Course Syllabus
Religion in the World
This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.
REL 0863-001, CRN: 8215 & 5886
Fall 2025
Instructor: Garrett Schofield
Meeting Times: Tuesday and Thursday , 2:00-3:20 pm in Mazur Hall, Room 542.
The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.
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Basic Course Information
General Education
This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.
Instructor Information
My Name: Garrett Schofield
Please refer to me as Prof. Schofield. My pronouns are He/Him/His.
Instructor Biography
I am currently a member of the PHD program in Religion here at Temple U. and have also received my Masters degree from Temple in the same subject. I have been fortunate to teach this and other courses at Temple for a number of years and am looking forward to this semester enormously!
My Contact Information
Please reach out to me at any time for assistance with the course or just to chat about the field or navigating university life. The best way to reach me is to email me at tul06292@temple.edu. I will generally respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.
My Office
Mazur Hall, rm. 612
Student Drop-In Hours
Seeking out individual assistance from the instructor is a normal part of the learning process. I set aside 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Fridays for you to come to my office with no appointment necessary. We can discuss the course content, your progress on the assessments, your future in the field, or anything else you need to talk about. If my regular Drop-In Hours don’t fit your schedule, please email me to make an appointment. I want to help you succeed!]
Purpose of the Course
Overall Purpose
This General Education Global Society course expands the breadth of your knowledge and skills, adding to the depth acquired in your major. This course emphasizes the critical competencies of critical thinking, oral/written communication, and information literacy while delving into the intricacies of different world religious traditions, helping us to function as engaged citizens in a diverse and globalized world.
Overview of the Course
Learn about the major religious traditions found worldwide today: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and several indigenous traditions. Examine the beliefs, practices, and values of these groups in order to understand the worldviews and ways of life of the people who practice them. Our interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of specific examples of religious experience will help shed light on the overall meaning of religion and human existence. We will carefully consider examples while also focusing on particular thematic issues, like cosmology and ritual. Develop appreciation for the religious vibrancy and diversity that exist in human cultures while you actively engage in the learning process through class presentation, class participation, and paper-writing.
3 Credit Hours
Learning Goals
Upon successful completion of this General Education course, you will be able to:
- Think critically
- Understand historical and contemporary issues in context
- Understand and apply knowledge in and across disciplines
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing
- Function as an engaged citizen in a diverse and globalized world
- Identify, access and evaluate sources of information
- Promote a lasting curiosity
The Learning Environment
How Class Will Be Conducted
Most class sessions will combine a lecture and one or more learning activities based upon the assigned reading for the day. You are expected to complete the preparatory reading before coming to class in order to ensure that we can all engage in an informed dialogue. I will generally be available for a few minutes after class to discuss individual issues, but, as a courtesy to the next class to use our space, we may defer lengthy and/or serious matters to an appointment in my office.
Classroom Civility
It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse.
Treat your classmates and instructor with respect in all communication, class activities, and meetings. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea, but you are not to attack an individual. Please consider that sarcasm, humor, and slang can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Profanity should be avoided as should the use of all capital letters when composing responses in discussion threads, which can be construed as “shouting” online. Remember to be careful with your own and others' privacy. In general, have your behavior mirror how you would like to be treated by others.
For more information, please visit the IDEAL website.
Materials
Required course materials are available from the Follett Bookstore at Temple University. Please note that the Follett bookstore offers a guaranteed price match for course materials. Scan QR code below to view the course listing at the bookstore:
Required Materials
- Livingston, James C
Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion (6th edition)
Pearson, 2009
ISBN-10: 013600380X
ISBN-13: 978-0136003809 ISBN-13: 978-0195365634
- Introduction to World Religions, ed. by Jacob Neusner
Abingdon Press, [2010]
ISBN: 9780687660001
- Novak, Philip
The World's Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions (Available Online through the Temple Library)
HarperOne, 1994
ISBN-10: 1269365355
ISBN-13: 978-1269365352
Accessibility
It is important to me that every student has the opportunity to succeed in this course. Please reach out to me if any obstacle is in the way of your success.
Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) located in the Howard Gittis Student Center South, 4th Floor at drs@temple.edu or 215-204-1280 to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential. Students can learn more about the accommodation process and pre-register on the DRS website. Students may register at any time during the semester, but accommodations are not active until you register, so I recommend doing so as early in the semester as possible.
