity Blog Entry should be posted by Wednesday, January 4th.

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Wednesday, January 4th to be considered on time.

1. What elements of Christianity did you find most intriguing or appealing, based on your reading? What was most difficult to accept or understand?

2. What is your understanding of the "Kingdom of God" that Jesus proclaimed? A place of psychic serenity? A human community of justice and equality? An otherworldly afterlife?

3. "We are given too few details to know exactly what happened after the crucifixion," says Smith (p. 329). What do you think might have happened?

4. What is the essential message of the "Good News" proclaimed by Christians? How does the "Christ of Faith" differ from the "historical Jesus"?

5. Central theological doctrines of Christianity include the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the Trinity (p. 339f). Which of these concepts, if any, is of particular interest to you? Why?

These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

"A true Christian should have but one fear -- lest he or she should not hope enough." - Walter Elliot

Some of you might be interested in this History of Religion map from a website called "Maps of War."

Others of you might want to check out the St. John's Bible site.

The Bible - We will focus more of our attention on the New Testament given the obvious overlap of the material from the Old Testament with what we already discussed during Judaism.

Defining terms: Old Testament, New Testament, gospels, synoptic

Things to consider:

• How did the New Testament widen the gap with Judaism? (Consider more than just the story of Jesus and his life.)
• Does it matter where the various gospels were written? Why or why not?
• How does the fact that the gospels were written decades or longer after the events influence the interpretation of those events?

Nicean Creed: The Roman Emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity in the Empire, called together the Council of Nicea to decide issues of Christianity. The Creed that emerged forms the basis of the interpretation of Christian belief. A modern wording is reprinted below.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].
With the Father and the Son
he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

Branches of Christianity

Although there are literally thousands of denominations within the Christian family, there are generally considered to be three major branches: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. We will look at the major differences among the three.

Relevant pages from The World's Religions:

• Roman Catholicism- pp. 346-352
• Eastern Orthodoxy- pp. 352-356
• Protestantism- pp. 356-362

Download the Branches of Christianity matrix to guide your work.

Distinctive Christian Tenets:

Defining terms: Trinity, atonement, incarnation, Nicean Creed

Huston Smith describes these three unique tenets of Christianity in some detail.

DO THIS: Each of you will choose one of the three tenets and read what Smith has to say about it. We will discuss those ideas together as a group next time.

• Trinity: Check out Smith (pp. 344-346)
• Atonement: Check out Smith (pp. 343-344)
• Incarnation: Check out Smith (pp. 340-343)
  

"I find the name of Jesus Christ written on the top of every page of modern history." - George Bancroft, historian

Reminders:  We'll take a look at the Judaism multiple choice quiz.  First, let me again try to clarify the expectations with the Independent Assignments. (This is a slight change from what was posted. We'll require one less from you given that it's a short quarter.)

REVISION:  These TWO are required.

• Independent Assignment #3 - "Read About It OR Watching It" - Due Wednesday, January 4th
• Independent Assignment #4 - "Experience It" - Due Thursday, January 12th

OPTIONAL:  Extra Credit choices - Due Friday, January 13th
You can do ONE of these choices:

• "Read About It OR Watching It" - The option you did not do above.
• "Talking About It"
• "Taking a Position" Note that this one is no longer required...
  
• "Learn About an Interest"

Bulletin Bloopers - This is not a current event, but rather something I find amusing each year at this time. This is a collection of typos and mistakes which have supposedly been printed in church bulletins. Enjoy.  DON'T READ AHEAD ON THESE.  IT SPOILS THE MOMENT...

Introduction to Christianity: Discussion:  As with Judaism, we will try to avoid recovering ground with which you are already familiar. The assumption is that you have studied the subject in Regional Studies/ World History and that you have acquired at least some understanding of the religion and its role by living in a country where it is the predominant religion. We'll take a few minutes to consider some of our conceptions/ preconceptions of Christianity. These questions are intentionally worded vaguely. I want to see from where we are coming.

• What is the "core" of Christian belief? In what ways is this different from, or similar to, other religions we have considered?
  
  
• Is the United States a "Christian nation"? If so, what does that mean? If not, why not? How should this status be viewed? (Is it a good thing?)
  
  
• Is the study of Christianity complicated by the fact that the numerical majority of our students are Christian? What advantages or drawbacks does this reality create?
  
