Recently in Daily Lessons Category

"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens."- Baha'u'llah

We'll set aside tomorrow as a work day. On Thursday, we'll do any review that you want and then complete the Islam Multiple Choice quiz.

THE BAHA'I FAITH

This is an appropriate topic for two reasons. First, the faith had its historical roots in the Islamic world of the early 19th-century. Second, the religion aims to be inclusive of aspects of many faiths and traditions. Baha'i labels itself the world's second-most widespread religion (after Christianity) and the fastest growing (a claim many argue belongs instead to Islam). There are probably somewhere around ten million Baha'i worldwide today.

You should check out the following resources:

Welcome to the Baha'i Faith is a nice introduction to the Baha'i faith, particularly as it is practiced in the United States.

About the Faith is a good place to start. You might want to remember that this is a site developed by the Baha'i community.

History of the Baha'i Faith provides a very efficient introduction to the basics of the faith's origins.

Baha'i Symbols shows you a couple interesting symbols and their interpretations.

Baha'i House of Worship for the North American Continent - Check out this building located just north of Chicago near Northwestern University. It's one of the coolest buildings that I have seen in the US.

Rainn Wilson (Dwight on "The Office") interview - Wilson is a Baha'i

Multimedia - You can find a ton of podcasts, interviews, videos, etc. here

Defining terms: The Bab, Baha'u'llah

Islam and the Baha'i Faith looks at the relationship between Islam and the Baha'i faith. Browse through this and be sure you understand how each faith views the other.

Homework for the final sessions...

As I mentioned, I have no problem accepting work through the end of Sunday. Beyond that, I'll accept work to get you to a passing grade, but I don't feel any obligation to give you credit beyond that. (Be sure to talk to me in advance if you think I should make an exception to that.)

The Christianity Blog Entry and the Christianity Short Essay questions should both be coming in this week if they have not already done so.

The Islam Blog Entry and Islam Short Essay questions are also posted. I'm thinking we will probably do the Islam Multiple Choice in class on Thursday. (I'm leaning toward allowing you to use notes and resources for that.)

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

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"
  
• "Learn About an Interest"

"I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace." - Muhammad Ali

Today, we'll tackle some controversial issues related to Islam. We'll start with two that you are probably familiar with at least the outlines of...

The Satanic Verses controversy - Be sure these terms make sense to you: Salman Rushdie, fatwa, Ayatollah Khomeini

Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy - This relates to a series of cartoons printed in a Danish newspaper in 2005.

Jihad in Islam: This is perhaps the most misunderstood concept in Islam. The word itself comes from an Arabic root meaning "struggling" or "striving". In the West, it has frequently come to be associated with militarism, anti-Western views, and terrorism. These resources might help you better understand the concept.

What is Jihad?: Daniel Pipes is the author of the book Militant Islam Reaches America. This article expresses his very strong opinion of "jihad," which others have criticized as distorted.

Jihad: Here's a contrasting definition of the term from the Islamic Glossary at the USC site.

DO THIS: Consider this information and make up your own mind. Is jihad a threat to non-Muslims? Has the West overreacted and misinterpreted the concept?

Women and Islam: Outside of the Islamic world (and within it, for that matter), the status of women has been a topic of much controversy. Traditionally, the issues which are at the core of the debate have been the customs of veiling and polygamy that have been a part of Islam's history.

Resources to consult:

About "Women in Islam"- A Resource Page- There are dozens of links to resources here. They come from a wide variety of perspectives.

Women in Islam- This is a pro-Islamic source with a large number of links to issues related to the status of women in Islam.

DO THIS: We will approach the topic in this way:

• We will summarize the arguments made by those who criticize Islam's treatment of women.
• We will attempt to understand the religion's response to these claims.
• Finally, we will share our own opinions on these issues.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #5

The Christianity Blog Entry and the Christianity Short Essay questions should both be coming in this week if they have not already done so.

The Islam Blog Entry and Islam Short Essay questions are also posted. I'm thinking we will probably do the Islam Multiple Choice in class on Thursday or Friday. (I'm leaning toward allowing you to use notes for that.)

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

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"
  
• "Learn About an Interest"

"The twenty-first century will be the century of Islam. Consider the facts: a population of 1.3 billion and growing; fifty-five states and one of them nuclear; about 25 million permanently living in the West and many of them now making an impact on social, political, and economic life; and a religion that comes with commitment and passion."- Akbar S. Ahmed

Ideally, you should have begun reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. Please try to make some progress there by the time we next meet.

DAY #3- CENTRAL BELIEFS and THE DIVISIONS WITHIN ISLAM

Need a warm-up? Try this on-line quiz. This is the Level 1: Test 1 (easiest) quiz from islam101.com. There are 11 questions, and it will be graded on-line.

We'll start with a look at the Five Pillars of Islam.  Defining terms: shahadah, salat, zakat, sawm, hajj

Central beliefs of Islam: We have certainly considered much of this topic already, but I thought we'd take a more systematic look at some of the central beliefs of Islam.

