Original Web Document: http://webpages.marshall.edu/~altany/rst351-9902.htm

                                                                          RST 351
                                            Classics of Religious Literature

                                                    "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."
                                                                                                                         - Russian proverb

                                                               
         Thomas Merton            Confucius           Indian Circle of Life            Chaim Potok                     Yin-Yang

Mentor:  Dr. Alan Altany                                                                         Office:  Harris Hall 411
Email:  altany@marshall.edu                                                                  Phone/Voice Mail:  304.696.2702
Web Site:  http://webpages.marshall.edu/~altany/                               FAX:    304.696.6565
 
Sessions:  Tuesday/Thursday 9:30 - 10:45                           Office Hours :  MW     10 - 11, 12 - 2
                 Harris Hall 445                                                                          T/Thr    11 - 12:30
                                                                                                                 F         10 - 11
Texts:    The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton
              The Analects, Confucius
              Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions, John (Fire) Lame Deer
              The Chosen, Chaim Potok
              Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu
 World-wide web sites for both assigned and free reading

                Religious Studies is an academic discipline in which the phenomenon of religion in human
                experience is studied in a nonsectarian, unbiased manner using various kinds of historical-
                critical, literary, and exegetical methodologies.  Oral, written and electronic discussions should
                be conducted with honesty, enthusiasm, kindness, critical thought, integrity and a sense of humor.
                This course is not only to learn "stuff," but is itself to be a model for how to learn and why to learn.

          The following course explanation, in its totality, is a syllabus that is dynamic and flexible according to the needs of the learners  and of the learning process.

Course Description
The theme of this course is "Visions of Wisdom."  Through reading nonfiction, autobiography, fiction,
poetry and web exploration, through synchronous and asynchronous discussion, through reflection and
writing, we will imaginatively participate in the vision quests of various persons from various religious
traditions as they portray their search for and experience of what religions call the sacred, that which is
considered as the source, center and destiny of human life and existence, that which is understood to
be the virtue of all virtures.  Our writings come from Christianity, Confucianism, Judaism, Taoism and
American Indian primal religion.

This course is a reading, discussion and writing oriented course.  Through the media of telecomputing and
we will be able to have a semester-long contemplative focus upon the writings, interpretation and evaluation
of those writings, and upon our own thinking and thinking about our thinking.  We will critically and creatively
think about what is the nature and meaning of religious experience for individuals and for entire cultures.  We
will risk approaching universal human themes through specific, unique individuals and the stories they have to tell.
This is a course about stories and how powerful, transformative, evocative and provocative stories, including and
especially religious stories, can be in their role as truth-telling vehicles that re-member the past and are living
memories of the future.  Someone has said that "the destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that
are lost and won, than by the stories that are loved and believed in."  We will read stories and perhaps write
more of our own stories along the way.

The goal is not the accumulation of information, but the growing into wisdom with the help of the writers, cultures
and religious traditions we will encounter and engage. On-line resources for writing are available.  All writings
are to be completely the work of the individual or the group doing the writing, thus avoiding all plagiarism.
 
Course Objectives
By the end of this course it is hoped and expected that each student will be able to read more deeply, interpret
more analytically and creatively, think more critically, reflect for the purpose of integration, communicate in writing
more precisely, concisely and imaginatively, express one's ideas orally to others with greater clarity, and, importantly,
have had an enjoyable educational and personal time of it all.
 
Computing in this Course
Each student needs to have the basic ability to use email that is web-sensitive such as Netscape Messenger and
to be able to find and utilize world-wide-web resources that are available for the study of religion and religions through
use of a web browser such as Navigator (2.0 or higher) or Internet Explorer.  The course will include sending and
receiving email, web site readings and research, an electronic discussion list (with web archive) and electronic
publication of student writings, both individual and collaborative.

The educational use of telecomputing will facilitate ongoing asynchronous discussion, submission and revision of
writings, peer review of student writings, collaborative group writings and projects, individual communication with the
professor, or among students, and publication of an electronic course journal with student contributions.
Telecomputing tutorials are available as is guidance on how to communicate kindly and with respect on the Internet
(netiquette).

The purposes of the using of computer technology in this study are as follows:

• Participation in the archived, asynchronous class discussion list (mailserv)
• Anytime communication of questions, comments, problems, etc. with the professor via individual email
• Engage in a semester-long discussion with other learners in the course via the class discussion list
• Submit individual & collaborative writings electronically to the class list or professor
• Investigate relevant World-Wide Web sites
• Collaborate with other students in the course on projects/writings via email
• Expand opportunities for reflective participation in the study, beyond the limitations of classroom time & place
• Encourage learners/students to become more central to the learning process and more responsible for their own, and others', learning
• Develop computer skills
• Allow learning to become more enjoyable, valuable, enduring, self-directed and expansive beyond just a transfer of information from professor to student

Attendance Policy
Attendance at every session is expected and necessary to best benefit the act and art of learning.  Lack of
attendance affects continuity for the absent individuals, but also for everyone else because of the discussion focus
of this study.
 
Drop Policy
The official Marshall University drop policy allows for the withdrawal ("W") from an individual course
between January 19th and March 19th.  From March 22rd to April 30th only complete withdrawals from
the university are allowed.
 
Course Evaluation

        Class Discussion List & Web Sites                                                              -     15 %
        Essay (Group) on The Seven Storey Mountain                                           -     20%
        Essay (Individual) on The Chosen                                                              -     20%
        Essay (Group] & Class Presentation on Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions       -     20%
        Final, Integrative Essay                                                                              -     25 %

*  Voluntary participation in the writing, editing & publishing of issue of the course journal is available 
All writings need to be received on time (allowing for computer system outages) for full evaluation.

                                                      Semester Schedule

                                                                   "Asking is half of knowing."
                                                                                                              - Rumi