DOCSLIB.ORG

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS for RELIGIOUS STUDIES CONCENTRATION from the General Education Curriculum: RELI 110 Understanding Faith From

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS for RELIGIOUS STUDIES CONCENTRATION from the General Education Curriculum: RELI 110 Understanding Faith From COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS STUDIES CONCENTRATION From the General Education curriculum: RELI 110 Understanding Faith from a Global Perspective, freshman year. 3 credit hours. No pre-requisites. Through the lens of Christian traditions and values, this course will introduce the discipline of Religious Studies through basic concepts such as scripture, deity, authority, worship and ritual, ethics, the nature of religious experience, and faith. Students will apply this knowledge to analyze and understand faith commitments in other religious traditions. ISLO 2. PHIL 230 Ethics, sophomore year. 2 credit hours. Pre-requisite EN 131. This course examines moral standards and applications of moral reasoning to some of the social and personal complexities of our time from a multicultural perspective. The course emphasizes values and ethics commensurate with those values (perspectives) and the role both play in our lives, socially and personally. The course examines the ways in which ethics and a sense of morality are shaped by society while also transforming society. Finally, the course explores different classical and contemporary moral theories and introduces various ways to consider justice. ISLO 3, 4. HU 225 Interdisciplinary Humanities, sophomore year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisite EN 131 and EN 132. This course provides a chronologically arranged, global survey of the period from the 19th century to the present. It focuses on key events, cultural movements, literature, music, dance, sciences, philosophy, and visual arts (painting, architecture, and sculpture) that express and define the values of cultures in broad eras along this time span. It includes attention to Romanticism, Realism, Modernism, and Postmodernism from an international and cross-cultural perspective. ISLO 4, 5. The courses of the shared Common Core: RELI 205 Intro to African Traditional Religion and Culture sophomore year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisite RELI 110 and EN 131. This course introduces the student to African Traditional Religion and to the culture and civilization of Africa before the coming of Arab and European colonialism and religions. Students will learn why African Traditional Religion is still practiced today amid Western and Eastern religions. SSLO 3, 5. RELI 241 Religions of the World, sophomore year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisite RELI 110; EN 131. A brief look at the religious beliefs and practices of Hinduism and Buddhism as well as the Near-Eastern traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The cultural background of each religion will be discussed as well as the ways that religion affects culture and society around the world today. SSLO 5. CMIN 260 Intro to Christian Theology, sophomore year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisites RELI 110; EN 131. This introductory course takes a look at Jesus and his teachings in an historical context and provides a general overview of the major doctrines of Christianity and concepts of Christian Theology. The course examines the creeds of the early church, taking into account the major reasons that necessitated their formulations. The course also builds on a platform to demonstrate how Christianity has helped to forge theologies of liberation that have sparked societal change and have been instrumental and necessary in bringing about social justice. SSLO 1, 4. RELI 250 African American Religious History, sophomore year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisites HI 130; EN 131. This course will examine complex and varied African American religious experiences. The course’s goal is twofold: first, to introduce students to the history and culture of African American Religion; and second, to determine the manner in which it relates to contemporary society. Specifically, this course addresses Black religious practices, institutions, and thought in the African American quest for freedom, justice, and equality through a thorough examination of: African Traditional Religions; the African Diaspora; Religion of the Slave; Black Church and Abolitionist Movements; Race, Class, and Gender; Black Catholicism; Black Muslims; Alternative Black Religious Practices; Crisis in the Black Church; Civil Rights and Black Power Movements; and Mega Churches. SSLO 1, 3. PHIL 235 Intro to Philosophy, sophomore year. 3 credit hours. EN 131. This course introduces students to the study of philosophy and philosophical methods through a survey of key themes, thinkers, and problems in their historical settings. The course distinguishes between philosophy, religion, psychology, and anthropology. Philosophic approaches to be introduced may include: materialism, idealism, pragmatism, phenomenology, and existentialism. Themes to be introduced may include the reliability of knowledge, make up of ultimate reality, free will, determinism, the problem of evil, race, class, and gender. SSLO 1, 3. CMIN 333 Biblical Prophets and Social Justice, junior year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisites RELI 110; EN 131 and EN 132. Co-requisite: RPCM 390. This course will focus on the Prophets of Israel and their understanding of social justice with major attention directed to Jeremiah, Amos, and Micah. Students will be introduced to God’s covenant with Israel in order to lay the foundation for a critical analysis of justice. This course must be taken concurrently with RPCM 390. SSLO 4. CMIN 335 Intro to Black Theology, junior year. 3 credit hours. Pre-requisites EN 132; CMIN 260 and RELI 250. This course examines the origin of Liberation Theologies and their diverse expressions. Black Theology is considered in its global context; in its roots in Latin American and African American religious