Rel. 110: Introduction to Religion Fall term, 2000 Instructor: R. Rader
At the beginning of the third class period, students meet in small groups of 4-5 to
formulate specific goals for the class. The small groups then share their goals with the
entire class, after which the class decides on four to five goals which will be reviewed
periodically, and which will serve as the basis of the class evaluation at the end of the
term. The following is the Instruction Sheet which the small groups receive in order to
arrive at common goals.
Instruction Sheet: As you enter into your study of the History of Religions, attempting to
understand the views, motivations, beliefs, rituals, etc. of the various traditions of World
Religions, what are three basic goals you would like to accomplish in this study? Share
these goals with your specific group, and try to arrive at a consensus of three goals which
seem most important to the group in general as you proceed with the course of study.
Each group then shares its three goals with the class, and the class arrives at a consensus
of their basic goals (4-6). The goals will be reviewed and addressed at Mid-Term, and at
the end of the term as part of the students' course evaluations.
Students' Goals for Fall Term, 2000
- To understand the pervasiveness of religion in all aspects of a culture.
- To develop a greater appreciation of the various religions by being open-minded and unbiased in our study.
- To understand the commonalties and differences among the various religious traditions.
- To learn more about the lesser known religions, e.g., Eastern Religions.
- To understand the role and impact of science on religion.
- To understand the underlying causes of a society's religious fervor and/or its apathy.