Karin E. Gedge Course Syllabus
Prepared for the Center for the Study of Religion and American
Culture by:
Karin E. Gedge
Department of History
West Chester University
The Center is pleased to share with you the syllabi for
introductory courses in American religion that were developed
in seminars led by Dr. Philip Gleason of the University
of Notre Dame. In all of the seminar discussions, it was
apparent that context, or the particular teaching setting,
was an altogether critical factor in envisioning how students
should be introduced to a field of study. The justification
of approach, included with each syllabus, is thus germane
to how you use the syllabus.
For the personal use of teachers. Not
for sale or redistribution.
© Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture,
1998
I. Syllabus Justification
Explanation and Rationale
If you're confused by this syllabus and its complicated
format and requirements, imagine a student's reaction. But
there is method in my madness. First, the syllabus lets
students know that the course is demanding. They can't read
a textbook, memorize some information, and pass the course.
They should know that upfront. Second, the syllabus outlines
not only the content of the course, but the developmental
skills taught in the course-both what they will know and
what they will be able to do at the end of the course. Third,
the syllabus gives some indication of the variety of content
areas and activities that will make this course not only
demanding but interesting. Fourth, the syllabus demands
constant reference and clarification. Students need to look
ahead, plan ahead, and ask questions when they're confused.
Those are good strategies for them to develop. I usually
provide more details for each assignment in a class handout
and make available models or samples on reserve in the library
and in my office. Finally, the syllabus demands that students
constantly engage the subject by making choices and being
held accountable for those choices. All students have several
opportunities to pursue particular interests and to be responsible
for sharing their new knowledge with the class and with
the instructor in a variety of ways. The assignments are
so specific that it's nearly impossible to plagiarize from
other students, or secondary and tertiary sources, including
the internet. I've tried to make it very difficult to do
minimal work without letting all of us know that you've
shirked the work. On the other hand, it's pretty easy to
identify those students who've met or gone beyond the minimal
expectations. Ultimately, I've tried to design a course
that helps students learn how to be historians, whether
or not history is their major, whether this is their first
or last history course. By the end of the semester they
will have been introduced not only to the religions of America
but to the methods of history and the conventions of historical
writing. The course leads students through the various processes
of constructing a historical research paper even though
a major term paper is not assigned. This course was designed
for West Chester University, a fairly small public university
in southeastern Pennsylvania, but based on my experiences
teaching at a variety of public and private universities
enrolling students with diverse academic experiences and
talents. I have not road-tested this course yet, but I've
used a format, concepts, and strategies that have worked
well in other courses. It works best in a group of no more
than 25-30 students, but might be adapted to larger sections
by dividing students into small permanent groups of 5-8
for discussion. Instructors or students who prefer more
structure and less choice, might select more specific and
common reading assignments. The course is not tied to these
required textbooks, either. Instructors might easily substitute
a different synthetic text and/or put together a coursepack
of documents on favorite topics. I chose the Wentz text
because I wanted my West Chester students to have a very
accessible narrative text. Given a different population,
I would have chosen a more scholarly text on religion and
culture such as Peter Williams. I chose the Gaustad documents
because I wanted to give students as wide a range of choices
as possible. Instructors might supply this breadth of choice
by placing documentaries on reserve. Finally, the written
assignments in the portfolios might be reduced and replaced
with essay exams. Any syllabus is a work in progress and
students should expect that changes might occur even during
the semester.
II. Introductory Course Syllabus
West Chester University
History 474: American Religions
Fall Semester
Course Objectives:
Students in this course will acquire a broad overview of
American religions from pre-European contact to the present
with an emphasis on continuity and change over time, the
remarkable variety and intensity of voluntary religion,
and the sources of both conflict and consensus within and
between various traditions. Since this is an advanced level
history course, students will be required to demonstrate
not only knowledge of course content but also skills in
note-taking, inquiry, research, analysis, synthesis, and
historiography. No prior knowledge of American religions
or religious history is required. However, a basic working
knowledge of American political and social history is an
asset. This is a very demanding course, but students will
have the opportunity to acquire interesting, valuable knowledge
and skills they will be able to use and apply beyond this
course.
