TH 612 Theology of Religious Manyness a Hartford Seminary Online Course Fall 2015

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TH 612 Theology of Religious Manyness A Hartford Seminary Online Course Fall 2015

Instructor: Lucinda Mosher, Th.D. Faculty Associate in Interfaith Studies [email protected] Cell: (646) 335-2951 Skype: lucinda.mosher Office Hours: by appointment (in Hartford or by phone or Skype)

Course Meeting Times: This is an asynchronous online course. It has no face-to-face component. A dedicated course website will be available on Day One of Fall Term 2015. Students are expected to log in at least once during every week of the term.

Email Policy If you have matriculated in a Hartford Seminary program, your instructor will use your official Hartsem student email addresses for all communications. Please check that account regularly.

Course Description: The question of the place of one particular religion among other religions has been debated, for millennia; likewise, the related question of the status (theologically) of adherents of other religions according to a particular worldview. A range of answers have been advocated, extensively (but not only) by Christian theologians and religious studies scholars. Premised on the conviction that “theology of religious manyness” is a better formulation than “theology of religions” or “theology of religious pluralism,” making use of the insights of the emerging discipline of comparative theology, and examining the theoretical and methodological issues at play, this course will explore a range of theological responses to the fact of religious manyness from the vantage-points of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—as well as Christianity. Given that this is an asynchronous online course, students shall work their way through a series of online “learning objects”, doing so at whatever time of day they wish, and moving from one object to the next at their own pace. Given that this is a three-credit, graduate-level course, these tasks should require a total of 45 hours—although some people may wish to spend more time with them. Reading, writing, and research-project expectations are over and above expectations regarding time committed to “online learning objects”—just as would be the case that students in a traditional course would be expected to complete reading, writing, and research-project assignments outside classroom time. Students should expect to spend some 90 hours on reading and essay-writing for this course.

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Goals: Completion of this course will enable the student to: 1) Account for the vocabulary of the academic study of religion and the relationship of one religion to another. 2) Define the task of the theologian of religious manyness. 3) Explain the relation of theologies of religious manyness to the emerging fields of “comparative theology” and “theology without walls”. 4) Differentiate a range of theological responses to the fact of religious manyness from Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist vantage-points. 5) Formulate a personal theology of religious manyness that demonstrates knowledge of and critical engagement with the major options presented in the literature engaged in this course. Through this course, students should be able to achieve the following Hartford Seminary Master of Arts Degree Program Learning Outcomes:1 #1. To demonstrate foundational and critical knowledge of one’s own religion. #2. To demonstrate the knowledge, capacities, and willingness to respectfully engage other religions and world views. #4. To demonstrate knowledge and skills for dialogical and constructive engagement with diversity.

Course Structure: The course will comprise seven modules: course introduction; five religion-modules; course conclusion—each with reading assignments and online activities, which may include watching or listening to a lecture, answering a question posed by the instructor, commenting on another student’s work, or even taking an ungraded quiz to check one’s understanding of course material. The instructor reserves the right to revise the course outline if the need emerges during the term.

Attendance Policy Participation in all online components is expected; failure to do so is considered an “absence” and (if habitual) will affect one’s final grade.

Assessment Expectations Students are expected to complete every reading assignment and to participate related online activities in the time specified for a given unit. In an online course, the “discussion board” on the course website becomes the locus for weekly discussion of readings. These rubrics are meant to clarify how such “discussion” will be assessed. Students will receive a score for each online “module”. Each post will be evaluated for quality of contribution, using Rubric A. Each student’s discussion-board activity during a given module will be evaluated for quality, impact, and frequency of participation, using Rubric B. The result will be translated to a percentage and a letter grade for each module—and subsequently, for the course.