  
• In today's world, what does it mean to be a "Christian"? To what degree does this vary by geography and individual?

Differences with Judaism: We will spend a good deal of time looking at the historical ways and reasons why Judaism and Christianity split. Too often, many mistakenly assume that Judaism is simply "Christianity minus Jesus." Theologian Leo Trepp has compiled a list of eleven major differences between the faiths. Here is Trepp's list of Judaic principles. For each, provide the Christian "side" of the distinction.

Defining terms: original sin, sacrament, Messiah

• The God that Jews know is One.
• God is formless and will never assume human form.
• No human will ever be divine.
• No human will ever be perfect.
• Jews believe that everyone has direct access to God.
• Jews believe that the soul comes to us morally neutral, with free will to choose between good and evil.
• Judaism insists on obedience to the God-given commandments in Torah and on our personal responsibility to be "co-workers" of God on earth.
• Judaism does not have sacraments.
• Jews believe that "all the righteous peoples of the world have a share in the world to come."
• To Jews, Christian ethics are no more advanced than their own, and many speeches attributed to Jesus are merely restatements of traditional Jewish teachings.
• To Jews, the New Testament is not divinely revealed.

Jesus of Nazareth: It is clear that Jesus is the pivotal figure in the history and development of Christianity. However, historians and religious scholars still differ markedly as to the "true" Jesus. Recent years have seen a wealth of new, and often conflicting, scholarship on this issue. We will begin with an examination of that controversy and the role that Jesus played in the development of the Christian religion.

From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians - PBS Frontline:  Here you can find a number of references and links related to the early years of Christianity.

At the turn of the millennium, a group of artists met to consider a "newer" face for Jesus that they believed would be more historically accurate. You can see the image they produced here.

Sacred Literature

The Bible - We will focus more of our attention on the New Testament given the obvious overlap of the material from the Old Testament with what we already discussed during Judaism.

Defining terms: Old Testament, New Testament, gospels, synoptic

Things to consider:

• How did the New Testament widen the gap with Judaism? (Consider more than just the story of Jesus and his life.)
• Does it matter where the various gospels were written? Why or why not?
• How does the fact that the gospels were written decades or longer after the events influence the interpretation of those events?

Comparing Gospel accounts: There are four gospel accounts which are generally considered to be the "canon". They are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There are differences in the styles, emphases, and dates of compilation for the four.

DO THIS: You can find a handy on-line version of the gospels here. Choose several sections or particular events from the life of Jesus and compare them. I'd suggest looking at the beginnings, the discussion of (or lack of discussion of) miracle stories, and the events leading up to and including the resurrection account. See what conclusions you can draw from these comparisons.

Comparing versions of the Bible: The Christian Bible is the most widely translated book in the world. Many different versions have been compiled over the centuries. Two of the most widely known are the King James Version and the Revised Standard Version.

DO THIS: Compare these two versions. (You can also go here for the RSV version.) Select a particular section and look at the differences and similarities. You might consider the account of Genesis, the Gospels, or the letters of Paul.

"Bible Basics" describes various interpretations of the Bible. You can read around the origins of each and a description of their "intended" audience.

Here is a completely non-serious, on-line attempt to "match" you with the Biblical hero / heroine you are most similar to in your interests and preferences. (Here's the link to Beliefnet's other quizzes.)

HOMEWORK for Christianity - Day #2

If you get the time, you should begin reading the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

The Judaism Blog Entry and Buddhism Short Essay questions are now past due.

I'm going to say that the Judaism Short Essay questions are due on Friday, December 16th, but I recognize that many of you will use the winter break to complete them. That is fine.

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due after break. You are also welcome to complete one of the others for extra credit if you would like. 


 

We'll wrap things up today with one more activity. Following that, we'll do any review that you would like to do, and we'll then have you take the Judaism Multiple Choice quiz.

The Search for "Meaning": Huston Smith begins his discussion of Judaism with a basic premise. "What lifted the Jews from obscurity to permanent religious greatness was their passion for meaning." He goes on to discuss this passion in a variety of contexts. We'll attempt to summarize this unit by having pairs of you explain whichever item you previously signed up to discuss.

