RST1501/102/3/2018 Tutorial letter 102/3/2018 Comparative religious studies: introduction to the religions of the world RST1501 Semesters 1 & 2 Religious Studies & Arabic IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This tutorial letter contains important information about your module. RST1501/102 DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND ARABIC Introduction to the Religions of the World D Chetty M Clasquin-Johnson G J Mason J M Strijdom M Seerane (ICLD) © 2015 University of South Africa All rights reserved Printed and published by the University of South Africa Muckleneuk, Pretoria 2 RST1501/102 Contents PREFACE .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Time frame ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Prescribed and recommended material ......................................................................................................... 8 Assessment .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Assignments ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Examination ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Activities ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Recommended activities ................................................................................................................................ 9 STUDY UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 WHAT IS "RELIGION"?............................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 HOW DO WE STUDY RELIGION? ................................................................................................................... 11 1.2.1 The phenomenological approach ............................................................................................... 12 1.2.2 Critical approaches ..................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 WHY STUDY RELIGION TODAY?.................................................................................................................... 14 1.4 MAJOR PHASES IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGION ................................................................................................. 15 1.5 FAMILIES OF RELIGIONS ............................................................................................................................. 17 1.6 THE STRUCTURE OF THIS MODULE ................................................................................................................ 20 STUDY UNIT 2: AFRICAN INDIGENOUS RELIGION(S) ....................................................................................... 22 2.1 THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF AFRICAN INDIGENOUS RELIGION(S) ............................................................................ 22 2.2 FIRST CASE STUDY: THE RELIGION OF SAN HUNTER-GATHERERS AS EVIDENCED IN DRAKENSBERG ROCK PAINTINGS, AND THEIR CURRENT PREDICAMENT ................................................................................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Beliefs .............................................................................................................................................. 24 2.2.2 Practices ..................................................................................................................................... 25 2.2.3 Institutions and values ................................................................................................................ 26 2.2.4 Oral transmission rather than sacred scriptures ........................................................................ 26 2.2.5 History ........................................................................................................................................ 26 2.3 SECOND CASE STUDY: THE RELIGION OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN FARMERS ("BANTU-SPEAKING VILLAGERS") IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND ITS TRANSFORMATION IN COLONIAL, APARTHEID AND POST-APARTHEID CONTEXTS ............................................ 27 2.3.1 Beliefs ......................................................................................................................................... 28 2.3.2 Practices ..................................................................................................................................... 29 2.3.3 Institutions and values ................................................................................................................ 33 2.3.4 Oral transmission rather than sacred scriptures ........................................................................ 35 2.3.5 History ........................................................................................................................................ 35 INTRODUCTION TO THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS ........................................................................................... 38 STUDY UNIT 3: JUDAISM ................................................................................................................................ 40 3.1 INTRODUCTION: THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF JUDAISM ........................................................................................ 40 3.2 BASIC BELIEFS IN JUDAISM .......................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.1 Belief in one God ......................................................................................................................... 42 3 RST1501/102 3.2.2 The Chosen People ...................................................................................................................... 43 3.2.3 The advent of a messiah ............................................................................................................. 43 3.3 PRACTICES (RITUALS) IN JUDAISM ................................................................................................................ 45 3.3.1 Rites of passage .......................................................................................................................... 45 3.3.2 Holy days and festivals ............................................................................................................... 46 3.3.3 Worship ...................................................................................................................................... 49 3.3.3 Dietary practices ......................................................................................................................... 50 3.4 INSTITUTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 51 3.5 SACRED TEXTS (SCRIPTURES) ....................................................................................................................... 52 3.6 AN OVERVIEW OF SELECTED PERIODS IN JEWISH HISTORY .................................................................................. 55 3.6.1 Jewish Biblical tradition .............................................................................................................. 56 3.6.2 Rise and development of Judaism .............................................................................................. 57 3.6.3 Medieval Judaism (impact of Islam and Christianity) ................................................................. 59 3.6.4 Judaism and the modern world .................................................................................................. 60 3.6.5 Contemporary variations in Jewish groups ................................................................................. 60 3.6.6 History of the Jewish Community in South Africa ....................................................................... 61 3.7 Case study of the agunah problem ................................................................................................. 63 3.8 Case study: religion and the Israel-Palestine conflict ...................................................................... 65 3.8.1 Historical developments of the conflict ...................................................................................... 66 3.8.2 Zionism: Israel's nationalist discourse ........................................................................................ 68 STUDY UNIT 4: CHRISTIANITY......................................................................................................................... 70 4.1 INTRODUCTION: THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF CHRISTIANITY .................................................................................. 70 4.2 BASIC BELIEFS IN CHRISTIANITY ................................................................................................................... 72 4.2.1 Belief in one God ........................................................................................................................