Ira Chernus   PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER

Link to: Fredric Jameson's Interpretation of Postmodernism

RLST 3830
PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGION
Fall, 2002

T, Th 11:00 - 12:15
HUMN 1B80

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

This course will introduce students to a variety of different views on the nature of religion, the ways religion is and has been practiced, and the role of religion in human society and human life. The course is not designed to encourage you to choose any particular perspective on religion, nor to discourage you from choosing any particular perspective. It aims only to help you learn how to analyze various options, to understand their implications, to make wise choices among them, and to employ them in your own study. The ultimate goal is to insure that you will be self-conscious about the way you study religion, so that you can give clear articulate reasons for using some perspectives more than others. As you do the readings, keep in mind the following questions, which will guide our class discussions:

• What does the author think religion is and does?
• What is the author ultimately trying to accomplish in studying and writing about religion in this particular way?
• Why might the author have this aim or goal?
• What unstated assumptions does the author make?
• What are the implications of choosing to view religion from the author’s perspective? What are the advantages and disadvantages to us as students of religion?

The course will also give students an opportunity to get to know other RLST majors and members of the RLST faculty, who will occasionally join the class as guest instructors.

The reading for the course will include five books and a number of photocopied selections.

Required books:

• Sigmund FREUD, The Future of an Illusion
• Paul TILLICH, Dynamics of Faith
• Peter BERGER, The Sacred Canopy
• Catherine BELL, Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice
• Mark JUERGENSMEYER, Terror in the Mind of God

These books are available at the Lefthand Bookstore, 1200 Pearl Street (just east of Broadway, south side of mall, lower level). They are usually open noon-9 weekdays; call 443-8252 before you go, to check exact hours. They take cash or check; no credit cards.

The required books and the photocopied readings will be on reserve in Norlin Library. Photocopies will also be available in the RLST Computer Room, HUMN 218, in the filing cabinet. When you use these readings, please be sure to return them as soon as possible.

Aug. 29 The Hermeneutics of Suspicion

FREUD, 5-30

Sept. 3 The Hermeneutics of Suspicion

FREUD, 31-71

Sept. 5 The Hermeneutics of Construction

PHOTOCOPIES: Chernus, Nuclear Madness, 47-56; TILLICH, 1-34

Sept. 10 The Hermeneutics of Construction

TILLICH, 35-113

Sept. 12 The Hermeneutics of Construction

TILLICH, 114-147

Sept. 17 The History and Phenomenology of Religion

Sept. 19 The History and Phenomenology of Religion

Sept. 24 The Social Construction of Reality and Religion

Sept. 26 The Social Construction of Reality and Religion

BERGER, 53-101; PHOTOCOPIES: "Summary of Chapter 3"

Oct. 1 The Social Construction of Reality and Religion

Oct. 3 The Social Construction of Reality and Religion: Mysticism

PHOTOCOPIES: Steven Katz, "The Conservative Character of Mysticism"

(Guest Professor: Fred Denny)

Oct. 8 Religion in Secular Society: Modernity

BERGER, 105-153; PHOTOCOPIES: "Summary of Chapter 5"

Oct. 10 Religion in Secular Society: Modernity

BERGER, 155-185

Oct. 15 Religion in Secular Society: Postmodernism

Oct. 17 Religion in Secular Society: Postmodernism

Oct. 22 Religion in Secular Society: Postmodernism

Oct. 24 How to Do a Site Visit

(Guest Professor: Michelene Pesantubbee)

Oct. 29 Ritual

BELL, 13-54

Oct. 31 Ritual

BELL, 67-117

Nov. 5 Ritual

BELL, 118-142, 169-196

Nov. 7 Ritual

BELL, 197-223

Nov. 12 Women and Religion

PHOTOCOPIES: two articles by Carolyn Bynum

(Guest Professor: Lynn Ross-Bryant)

Nov. 14 Religion and Political Life

JUERGENSMEYER, 3-15, 119-144

Nov. 19 Religion and Political Life

JUERGENSMEYER, 145-207

Nov. 21 Religion and Political Life

JUERGENSMEYER, 207-243

Nov. 26 Religion and Political Life

JUERGENSMEYER, selections from 19-116 (to be assigned)

Dec. 3 - 12: Student Presentations on Site Visits

I will have office hours on Thursday, 12:30 – 2:30, in Humanities 284. I’ll be glad to talk with you whenever I am around the office, or to make an appointment: 492-6169 (office); 449-6191 (home); chernus@spot (email). If you need any special accommodations to enhance your learning in this course, I would be glad to discuss that with you.

Please remember that the CU Honor Code is now in effect. Your adherence to strictest principles of academic honesty and integrity is now taken for granted (as it always should have been, even without an Honor Code).

1. You are expected to attend class prepared to discussed the assigned reading for the day. When students have nothing to say, class is terribly boring. Please don’t rely on others to make the class interesting. Take responsibility.
2. You are expected to write a series of short papers, which will be assigned during the term.
3. You are expected to choose one local religious group as a subject of study. You should make at least two (preferably three or more) visits to that group, to observe (and, if you care to, participate in) the group’s religious activities. We will talk about this in detail in the latter half of October. Please submit, in writing, a very brief description of the group you want to study by October 22. Your final project will be a written report on the group you have visited and studied. That report should draw on several of the perspectives we have studied in the course, demonstrating your understanding of those perspectives. The final project is due in the RLST office on Monday, December 16.