• Meaning in God
• Meaning in Creation
• Meaning in Human Existence
• Meaning in History
• Meaning in Morality
• Meaning in Justice
• Meaning in Suffering
• Meaning in Messianism

After everyone has a chance to ask their review questions, we'll have you take the multiple choice portion of the Judaism exam.


HOMEWORK for Christianity - Day #1

If you get the time, you should begin reading the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

The Judaism Blog Entry is due to be posted today. The Buddhism Short Essay questions are now past due as well.

I'm going to say that the Judaism Short Essay questions are due on Friday, December 16th, but I recognize that many of you will use the winter break to complete them. That is fine.

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due after break. You are also welcome to complete one of the others for extra credit if you would like. 


 

"Historically the profoundest meaning of Passover is something which sets Judaism apart from other religions. It marks the birth of a nation. Out of a mass of slaves, Moses fashioned a nation and gave them a faith." - Philip S. Bernstein

The B.C. Controversy: Believe it or not, ten years ago, one of the sources for claims of anti-Semitism and religious intolerance was the comic strip, B.C. Most of you probably know this comic's characters are cave people, dinosaurs, and other animals. Its author, Johnny Hart, often used the strip to express his own, pro-Christian, viewpoints. The strip published on Easter Sunday (a day which also marked the conclusion of Passover in 2001) drew a lot of criticism. Here is the evidence so that you can make up your own mind.

• This is the comic strip which ran on Easter Sunday in 2001.
• "Many take offense at a Sunday comic by Johnny Hart" explores reaction to the strip and the decision to publish, or not publish, the comic that day.
• "If You Ran the Newspaper" traces some of the controversy as it affected the StarTribune.
• "Johnny Hart and the "R"-word" Here's a defense of the strip from a member of the Jewish faith.

Modern Israel: This is another topic that could easily cover days or weeks. Of course, you have been introduced to this in World History and elsewhere. Here, we will focus not on the specific events and dates, but rather on some of the underlying ideas and tensions in the region. I am curious as to your reactions to the following questions.

• How important was religion in the decision to create Israel after World War II? How important should it have been?
• Do the Palestinians have a legitimate claim to land currently occupied by Israel? Should a Palestinian state be created?
  
• Where does blame lie for the ongoing violence in the Middle East?
• What can be done to lessen religious violence in the Middle East?
• What do you see for the future of the Middle East?
  
  

The Search for "Meaning": Huston Smith begins his discussion of Judaism with a basic premise. "What lifted the Jews from obscurity to permanent religious greatness was their passion for meaning." He goes on to discuss this passion in a variety of contexts. We'll attempt to summarize this unit by having threesomes of you explain each of them to the group.

• Meaning in God
• Meaning in Creation
• Meaning in Human Existence
• Meaning in History
• Meaning in Morality
• Meaning in Justice
• Meaning in Suffering
• Meaning in Messianism

Each group of you should claim one of these "meanings" and be prepared to explain it to the rest of the class.


HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #6

If I could get you group's contribution to our "Jewish History" timeline yet today (assuming I don't already have it), that would help me get them posted ASAP.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they are supposedly due on Friday, December 9th.

Please continue in your reading with the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

Please try to have the Judaism Blog Entry posted by the end of Monday, December 12th. You should plan on taking the Judaism multiple choice quiz at the end of the block on Monday as well. (Note sheet is welcome...)

We'll tackle a couple more aspects of Judaism today. First, let me clarify the expectations with the Independent Assignments. (This is a slight change from what was posted. We'll require one less from you given that it's a short quarter.)

REVISION:  These TWO are required.

• Independent Assignment #3 - "Read About It OR Watching It" - Due Wednesday, January 4th
• Independent Assignment #4 - "Experience It" - Due Thursday, January 12th

OPTIONAL:  Extra Credit choices - Due Friday, January 13th

You can do ONE of these choices:

• "Read About It OR Watching It" - The option you did not do above.
• "Talking About It"
• "Taking a Position" Note that this one is no longer required...
  
• "Learn About an Interest"
  

HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #5

If I could get you group's contribution to our "Jewish History" timeline by Friday morning (assuming I don't already have it), that would help me get them posted ASAP.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they will be due on Friday, December 9th.

Please continue in your reading with the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

Please try to have the Judaism Blog Entry posted by the end of Monday, December 12th. You should plan on taking the Judaism multiple choice quiz at the end of the block on Monday as well.