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Rubric A: Assessment of quality of contribution to class conversation via discussion-board posts initiating a thread or responding to an instructor’s prompt: 9-10 points: The post comprises 150–300 words; it relates very well to topic; it demonstrates sophisticated and nuanced engagement with assigned readings and advanced use of course vocabulary; it features well structured, clear writing informed by excellent, creative, analytical reflection; it includes several new ideas or questions; it is well-edited; properly formatted; it is submitted on time; it encourages further engagement. 8-8.75 points: The post comprises 150–300 words; demonstrates proficient engagement with assigned readings and use course vocabulary it features well structured, clear writing informed by excellent, creative, analytical reflection; includes new some ideas or questions; is well-edited; is submitted on time; encourages further engagement—but does not relate well to the topic at hand (or, is LATE). –OR– The post relates well to the topic at hand, but has a few deficiencies in structure, clarity, creativity, analysis, or editing. 7-7.75 points: The post comprises at least 150 words, but exhibits many deficiencies in structure, clarity, creativity, analysis, or editing; however, it is indeed related to the topic. ); may be overly reliant on opinion over analysis; implies that readings have not been carefully completed. –OR– The post comprises at least 150 words and exhibits only a few deficiencies in structure, clarity, creativity, analysis, or editing—but, it is not related to the topic at hand; overly reliant on opinion over analysis; implies that readings have not been carefully completed. 6 – 6.75 points: While it may expresses new ideas or questions, the post exhibits some combination of the following deficiencies: it is less than 150 words; it relates only loosely to the topic at hand; with regard to structure, clarity, creativity, analysis, or editing, it has serious problems; content of comment indicates lack of completion or understanding of reading assignment. 5 points or fewer: The post is not related to the topic; or, it relates only loosely to the topic at hand and with regard to length, structure, clarity, creativity, analysis, or editing, it has many serious problems and develops no new ideas or questions; content of comment indicates lack of completion or understanding of reading assignment. Rubric B: Assessment of quality of quality, impact, and frequency of participation in class conversation during a given module, via discussion-board posts initiating a thread or responding to an instructor’s prompt. Highest score possible = 12 points per module.2

0 points 1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points Quality of Insufficient: Beginning: Developing: Proficient: Advanced: participation Rarely participates Little self-initiated Initiates some level Initiates Initiates and and is disengaged participation in of participation but participation in participates discussions; occasionally discussions. actively, helping instructor needs to disengaged. the dynamism of solicit the conversation.

participation. Impact on Insufficient: Beginning: Developing: Proficient: Advanced: seminar Contributions (or Seminar and group Contributions Contributions Contributions dynamics lack thereof) dynamics not sometimes regularly advance have consistently harmed seminar significantly advanced seminar seminar positive impact dynamics. informed by dynamics, but not dynamics in on seminar presence of student always. positive ways. dynamics. Frequency Insufficient: Beginning: Developing: Proficient: Advanced: during Mod No posts or Only one original At least two posts At least two Four or more responses post or response to or responses original posts and original posts; at someone else’s two responses least three post responses

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In addition to online participation, students are to submit five brief summary/reflection essays (one for each religion) of no more than 1000 words at the end of each of the first six modules. As the course nears its conclusion, students are to write a summary essay of ten to twenty pages in which they demonstrate (at a level commensurate with the degree program in which they are matriculated) their attainment of course goals—most especially their ability to articulate their own theology of religious manyness, given their particular religious location. All papers are to accord with the standards for academic papers posted on the Hartford Seminary website. All papers and projects must accord with Hartford Seminary’s stated policy regarding the citing of sources. Plagiarism is to be avoided! For guidelines, see: http://www.hartsem.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Guidelines-for-Writing-A-Research- Paper.pdf.

Final grades will be calculated as follows: Online participation (Module 1) 10% Online participation (Mods 2 – 6) 25% Short essays (Mods 2 – 6) 50% Online participation in Module 7 + Final essay 15% Required Reading Much of the required reading for this course will take the form of essays, journal articles, and book chapters from a range of sources and provided to course enrollees on the course’s dedicated website (either as PDFs for download or links to online items). In conversation with these items, the following books should be read as directed in the course schedule: Gross, Rita M. Religious Diversity What’s the Problem? Buddhist Advice for Flourishing with Religious Diversity. Cascade Books 2014. ISBN 1620324091. Race, Alan & Paul M. Hedges, eds. Christian Approaches to Other Faiths. SCM, 2008. ISBN 978-0-334-04114-6. Griffin, David Ray, ed. Deep Religious Pluralism. Westminster/John Knox, 2005. ISBN 066422914X. Brill, Alan. Judaism and Other Religions: Models of Understanding. Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. ISBN 0230340253. Shah-Kazemi, Reza. The Other in Light of the One: The Universality of the Qur’an and Interfaith Dialogue. Islamic Texts Society, 2006. ISBN 1903682479. NOTE: If you have never taken a survey course in the world’s religions, then you are also required to read (and have at hand for reference) a good comprehensive textbook, such as Mary Pat Fisher’s Living Religions (Prentice-Hall; any edition from the 4th onward is adequate). If you plan to use a textbook other than Fisher’s, please clear your choice with your professor. NOTE: The course’s extended bibliography follows the course schedule below.