Information regarding accessibility for additional technologies is provided below:
Resources and Support
Sometimes the biggest factors impacting student success are things happening beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Temple provides a wide array of resources both to help you overcome academic challenges and those not directly related to the educational challenges of the course. Please reach out to me if you need help deciding which resources might be right for you.
Undergraduate Research Support
Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry is in operation, as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.
Library Resources
The Library guide for this course is available in a dedicated Canvas tab.
Temple University Libraries provide resources to assist Temple students with their class projects and research needs. Visit the Libraries’ website to find millions of articles, books, video, and other resources, both in print and online.
This library guide developed for our course will be used for the following assignments: Informations Literacy Assignment.
The site also provides tutorials to help you start your research, as well as subject and course research guides to help you identify resources that may be particularly useful for this class.
Contact the library at any stage of the research process. You can chat with a librarian 24/7 or make an appointment with your subject librarian, who can help you explore a topic, craft a research question, and identify and cite sources.
Course Schedule
Last day to add/drop: 9/8
Last day to withdraw: 12/8
Fall Break: 11/24-11/26
Thanksgiving Break: 11/27-11/30
Labor Day: 9/1
Wellness Day: 10/17
Week 1: Studying and Defining Religion 8/26 & 8/28
Readings:
Anatomy of the Sacred (AS): Chapters 1 (What is Religion?) and 2 (Ways of Studying Religion)
Introduction to World Religions (IWR): Introduction 1-24
Week 2: Finishing Studying and Defining Religion and Daoism 9/2 & 9/4
Readings:
IWR: “Daoism” 233-250
The World’s Wisdom (WW): Chapter 4 -“The Tao Te Ching”, “Chuang Tzu,” etc., pgs. 146-176.
Week 3: Confucianism and The Sacred and the Holy 9/9 & 9/11
Readings:
IWR: “Confucianism” 251-264
The World’s Wisdom (WW): Confucius the Man and The Great Learning from Chapter 3
AS: Chapter 3 (The Sacred and the Holy)
Week 4: Finishing The Sacred and the Holy and Cosmogony 9/16 & 9/18
Readings:
AS: Chapter 9 (Cosmogony: Origins of the Natural and Social Order)
Week 5: Indigenous Communities 9/23 & 9/25
Readings:
IWR: “African Indigenous Religions” 291-308.
WW: The Shaman and The Sacred Earth from Chapter 8
Clips:
TED TALK: What the People of the Amazon Know that You Don’t (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XJ20tt5nPQ)
Fire on the Mountain: A Gathering of Shamans (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo8cbs2Jop8)
Week 6: Symbol, Myth, and Doctrine 9/30 & 10/2
Readings:
AS: Chapter 4 (Sacred Symbol, Myth, and Doctrine)
The Blind Men and the Elephant and other parables: Uploaded to Canvas
Week 7: Starting Hinduism 10/7 & 10/9
Readings:
IWR: “Hinduism” 163-180.
WW: The Upanishads, The Early Vedas and The Bhagavad-Gita from Chapter 1
Clips:
Documentary: BBC’s “West Meets East”
Peter Brook’s play based on the Mahabharata- Gita scene
Parts of The Japanese Gifted Version of the Ramayana
Week 8: Finishing Hinduism and Ritual 10/14 & 10/16
Readings:
AS: Chapter 5 (Sacred Ritual)
Clips:
Nat Geo’s Inside Mecca (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySjxXfuaJf8)
Midterm Essays DUE on Sunday 10/19 by 11:59 pm
Week 9: Starting Buddhism 10/21 & 10/23
Readings:
IWR: “Buddhism: Beginnings” pgs. 181-196, “The Mahayana Tradition” pgs. 215-232.
WW: The Instructive Legend of the Buddha’s Life and Core Doctrines from Chapter 2
Clips:
Sections of PBS’s “The Buddha” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc7_VyVXDLs)
BBC’s Extreme Pilgrim: Zen Buddhism/Shaolin Monks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAk9c7V48yk)
Week 10: Finishing Buddhism 10/28 & 10/30
Week 11: Judaism 11/4 & 11/6
Readings:
IWR: “Judaism: The Formation” pgs. 21-36, and “Judaism in Modern Times” pgs. 37-50
WW: Torah: The Teaching and Oral Torah: The Talmud from Chapter 5
Clips:
BBC’s Birth of Israel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICq9nhQxVY8&list=PL60C0BB06B9AE322A)
Week 12: Christianity 11/11 & 11/13
Readings:
IWR: “Christianity: Beginnings” pgs. 51-66, “Roman Catholicism” pgs. 67-84, “Protestantism” 101-118.