thought; and in its dialogue with other theologies such as feminist and Womanist theologies. In so doing, the course introduces students to the relevant conditions, primary issues and themes of African and African American history that contributed to the formation of religion, theological thought and moral reflection. The course will also critically examine the four basic building blocks of Black Theology that were used to construct a Black Theology of liberation in response to the question — What does it mean to be Black and Christian? The course will also examine and critically analyze the theological thoughts of first generation black theologians such as James H. Cone, J. Deotis Roberts, Gayraud Wilmore and Charles H. Long. Further, second and third generation theologians such as Jacqueline Grant, Delores Williams, Dwight N. Hopkins, Cornel West, Anthony Pinn, and Eddie Glaude will be part of the class discussion as we consider responses to the first generation's theological positions. SSLO 1, 3, 4. RELI 365 Theories of Justice, junior year. Pre-requisite: EN 131 and EN 132; PHIL 220 and PHIL 230. Co-requisite: RPCM 391. This course examines the concept of justice by addressing injustices primarily experienced by people of color. Attention will be given to womanist theology, Latino/a theology, and other theologies that speak to social justice in a global context. After defining the concept of justice, and examining a case of injustice through the lens of Franz Fanon, we will examine different theories of justice (both theological and philosophical) that address real world problems of injustice. The third part of the course examines four social justice projects attempted by Booker T. Washington, WEB Dubois, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. Finally, the students are encouraged to critically examine one of the projects and determine its strengths and weaknesses, its success and failures. The intention of the course is to provide constructive ideas that can be applied and appropriated to address social injustice in our society. This course must be taken concurrently with RPCM 391. SSLO 1, 2, 3, 4. PHIL 436 Philosophy of Religion, senior year. Prerequisite PHIL 220; CMIN 260; EN 132. A critical examination of definitions, assumptions, and arguments central to religion as they occur in historical and cultural settings. Topics for discussion may include: the nature of religion and religious experience, questions of faith and knowledge, arguments for and against the existence of God, the nature of the divine, the relation between God and the world, the relation between theology and philosophy, the problem of evil, and the nature of religious language. SSLO 1, 2. CMIN 410 Religious and Social Thought of Howard Thurman, senior year. Pre-requisite: CMIN 335. A seminar course providing an introduction to the thought of Howard Thurman through a close reading of key texts. In addition, through discussion, audio and visual resources, the class will explore the relevance and implications of Dr. Thurman’s religious and social thought for contemporary times and consider the practical applications of his emphasis on the intersection between theological formation and social change. It will also explore Thurman’s insights into the powerful connection between discipline, spirituality, and transformation. In the life and thought of Howard Thurman students will come to understand the synergy between concerns of philosophy, theology, and Christian ministry and how they combine to provide his unique perspective on the world and on his expression of Christian values. SSLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. RPCM 390 Field Experience I, 3 credit hours. Co-requisite CMIN 333. Placement at a local faith-based or service organization to work at least nine volunteer hours per week in a field related to the student’s career goals. Activities will vary but must be approved by the internship supervisor and the instructor for the course. A minimum of 135 hours must be completed for the course, as well as a series of reflective written assignments. This course must be taken concurrently with CMIN 333 Prophets and Social Justice. RPCM 391 Field Experience II, 3 credit hours. Co-requisite RELI 365. Placement at a local faith-based or service organization to work at least nine volunteer hours per week in a field related to the student’s career goals. Activities will vary but must be approved by the internship supervisor and the instructor for the course. A minimum of 135 hours must be completed for the course, as well as a series of reflective written assignments.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Barthé, Darryl G. Jr.Pdf
    A University of Sussex PhD thesis Available online via Sussex Research Online: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/ This thesis is protected by copyright which belongs to the author. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Please visit Sussex Research Online for more information and further details Becoming American in Creole New Orleans: Family, Community, Labor and Schooling, 1896-1949 Darryl G. Barthé, Jr. Doctorate of Philosophy in History University of Sussex Submitted May 2015 University of Sussex Darryl G. Barthé, Jr. (Doctorate of Philosophy in History) Becoming American in Creole New Orleans: Family, Community, Labor and Schooling, 1896-1949 Summary: The Louisiana Creole community in New Orleans went through profound changes in the first half of the 20th-century. This work examines Creole ethnic identity, focusing particularly on the transition from Creole to American. In "becoming American," Creoles adapted to a binary, racialized caste system prevalent in the Jim Crow American South (and transformed from a primarily Francophone/Creolophone community (where a tripartite although permissive caste system long existed) to a primarily Anglophone community (marked by stricter black-white binaries). These adaptations and transformations were facilitated through Creole participation in fraternal societies, the organized labor movement and public and parochial schools that provided English-only instruction.