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Course Outline

Module I: Course Introduction, September 8 - 20 Topic: The vocabulary of the academic study of religion a. Religion as worldview b. “Theology of religions” versus “theology of religious pluralism” versus “theology of religious manyness” c. Comparative religion versus comparative theology i. What is comparative theology? ii. What are its sources, norms, methods, and goals? iii. What is the relationship between comparative theology and the work of constructive theology? iv. What is the comparative theologian’s relationship to the traditions under study? v. Can theologians within a specific religion do without comparative theology? vi. What is the relationship between comparative theology and theology of religious pluralism? vii. What are the risks and dangers of comparative theology? The benefits? Topic: Typologies: the vocabulary and paradigms of relationships between religions Reading: Paul Hedges, “A Reflection on Typologies: Negotiating a Fast-Moving Discussion,” in Race & Hedges, 17-33. Lucinda Mosher, Introduction to Toward Our Mutual Flourishing: The Episcopal Church, Interreligious Relations, and Theologies of Religious Manyness, 1-5. David Ray Griffin, “Religious Pluralism: Generic, Identist, and Deep” in Griffin, 3-38. Rita M. Gross, “…the Author’s Standpoint”; “…Four Models…Regarding How People Think about Belonging to a Religion”; and Chapter 4, in Religious Diversity— What’s the Problem?, 3-13; 21-32. Alan Brill, Preface (i-xi), Chapter 1: “Beginning the Conversation,” and Chapter 2: “Theological Categories,” in Judaism and Other Religions: Models of Understanding. Arif Kemil Abduallh, “What is Religious Pluralism?” in The Qur’an and Normative Religious Pluralism: A Thematic Study of the Qur’an, 1-22. Knitter, Paul F. “Doing Theology Interreligiously: Union and the Legacy of Paul Tillich” in CrossCurrents (March 2011), 117-132. John D’Arcy May and Perry Schmidt-Leukel, “Introduction: Buddhism and its ‘Others’” in Buddhist Attitudes to Other Religions, edited by Perry Schmidt-Leukel, 9-22. Martin, Jerry L. Theology Without Walls: Theology from the Ground Up: Opening Remarks. [See course website for this item]

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Online Learning Objects: 7 hours, approximately a. Introduction to the course; introduction to this module: 1 hour b. Self-introductions. 1 hour c. Diana Eck on Religious Views of Religious Pluralism: Part I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR_tlcoNVF4. “Religious pluralism…is the challenge of people of every tradition struggling to make sense of religious difference…from the perspective of their religious faith, in the language of their religious faith.” Synopsis: “Today, as people encounter neighbors of other faiths, face to face, and as communications enable people of every faith to know those of other faiths, what new theological questions do we and others pose about our own faith? How is the ‘truth’ of each tradition challenged in the face of other faiths and truth claims? Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are increasingly referred to as the "Abrahamic" faiths, indicating a common prophetic ancestor in the figure of Abraham. Abrahamic dialogue is on the rise. What assessment do we have of these dialogues?” 1 hour and 8 minutes d. Diana Eck on Religious Views of Religious Pluralism: Part II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPpzrK5aVoY. An exploration of views of some of today’s thinkers from religious traditions of the Indic world—Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities—on religions, the diversity of religions, engagements between religions, and dilemmas of religious truth. 1 hour and 19 minutes e. Paul Knitter, Theology of Religions: A Zero Sum Game? Draws on thinking of Krister Stendahl in responding to assertions by journalist Robert Wright. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur10Xjx0zqI. Main talk: 45 minutes; total: 1 hour and 19 minutes f. Discussion Board activities. 2 hours

Module II: Christian Theologies of Religious Manyness, September 21 – October 4 Topics: a. Christianity: a brief introduction/review b. Various Christian positions vis-à-vis religious manyness Reading: Daniel Strange, “Exclusivisms: ‘Indeed Their Rock is Not like Our Rock’” in Race & Hedges, 36-62. David Cheetham, “Inclusivisms: Honouring Faithfulness and Openness,” in Race & Hedges, 63-84. Perry Schmidt-Leukel, “Pluralisms: How to Appreciate Religious Diversity Theologically,” in Race & Hedges, 85-110. Paul Hedges, “Particularities: Tradition-Specific Post-modern Perspectives,” in Race & Hedges, 111-135. Jeannine Hill Fletcher, “Feminisms: Syncretism, Symbiosis, Synergetic Dance,” in Race and Hedges, 136-154.