Required books:
Students are strongly encouraged to purchase the short
coursepack and the following titles:
- Richard E. Wentz. Religion in the New World: The Shaping
of Religious Traditions in the New World. (Minneapolis:
Fortress Press, 1990).
- Edwin S. Gaustad, ed. Documentary History of Religion
in America, vols. 1 and 2. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
1982 or most recent reprint)
These texts and a variety of other primary, secondary,
and tertiary sources on American religious history will
be on closed reserve in the library and available for students
to read or copy. Most assignments will not require any research
beyond these sources. Please note that you will be responsible
for the assigned readings on the assigned dates, whether
or not you own the books.
Minimum course requirements:
Students will compile and submit a portfolio of written
assignments and projects over the semester. Assignments
will be graded individually and an overall grade assigned
for the entire portfolio which will reflect the student's
organization, effort, and progress over the semester and
account for 55% of the final course grade. In addition,
unannounced short quizzes (5), a midterm (10) and a final
exam (20), all objective, i.e. multiple choice, matching,
identification or short answer, will account for 35% of
the course grade. Finally, class participation and informal
oral presentations account for 15% of the final grade. Students
will be required to work individually, in small groups,
and as a whole class.
The portfolio assignments include:
- A one-paragraph working definition of American religion,
(5)
- One of the three following assignments: (5)
A. A three/five-paragraph religious autobiography and/or
family tree; OR
B. A written observation of a religious service outside
your own tradition; OR
C. A tape or transcript of a brief interview with a person
of faith outside your own family and tradition.
- A two/three-page analysis and comparison of the excerpts
from primary source, film, and textbook coverage of EITHER
(10)
A. Cabeza de Vaca OR
B. Jesuit Relations and Black Robe.
- A four/five-page description, synthesis and historiographical
essay on a religious tradition of your choice drawing
from at least 2 secondary sources and 3 tertiary sources
(15)
- A four/five-page analysis of at least 1 primary source
of your choice, including historical context and significance
(10)
- A time-line, concept map, or extended analogy of your
own design that traces American religious history from
pre-Columbian contact to the present. (5)
- An alphabetized cardfile or glossary of at least 50
significant terms and vocabulary and their definitions
(i.e., who, what, when, where, and why is it significant?)
(5)
Due dates for each assignment are included in the syllabus.
Those submitted prior to or on the original due date may
be revised once and resubmitted (with the first draft and
my comments) within two weeks for a new grade. Late assignments
may not be revised and resubmitted unless you have received
an exemption for extenuating circumstances before the due
date.
Grading Rubric:
A= Student demonstrated outstanding effort, organization
and progress over the semester and generally exceeded minimum
course requirements. (90-105)
B= Student demonstrated above-average effort, organization
and progress over the semester while meeting all minimum
course requirements. (80-89)
C= Student met all minimum course requirements with demonstrated
competence.(70-79)
D= Student met nearly all minimum course requirements with
competence. (60-69)
E= Student failed to meet minimum course requirements with
competence.(59 or below)
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week 1: Introduction and Definitions
Tues: Review syllabus and begin defining religion, history,
and America
Thurs: Read Wentz, Ch. 1 (Definitions), 2 (Myths) Submit
one-paragraph definition. Discuss ways of organizing American
Religions-mainstream and branches, center and periphery,
mosaic, etc.
Week 2: Background Native American, African, and European
religions pre-contact
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 3 (Reformation), 9 (Roman Catholic
Traditions) and at least two primary sources from Gaustad,
Ch. 1, National Religion
Thurs: Read Wentz, Ch. 4 (Native American), (p. 45-58);
16 (African heritage) (p. 268-78) and at least two primary
sources from Gaustad, Ch. 1, Natural Religion.
Autobiography, observation, or interview due. (This assignment
requires field research, but no additional sources.)
Week 3: Reading primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
Two case studies.
Tues: Groups A and B read selections from Alvar Nunez Cabeza
de Vaca's Relationes. Group C and D read selections from
Jesuit Relations. All groups should compare the textbook
and/or encyclopedia (tertiary source) treatments and definitions
with the primary sources and be prepared to discuss what
confirms, contradicts, or complicates their understanding
of continuity and change from European and Native American
religious and cultural perspectives.
