This course provides an overview, from a Christian perspective, of several of the world’s religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Islam. An ambitious study such as this involves a vast plethora of people, including their faith, and phenomena: sacred and foundational texts, myths, rituals, theologies, philosophies, ideologies, moral codes, sacred places, religious communities, and various other expressions of religious experience. In each case, emphasis will be placed on the tradition’s analysis of the basic human problem and the solution that it offers to the problem. The rise of new religious movements in the Western world will also be examined. The approach taken in dealing with historical matters will be informed by phenomenology and philosophy. Lastly, the course will investigate Christian theological responses to religious plurality and the challenge of religious plurality for Christian mission.

Understand the teachings and practices of the world’s major Asian religious traditions.
Understand the context in the Western world in which established religious traditions and new religious movements have flourished.
Identify and be able to articulate Christian responses to religious plurality.

This course will meet as a two-week intensive. Lectures and class discussions followed by careful reading of assigned texts and the writing of papers. If you are interested in taking this course, please register during May 20-23, 2003. If there is insufficient enrollment at the end of returning student registration (May 2003), this course will be cancelled.