Muhammad and his message

Sorry for the late post.  If at all possible, I'd like you to read the selections from the Qur'an (pp. 282-311) in your Novak anthology for tomorrow's class (Tuesday).   What do you see here that helps explain how Islam becomes a world religion?

If you have time, please read read also whatever sections of the Hadith interest you.  If you need to catch up on blog points, you may comment on additional Qur'an or Hadith passages for extra credit.  Please address each Qur'an or Hadith passage you talk about as a separate comment.

Beyond This Material World III (online session)

Please look again through the Novak selections on Christianity (pp. 225-264).  Cite a passage here that shows particularly well how Christianity thrives as a "world" religion, i.e., a religion that isn't bound to a specific historical niche?  Do you see anything here hat might make it hard for Christianity to expand beyond its original homeland?

I'd very much like to see if we can get a "synchronous" discussion going online today (Friday, July 26).  I'll be monitoring the blog from 10:00 until 11:50 trying to respond to your comments.  I'd appreciate it also if you would comment on each others' posts.

The Narrow Road: Jesus and his Message

For Wednesday's class, please read through some of the selections on Christianity in the Novak anthology (pp. 225-264).  What do you see here that hints at the potential for Christianity to become a "world" religion?  What would have appealed particularly to people within the Roman Empire? What do you see that has a more universal appeal?

Diaspora Judaism (extra readings)

I assume most of you will be working on papers and won't have any time for blog entries today (Friday) or over the weekend.  If you do get a chance, you might read through the various post-Tanakh Jewish writings on pp. 213-225 of the Novak anthology.  What do you see here that helps explain Judaisms ability to hold its own as a "world" religion?

Looking forward to seeing your papers/projects on Monday.  I will hang around MJ 101 (our usual classroom) until noon today (Friday).  Stop by if you would like help or suggestions.

Law, Prophets, Writings: The Hebrew Bible

Please read some of the selections from the Tanakh (Old Testament) in the Novak anthology (pp. 176-212).   In my opinion, Novak has done an excellent job in highlighting some of the most important passages in the three major sections of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah (law), Neviim (prophets), and Kituvim (writings). What do you see in these passages that helps explain why the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob eventually led, not to just one, but to three "world" religions?

The Tao or not the Tao?

Please read the selections from Taoism in your Novak anthology (pp.145-174).  If you have time, you might also read the Zen Buddhist selections (pp. 95-102).

For some, Taoism points to the deepest of all wisdom.  To others, Taoism seems like a put-on: deep-sounding, but really meaningless.  Cite a couple of passages from the readings that support one of these views.

Beyond this Material World II (online session)

Please read through the Confucian material in either the Stephen Prothero book (pp. 101-130) or the Huston Smith book (pp. 154-195).  What do you find particularly attractive in the Confucian tradition?  What seem to be the great strengths of this tradition as a "world" religion, i.e., a religion that isn't bound to a specific historical niche?  What do you see that might make it hard for Confucianism to expand beyond its original homeland?

I am hoping we can generate a good online conversation here.  I'll be waiting for your posts between 10 a.m. and noon.  Thanks for your participation!

Confucian poetry (to be done in class, Thursday, July 11)

Please read through some of these selections from Confucian poetry.  How do the poems here compare with the poetry in the Bible?  Do they serve a similar function?  How do they reinforce Confucian teaching?

Look also at the I Ching.  What would have made this work attractive?  How would it have reinforced Confucian teaching?

Confucius and his teachings

For Wednesday, July 10, please read through the selections from Confucian teaching (pp 111-144) in your Novak anthology.  Choose one or two selections from Confucius that you think would be particularly useful reminders in American society today, some things worth learning from Confucian teaching.  Explain why you think those ideas particularly important.  Please bring your Novak anthology to class.  As with the selections on Buddhism, I am more concerned with the quality of your reading than the quantity.  It would be great if you could read all 33 pages, but all I really need you to do is to read enough to get a good sense of Confucian teaching.

An eight-fold road: Buddha and his message

Please read the story of the Buddha and the selections from Buddhist teachings in the Novak anthology (pp. 50-94).  Please note that I am more interested in the quality of your reading than the quantity.  I had much rather you read 20 pages carefully than the whole of the selection superficially.

Buddhism, like Christianity, is a missionary religion, a religion whose followers belief they have a responsibility to share their message with the rest of the world.  What do you find in the story of the Buddha or in his teachings that a Buddhist might find particularly important to share with others?

Wise men and an elephant

Please read through either Huston Smith's chapter on Hinduism (pp. 12-81) or Prothero's chapter on Hinduism (pp. 131-168).  Summarize here one aspect of Hindu teaching that the chapter you read particularly emphasizes and that seems to you particularly helpful in understanding Hindu faith.  Not particularly what you see here that shows either the uniqueness of Hinduism or the similarity of Hinduism with other faiths.

Hindu law and literature

Please read the selections from Hindu sacred scripture in the Novak anthology (pp. 1-39).  Please also read any one or two chapters from the Code of Manu. (Choose your chapters at random: it will help class discussion if students have read different chapters). 

Hinduism is the one polytheistic religion that thrives in the modern world.  What do you see in the readings here that shows why Hinduism is a road people might still find attractive?  What do you see here that would suggest that the would tend to support Huston Smith's view that all the great world religions point to the same general truths?  What do you see here that would tend to support Prothero's view that the major religions are very different?

Welcome!

In understanding history (and life in general) few subjects are more important than religion.  And yet, in general, the American educational system has little place for the discussion of religion and religious ideas--a serious defect.

In this class, we'll explore the world's seven most important religious traditions, thinking about important issues that, far too often, are shoved into the background.  We'll be reading selections from some of the most important works ever written, and you'll have the chance to share your ideas on these works both in class and on this blog.  

To get started, here's a test of the History 492 blog system. If you don't already have one, please create for yourself a "Blogger" account by following the instructions at http://www.blogger.com/. Be sure to create a blogger profile which includes your e-mail address. Otherwise, I can't reply directly to your post.

To make sure your e-mail address is accessible to me, please log on to your blogger account. Click "edit profile" (toward the top on the right). Then click the box that says to make your e-mail address accessible.

When you have created your blogger account and your profile, click the "comments" link below, and answer one (1) of the following questions:

1. What is religion?  Why is it important?
2. What religious figure do you find the most interesting and why?
3. Which religious text do you find the most interesting and why?
4. Why do you think religion is much less studied in school than it used to be?