WW: The Life of Jesus and The Life of the Early Church from Chapter 6
Clips:
BBC’s Extreme Pilgrim: Ascetic Christianity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjU_505i6E)
Week 13: Theodicy 11/18 & 11/20
Readings:
AS: Chapter 11(Theodicy: Encountering Evil)
Excerpts from the book of Job: Uploaded to Canvas
Information Literacy Assignment due Friday 11/21 by 11:59 pm
Week 14: Islam 12/2 & 12/4
Readings:
IWR: “Islam: Beginnings” pgs. 119-132, “The Sunni Tradition” pgs. 149-162
WW: The Qur’an: Selections Thematically Arranged and Hadith: Sayings and Traditional Accounts of the Prophet from Chapter 7
Nat Geo’s Inside Mecca (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySjxXfuaJf8)
Clips:
Nat Geo’s: Inside the Koran (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpeH9W0NBgo)
Week 15: Final Essays Due on Friday 12/12 by 11:59 pm
Grading & Assessment Guidelines
Grading Scale
|
Percentage |
Letter Grade |
|---|---|
|
94-100 |
A |
|
90-93 |
A- |
|
87-89 |
B+ |
|
84-86 |
B |
|
80-83 |
B- |
|
77-79 |
C+ |
|
74-76 |
C |
|
70-73 |
C- |
|
67-69 |
D+ |
|
64-66 |
D |
|
61-63 |
D- |
|
0-60 |
F |
Course Minimum Grade*
A grade of “C-” or better is required in all GenEd courses for you to satisfy a General Education requirement.
I will do my best to warn you if you are in danger of not meeting this minimum, but you should reach out to me if you become worried about not achieving the minimum needed grade.
Assessment #1
One Group Presentation: 15%
- You will be placed in groups of two or more and will have to complete one group presentation in the semester.
- Presentations will occur only between Weeks 3-6 and Weeks 9-13, you will only present ONCE during one of those weeks.
- Each presentation should be no more than 20-25 minutes and each presenter should speak for at least 5 minutes.
- Presenting from Anatomy of the Scared:
- If during your presentation week there was an assigned reading from Anatomy of the Sacred, then your group is going to present the answers to the questions at the end of the assigned chapter for the week.
Presenting from Introduction to World Religions and The World’s Wisdom:
- List four word associations that you now have about this religion.
- Explain one piece of information that surprised you when learning about
this religion.
- Elaborate on an example used by the author that helped you understand
this religion more deeply.
- How would you describe the uniqueness of this religion to someone?
- What is the most powerful aspect of this religion according to you?
- If you had to make a comparison of this religion to another, what
comparison would that be and why?
- How do you think you would imagine the universe differently if you
believed in this religion?
- What do you consider the biggest takeaway about this religion (boil it
down to a sentence or two, if possible).
- Discuss any of lessons you learned from the primary sources
Assessment #2
Information Literacy Assignment/Evaluating a Scholarly Article: 15%
- Your opportunity to dig deeply into ONE aspect of religion that you always wanted to research
- Being able to find good quality resources and research from peer reviewed scholarly journals is a great skill to develop for your future university career. In addition, these scholarly articles often allow us to unpack what a strong and cogent argument might look like. This assignment is created to help you develop the skill of finding a credible source while also analyzing or critiquing an argument. It will be an introduction to the academic research within the field of religious studies.
- This assignment will be submitted through Canvas by the day it is due on the task calendar below.
- Specific requirements will be posted on Canvas.
Assessment #3
Mid-term Essay: 25%
- “Take-home” (typed) exam, you will have one week to develop and submit your essays.
- You will respond to the questions you select to address, you will be able to pick among many. You will then write essays that will not only bring together the themes explored in the first half of class but push you to look for deeper connections related to the study of religion.
- You will ultimately respond to three questions of your choosing and write a 1.5 page double-spaced response for each essay. Resulting in a mid-term essay of at least 4.5 pages in length.
Assessment #4
Final Essay: 25%
- “Take-home” (typed) exam, you will have one week to develop and submit your essays.
- You will respond to the questions you select to address, you will be able to pick among many. You will then write essays that will not only bring together the themes explored in the second-half of the class but push you to look for deeper connections related to the study of the religion.
- You will ultimately respond to three questions of your choosing and write a 1.5 page double-spaced response for each essay. Resulting in a final essay of at least 4.5 pages in length.
