Overview

Schedule

"Elements of Religion"

Team Activities

Writing Assignments

Extra Credit

iFAQs

Abbreviations

RDR = Course Reader

TOD = The
Omnivore's Dilemma

EB = "Encyclopedia Britannica" (on-line)

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Schedule - Unit 1

All readings in this schedule should ideally be completed by the day under which they are listed, although this requirement is only assessed during TRAs and team application exercises. All numbers in the schedule are page numbers unless otherwise noted.

CAUTION: I reserve the right to make revisions to these on-line materials prior to their discussion in class at the relevant point in the semester. Therefore WAIT until that time to print out materials you wish to have on hand, such as terms, excerpts and assignment guidelines.

Unit 1: Food, Farming & the Sacred in Pre-Modern Asia

Dates Tasks Readings

Wed, Sep 12

orientation to readings
& unit 1 reading guide
(print & annotate for extra credit)

OPTIONAL (for extra credit):
trial Source Analysis DUE
(PDF|MS Word)
@ beginning of class

LOCATE details re: assigned TERMS & EXCERPTS in primary sources:

  • ancestor offering rituals in The Laws of Manu (RDR, 1-16)
  • Family Rituals of Zhu Xi (RDR, 35-46)
  • Fuller, "Hindu Worship" (RDR, 17-30)
  • Kinsley, "The Worship of Durga" (RDR, 31-34)
  • Schipper, "Everyday Religion" & "The Immortals" (RDR, 47-72)
  • "Hunting: the Meat" & "Gathering: the Fungi" (TOD, 334-90)

LOCATE additional info re: assigned TERMS in these overviews:

IMPORTANT: make sure that you ***use only the links embedded in this schedule*** to access the assigned Encyclopedia Britannica articles. Going through the library's database page may lead you to different material, which will likely confuse you when preparing for TRAs.

VIEW/BROWSE images related to terms & sources:

Mon, Sep 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRA #1
Wed, Sep 19

Application Exercise #1a

(*PREPARATION PAGE REQUIRED* - use optional worksheet if helpful:
PDF | MS Word)

**final day to sign up for
worship visit** in SacCT

REVIEW IN DEPTH:

  • ancestor offering rituals in The Laws of Manu (RDR, 1-16)
  • Family Rituals of Zhu Xi (RDR, 35-46)
  • Fuller, "Hindu Worship" (RDR, 17-30)
  • Kinsley, "The Worship of Durga" (RDR, 31-34)
  • Schipper, "Everyday Religion" & "The Immortals" (RDR, 47-72)
  • "Hunting: the Meat" & "Gathering: the Fungi" (TOD, 334-90)

PREPARE NOTES addressing the following focus:

The three sets of sources assigned for this unit provide evidence of various food-related rituals inspiring thoughts & feelings about the sacred:

  • selections from Law Code of Manu & Family Rituals
    (systematizers record thoughts & feelings inspired by ancestor offering )
  • the contemporary surveys of Fuller, Kinsley & Schipper
    (observers describe practice & investigate others' thoughts & feelings)
  • Pollan's personal thoughts & feelings while hunting pig & gathering mushrooms

For each of the above sources--TWO examples for EACH set, for a TOTAL of SIX--identify evidence of thoughts & feelings (i.e., ideas, images, and/or emotional responses described by the author of the source) that seem to be inspired by a food-related practice of the person who is thinking & feeling. (Make sure to identify practices that inspire these, mentioning people, locale, objects, actions, recited words &/or timing/duration.)

*MAKE SURE TO CITE PAGE NUMBERS FOR EACH EXAMPLE*
Mon, Sep 24

Application Exercise #1b

(*PREPARATION PAGE REQUIRED* - use optional worksheet if helpful:
PDF | MS Word)

REVIEW IN DEPTH:

  • ancestor offering rituals in The Laws of Manu (RDR, 1-16)
    but **CUT p.55-56& TOP HALF of p.58**
  • Family Rituals of Zhu Xi (RDR, 35-46)

PREPARE NOTES addressing the following focus:

The two assigned sources, Laws of Manu & Family Rituals, provide evidence of Indian & Chinese practices of ancestor offering inspiring thoughts and feelings about ancestors and the spiritual forces that link people to them:

  • feeling the presence of ancestors & spiritual forces
  • envisioning ancestors & the impact of those forces
  • heightened commitment to honoring ancestors
    & remaining aware of one's relationship to them

Considering EACH of the TWO sources, identify ideas, images and/or emotional responses inspired by ancestor offering that fit each of the THREE categories, for a TOTAL of SIX examples. (Make sure to specify details of the practices that inspire these: people, locale, objects, actions, recited words & timing/duration.)

*MAKE SURE TO CITE PAGE NUMBERS FOR EACH EXAMPLE*
Wed, Sep 26

Application Exercise #1c

(*PREPARATION PAGE REQUIRED* - use optional worksheet if helpful:
PDF | MS Word)

SUBMIT WORKSHEET
(in Assignments tab of SacCT)
**Worship Report**
(PDF/MS Word)
by **SATURDAY 9/29, midnight**

REVIEW IN DEPTH:

  • Fuller, "Hindu Worship" (RDR, 17-30)
    & Kinsley, "The Worship of Durga" (RDR, 31-34)
  • Schipper, "Everyday Religion" & "The Immortals" (RDR, 47-72)

PREPARE NOTES addressing the following focus:

The assigned surveys by Fuller, Kinsley & Schipper provide evidence of Hindu puja & Taoist festivals & rites inspiring thoughts and feelings about supernatural beings & cosmic forces:

  • feeling the presence of gods & their divine power
  • envisioning those gods & the impact of their divine power
  • heightened intention & commitment to honor gods
    & remain aware of their impact on oneself & others

Considering EACH of the TWO sources, identify ideas, images and/or emotional responses inspired by Hindu or Taoist worship that fit each of the THREE categories, for a TOTAL of SIX examples. (Make sure to specify details of the practices that inspire these: people, locale, objects, actions, recited words & timing.)

*MAKE SURE TO CITE PAGE NUMBERS FOR EACH EXAMPLE*

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