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World Religions and Worldly Politics: Church/State Relations Around the World*
Fall 2012
There are a wide variety of constitutional approaches to “church/state” relations around the world. This course will explore a broad spectrum of these and how their roots and current implementation and implications are inextricably intertwined with religious politics. We will journey across Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish and multi-religious countries, using the comparative vantage point to, especially, refine a student’s understanding of her or his own country, which will be the subject of students’ course papers.
Tuesdays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. starting September 4
Syllabus:
Course flow: After three introductory sessions – to one another, to religion’s engagement of the modern world, and to the perspectives that will guide our world tour – we will spend the next 12 sessions working through the regions of the world represented in Crossing the God’s first five chapters, typically two sessions to each region, plus several sessions for student presentations.. In the first of the two sessions on each region we will review Crossing the God’s and Religion and Politics’ characterization of the regions relationship to the political situation During the second session students or guest faculty will critique and expand upon our texts’ characterization. The concluding session or two will return us to the United States and a discussion of the situation here.
Student Participation: Students are expected to attend all class sessions and to participate actively in class. If you know you will be unable to attend a class session please inform the professor in advance. Missing two sessions will result in an automatic lowering of your final grade by 10%.
Student presentations: Each student will make a presentation to the class that critiques and expands upon the characterization of religion and politics presented in our texts for a country or region. Presenters will distribute a bullet-point outline or paper copy of power-point slides to the class at the beginning of their presentation.
Course paper. Each student will prepare and submit a 15-20 page paper by the end of the course that deals with course related material and topics. The specific nature and topics will be negotiated between the instructor and each student, with the intent being to maximize the paper’s relevance to student interests. The paper could be, for example, an expansion and refinement of a student’s class presentation. Or, it might be about a specific historical or contemporary incident involving religion and politics, or constitutional issues involving religion, Or, it may be a more theoretical and/or theological piece about social/political approaches to dealing with religious diversity/difference
Course grade:
Class Participation: 25%
Class Presentation: 25%
Course Paper: 50%
Session Assignments
Reading is to be done in preparation for the respective session
Session 1: Introduction to texts; to each other and course logistics
Reading Crossing: Preface and Introduction Religion and Politics: Introduction and Chapters 1-4.
Session 2: “Our” Religions and the Contemporary World
Reading: Each student will read the chapter from World Religions Today (3rd Edition) about their religion (or closest related religion). Chapter readings will be provided online. In class students will divide by religion and each religious group will construct a short summary about their particular religion to present to the rest of the students.
Session 3: “Other” Religions and the Contemporary World
Reading: During session 2, students will be assigned to one or another religion not already represented in the class to read about for session 3. Again the reading will be the respective chapter from World Religions Today, and provided online.
Session 4: Latin America
Reading Crossing: Chapter 1
Religion and Politics: Chapter 9
Session 5: Latin America: Guest faculty and Student Presentations
Session 6: European Christendom
Reading Crossing: Chapter 2
Religion and Politics: Chapter 5
Session 7: European Christendom Student Presentations
Session 8: Islamic Societies
Reading Crossing: Chapter 3
Religion and Politics: Chapters 7 and 8
Session 9: Islamic Societies: Guest faculty and Student Presentations
Session 10: Two Multireligious ‘Minefields’: Israel and India
Reading Crossing: Chapter 4
Religion and Politics: Review Chapters 7 and 8
Session 11: Two Multireligious Minefields: Guest faculty and Student presentations
Session 12: Tracking Buddha
Reading Crossing: Chapter 5
Religion and Politics: Review Chapter 6
Session 13: Tracking Buddha Student Presentations
Session 14: Religion and Politics in the United States
Reading Crossing: Chapters 6 - 8
Religion and Politics: Review Chapter 10
Session 15: Religion and Politics in the United States
Course Paper Due: One week after last class.