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Wang Shik Jang, “An Asian Christian Approach to Religious Pluralism,” in Griffin, 226-239. Interfaith Relations and the Churches: A Policy Statement of the National Council of Churches of Christ. World Council of Churches, Who Do We Say That We Are? Christian Identity in a Multireligious World. Fernandez, Eleazar S. “Does Christianity Have Monopoly on Salvation?” (online) Christoph Schwöbel, “Particularity, Universality, and the Religions,” in Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered, Gavin D’Costa, ed (Orbis, 1990). Online Learning Objects: 7 hours a. Lucinda Mosher on Christian theologies of religious manyness. 30 minutes b. Exploration of On Common Ground: Christianity (useful for those with little background in Christianity) – http://www.pluralism.org/religion/christianity; Jesus: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/christianity/introduction/jesus; The Church: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/christianity/introduction/church; Protestant Movement: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/christianity/introduction/protestant; Interfaith concerns: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/christianity/issues/interfaith. 30 minutes c. Orthodox Christianity: The Rumanian Solution (from The Long Search, BBC 1977). An introduction to Orthodox Christian beliefs and practices, in the context of a political situation that no longer obtains. Still worthwhile to watch for its lessons on doctrine and liturgy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qk54gys7H0. 1 hour d. Religions of the World: Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christianity (narrated by Ben Kingsley). A “history of religions” approach to comparing two streams of Christian belief and practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7cUuxh3CYY. 1 hour e. Religious Pluralism: Seeing Religions Again with Marcus Borg. A presentation on the fact of religious pluralism; a way of seeing religions; similarities and differences between religions; being Christian in an age of pluralism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHIv-c-Rpzw. 1 hour f. Amos Yong presents an Evangelical and Trinitarian theology of religions from a Pentecostal perspective, critiquing a recent book by McDermott and Netland (which in fact had critiqued Yong’s approach). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4etJgZ3sqpM. 1 hour and 12 minutes g. OPTIONAL: Gavin D’Costa, a Catholic, on his personal development in Theology of Religions, the theological methods upon which he drew, and his critique of the “Exclusivist, Inclusivist, Pluralism” typology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa7HdJ7FI78. 10 minutes h. Discussion Board Activities. 2 hours First 1000-word essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), 10/4/2015.

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Module III: Jewish Theologies of Religious Manyness, October 5 – October 18 Topics: a. Judaism: a brief introduction/review b. Various Jewish positions vis-à-vis religious manyness c. Christian responses Reading: Alan Brill, Preface (xii-xiii), Chapters 3 through 7, in Judaism and Other Religions: Models of Understanding. Sandra B. Lubarsky, “Deep Religious Pluralism and Contemporary Jewish Thought,” in Griffin, 111-129. Eugene Borowitz, “A Jewish Response: The Lure and Limits of Universalizing Our Faith,” in Christian Faith in a Religiously Plural World, Donald G. Dawe and John B. Carman, eds. (Orbis, 1986). Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Judaism and Other Faiths (London: Macmillan, 1994), 157-59; 177. Louis Jacobs, A Jewish Theology (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1973), 289-91. National Jewish Scholars Project, Dabru Emet: A Jewish Statement on Christians and Christianity (2002). Ronald H. Miller, “Judaism: Siblings in Strife,” in Race & Hedges, 176-190. Online Learning Objects: 7 hours a. Introductory Lecture – Lucinda Mosher. 30 minutes b. Exploration of On Common Ground: Judaism (useful for those with little background in Judaism) – http://www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism; Torah: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism/introduction/torah; Talmud: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism/introduction/rabbinic; Keeping Shabbat: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/judaism/experience. 30 minutes c. The Chosen People (The Long Search, BBC 1977). Introduction to Judaism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIXHaRa9Tt4. 1 hour d. Deborah Weissman, Ph.D., Towards a Jewish Theology of Other Religions, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oIqhRKOFro. “Can contemporary Jews develop a theology of other religions that is both faithful to the Jewish tradition and respectful towards the beliefs and practices of others? What resources exist that could inform such an approach?” 45 minutes e. Rabbi Alan Brill, Ph.D., Recent Christian Theologies of Judaism: A Jewish Response. An exploration of the question of how the two religions think differently about theology. He seeks to steer the discussion beyond attempting to create sameness or difference and outlines the changes on both sides from perceiving differences between the faiths to perceiving commonality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyioyVuLFZ0. 45 minutes f. Dialogue on religious truth, with Judith Plaskow and Jeanine Hill-Fletcher. Two feminist theoreticians—one Jewish and one Christian—explore whether religious truth is really an