    [Show full text]
  • Constructing 'Race': the Catholic Church and the Evolution of Racial Categories and Gender in Colonial Mexico, 1521-1700
    CONSTRUCTING ‘RACE’: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE EVOLUTION OF RACIAL CATEGORIES AND GENDER IN COLONIAL MEXICO, 1521-1700 _______________ A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History University of Houston _______________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________ By Alexandria E. Castillo August, 2017 i CONSTRUCTING ‘RACE’: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE EVOLUTION OF RACIAL CATEGORIES AND GENDER IN COLONIAL MEXICO, 1521-1700 _______________ An Abstract of a Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History University of Houston _______________ In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________ By Alexandria E. Castillo August, 2017 ii ABSTRACT This dissertation examines the role of the Catholic Church in defining racial categories and construction of the social order during and after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, then New Spain. The Catholic Church, at both the institutional and local levels, was vital to Spanish colonization and exercised power equal to the colonial state within the Americas. Therefore, its interests, specifically in connection to internal and external “threats,” effected New Spain society considerably. The growth of Protestantism, the Crown’s attempts to suppress Church influence in the colonies, and the power struggle between the secular and regular orders put the Spanish Catholic Church on the defensive. Its traditional roles and influence in Spanish society not only needed protecting, but reinforcing. As per tradition, the Church acted as cultural center once established in New Spain. However, the complex demographic challenged traditional parameters of social inclusion and exclusion which caused clergymen to revisit and refine conceptions of race and gender.
    [Show full text]
  • Religions of the World Series Hinduism 1St Edition Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD SERIES HINDUISM 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Cybelle T Shattuck | 9780132662550 | | | | | Religions of the World Series Hinduism 1st edition PDF Book Focusing particularly on the modern period, it provides a valuable introduction to contemporary Hindu beliefs and practices and looks at the ways in which this religion is meeting the challenges of the modern world. A bit to in-depth for us. Similarly, Telugu -speaking priests from the Tirupati region have been imported to serve at temples such as the historically important Ganesha temple, constructed in Queens, New York, in — Sikhism 0. Their character differs markedly according to region, class, and the time at which emigration occurred. Overviews and lists. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion". Major religious groups and denominations 1. Signed out You have successfully signed out and will be required to sign back in should you need to download more resources. Published by Routledge The early 19th-century Sira Puranam , a biography of the Prophet Muhammad , is an excellent example. Sign In We're sorry! Worldwide percentage of Adherents by Religion, [1]. Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Many Hindus are ready to accept the ethical teachings of the Gospels , particularly the Sermon on the Mount whose influence on Gandhi is well known , but reject the theological superstructure. This book covers almost all major areas of academic research on religion and could prove to be an inspiration for serious research on Hinduism. Hinduism and Christianity Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence.