Six Basic Beliefs

• Belief in the Oneness of God
• Belief in messengers (prophets) of God
• Belief in angels
• Belief in revealed books of Allah
• Belief in fate
• Belief in a Day of Judgment and Resurrection

"Life after Death"- Those of you interested in Islam's view on this topic might want to consult this article.

Here are the 99 names of God (Allah).

The Division in Islam: Sunni and Shi'ite (and Sufi)

Defining terms: caliph, Shariah, Husayn, Ali, Sunni, Shi'ite

Although this page has perhaps the most irritating design ever, there is a good introduction to the "split" here.

If you're interested in accessing resources on Sufism - Here's a link to "Sufism, Sufis, and Sufi Orders." There's a lot here.

The Muslim World today

Map of the "Muslim World"

Here's what Wikipedia has regarding populations of Islam by country.

Muslim Americans - As I was teaching this class two years ago, The Pew Research Center had just released what is being called the largest and most comprehensive survey of American Muslims. Here is the online version of the report. If you are interested, you can download the entire report in PDF format, but it is over 100 pages long.

This report is worth us taking a look at for a while. We'll ask you to take a look at one chapter and report back to us some of what you find most interesting.

I read American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion a year or two back. Some of you might find it pretty interesting. (I'm not getting a kickback or anything from Amazon for directing you there...) Here's a transcript of an appearance the author made at the Carnegie Council.

PBS' Muslims - This is the web site designed to accompany the special which aired several years back. As usual with PBS internet resources, this one is exceptional. You might check out these specific features:

• Introduction: This is an overview of the people and topics covered in the videotape.
• Portraits of Ordinary Muslims
• Interviews with Muslim Scholars: Just what it sounds like...

When you get a chance, browse the site. I think you will definitely find it worthwhile.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #4

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

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due these next two weeks. 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 soon...

"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age." - Sir George Bernard Shaw

We'll begin by checking in with you on the video clip from last time... Following that, we'll see how far we get in the material for today.

Islam: Empire of Faith

Defining terms: bedouin, jinn, Mecca, Khadijah, Ka'aba, Yathrib (Medina), Qur'an (Koran), Five Pillars, muezzin

Islam: Empire of Faith- This is the web site produced by PBS to accompany the video. It's really good.

DAY #2 - INTRODUCTION: MUHAMMAD, THE QUR'AN AND THE FIVE PILLARS

Ideally, you should begin reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. Please try to make some progress there by the time we next meet.

Islam- Introduction: As with Judaism and Christianity, we will try to avoid recovering ground with which you are already familiar. The assumption is that you have studied the subject in World History and that you have acquired at least some understanding of the religion. Any topics that we "revisit" will either be covered in additional depth or from a different perspective.

You can take a few minutes to discuss "first impressions" here. We'll definitely come back to these...

* What are the ideas, descriptions, or images that immediately come to mind when the terms "Muslim" or "Islam" are used?

* Are the majority of stereotypes regarding Islam positive or negative? Why do you believe that is the case?

* If you are asked to name Muslims (either contemporary or historical), who comes to mind?

* Is the Western media fair in its coverage of Islam? Explain your position.

Defining terms: Muhammad, (pbuh), Muhammadanism (sic), Islam, Muslim, Allah

Muhammad:

"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. . . . It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history."

Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, p. 33.

FYI: Here's the complete and updated list of "The 100" from Hart's most recent edition of the book.

Just because it's interesting, here's a different list from a recent book. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived: How Characters of Fiction, Myth, Legends, Television, and Movies Have Shaped Our Society, Changed Our Behavior, and Set the Course of History

Sacred Literature of Islam

The Qur'an (sometimes seen as Koran): The Holy Book of Islam

Additional sources of wisdom: Sunnah and Hadith The Hadith is the collection of sayings, teachings, and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. They were recorded by his followers.

The Sunnah is the example of leadership, belief, and guidance provided by the life and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. For Muslims, it transforms belief in God into a culture and a civilization, allowing a way of life.

The Five Pillars of Islam:

Defining terms: shahadah, salat, zakat, sawm, hajj

Beliefnet: The Five Pillars- This is an easy introduction to the Five Pillars and their meanings in Islam.

A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam: This site also provides an introduction to the Five Pillars.

DO THIS: Choose either of the two sources and introduce yourself to the Five Pillars. You and a partner will be responsible for selecting one of the pillars to present in class. Look for Internet resources, check the books I have, etc.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #3

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

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due these next two weeks. 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.

"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. " - Mahatma Gandhi 

Muhammad and the Origins of Islam

Ideally, you should begin reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. Please try to make some progress there by the time we next meet.

Islam: Empire of Faith Sometimes, things just work out. Almost ten years ago, PBS debuted this series and the accompanying web site just as we began our study of Islam. Today, you will watch the first fifty-five minutes of the series that introduce Islam and the events in the life of Muhammad.

Defining terms: bedouin, jinn, Mecca, Khadijah, Ka'aba, Yathrib (Medina), Qur'an (Koran), Five Pillars, muezzin

Islam: Empire of Faith- This is the web site produced by PBS to accompany the video. It's really good.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #2

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

Remember that your Independent Assignments #3 and #4 both come due these next two weeks. 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'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.

"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.