JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM

 

  

Wailing Wall (Jerusalem) [1] Christian, Wall Detail (Toledo) [2]  Moorish Design (Cordoba) [3] 

  

  

 

Description:

This course offers an introduction to three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Also called the religions of Abraham, they uniquely appeal to a shared history and tradition to convey their relationship with the Divine. Throughout the centuries, the mutual historical roots have been cause for amazing new developments and growth as well as fierce competition and rejection among the believers. To study, recognize, describe and understand the religious beliefs and interrelationships within the historical context will therefore be an important goal in this course. We will study these religions in a historically chronological order, tracing their central beliefs, exemplary events that characterize their spiritual, cultural, and intellectual heritage as well as their influence on socio-political conditions.

Central to Jews, Christians, and Muslims is the encounter with scripture, the proclamation, and interpretation of the revealed word of God in the respective religious contexts. An important task will thus be the study of representative scripture passages, interpretive traditions, theology, and the ways these are lived in prayer, worship, and daily life. Finally, we will briefly investigate the dialogue and conflict between these traditions in the modern world. The study of religion requires the ability to listen, abstain from swift presumptions, and a willingness to explore unfamiliar contexts with empathy, qualities that in due course should lead to a better understanding of differences and commonalties.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the course the student should be able to do the following:

•  Recognize and describe the beliefs and practices of these three religions, noting commonalties and differences

•  Explain the historical developments and interrelationships of these religions

•  Describe major trends and events within each religion, such as internal divisions, reformations, etc.

•  Analyze critically historical dependencies and theological implications within and between religions

Assignments

During the course, we will spend considerable time studying, analyzing and critically assessing sacred texts. Every other week, we will spend some of our class time in a computer-lab, to work closely with the text in connection with research materials. A series of assignments will provide you with ideas, and guidance t for the final term paper. The assignments will always deal with the readings and topics discussed during the week. Therefore, lectures as well as the readings in your textbooks are a very important preparation for your written weekly essays. The goal of these assignments is threefold:

a) to acquire close knowledge of the texts in their historical settings,

b) to learn about methods of interpretations,

c) to apply this knowledge according to the questions in the assignments.

I will give you a critical response and a letter grade for four of your assignments (worth 30% of your overall grade) to give you an initial perspective regarding my expectations of written assignments. Note that you need to submit all of your work, even those essays that do not receive a letter grade and you will receive points for those as well. You, however, will choose the essays for a letter grade. In case you would like to have a particular essay graded, please mark this clearly on top of the paper. Submitting the additional four weekly essays in an adequate form including a works cited, and showing your serious efforts and contribution in the work, will be worth another 10% of your grade average (each essay is worth up to 20 points).

Term Paper

An important project in this course will be your term paper. The term paper will include your own research, critical assessment, and interpretation of a given sacred text. The paper should include your own independent research, in which you need to critically discuss one text from one of the topics to be found in the following selections:

a) "The Word of God: Revelation and Scripture" in: F. E. Peters. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. v2. Princeton University Press, 1990. pp. 3-71.

b) "The Law of God" in: F. E. Peters. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. v2. Princeton University Press, 1990. pp. 201- 266.

c) "The Covenant and the History of the Chosen People" and "Good News of Jesus Christ" and "Muhammad, the Prophet of God" in: F. E. Peters. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. v1. Princeton University Press, 1990. pp. 3-16,113-25, 182-89.


The text sources are on reference in the library. It will be your task to offer an interpretation of the primary text using secondary sources e.g. ancient or modern commentaries. Please identify your method of interpretation (e.g. historical critical, literary analysis...) In order to perform your research, you must at least include five secondary bibliographical sources. Please consult the library and the research guide at the College of DuPage library to acquire academic resources for this task. Check the worksheet as a guide in your preparation for the term paper. A worksheet will also guide you in your preparation for the term paper. 


The grading criteria will especially focus on the clarity of academic writing as well as the depth of your interpretation of the primary source. The length of the term paper should be between fifteen to twenty pages. Please never hesitate to consult me regarding any questions, concerns, or problems during your research. Please note: I do not accept late papers!  