    [Show full text]
  • Modern Alternative Popes*
    Modern Alternative Popes* Magnus Lundberg Uppsala University The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) is arguably the most important event in modern Catholicism, and a major act on the twentieth-century religious scene at large. On several points, the conciliar fathers made changes in how the Catholic Church perceived the modern world. The language in the decrees was different from earlier councils’, and the bishops opened up for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, seeing at least “seeds of truth” in other religious traditions. The conciliar fathers also voted in favour of liberty of religion, as meaning something more than the right to practise Catholic faith. A very concrete effect of the Council was the introduction of the New Mass Order (Novus Ordo Missae) in 1969 that replaced the traditional Roman rite, decreed by Pius V in 1570. Apart from changes in content, under normal circumstances, the new mass should be read in the vernacular, not in Latin as before. Though many Catholics welcomed the reforms of Vatican II, many did not. In the period just after the end of the Council, large numbers of priests and nuns were laicized, few new priest candidates entered the seminaries, and many laypeople did not recognize the church and the liturgy, which they had grown up with. In the post- conciliar era, there developed several traditionalist groups that criticized the reforms and in particular the introduction of the Novus Ordo. Their criticism could be more or less radical, and more or less activist. Many stayed in their parishes and attended mass there, but remained faithful to traditional forms of devotions and paid much attention to modern Marian apparitions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Battle for China's Spirit
    A Freedom House Special Report February 2017 The Battle for China’s Spirit Religious Revival, Repression, and Resistance under Xi Jinping CONTENTS Executive Summary 1 Overview 3 Evolving Mechanisms of Religious 12 Control and Persecution Chart: Key Religious Controls 18 Map: Religious Persecution by Province 19 I. Chinese Buddhism and Taoism 20 II. Christianity 22 III. Islam 24 IV. Tibetan Buddhism 26 V. Falun Gong 28 Recommendations 30 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarah Cook, senior research analyst for East Asia at Freedom House, served as project director and author of this report. She directs the China Media Bulletin, a monthly digest in English and Chinese providing news and analysis on media freedom developments related to China. She is also the author of two previous Freedom House special reports: The Politburo’s Predicament: Confronting the Limitations of Chinese Communist Party Repression (2015) and The Long Shadow of Chinese Censorship: How the Communist Party’s Media Restrictions Affect News Outlets Around the World (2013). RESEARCH, EDITORIAL, AND ADVISORY TEAM ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Five experts on religious communities in China (three This report was made possible by the generous support of doctoral candidates, an independent researcher, and a the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Special thanks to journalist) provided research support for the report’s five Arch Puddington, Daniel Calingaert, and Robert Ruby for chapters, but wished to remain anonymous. Tyler Roylance their comments and feedback. Gerry Fey served as graphic (staff editor), Annie Boyajian (advocacy manager), and in- designer. terns Bochen Han and Cathy Zhang provided editorial and research assistance. Three China scholars who wished to ON THE COVER remain anonymous served as academic advisers.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion and Geography
    Park, C. (2004) Religion and geography. Chapter 17 in Hinnells, J. (ed) Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion. London: Routledge RELIGION AND GEOGRAPHY Chris Park Lancaster University INTRODUCTION At first sight religion and geography have little in common with one another. Most people interested in the study of religion have little interest in the study of geography, and vice versa. So why include this chapter? The main reason is that some of the many interesting questions about how religion develops, spreads and impacts on people's lives are rooted in geographical factors (what happens where), and they can be studied from a geographical perspective. That few geographers have seized this challenge is puzzling, but it should not detract us from exploring some of the important themes. The central focus of this chapter is on space, place and location - where things happen, and why they happen there. The choice of what material to include and what to leave out, given the space available, is not an easy one. It has been guided mainly by the decision to illustrate the types of studies geographers have engaged in, particularly those which look at spatial patterns and distributions of religion, and at how these change through time. The real value of most geographical studies of religion in is describing spatial patterns, partly because these are often interesting in their own right but also because patterns often suggest processes and causes. Definitions It is important, at the outset, to try and define the two main terms we are using - geography and religion. What do we mean by 'geography'? Many different definitions have been offered in the past, but it will suit our purpose here to simply define geography as "the study of space and place, and of movements between places".