We can use the blog to hold "conversations" about reading in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll certainly talk about some of the readings in class, but this gives you another chance to share your ideas. You may respond to one or more of the questions, and you can also react to comments posted by others. I'll expect a comment of one good paragraph or more. (To me, that means 5-6 sentences at a minimum.) You do not need to worry about perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation, but they should be understandable. Remember that this is a public site, and you are responsible for the content of your postings.

Assume that each comment is worth 5 points. (5 points for solid or better comments, 4 for comments somewhat short of expectations, 3 or fewer for last-minute, little to no effort postings, and no points for those who have not posted.)

All posts should be made to this blog entry NO LATER than the beginning of class time on Monday, December 12th to be considered on time.

1. What did you find most appealing or intriguing about Judaism, based on your reading? What was most difficult to accept or understand?

2. "The Ten Commandments constitute the moral foundation of most of the Western world," says Smith (p. 286). What is your opinion of the Ten Commandments? Are they absolutes? Minimal expectations for social order?

3. Has messianism - the hope for a God-appointed liberator or savior - been a positive or negative force in human affairs?

4. Have the Jews, as a "chosen people," been held to higher standards of conduct than their neighbors in the Middle East? Should they be?

5. "Without attention, the human sense of wonder and the holy will stir occasionally, but to become a steady flame it must be tended" (p. 302). Judaism seeks to hallow life through prayer, ritual, and tradition. How do you personally fan the flame of reverence and wonder in your life?

These questions are excerpted from Understanding the World's Religions: A Study Guide to Huston Smith's The World's Religions by Gary Kowalski.

"Only in our remembrance and open discussion is there a chance, a hope, that
another Holocaust will never happen." - Louis Weber, publisher of "The
Holocaust Chronicle"



HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #4

If I could get you group's contribution to our "Jewish History" timeline by Friday morning (assuming I don't already have it), that would help me get them posted ASAP.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they will be due on Friday, December 9th.

Independent Assignment #3 ("Taking a Position") will be due next Wednesday, December 14th.

Please continue in your reading with the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

Please try to have the Judaism Blog Entry posted by the end of Monday, December 12th. You should plan on taking the Judaism multiple choice quiz at the end of the block on Monday as well.

"I hope the time comes when the laws and literature of the ancient Hebrews will be studied in all of our schools as now are studied the laws and literature of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and when it will be universally recognized that no man ignorant of the laws and literature of the ancient Hebrews is a well-educated man." - Lyman Abbott

Due to all the visitors yesterday, I failed to introduce Independent Assignment #3 ("Taking a Position"). It will be due next Wednesday, December 14th.

The Covenant: At the center of the relationship between the Hebrew people and God was the covenant, or sacred, binding agreement. The Hebrew people would obey the law given to them, and their God would increase their number and protect them. Here is one translation of the Torah's mention of the covenant. (God is speaking to Abram (Abraham) after Isaac is nearly sacrificed.)

"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Caanan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."

DO THIS: Brainstorm examples of the covenant expressed in historical and contemporary Judaism. Consider events, traditions, rituals, symbols, etc.

Sacred Literature (I'm not sure why the font goes crazy here...)

Defining terms: Torah, Five Books of Moses, Tanakh, Talmud

Torah: "Teachings"- This is sometimes known as the Five Books of Moses. Browse through the Torah a bit. Try to find at least two sections or stories with which you are familiar.

Tanakh: The Tanakh consists of the Torah, the works of the Prophets, and the writings.

Neviim: The works of the prophets.
Ketuvim: These are known as the "writings."

Talmud: The Talmud has been described as a "virtual encyclopedia" of Jewish knowledge. It consists of more than 15,000 pages in its 63 volumes. These "teachings" were collected over a period of approximately four centuries. You can see an example of a page from the Talmud. This page is interactive, and you can examine what different sections represent. Browse this page to see how the Talmud works.


The Mitzvot (Commandments): Central to Jewish life is the concept of the mitzvot (or commandment). As part of their covenant with God, Jews will adhere to these commandments. (Of course, exactly how that is done differs from branch to branch and family to family. Some interpret the commandments more liberally than others in the face of technology and other demands of modernity. Some of the mitzvot are physically impossible to observe given events such as the destruction of the Temple.)