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issue in their respective theologies; and, if so, how their own feminism informs it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSf8RcRfVCU. 1 hour g. Discussion Board Activities. 2 hours Second 1000-word essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), 10/18/2015

Module IV: Islamic Theologies of Religious Manyness, October 19 – November 1 Topics: a. Islam: a brief introduction/review b. Various Islamic positions vis-à-vis religious manyness c. Christian responses. Reading: Shah-Kazemi, Reza. The Other in Light of the One: The Universality of the Qur’an and Interfaith Dialogue. Arif Kemil Abdullah, “The Islamic Framework of Religious Pluralism,” and “Structural Elements of Normative Religious Pluralism in the Qur’an,” in The Qur’an and Normative Religious Pluralism: A Thematic Study of the Qur’an, 23-44; 114-151. A Common Word Between Us and You. [PDF]. Mahmoud Ayoub, “The Word of God and the Voices of Humanity,” in Hasan Askari and John Hick, eds. The Experience of Religious Diversity (Gower Press, 1985). Mustafa Ruzgar, “Islam and Deep Religious Pluralism,” in Griffin, 158-177. Muhammad Legenhausen, “Islam and Religious Pluralism,” [PDF]. Abdulaziz Sachedina, “Islamic Theology of Christian-Muslim Relations” in Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 18-19, 1998-1999, pp. 2-23. Eboo Patel, “A Theology of Interfaith Cooperation,” in Insights: The Faculty Journal of Austin Seminary, 20-22. Jerusha Tanner Lamptey, Introduction to Never Wholly Other: A Muslima Theology of Religious Pluralism (OUP, 2014). Martin Bauschke, “Islam: Jesus and Muhammad as Brothers,” in Race & Hedges, 191-210. Online Learning Objects: 7 hours a. Introductory Lecture – Lucinda Mosher. 1 hour b. On Common Ground: Islam – http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam; The Qur’an: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/introduction/quran; One Ummah with Many Views: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/introduction/ummah; Unity and Diversity: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues; The New Islamic Landscape: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/america/infrastructure; Call to Prayer: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/experience; Salat: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/experience/salat;

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Friday Prayer: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/experience/jumah; Ramadan: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/experience/ramadan; Women: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/women; Struggling against Stereotypes: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/stereotypes. Total = 1 hour c. Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet. http://freedocumentaries.org/documentary/pbs- muhammad-legacy-of-a-prophet. 1 hour d. Dr. Jerusha Tanner Lamptey on “How does Islam depict the religious ‘other’?”—the main question behind her latest book, Never Wholly Other: A Muslima Theology of Religious Pluralism (OUP: 2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU3s5dLtNfoTBA. 45 minutes. e. Tariq Ramadan on Beyond Tolerance: Islam and Pluralism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igxdcl2dDm0. Main lecture = approx. 1 hour; total presentation = 1 hour and 50 minutes f. Discussion Board activities. 2 hours Third 1000-word essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), 10/25/2015