    [Show full text]
  • American Religious Identification Survey 2001
    THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AAMMEERRIICCAANN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY 2001 updated: December 19, 2001 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS PROFESSOR BARRY A. KOSMIN & PROFESSOR EGON MAYER STUDY DIRECTOR DR. ARIELA KEYSAR 1 AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY, 2001 THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LIST OF EXHIBITS INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY INNOVATIONS BETWEEN NSRI 1990 AND ARIS 2001 COVERAGE OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS RELIGION AND IDENTITY RELIGION AND ETHNICITY KEY FINDINGS - Religious Identification Among American Adults - Religious Institutional Membership - Religious or Secular Outlook - Religious Switching - Marital Status Among Selected Religious Groups - Mixed Religion Households - Age and Gender Patterns Among Selected Religious Groups - Race and Ethnicity Among Selected Religious Groups - Political Party Preference Among Selected Religious Groups - State by State Distribution of Selected Religious Groups METHODOLOGICAL APPENDIX 2 AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY, 2001 THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the dedicated professional collaboration of ICR – International Communications Research Corp. (Media, PA). Our thanks go especially to John DeWolf, Christopher Dinardo, Dale Kulp and their associates, who provided matchless and untiring collegial assistance in all phases of sampling, data collection, and data file preparation, further enhancing the fine reputation for quality research they had established in carrying out the National Survey of Religious Identification (NSRI) 1990. This study was made possible by the generous support of the Posen Foundation. 3 AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY, 2001 THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK LIST OF EXHIBITS 1. Self-Described Religious Identification of U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Constraints on Prescribing Medication
    ANALYSIS ■ Religious constraints on prescribing medication JOY OGDEN It is important for SPL prescribers to take any religious dietary restrictions into consideration when prescribing in order to optimise treatment. This article summarises the main dietary restrictions of the largest religious groups in the UK and the problems that may be encountered with medication ingredients. here is an ever-growing diversity of Treligious beliefs in UK society that prescribers need to take into account during their interactions with patients. Several world religions, including Islam, Judaism and Hinduism, prohibit their followers from consuming certain foods and drinks, for instance alcohol, pork and/or beef products, or those not pre- pared in specified ways. Vegans and and interpreted differently by individuals, vegetarians, not necessarily for religious so some practices may be acceptable to reasons, also restrict their consumption some patients and others may not. An of animal-derived products. Very many open dialogue between a healthcare pro- medications contain at least one active fessional and a patient is necessary, so or inactive ingredient derived from prohib- proper consideration can be given to the ited sources.1 Most patients and many patient’s religious beliefs before prescrib- physicians are unaware that these ingre- ing drugs or treatment. Healthcare pro- dients might be in their medicine and pre- fessionals, including pharmacists, need scribers need to understand the issues to be able to define and explain medical and be sensitive
    [Show full text]
  • African Names and Naming Practices: the Impact Slavery and European
    African Names and Naming Practices: The Impact Slavery and European Domination had on the African Psyche, Identity and Protest THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Liseli A. Fitzpatrick, B.A. Graduate Program in African American and African Studies The Ohio State University 2012 Thesis Committee: Lupenga Mphande, Advisor Leslie Alexander Judson Jeffries Copyrighted by Liseli Anne Maria-Teresa Fitzpatrick 2012 Abstract This study on African naming practices during slavery and its aftermath examines the centrality of names and naming in creating, suppressing, retaining and reclaiming African identity and memory. Based on recent scholarly studies, it is clear that several elements of African cultural practices have survived the oppressive onslaught of slavery and European domination. However, most historical inquiries that explore African culture in the Americas have tended to focus largely on retentions that pertain to cultural forms such as religion, dance, dress, music, food, and language leaving out, perhaps, equally important aspects of cultural retentions in the African Diaspora, such as naming practices and their psychological significance. In this study, I investigate African names and naming practices on the African continent, the United States and the Caribbean, not merely as elements of cultural retention, but also as forms of resistance – and their importance to the construction of identity and memory for persons of African descent. As such, this study examines how European colonizers attacked and defiled African names and naming systems to suppress and erase African identity – since names not only aid in the construction of identity, but also concretize a people’s collective memory by recording the circumstances of their experiences.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution of Population by Religions
    Drop-in-Article on Census - No.4 Distribution of Population by Religions Religious profile of the populace is an important socio-cultural and demographic feature noticeable from the first Census in 1872 till now. The data of religions or religious groups for which information was collected had some variations in the pre-Independence period. But after Independence, particularly since 1961 there has been some uniformity in the collection and the generation of the religious data. Besides the six major religions, e.g. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh, census also collected data on other religious faiths and denominations. Some of the religious faiths and persuasions are variants or varied manifestation of the major religious groups. The huge list of these other religions were checked, edited, classified and processed to get the precise picture of the data. In the past information on religion as provided in Census was very limited but in the last Census 2001, a number of cross-tabulations were made available. The data showing distribution of religious groups in 2001 provide is available at State and district levels down to sub-divisions and towns. Cross-tabulation of different religious groups by literacy, classification of workers and non-workers provided new insights. These are additional information compared to those published data of past Censuses. Distribution of Population by religious groups and their sex ratios Of the total population of India in 2001, 80.5 per cent are Hindus while Muslims Percentage Name of Sex to total account for 13.4 percent and Christians 2.3 Religion ratio percent respectively of the total population.