Thurs: Groups A and B have viewed the 1992 Mexican film
Cabeza de Vaca; Groups C and D have viewed the 1990 American
film Black Robe (both fictionalized interpretations and
secondary sources) and are prepared to discuss the similarities
and differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary
source treatments.
Week 4: Colonial Puritan Traditions
Tues: Papers on De Vaca or Jesuit Relations due. Read Wentz,
Ch. 5 (Puritan Tradition) and at least one primary source
from Gaustad, Ch. 2, The English and the Indian.
Thurs: Read selection from John Demos, Unredeemed Captive
(secondary source) and at least two primary sources from
Gaustad, Ch. 2 (Massachusetts) and Ch. 3 (Congregationalism),
e.g. John Winthrop, the Anne Hutchinson trial, Salem witch
trials, Roger Williams
Week 5: Colonial Diversity Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 6 (Anglicans),
7 (Reformed) and at least two primary sources from Gaustad,
Ch. 2 (Virginia) or Ch. 3 (Anglicanism). Thurs: Read Wentz,
Ch. 8 (Lutherans), 9 (Methodists) and at least one primary
source from Gaustad, Ch. 4 on Methodism.
Week 6: The Revivalist Tradition
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 11 (Revivalist Tradition), Jon Butler,
"Enthusiasm Described and Decried" (secondary
source).
Thurs: Read at least two primary sources from Gaustad (vol.
1 or 2) or coursepack on revivalism, e.g. Jonathan Edwards,
George Whitefield, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Finney, Peter
Cartwright, Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham
Week 7: Centripetal Forces--Republican and National Religion
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 12 (Public Religious Tradition) and
at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch. 4.
Thurs: Glossary check, review, and Midterm Exam.
Week 8: Restorationist Traditions
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 13 (Christians to Latter-Day Saints)
and at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch. 5.
Thurs: Read Wentz, Ch. 16, (African-American Traditions)
and at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch. 6 (Human
Rights and American Religion)
Week 9: Centrifugal forces-Immigration, syncretism and
increasing diversity.
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 9 (Roman Catholic), Ch. 14 (Jewish
Tradition) and 15 (Eastern Orthodox)
Thurs: Read at least one primary source in Gaustad (Vol.
1 or 2) on each of the traditions discussed on Tuesday and
selection from Robert Orsi, Madonna of 115th Street (secondary
source).
Week 10: Centrifugal forces--Liberal
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 17 (New Thought and Positive Thinking)
and at least two primary sources from Gaustad (vol. 1) on
Rational Religion, Transcendentalism, or Spiritualism
or (vol. 2) Ch. 8, Love and Justice.
Thurs: Brief Bibliographical and Historiograhical Essay
on a religious tradition of your choice. (Requires some
outside research to locate two secondary sources-either
books or scholarly articles).
Week 11: Centrifugal forces-Conservative
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 18 (Millenarian, Holiness, and Pentacostals)
and at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch. 9 on
above traditions.
Thurs: Read Wentz, Ch. 19 (Fundamentalist and Neo-Evangelicals)
and at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch. 10 or
11.
Week 12: Increasing Pluralism
Tues: Read Wentz, Ch. 20 (Traditions Ancient, Asian and
Arabesque) and at least two primary sources from Gaustad,
Ch. 12.
Thurs: Analytical Paper on a Primary Source (which can
be taken from course textbooks or coursepack, or outside
research, especially to locate a graphic source, artifact,
or ritual)
Week 13: Religion in Post-WWII and Contemporary Culture
and Politics
Tues: Read at least two primary sources from Gaustad, Ch.
11 or 12 and at least two recent newspaper and/or magazine
articles on contemporary religion. (Requires use of periodical
guides.) Suggested topics include Vatican II, civil rights,
feminism, abortion, school prayer, pacifism, Christian Coalition,
cults, overseas missions, etc.
Thurs: Time-line, concept map or extended analogy due,
Review of cardfile/glossary terms. Submit portfolio.
TBA: Final Exam
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