II. Prerequisites

None

III. Course (Catalogue) Description

Course critically examines various aspects of religious experience and related theological concepts and theories. Topics include relationship between myth and religion; structure and meaning of worship; arguments for and against God’s existence, and relevance of modern science to religious belief. IAI H4 905

IV. Learning Objectives

After completing this class, students will be able to do the following:

A. Define the basic vocabulary needed to discuss the central themes and arguments of the philosophy of religion.

B. Evaluate religious (or irreligious) positions by critically analyzing the arguments that support them and by assessing their fundamental presuppositions.

C. Analyze both orally and through written work how specific approaches to the philosophy of religion have emerged in different historical and cultural contexts. (Students will study representative philosophers from at least four traditions, including non-Western philosophy.)

D. Recognize the ethical implications of different positions within the philosophy of religion by applying these positions to concrete ethical issues on both the personal and global levels.

E. Develop their critical thinking skills by identifying problems and comparing alternative solutions offered by different philosophies of religion.

F. Demonstrate respect for different philosophies and the cultures of which they are a part.

G. Exhibit values related to teamwork and collaboration, fostered by the pedagogy of shared-inquiry and critical dialogue appropriate to the humanities and philosophy.

V. Academic Integrity

Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This code prohibits:

· cheating,

· plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),

· falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),

· helping others to cheat,

· unauthorized changes on official documents,

· pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,

· making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and

· any other behavior that violates academic integrity.

There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against you. If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.

Details of the Code of Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.

VI. Outline of Topics

Week 1 Introduction

8/22 Introduction

8/24 Stewart, pp.1-27

Week 2 The Varieties of Religious Experience

8/29 Stewart, pp.28-47

8/31 Stewart, pp.49-63

Week 3 Religion and Life

9/5 NO CLASS (Labor Day)

9/7 Stewart, pp.64-81

Week 4 Religion and Human Destiny

9/12 Stewart, pp.85-100

9/14 Stewart, pp.101-117

Week 5 The Ontological & Cosmological Arguments for God’s Existence

9/19 Stewart, pp.119-131

9/21 Stewart, pp.132-139

Week 6 The Design & Moral Arguments for God’s Existence

9/26 Stewart, pp.142-150

9/28 Stewart, pp.151-158

Week 7 The Problem of Evil

10/3 Stewart, pp.161-170

Essay 1 Due

10/5 Dostoyevsky, excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov (hand-out)

Week 8 Theodicy

10/10 Stewart, pp.171-185

10/12 Stewart, pp.188-207

Week 9

10/17

10/19

Week 10 Faith and Reason

10/24

10/26 Stewart, pp.209-226

Week 11 Faith and Reason (cont.)

10/31 Stewart, pp.227-260

11/2 Schopenhauer, “On Religion: A Dialogue” (hand-out)

Week 12 Skeptical Perspectives on Religion

11/7 Freud, excerpt from The Future of an Illusion (hand-out)

11/9 Russell, “Why I am not a Christian” (hand-out)

Week 13 Daoism

11/14 Daoism – general introduction

Essay 2 Due

11/16 Tao Te Ching, pp.1-40

Week 14 Daoism & Zen Buddhism

11/21 Tao Te Ching, pp.41-81

11/23 Zen Buddhism – general introduction

Week 15 Zen Buddhism

11/28 Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, #s 1, 2

11/30 Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, #s 10, 14, 20, 23, 27

Week 16 Zen Buddhism (cont.)

12/5 Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, #s 37, 41, 42, 45, 54, 55

12/7 Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, #s 60, 62, 70, 83, 100

Week 17 Religion & Current Issues

12/12 Stewart, pp.263-274

12/14 Stewart, pp.275-283

Essay 3 Due

VII. Methods of Instruction

The course will involve lectures, as well as seminar style discussions. Students will be expected to participate actively and to come prepared for discussion. This means students should have read all assigned material prior to class meetings.

VIII. Course Practices Required:

In addition to reading the assigned material, students are expected to attend class and participate in class discussions regularly. Pop quizzes will be administered periodically to assess whether or not the reading assignments have been completed. Make-up quizzes will not be given except for legitimate absences. Students will be required to submit three 5 page essays, for which lists of essay topics will be provided. Students will be given an opportunity to rewrite the first two essays for an improved grade. The written work submitted by students should be typed and carefully checked for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Most importantly, they should argue for a central thesis. Late assignments will not be accepted except for extreme circumstances.

IX. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:

Essay 1 20%

Essay 2 20%

Essay 3 20%

Quizzes 20%

Class Participation 20%

X. Instructional Materials

Exploring the Philosophy of Religion. 7^th Edition. David Stewart.

Tao Te Ching. Lao-Tzu.

Dropping Ashes on the Buddha. Seung Sahn.

XI. Other Course Information:

A. Disabilities

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in the Learning Center. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.

B. Discrimination

The Oakton Community College Catalog states:

Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital status in admission to and participation in its educational programs, activities and services, or employment practices. The College does not tolerate sexual harassment or sexual assault by or of its students or employees.

In keeping with this policy of tolerance and non-discrimination, in this class all of us (myself included) should strive to listen and give careful consideration to all ideas expressed in class, especially those that are different from our own, without attacking or demeaning the people who have those views. We should also strive to avoid using insulting terms or telling offensive jokes when talking to or about individuals or groups.