TRS5802 - World Religions I: Texts and Contexts

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate:

1. A detailed knowledge and understanding of the major World Religions (in Semester 1 the religions of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity and Islam; in Semester 2 the religions of Asia: Buddhism, Hinduism, and some Sikhism) as living faiths, with reference to the sacred texts and historical practices of their practitioners;
2. An understanding of the history, nature, development and content of these religions from a reflective, informed position, including their variation and plurality;
3. An understanding of the achievements, persecutions, challenges and conflicts relevant to these traditions in their histories;
4. A critical understanding of the major issues involved in inter-religious dialogue.

Content:

This module, building on the foundational work taken up in TRS1902, explores the major world religions in further detail, through primarily textual and historical analysis, examining in some detail the principal sacred texts of the various traditions, and identifying how these texts have informed the historical development of these religious bodies. Specific attention is paid to the development of variation within traditions, and the differing manners in which key texts and tenets have come to be interpreted differently by various sub-groups. Historical tensions, as well as achievements, will also be explored, together with the development of moral and ethical systems, and unique spiritualities grounded in these religions. The module will include discussion of the spread of the religions, their presence in ‘diaspora’, and in what sense they are 'world religions'.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The course will be taught in plenary sessions which will make use of a blend of teaching and learning methods. These will normally include: lecture-style presentations by the tutor; seminar-style discussion of a particular topic; informal prepared presentations by students, followed by discussion; other exercises as appropriate to material and group. Guidance on reading in preparation for each session and activity will be given; and learning will be supported where appropriate by VLE and other electronic resources. Guidance on research and essay-writing will be embedded in the learning and teaching process throughout the module; and may also be supported by tutorial guidance on essay plans and drafts if required. A portfolio will be used to collect smaller written assignments throughout the module, which may comprise brief research texts, learning journals, reading summaries, etc.


Lectures / Seminars
Contact Hours 40
Number of Groups 1

Assessment:

001 Essay 1 x 1500 words (end of sem 1) 30%
002 Essay 1 x 1500 words (end of sem 2) 30%
003 Presentation 20 minutes (end of sem 1 or 2) 20%
004 Portfolio 1 x 2000 words (end of sem 1 & 2) 20%


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