Defining terms: covenant, mitzvot

There are, of course, Ten Commandments which are more familiar than the others. Actually, 613 mitzvot have been identified in the Torah. DO THIS: Refer to the list of 613 mitzvot. Count how many of them you have broken. (Just kidding...) Instead, note the way they are grouped. Focus on a least one example from each "grouping". Think about ways they might be observed today, and how those observances may have changed over time.


The Jewish Life-Cycle: Most of you are no doubt familiar with many of the transitional rituals and life stages of Judaism. As with other religions, these traditions are observed in various ways and to various degrees within the Jewish faith. What we describe for Orthodox Jews may not hold for Reform and/or Conservative Jews, and vice versa. DO THIS: You and a partner or two will look into one of the life stages below. Be prepared to report back to the group with key information. (Each group is linked to the appropriate section from the Jewish Virtual Library web site.) You decide what to stress, but keep our earlier focus on symbols, rituals, and sacred expression in mind.

• Birth and the First Month: bris, mohel
• Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, and Confirmation: bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah
• Marriage (and, sometimes, Divorce): ketubah, get
• Life, Death, and Mourning: shiva, kaddish
• Olam Ha-Ba - The Afterlife: messiah, Olam Ha-Ba

The History of Judaism: We'll give you some time to work on these today. Remember that I'd like them to me by the end of the day on Friday.

• The Biblical Period (c. 2500 - 300 BCE)
• The Hellenistic Age (c. 300 BCE - 135 CE)
• The Talmudic Period (c. 135 - 600)
• The Judeo-Islamic Age (Seventh to Thirteenth Centuries)
• The European Age (Thirteenth to Eighteenth Centuries)
• The Modern Age (Eighteenth Century to the Present)

     We'll split this last one into three "sub-groups."

• Modern: 18th century to World War II
• Modern: World War II and the Holocaust
• Modern: Israel to the present

What should you include? This obviously depends on the particular period you are examining. You will not be able to teach us everything, so you should focus on what you believe to be most important and interesting. Here are some suggestions: 

• Who are important people or groups from this time period?
• What did they do?
• What world events impacted Judaism during this period?
• What new beliefs, customs, or traditions evolved in Judaism during this period?
• Did the Jewish population undergo migration or movement during this time?
• What conflicts or examples of Anti-Semitism did Jews face at this time?
• What examples of the covenant can you identify during this period?
• Are there useful resources on the Internet to which you can direct readers?

Obviously, there are many more possibilities...

You can make a decision on the best way to present your information, whether it be in text or outline format. I'm thinking the equivalent of a page per group. (Some of you might want to do a version of a "Top Ten" list or handout or whatever...)

As you probably suspect, there is an abundance of material available on the Internet on this subject. Here is a link to get you started:

Judaism 101: This may be the single most useful source for information on Judaism found anywhere on the Internet. One look at the Table of Contents might convince you of that.


HOMEWORK for Judaism - Day #3

Your Hinduism short essay responses and your "Measuring It - Pew Research" Independent Assignment #2 are both now technically past due if I do not have them.

The Buddhism Blog Entry should be made by Monday, December 5th.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they will be due on Friday, December 9th.

Independent Assignment #3 ("Taking a Position") will be due next Wednesday, December 14th.

Please continue in your reading with the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. You should be up thorough page 289 by class time.

"Hear O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up..."  - Deuteronomy 6:4-7
   

Remind me to introduce Independent Assignment #3 ("Taking a Position"). It will be due on Wednesday, December 14th.

The History of Judaism and The Jewish Calendar

You should begin your reading in the Judaism chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. You should be through page 282 by the time of Tuesday's class.


The History of Judaism: Clearly, this topic could cover an entire course. In addition, you are familiar with some of the material from your Regional Studies and World History classes. (At least, I hope you are...) For this class, we will try to create a sort of time line or historical overview as a group. I have taken the liberty of dividing Judaism's history into six periods as you can see here.  (OK, the article I'm giving you did this already.)

• The Biblical Period (c. 2500 - 300 BCE)
• The Hellenistic Age (c. 300 BCE - 135 CE)
• The Talmudic Period (c. 135 - 600)
• The Judeo-Islamic Age (Seventh to Thirteenth Centuries)
• The European Age (Thirteenth to Eighteenth Centuries)
• The Modern Age (Eighteenth Century to the Present)

     We'll split this last one into three "sub-groups."