Module V: Hindu Theologies of Religious Manyness, October 26 – November 15 Topics: a. Hinduism: a brief introduction/review b. Various Hindu positions vis-à-vis religious manyness c. Christian responses Reading: Kana Mitra, “Theologizing Through History,” in Toward a Universal Theology of Religion, Leonard Swidler, ed. (Orbis, 1987). Anantanand Rambachan, “The Hindu Tree on America’s Sacred Ground”in Barbara A. McGraw and Jo Renee Formicola, eds., Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously: Spiritual Politics on America’s Sacred Ground (Waco, Texas: Baylor University Press, 1992. Vivekananda, Speeches at World’s Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893. Mahatma Gandhi, from “The Story of My Experiments with Truth,” in Christianity Through Non-Christian Eyes, Paul J. Griffiths, ed. (Orbis, 1990). Jeffery D. Long, “Anekanta Vedanta: Toward a Deep Hindu Religious Pluralism,” in Griffin, 130-157. Dayananda Sarasvati, “The Light of Truth,” in Christianity Through Non-Christian Eyes, Paul J. Griffiths, ed. (Orbis, 1990). Kauai Aadheenam Monastery, “How Do Hindus View Other Religions?” http://www.himalayanacademy.com/blog/taka/2011/09/10/how-do-hindus-view-other- religions/ Jayaram V, “Hinduism and Religious Tolerance,” http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_tolerance.asp

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Swami Nikhilananda, “Interreligious Attitude,” http://www.hinduism.co.za/inter-re.htm K. P. Aleaz, “Hinduism: We Are No Longer ‘Frogs in the Well,’” in Race & Hedges, 212-33. Online Learning Objects: 7 hours a. Introductory Lecture: Lucinda Mosher. 30 minutes b. Exploration of On Common Ground: Hinduism (useful for those with little prior background in Hinduism) – http://www.pluralism.org/religion/hinduism; Many Gods and One: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/hinduism/introduction/gods; Building the Temple: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/hinduism/america/temple. 15 minutes c. Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion. (Smithsonian Institution, 1996) An introduction to bhakti yoga from (essentially) a smarta advaita point of view. http://www.asia.si.edu/explore/indianart/videoPuja.asp. 15 minutes d. 330 Million Gods (from The Long Search, BBC 1977). Introduction to Hinduism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQwva2gj4O4. 1 hour e. Vivekananda and Pluralism – a panel presentation at USC by Jeffery Long; Makarand R. Paranjape; Anantanand Rambachan; Sharada Sugirtharajah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-c0LKcVvTo. 2 hours f. The Hindu-Christian Encounter: Fresh Light on the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue by Francis X. Clooney, S.J. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17FNZT0IZY0. 1 hour g. Discussion Board Activities. 2 hours Fourth 1000-word essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), 11/15/2015

Module VI: Buddhist Theologies of Religious Manyness, November 16 – December 6 Topics a. Buddhism: a brief introduction/review b. Various Buddhist positions vis-à-vis religious manyness c. Christian responses Reading: Kristin Beise Kiblinger, “Buddhist Stances Towards Others: Types, Examples, Considerations,” in Buddhist Attitudes to Other Religions, Perry Schmidt-Leukel, ed. (EOS, 2008). Rita M. Gross, Chapters 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, in Religious Diversity—What’s the Problem? Christopher Ives, “Liberating Truth: A Buddhist Approach to Religious Pluralism,” in Griffin, 178-192. Kulatissa Nanda Jayatilleke, “The Buddhist Attitude to Other Religions,” in The Wheel, No. 216 (Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1975). K. Sri Dhammananda, The Buddhist Attitude Towards Other Religions (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1983).

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John Makransky, “Buddhist Perspectives on Truth in Other Religions: Past and Present,” Theological Studies, 2003 (Vol 64), 334–61. Kenneth Tanaka, “Buddhist Pluralism: Can Buddhism Accept Other Religions as Equal Ways?” in Perry Schmidt-Leukel, ed., Buddhist Attitudes to Other Religions. Masao Abe, “A Dynamic Unity in Religious Pluralism: A Proposal from the Buddhist Point of View,” in Steven Heine, ed., Buddhism and Interfaith Dialogue (Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 1995). Elizabeth Harris, “Buddhism: Two Essential Movements of the Human Spirit?” in Race & Hedges, 234-254. Online Learning Objects: 7 hours a. Introductory Lecture: Lucinda Mosher. 1 hour b. On Common Ground: Buddhism – http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism; Meditation: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/introduction/becoming-buddha; Dharma: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/introduction/dharma; Becoming a Monk: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/experience/becoming-a- monk; Chanting the Sutras: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/experience/chanting; Multiple Buddhisms? http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/issues; Engaged Buddhism: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/issues/social-action; Ecumenical and Interfaith Buddhism: http://www.pluralism.org/religion/buddhism/issues/ecumenical. 1 hour c. Footprint of the Buddha (The Long Search, BBC 1977). Introduction to Theravada Buddhism, using a phenomenological, anthropological approach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3r202etWLE. 1 hour d. The Land of the Disappearing Buddha – Japan (The Long Search, BBC 1977). Actually, an introduction to both Zen and Pure Land Buddhism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6KyQIo9Q7M. 1 hour e. The Dalai Lama on “Is there only one true religion?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQrUWmzshsI; “Conflicting Philosophies of World Religions” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yQud-ckpJM; “Different Religions Share a Central Message of Compassion” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F6g5g2ieps. Total = 40 minutes f. Discussion Board activities. 2 hours Fifth 1000-word essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), 12/6/2015.