    [Show full text]
  • Paper: Geoc-201(Social and Cultural Geography) Topics: Major Religious Group: World and India; Nature of Agricultural and Urban - Industrial Society
    SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY SEMESTER: UG 2nd (H) PAPER: GEOC-201(SOCIAL AND CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY) TOPICS: MAJOR RELIGIOUS GROUP: WORLD AND INDIA; NATURE OF AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN - INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY MAJOR RELIGIOUS GROUPS OF INDIA Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. India is officially a secular state and has no state religion. The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions; namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India practices Hinduism, 14.2% adheres to Islam, 2.3% adheres to Christianity, 1.7% adheres to Sikhism, and 0.7% adheres to Buddhism. Zoroastrianism, Sanamahism and Judaism also have an ancient history in India, and each has several thousands of Indian adherents. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture. Religious diversity and religious tolerance are both established in the country by the law and custom; the Constitution of India has declared the right to freedom of religion to be a fundamental right. Today, India is home to around 94% of the global population of Hindus. Most Hindu shrines and temples are located in India, as are the birthplaces of most Hindu saints. Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad) hosts the world's largest religious pilgrimage, Prayag Kumbh Mela, where Hindus from across the world come together to bath in the confluence of three sacred rivers of India: the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. The Indian diaspora in the West has popularized many aspects of Hindu philosophy such as yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic medicine, divination, karma, and reincarnation.The influence of Indian religions has been significant all over the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion (Classes BL Through BX)
    LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COLLECTIONS POLICY STATEMENTS Religion (Classes BL through BX) Contents I. Scope II. Research Strengths III. Collecting Policy IV. Acquisition Sources: Current and Future V. Best editions and preferred formats VI. Collecting Levels I. Scope Materials covered by this statement comprise the collections in class BL-BX. As the de facto national library of the United States, the Library of Congress acquires for its permanent collections works of research value in the philosophy of religion; the history and principles of religion; comparative religion; systems of theology and doctrine; law, liturgy, and rituals; religion and society: its historical, social, and cultural role; and trends and developments of current or historic importance. Emphasis is placed on publications of scholarly and research interest at national or international levels. This document excludes religious law (KB-KBX), which is covered by the Law Collections Policy Statement. II. Research Strengths The Library of Congress’s holdings in the area of religion reflect the tremendous depth and breadth of the Library’s collections at large. These materials cover nearly all of the world’s religious traditions, in all manner of formats, dating from before the Common Era down to the present day. The Library has extensive holdings of the foundational texts and other basic writings of all major and many minor religions worldwide. These include all significant editions and translations of the Bible, Talmud, Qur’an, Tripitaka, Vedas, and others, as well as large numbers of interpretive or reference works about them. In addition to the General Collections, the African and Middle Eastern Division, the Asian Division, and the Rare Book and Special Collections Division house significant collections of manuscript and print editions of these sacred texts in their original vernacular languages.
    [Show full text]