Course Syllabus

Syllabus World Religions

Mizzou Academy

Welcome

Welcome to World Religions! I’m so glad you are here and I’m pleased to have you as a student. My name is Mr. Greg Soden, and I will be your guide through this course. 

In this course, you will explore various religious traditions through the examination of history and traditions, literary analysis of religious texts, and cultural studies involving current events in religion.

This first module will introduce the major concepts and style for the course. Modules two through nine will follow a similar sequenced structure, each examining a different religion. Module ten will guide you through your final project. 

Course Overview

You will begin each lesson by exploring a religion through a historical/traditions-based model, which provides a brief overview of some of the major concepts and historical people associated with that specific religion. As you study, keep in mind each of these traditions has a deep and complex history dating back centuries and examining the rich texture of this history in such an introductory course will often not be possible. As you study, think about things you know about these religions that the course does not cover. Additionally, we at Mizzou Academy encourage you to explore additional lines of inquiry related to the history, texts, and current events of religion. 

The next section of each lesson will focus on analyzing a piece of literature associated with a particular religion. Some examples of texts you will read are The Bhagavad Gita, The Sermon at Benares, the Tao Te Ching, the Gospel of Mark, and more. 

The final part of each lesson will be devoted to the exploration of two issues or current events showing how the religion is relevant, internally diverse (meaning views are different from person to person, even within a particular religious tradition), and changing in modern society. This approach is known as the cultural studies model.

The major goals of this course are to study religions and come to understand that:

    1. Religions are internally diverse
    2. Religions are dynamic and beliefs and practices can change throughout time
    3. Religions change with the culture in which it is practiced and cultures can also change to reflect the religions practiced

Let’s explore these in a bit more depth:

Outcome One: Religions are Internally Diverse. Within this course, you will likely be exposed to many ideas for the first time. When exploring ideas for the first time, it is important to remember these traditions are venerated and respected by people all over the world. For this reason, it is important to retain a climate of tolerance for the duration of this course. Given that all religions are internally diverse and changing at all times, we must move away from basic generalizations, such as saying “All Jewish people believe….” or “All Christians believe…,” and more towards asking questions that can be answered by different people in different ways. Answers to questions about people’s experiences practicing a religion vary for almost every person. 

Outcome Two: Religions are Dynamic and Changing Throughout Time. Religions change with each passing year and century. For example, the King James Bible was written about 400 years ago and a lot of the language was relevant to early 1600’s English society. This version of the Bible was interpreted for its time and place, and is still being re-interpreted today.

Outcome Three: Religions Change with the Culture and Cultures Change with Religions. It is impossible to understand the complexity of a society’s culture without investigating religious participation within those trends. For example, Bible-themed cartoons regularly show up in The New Yorker magazine, the Bible is consistently cited on the floor of the US Senate or on election campaign trails, and groups such as the “Moral Majority” demonstrate how like-minded religious groups can make an impact on a nation’s social and political fabric. 

 

With these goals in mind, let me say once again that I’m excited you’re here. Let’s investigate some religions of the world!

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is that students will be able to:

  • Describe the diverse perspectives of practitioners of specific religious traditions
  • Analyze how religions change over time
  • Examine religious traditions from an academic, nonsectarian perspective
  • Discuss major world religions from social, political, and cultural perspectives

Pacing

This course can be completed in as few as six weeks or take up to 6 months (180 calendar days). The six weeks are counted from the date of the first lesson submission and not the date of enrollment.

Required Materials

There are no required materials for this course.

Technical Requirements

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g. smartphone, camera)

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on assignments and exams.

To pass the course, you must earn a minimum of 60 percent in the exams assignment group.

60percent calculation for exams.png

You will be able to see your exam percentage in the "Exams" column in your gradebook.

The following grading scale applies only to students who meet this standard:

Grading Scale
Grade Percentage
A 90–100
B 80–89
C 70–79
D 60–69
F 0–59

After completing the course, unofficial transcripts will be available in the Tiger Portal. See this page for information on requesting official transcripts. 

Canvas and Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.