Late Submissions/Missed Exams & Quizzes
Life gets in the way for all of us from time to time. Please notify me if you may miss a deadline or an exam/quiz as soon as possible. Please do not delay in informing; as soon as you suspect a problem, let me know. Whether you will be given an additional opportunity to complete the assessment will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Class Attendance & Participation
Your attendance and participation are expected at all our class meetings. Please do your best to come to class (a maximum of 3 absences will be permitted throughout the semester, more than 3 will affect your grade). Engagement, discussion, and debate are expected for this course. You can stay engaged by asking questions and speaking-out during our in-person class discussions.
School-Life Conflict
Many unpredictable things can happen over the course of a semester. If you find yourself struggling to balance your education and your other commitments, please reach out to me immediately so that we can work together to build a plan for your success. Some of the resources in the next section may also be of use to you.
Attendance and Your Health
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is your responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you can, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.
Religious Holidays
It is your right to observe religious holidays without impacting your opportunity to learn and succeed in this course. Please reach out to me at the start of the semester so that deadlines can be reviewed in advance of your religious observations. You will still be held responsible for course content and any assignments, but you will not lose points for attendance and participation on days important to your faith.
Caregiver Responsibilities
I have great respect for students who are pursuing their education while responsible for the care of children or other family members. Please contact me if you encounter challenges that require you to miss a class session or if your caregiving responsibilities are interfering with your success in the course. Together, we may be able to find some flexibility to support your learning.
Withdrawal
If you are considering withdrawing from the course after the add/drop date, please don’t make that decision alone! Withdrawing from the course without talking to me first eliminates the possibility of finding a path to success for you. Furthermore, it is extremely important that you consult your academic advisor before withdrawing. They will be able to walk you through how the withdrawal would impact your progress towards your degree and your graduation date.
Please check the academic calendar for the last day to withdraw from a course.
Incomplete
A student will be eligible for a grade of “Incomplete” only if the student: 1) has completed at least 51% of the work at a passing level, 2) is unable to complete the work for a serious reason beyond their control, and 3) files a signed agreement with the instructor outlining the work to be completed and the time frame in which that work will be completed. The student is responsible for initiating this process, and all incomplete forms must be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of study days in that semester.
Please refer to the following for further details: Temple University’s Incomplete Policy. (Policy #02.10.13).
Technology Guidelines
Technology Requirements
To participate in this course, you will need the equipment, software, and internet access necessary to reliably use Canvas, as well as “productivity tools” like word processors and slide show creators.
Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi access, should submit a Student Technology Assistance Application located in TUPortal and linked from the Dean of Students Support and Resources. The University will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.
Note that there are technology resources available for students, including on-campus computers available for student use, the Tech Center computer labs and free laptop and battery borrowing at Charles Library, software that is available for free download and other specialty software that may be available for remote access through ITS.
Technical Support
For a listing of technical support services available to Temple University students, see the Tech Support page.
Live Chat or Request Help: help.temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-8000
Email: help@temple.edu
Website: its.temple.edu
Location: The TECH Center, Room 106
Privacy and Data Protection
Please see the links below to become familiar with the privacy policies for each of the following:
AI Policies
Statement on the Use of Generative AI in This CourseThe use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, etc.) is permitted in this course for the following activities:
● Brainstorming and refining your ideas;
● Fine tuning your research questions;
● Finding information on your topic;
● Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts; and
● Checking grammar and style.
The use of generative AI tools is not permitted in this course for the following activities:
● Impersonating you in classroom contexts, such as by using the tool to compose discussion board
prompts assigned to you or content that you put into a Zoom chat.
● Completing group work that your group has assigned to you, unless it is mutually agreed upon
that you may utilize the tool.
● Writing a draft of a writing assignment.
● Writing entire sentences, paragraphs or papers to complete class assignments.
Academic Guidelines
Academic Freedom
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. I have the freedom and responsibility to design and facilitate our learning environment to best achieve the promise of the course as outlined in its official description. You have the responsibility to engage with the course in good faith and freedom from mistreatment when your opinion differs from mine. Note that it is not an abuse of this freedom for me to require that you support relevant opinions with clear argumentation and solid evidence. For more on academic freedom, consult the official Temple policy on the matter.
Academic Integrity
Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. All work you submit for assessment should be your own efforts. For more on this topic, consult the relevant portions of Temple Bulletin and the Student Conduct Code.