Course

Course Summary
Credit Type:
Course
ACE ID:
SOPH-0008
Organization's ID:
REL1001
Organization:
SOPHIA Learning, LLC
Location:
Online
Length:
The course is self-paced, and many learners complete it in 4-8 weeks.
Dates Offered:
Credit Recommendation & Competencies
Level Credits (SH) Subject
Lower-Division Baccalaureate 3 Introduction to World Religions
Description

Objective:

The course objective is for students to gain mastery of the basic concepts integral to the study of religion and demonstrate how these concepts apply in real-world situations. Students explore key components of religions as they apply to a range of different belief systems and explore the role of religion in modern society.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify common elements of religions.
  • Analyze religion's impact on individuals, society, and the world.
  • Evaluate social, ethical, and cultural topics through the lens of religion.
  • Investigate the major approaches to studying religion.

General Topics:

  • Reasons for Studying Religion
  • Role of Religion in Modern Life
  • The Religious Impulse
  • Religion and the Individual, Origins, Family, Society, Economics, and Food
  • What is Religion?
  • "Origins" of Religion
  • Religion as Myth
  • Religion as Culture and Social Convention
  • The Sacred and the Profane
  • A "Definition" of Religion
  • Categorizing Religions
  • Primal Religions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Other Eastern Religions
  • Phenomenology
  • Theology
  • Historical Approaches
  • Comparative Religion
  • Philosophy and Sociology of Religion
  • Summum Bonum
  • Judaism - Yahweh
  • Christianity - Trinity
  • Islam - Allah
  • Hinduism - Brahman/Atman
  • Taoism - The Tao
  • The Transcendent in Primal Religions
  • Overview of “The Problem”: Suffering, Sin, Death, and Evil
  • Mysticism, Sacramentalism, Silence and Action
  • Transmission of the Teaching
  • The Nature of Religious Narratives
  • Early Creation Stories
  • Parable, Myth, and Allegory
  • Revelations
  • Religion as a Worldview: Animism and Related Beliefs, Monotheism, Theism, Deism, Polytheism and Henotheism, Atheism, and Non-Theism
  • Fear and Wonder: Ultimate Questions
  • Death and Eternity
  • Social Convention
  • Humanism, Atheism, and Nihilism
  • Gender, Economics, Law, Family Structure, and Societal Structure
  • Overview of Morality and Ethics
  • Marriage, Family and Sexuality
  • War and Peace
  • Duties and Law
  • The Environment
  • Overview of Ritual and Material Culture: Holy Places, Architecture, Festivals, Pilgrimages, Life Cycle Events, and Sacred Objects
  • Religious States
  • Separation of Church and State
  • National Religions
  • Religious and Political Issues
  • Atheistic States
  • Many "Worlds" in One
  • Religious Wars and Violence
  • Liberation Theology, Economic Inequality, and Social Justice
  • Religious Inclusion and Exclusion
Instruction & Assessment

Instructional Strategies:

  • Audio Visual Materials
  • Computer Based Training
  • Lectures
  • Practical Exercises

Methods of Assessment:

  • Examinations
  • Quizzes
  • Written Papers

Minimum Passing Score:

70%
Supplemental Materials

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