Module VII: Course Conclusion, December 7 - 22 Topics: a. Pulling it all together: revisiting comparative theology b. Assessment: have the course’s goals been achieved?

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c. Final observations d. Final paper Reading: whatever the student deems necessary for the final paper Online Learning Objects: 3 hours a. Dr. John Thatamanil on The Promise of Religious Diversity: Dialogue after Religion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FbfcygGG2Q. 1 hour. b. Discussion and final observations. 1 hour and 30 minutes c. Course assessment tool. 30 minutes NB: Last day to post to website and have it “count” as course participation = 12/22/2015 NB: Final Essay is due via email no later than 11:59 pm (ET), December 23, 2015. 

For Further Reading: Abdullah, Arif Kemil. The Qur’an and Normative Religious Pluralism: A Thematic Study of the Qur’an. London: International Institute of Islamic Thought, 2014. Ariarajah, S. Wesley. Your God, My God, Our God: Rethinking Christian Theology for Religious Plurality. World Council of Churches, 2012 Berthrong, John H. The Divine Deli: Religious Identity in the North American Cultural Mosaic. Orbis, 1999. ISBN 1-57075-268-0. Brill, Alan. Judaism and World Religions: Encountering Christianity, Islam, and Eastern Traditions. Palgrave, 2012. Clooney, Francis X. Comparative Theology: Deep Learning Across Religious Borders. Wiley- Blackwell, 2010. ISBN 978-1-4051-7974-4. Cohn-Sherbok, Dan. Interfaith Theology: A Reader. Oneworld, 2001. ISBN 1-85168-276-7. Cracknell, Kenneth. In Good And Generous Faith: Christian Responses to Religious Pluralism. Pilgrim Press, 2006. Dhammananda, K. Sri. Buddhist Attitude Towards Other Religions. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1983. Eck, Diana L. Encountering God: A Spiritual Journey from Bozeman to Benares, second edition. Beacon Press, 2003. Feldmeier, Peter. Encounters in Faith: Christianity in Interreligious Dialogue. Anselm Academic, 2011. Heim, S.Mark. Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion. Orbis, 1995. How Do Hindus View Other Religions? http://www.himalayanacademy.com/blog/taka/2011/09/10/how-do-hindus-view-other- religions/

