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

On Friday, all I have scheduled is the Islam Multiple Choice exam. You all can decide whether you want us to review today or Friday or both.

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.

What We Believe 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.

Here. Send someone a Baha'i greeting card...

Homework for Islam - Day #7

A reminder that all seven of your Independent Assignments are now due. (You are also welcome to complete that 8th extra credit IA from your final category if you would like. I should get those by the end of Friday.)

The Islam Blog Entry should be posted today.

The Islam Short Essays are due on Friday, January 9th. That is also the day that we will take the Islam Multiple Choice exam.

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

I've posted the blog page with the Islam short essay questions. Let's have them due on Friday, January 9th.

Today, we'll tackle some controversial issues related to Islam...

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 opiinion 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. Traditonally, 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.

Muslim Americans - As I was teaching this class the last time, 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. I've printed out a copy and divided it by chapters. We'll ask you to take a look at one chapter and report back to us some of what you find most interesting.

IslamForToday.com is a web site dedicated to "promoting the theology of Islam" for Westerners interested in learning more. Browsing this might of interest to you.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #5

A reminder that Independent Assignment #6 is now past due. (You'll have IA #7 due after break, and you are also welcome to complete an extra credit IA from your final category if you would like.)

I should have your Christianity - Short Essay questions from you before break begins. They are technically due today.

Obviously, the break would be a good time to finish up reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

I posted the Islam Blog Entry, and I'd like that posted by Wednesday, January 7th.

"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.

The Five Pillars of Islam
shahadah
salat
zakat
sawm
hajj

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.

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 Judgement 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) that we mentioned last time.

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.

HOMEWORK for Islam - Day #4

A reminder that Independent Assignment #6 is now past due. (You'll have IA #7 due after break, and you are also welcome to complete an extra credit IA from your final category if you would like.)

I should have your Christianity - Short Essay questions from you before break begins. They are technically due on December 18th.

I should be up-to-date on grading by class time. If you have anything missing, you should take care of that. You can still get credit for missing work.

"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

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 Regional Studies/ Western Civilization 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:

These are the terms I had linked with Wednesday's video excerpt: bedouin, jinn, Mecca, Khadijah, Ka'aba, Yathrib (Medina), Qur'an (Koran), Five Pillars, muezzin

"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

Your sixth Independent Assignment is scheduled to be due today, Friday. Get that to me over the weekend if you are running a little behind. We'll start considering them late as of Tuesday's class time.

Your Christianity Short Essays are due to me on Thursday, December 18th.

Please begin reading the Islam chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

We'll more or less wrap up our new material on Christianity today with a couple of activities. We're shooting for taking the multiple choice portion of the quiz on Monday, December 8th after we do some reviewing.

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.

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.

Distinctive Christian Tenets:

Defining terms: Trinity, atonement, incarnation

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

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

Think Again: The Catholic Church - Foreign Policy magazine does a feature each issue where they challenge the "conventional wisdom" on a particular topic. This issue it is 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 Christianity - Day #6

You should be finishing the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions.

Your Christianity Blog Entry should be posted by Monday's class.

We'll take the Christianity Multiple Choice quiz during the latter part of the hour on Monday.

"Every generation of Christians has this problem of learning how to speak meaningfully to its own age. It cannot be solved without an understanding of the changing existential situation which it faces. If we are to communicate the Christian faith effectively, therefore, we must know and understand the thought forms of our own generation."- Francis A. Schaeffer

BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANITY and DENOMINATIONS INFLUENCED BY CHRISTIANITY

Ideally, you are well into the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. We'll shoot for having the multiple choice section of the Christianity exam on Monday, December 8th during the latter half of the block.

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 if you haven't already done so.

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.

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 converage 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.

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)

HOMEWORK for Christianity - Day #5

You should be reading the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. I've updated the reading schedule.

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

Let's take a few minutes and backtrack over anything we missed from Day #2 due to the choir concert many of you attended.

"VATICAN" CONFERENCE and BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANITY

MPA's "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.

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.

DO THIS: Use available resources and the Internet to complete as much of this chart as you are able. We will discuss your findings as a group when we next meet.

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.

Homework for Christianity - Day #4

Your short essays on Judaism are due today - Tuesday, November 25th.

Your fifth Independent Assignment is due by the end of Thanksgiving weekend. 

You should begin reading the Christianity chapter in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. I've updated the reading schedule.