This class follows the Academic Honesty Philosophy Statement of the College of DuPage. All assignments and the term paper must be your own work. I will not grade any essays that do not include bibliographic references. Check the following Website if you need information regarding MLA style citations http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/ . I check frequently for violations. Proven plagiarism will earn you an F for the class, possibly a meeting with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, including a formal report and/or an appearance before a Judicial Board.


 

Field Work

You are required to visit a Jewish, Christian or Islamic place of worship, which must be different from your own religious affiliation. Please write a short description (1-2 pages double spaced) or give a brief presentation about your experience in class. The goal of this visit will be to investigate the role of ritual in the respective wroship setting. Therefore, you need to perform research regarding the ritual context before you visit the religious setting. Document your sources carefully for this work. Check here for additional information: Field work.

Class Discussions

Lively discussions make a course much more interesting! Therefore, please keep up with all the readings. You are required to keep a notebook with the questions for each reading. Please include the topic of the reading and the date. Since your thoughtful and critical contribution in these discussions accounts for 25% of your grade, please participate regularly! The questions need to be submitted with the term paper at the end of the semester and will be part of your participation grade. Missing more than two classes during the semester will negatively influence your participation grade.

Commitment

I promise to give every effort and knowledge to stimulate your interest in and curiosity about the topic. I will give guidance for your work and will respond to your work as promptly and honestly as possible. If you participate in this course, I expect you to complete your assignments regularly, be prepared with your readings and contribute to the discussions in class. I also expect you to hand in your assignments (written essays) on time. If there are exceptional problems, please tell me early, and we will discuss options. In case you cannot participate in the course any longer, you are responsible to withdraw from the course.

Course Materials and Resources

 

Grading

Participation 25%
Field Work 10%
Term Paper 25%
Assignments (Graded) 30%
Assignments (Points) 10%

 

Judaism

Schedule and Sources (Tentative)

 

Week 1

 

Jerusalem, Sacred Disputed City (a historical introduction)

Sacred Space, Secular States?
Jerusalem: Capital of Two States? —The Power of Place: Geography for the 21st Century. Video On Demand. 12/02/07 http://www.learner.org/resources/series180.html?pop=yes&vodid=790679&pid=1933#

 

Religions of the Book - Who Wrote the Sacred Texts?

Week 2

Defining Judaism

Week 3

 

The Religious World of Ancient Israel

  • The Blackwell Reader in Judaism pp. 19-30.
  • "Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents in the Bible" Notes from lectures of Dr. Meredith Kline, presented at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California, Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in Massachusetts. http://www.aracnet.com/~wing/suzerain.htm

 

Week 4

 Second Temple Judaism

 
Week 5
 Rabbinic Judaism

 

Judaism in the Medieval Age

 

Christianity

 

Week 6

Judaism and Christianity in the Formative Age

Week 7

From Jesus to Christ

Week 8

 

Choose your primary text passage and method of interpretation and prepare an outline for your term paper:

Week 9

 

 

Secular and Divine Kingdoms

Week 10
  • Augustine. "On the Two Cities"Trans. Marcus Dodds. In: Medieval Sourcebook. Excerpt from The City of God. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1871, repr. in Library of Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, 1st Series, Vol. II, (Various publishers), 284-285, 412-414. 09/31/05 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/aug-city1.html

Week 11

The Protestant Reformation

 

Islam

Week 12

Field Work Due !

Islam and its Sacred Roots

Week 13

 

The Word of God

Week 14

 

The Community of Muslims

Islamic Theology-Life After Death

Week 15

Term Paper due!

The Qur'an and Islamic Law

Conflict and Dialog among the Religions of the Book

Final Week

 

Review Session!

 

Eva Maria Räpple, Ph.D.

Office: IC 20011 D

College of DuPage

Tel. 630 942 3983

e-mail: raepple@cdnet.cod.edu

Website: http://www.cod.edu/PEOPLE/FACULTY/raepple/

 

Notes


[1] Photo: courtesy of Tammie Bob


[2] Source:  Mikey and Lou Samson. SnapshotAsia. "Toledo, Spain | Detail of a wall" 06/08/03.
http://www.snapshotasia.com/%20Spain_28.htm


[3] Source: Mikey and Lou Samson. SnapshotAsia. "Cordoba, Spain | Moorish design and architecture" 06/08/03.
http://www.snapshotasia.com/ Spain_37.htm