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Jayatilleke, K. N. The Buddhist Attitude to Other Religions. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1966. Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to the Theology of Religions: Biblical Historical & Contemporary Perspectives. IVP Academic, 2003. ISBN 978-0-8308-2572-1. Kiblinger, Kristin Beise. Buddhist Inclusivism: Attitudes Towards Religious Others. Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2005. ISBN 0754651339 Knitter, Paul F. “Doing Theology Interreligiously: Union and the Legacy of Paul Tillich” in CrossCurrents (March 2011), 117-132. ———. Introducing Theologies of Religions. Orbis, 2002. ISBN 1-57075-419-5. Largen, Kristin Johnston. Finding God Among Our Neighbors: An Interfaith Systematic Theology. Fortress, 2013. ISBN 978-0-8006-9933-8. Legenhausen, Muhammad. Islam and Religious Pluralism. http://www.al-islam.org/al- tawhid/vol14-n3/islam-and-religious-pluralism-dr-muhammad-legenhausen. Makransky, John. Buddhist Perspectives on Truth in Other Religions: Past and Present. http://www.johnmakransky.org/article_04.html Martin, Jerry. Theology Without Walls: Theology from the Ground Up: Opening Remarks. [PDF] Mosher, Lucinda Allen. Toward Our Mutual Flourishing: The Episcopal Church, Interreligious Relations, and Theologies of Religious Manyness. Peter Lang, 2012. Nikhilananda, Swami. Interreligious Attitude. http://www.hinduism.co.za/inter-re.htm Race, Alan. Making Sense of Religious Pluralism: Shaping Theology of Religions for Our Times. SPCK, 2013. ISBN 978-0-281-06438-0. Rambachan, Anatanand.”The Hindu Tree on America’s Sacred Ground,” in Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously: Spiritual Politics on America’s Sacred Ground, edited by Barbara A. McGraw and Jo Renee Formicola. Baylor, 2005. ISBN 1-932792-33-3. Sacks, Jonathan. The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations. Continuum, 2002. ISBN 0-8264-1443-5 Sacks, Jonathan. The Home We Build Together: Recreating Society. Continuum, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8264-8070-5. Schmidt-Leukel, Perry, ed. Buddhist Attitudes to Other Religions. EOS, 2008. ISBN 978-3-8306- 7351-4 Shafiq, Muhammad & Mohammed Abu-Nimer. Interfaith Dialogue: A Guide for Muslims. London: IIIT, 2007. ISBN 978-1-56564-369-7. Shah Kazemi, Reza. Common Ground Between Islam & Buddhism. Fons Vitae, 2010. ISBN 978- 1891785627 Smith, Brian K. “Who Does, Can, and Should Speak for Hinduism?” in Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 68:4 (December 2000): 741-49. Smith, Jonathan Z. “Religion, Religions, Religious” in Essays in the Study of Religion. University of Chicago Press, 2004.

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Stedman, Chris. Faithiest: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious. Beacon Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0-8070-1439 Sugirtharajah, Sharada, ed. Religious Pluralism and the Modern World: An Ongoing Engagement with John Hick. Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. ISBN 0230296696. V, Jayaram. Hinduism and Religious Tolerance. http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_tolerance.asp Valkenberg, Pim, ed. World Religions in Dialogue: A Comparative Approach. Anselm Academic, 978-1-59982-083-5. Volf, Miroslav. Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Abingdon Press, 1996. ISBN 0-687-00282-6

1 Hartford Seminary Master of Arts Learning Outcomes and Key Characteristics 1. To demonstrate foundational and critical knowledge of one’s own religion by: a. Knowing Scriptures, authoritative texts, history, and traditions of one’s own religion b. Relating one’s tradition to public issues which intersect with faith c. Developing an appreciation of the continuum of expressions and interpretations of one’s own religious tradition d. Engaging one’s own religion analytically and contextually e. Appreciating the different streams of thought and practice within one’s own tradition 2. To demonstrate the knowledge, capacities, and willingness to respectfully engage other religions and world views by: a. Knowing seminal texts of a religion other than one’s own b. Knowing the history of a religious community other than one’s own c. Knowing the societal contexts of a faith tradition other than one’s own d. Displaying empathy in critical examination of other religions e. Communicating sensitively in dealing with another faith f. Reflecting on elements in one’s own faith from the point of view of the other 3. To demonstrate knowledge of the practices of one’s own religious tradition and the capacity to appreciate the practices of other faith traditions by: a. Knowing rites and rituals of one’s faith tradition b. Understanding the meanings and benefits of engaging in those practices c. Knowing the difference between individual practices and communal or institutional norms d. Engaging perspectives and practices different from one’s own e. Appreciating the spiritual integrity inherent in practices of other faith traditions 4. To demonstrate knowledge and skills for dialogical and constructive engagement with diversity by: a. Knowing sacred literatures of one’s own and other religious traditions b. Appropriating critical theories to engage diversity in a given context (e.g. race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion) c. Being critically reflexive about one’s own social location and how it shapes engagement with others d. Displaying capacity to respectfully engage the other e. Displaying knowledge and skills that are cognizant of understandings and differences 5. To demonstrate the ability to relate theory and practice in the social contexts in which religion-communities exist by: a. Defining and specifying the relevant dimensions of social contexts in which religion-communities exist b. Demonstrating how particular social contexts shape a religion-community’s practices c. Articulating ways in which social context informs religion-community leadership

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2 Based on a rubric devised by Dr. Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, who in turn credits: https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/examples/courselevel-bycollege/cfa/tools/participationrubric-cfa.pdf and http://www46.homepage.villanova.edu/john.immerwahr/TP101/EvDay/discussion%20rubric.pdf.