• Modern: 18th century to World War II
• Modern: World War II and the Holocaust
• Modern: Israel to the present

It is your job to provide the content. (Do that in a word-processing document. You will submit this to me, and I will collate and copy them.)

There doesn't seem to be a need for more than three people in any particular group. This will carry over parts of a couple days, and I want your group's finished product ready at the start of class on Friday, December 9th. 

What should you include? This obviously depends on the particular period you are examining. You will not be able to teach us everything, so you should focus on what you believe to be most important and interesting. Here are some suggestions:

• Who are important people or groups from this time period?
• What did they do?
• What world events impacted Judaism during this period?
• What new beliefs, customs, or traditions evolved in Judaism during this period?
• Did the Jewish population undergo migration or movement during this time?
• What conflicts or examples of Anti-Semitism did Jews face at this time?
• What examples of the covenant can you identify during this period?
• Are there useful resources on the Internet to which you can direct readers?

Obviously, there are many more possibilities...

You can make a decision on the best way to present your information, whether it be in text or outline format. I'm thinking the equivalent of a page per group. (Some of you might want to do a version of a "Top Ten" list or handout or whatever...)

As you probably suspect, there is an abundance of material available on the Internet on this subject. Here is a link to get you started:

Judaism 101: This may be the single most useful source for information on Judaism found anywhere on the Internet. One look at the Table of Contents might convince you of that.


The Jewish Calendar: Some of you may be aware of this already, but today's date is the 9th of Kislev, 5772. Of course, that is the date on the Jewish calendar which corresponds to December 5, 2011 on the Gregorian (Western) calendar.

To learn much more about the calendar, refer to this article from the website "Judaism 101." They also have calendar tools posted.

Some things worth noting about the Jewish calendar:

• The calendar is lunar based, not solar. A "year" according to the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than a solar year.
• A leap month of Adar II is occasionally (7 of every 19 years) added to keep dates from "drifting" through the seasons.
• The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nisan, but the "Jewish New Year" occurs in the 7th month, Tishri. That is when the year is "increased" in number.
• The year represents the number of years since Creation according to the Jewish tradition.
• C.E. (Common Era) and B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) are the preferred terms to use in dating events.
• The Jewish day begins at sundown.

The Jewish Festival Year: I have selected eight holidays, festivals, or days of remembrance that are commemorated during each year on the Jewish calendar. Each is linked to a web page dedicated to that day (or time period). Of course, there are many other web sites and resources available. You will be responsible for presenting some basic information to the rest of us. Keep an emphasis on ritual, symbolism, and connections to spiritual or historical events.

NOTE: Spellings may vary given that these names are translated from Hebrew.

• Rosh Hashanah (High Holy Days begin)
• Yom Kippur (High Holy Days end)
• Sukkot
• Chanukah (Hannukah)
• Purim
• Passover (Pesach)
• Yom Ha' Shoah
• Shavuot

HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, December 6th

You should be through page 282 in Huston Smith's The World's Religions by the time of tomorrow's class.

Your Hinduism short essay responses and your "Measuring It - Pew Research" Independent Assignment #2 are both now technically past due if I do not have them.

The Buddhism Blog Entry should be made by Monday, December 5th.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they will be due on Friday, December 9th.

Independent Assignment #3 ("Taking a Position") will be due next Wednesday, December 14th.

We'll wrap up our look at Buddhism today...

First, I've got a handful of articles looking at Buddhism in a number of countries around the world. We'll have you look at one of them and share some impressions.

Second, we can do any Buddhism review that you would like to do.

Third, we'll have you take the Buddhism Multiple Choice quiz. (You are again welcome to use up to 150 words in notes.)

Fourth, you are welcome to use the remaining time to complete a blog entry or begin work on your Buddhism short essays.

HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, December 5th

Your Hinduism short essay responses and your "Measuring It - Pew Research" Independent Assignment #2 are both now technically past due if I do not have them.

The Buddhism Blog Entry should be made by Monday, December 5th.

The Buddhism Short Essay questions are posted, and they will be due on Friday, December 9th.

If you are bored, start reading in the Judaism chapter from Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll start with that next week.