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Library Reserve: LINK
Textbooks: Link [It is the obligation of students to acquire all textbooks. Also you must inform the instructor if the books are not available.]
All Emails have to put THRS231 in Subject-line. All papers have to save in your OWN NAME. PPT.
Midterm: Link
Core Curriculum
THRS 231 fulfills Phase 2 of Core Curriculum of Seattle University. Core Phase II enables us to posit the fundamental question of the human person in society. To understand what does it mean to be a person in contemporary society, one inevitably has to encounter the plurality of human religious experience. The study of world religions is essential as we enter into the second phase of our core education. By taking this course, students can fulfill 5 credits of the religious studies requirement of Core Phase II. The study skills of reading, writing, and critical thinking, which we acquired in previous core courses, will be continually emphasized and enhanced throughout the course. THRS 231 seeks to response to these pertinent questions of our lives through the study of Christian-Buddhist Dialogue. The course will include elementary survey of the Christian and Buddhist religions, and explore the complex problems of inter-religious dialogue between the two religious traditions. In examining and developing strategy and models of Christian-Buddhist dialogue, the course seeks to enhance students' sensitivity of and commitment to inter-religious harmony and toleration in today's world. Finally, this course will continue to enhance our ability of critical thinking, reading, and writing by crafting term papers, reflective reading materials, and critical discussions in the class.
Course Objectives
The objective of THRS 231 is to study and understand the approaches, issues, and values of the inter-religious dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity. The course will examine the similarities and differences of these two religious traditions in terms of their history and teachings. In addition, this course will put a special emphasis on the mutual relationship among world religions and the Catholic faith and traditions. The inclusion of the Catholic "component" aims to educate and equip SU students to familiarize with the Catholic religious and intellectual heritage, from which SU is founded upon.
- An apprehension of a basic understanding the issues of inter-religious
dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity.
- An ability to think critically and to express effectively,
both in speech and in writing, an informed opinion of the comparative
issues of Buddhism and Christianity.
- An attitude to appreciate the value of inter-religious studies
and to evaluate critically and emphatically the value and limitation
of Buddhism and Christianity in the contemporary situation.
Course Description
Comparative study of Christianity and Buddhism
emphasizing the unity and diversity in both traditions. Explorations
of major Christian theological concepts of the Trinity, the divine
and human nature of Jesus Christ, revelation and redemption;
as compared to the Buddhist teachings of sunyata and nirvana,
enlightenment, Buddha-nature, and Zen philosophy. Special attention
will be given to a new approaches in inter-religious dialogue,
such as comparative hermeneutics of scriptures and classics.
(From the Undergraduate Bulletin of Information, Seattle University) |
Religious
Studies: What, Why, and How
Why study religions? and How to study
Religions? Religious Studies does not necessarily
presuppose religious beliefs. Just like we don't have to be morphed
into insects in order to study entomology. On the other hand,
participation is essential for any genuine understanding. This
is especially true for understanding religions, which exist not
in vacuum, but in the actual lives of people. The approach will
be comparative and phenomenological, i.e. our focus is on the
fact of the religious phenomenon rather than to prove, or disprove,
the validity of religious beliefs.
"What
is religion? For some, religion can be alphabetically placed
and segregated in the telephone pages between 'Chiropractors'
and 'Cigars,' under 'Churches and Synagogues.'"
- Martin Marty, University of Chicago.
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What is Religion? Is there
a core essence of all religions of the world? Are all religions
the same? Or are they equal but not the same? The purpose of
this course is to study the similarities-in-difference of the
Buddhist and Christian traditions, and to arrive at some insights
regarding the perennial questions of human religiosity.
"When
one asked to characterize the life of religion in the broadest
and most general terms possible, one might say that it consists
of the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme
good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto."
- William James (1842-1910)
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Textbooks
1. Rita Gross and Terry Muck, Buddhists
Talk About Jesus. Continuum.
2. Shusaku Endo, Silence. [Novel] Taplinger Publishing
Company.
3. Buddhist Scriptures. ed. by Edward Conze, or by Donald Lopez. Penguin Books.
4. The Christian Bible (New Testament), recommanded versions:
New Revised Standard Version, New International Version.
Requirements
1. Attendance and Class Participations
(10%)
Full class attendance is expected. If an absence is unavoidable
due to medical and family circumstances, notification and explanation
should be given prior to, or in special situations, after the
absence. More than 4 absences will automatically
result in dropping 1 half letter in the total course grade. Students
are expected to actively participate in class: keep up the readings
according to the teaching schedule, raise questions whenever
there is doubt or obscurity, actively response to questions of
instructor and classmates, and raise questions vice versa. Active
participation in class will substantially contribute to the overall
assessment of the final grade.
2. Short Written Assignments and Quiz (10%)
This course consists of a vast scope of materials and
is conducted on an intensive schedule. A detail class schedule
is designed in order for students to prepare and study on a daily
base. Each student is expected to complete an assigned portion
of reading materials according to the schedule before attending
the class. Short written assignments will be given to assist
in focusing and reflecting on our readings of course materials
and to better prepare ourselves for discussion and reflection.
3. Presentation (20%)
Small group of 4-5 students will give a presentation (each
45 mins.) on a topic of the course. The group will select a topic
from a list of major themes of the course materials. This will
be a verbal presentation and no written report is needed, but
the group will format its main outline in Power Point slides
(at least 10 slides). The instructor will provide a separate
handout on the details of the format and requirements of the
presentation. The performance of the group will be evaluated
by the whole class. Everyone in the same group will receive the
same grade, which is a combination of scores given by the whole
class and the instructor. In each group, one member will be assigned to research and address the mutual relationship between the particular religion and the Catholic church. Special assistance and guidelines will be provided by the instructor.
4. Term Paper (20%)
Two short papers will be given on major topics of the
course. The first short essay is a comparative overview of the
life of Gautama and Jesus. The second research paper will focus
on a comparative topic of Christian-Buddhist dialogue. Special
handouts of standard format and grading criteria will be given
in class.
5. Mid-Term Exam (20%)
Essay type questions that cover first-half of the course. There will
be in-class review and other assistance provided.
6. Final Exam (20%)
Essay type questions that cover whole course. Review will be in place.
Laptop Policy Laptop computer only for Note-taking. No emailing or serving. Screen-down during DVD-showing and discussion time.
Sophomore standing is required for taking TRST
courses in the core curriculum at Seattle University. 300 level
TRST courses may be taken for core credit only after the student
has successfully completed a 200 level TRST core course.
Transfer
Students with 90 credit hours must take one 200 level TRST
course at Seattle University in order to fulfill their core requirement
in Theology and Religious Studies.
Changes of
Syllabus
Changes of the schedule and procedures can be made in the
event of extenuating circumstances and the class will be consulted
to make the changes together.
Policy of
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is not acceptable in any forms. To borrow other
people's ideas or expressions without explicit acknowledgment
is unethical and unacceptable conduct of scholarship. It violates
the "Academic Honesty Code" in the Student Handbook
and will automatically result in a failure for the whole course.
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