Key facts

Type	Weekly Classes
Location	Reading
Address	Room 110 Building 22 London Road Campus Reading
Dates	Thu 4 Oct to Thu 6 Dec 2012 Day: Thursday Time of meeting: 7.00-9.00pm Number of meetings: 10
Subject area(s)	Religious Studies
CATS points	10
Fees	From £145.00
Application status	Course ended
Course code	R12P426THW
Course contact	If you have any questions about this course, please email ppweekly@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Overview

The world’s great religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam. This course is an introduction to these religions: to their early historical development; to their key texts and beliefs; and to some of their early thought.

Description

Religion has been a highly important part of the lives of human beings. The great religions of the world are Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This course is an introduction to each of these religions: to their early historical development; to their key text(s) and some of their key beliefs and practices; and to some of their early intellectual thought.

The course does not assume any prior specialist knowledge.

Programme details

Week 1: Hinduism: Introduction; Vedic period: (pre-Aryan &) Aryan culture; Sacred Literature; Renouncer Tradition.
Week 2: Hinduism: Classical period: Literature; Gods; Schools of Thought.
Week 3: Buddhism: Scriptures; Buddha and his Teachings.
Week 4: Buddhism: Early Development; Expansion; Divisions; Schools of Thought.
Week 5: Judaism: The Hebrew Bible; Early (traditional) History.
Week 6: Judaism: Beliefs; Philo.
Week 7: Christianity: The Bible; Jesus; Paul.
Week 8: Christianity: Gnosticism; Early Church & Church Fathers.
Week 9: Islam: Pre-Islamic Arabia; Muhammad; Qur’an; Sunna and Hadith.
Week 10: Islam: Expansion & Divisions; Law and Duties; Theology.

Background Reading:
Smart, N., The World’s Religions (Cambridge, 1998)

Staff

Course aims

Course Aim and Objectives:
To provide an understanding of the major religions of the world in terms of their origins and their early historical development, their key text(s) and some of their key beliefs and practices.
To begin to provide an understanding of some of the early developments in the intellectual thought of each of these religions.

Assessment methods

There is assessment by coursework.
Students will be asked to provide a very short plan on a subject which they intend to write an essay on.
They will then be asked to provide a short essay (c. 1,000 words). The essay should discuss a part (that has been studied during the course) of one of the great religions

Teaching methods

Classes take place once a week for ten weeks.
Classes consist principally of lectures.
Students should allow time for private reading and study.

Teaching outcomes

As a result of the course, students will have:

• An understanding of the great religions of the world in terms of their origins and their early historical development, their key text(s) and some of their key beliefs and practices.
• An understanding of some of the early developments in the intellectual thought of each of these religions.

Fee options

Programme Fee

Home/EU fee: £145.00

Non-EU fee: £145.00

Apply for this course