World Religions
REL 2300, Section 794
Online Instruction
Fall 2023 (0625)
View How to be a Successful Student (Syllabus Addendum) which provides details about success factors and links to the most current version of fluid information, such as the academic calendar.
Humanities and liberal arts classes help students understand the human condition through the lens of religion, philosophy, art and music. Religion courses introduce students to the many dimensions of human experiences while exposing them to different cultures. At SPC, students will gain insight as they study religious traditions and examine the different perspectives of world religions.
Name: Dr. Kimberly R. Williams, D.MIN., MDiv. ThS., Ap.
Email: Williams.KimberlyR@mycourse.spcollege.edu (Please use this email only)
Phone: 727-341-4257 (Messages Only)
Office and Online Chat Hours: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Online Chat or Zoom Conference Appointment)
Instructor Web Page: https://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/williams.kimberlyr
Name: Dr. Barbara Hubbard
Office Location: Clearwater, CR 154C
Office Phone Number: (727) 394-6011
Email: hubbard.barbara@spcollege.edu
Link: Department of Humanities and Fine Arts
This course examines the general characteristics of the major religions of the world. Topics include the nature of religion, Indigenous Religions, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Christianity, Islam and New Religious Movements. Each is examined in its cultural context, how basic human concerns are addressed, the way purpose for life is defined, and the uniqueness of religious practice. This course partially satisfies the writing requirements outlined in the General Education and Enhanced World View Requirements.
1. The student will describe the major religions of the world by:
a. identifying the cultural tradition associated with each religion.
b. naming the important leaders associated with each religion.
c. associating each religious tradition with its geographical setting.
d. listing the dominant beliefs and practices of each religion.
2. The student will explain the relationship between cultural mores and religious practice by:
a. summarizing the influence of a religion tradition on a culture.
b. comparing the practices of various religions with cultural traditions.
c. identifying the shared features of world religions.
d. distinguishing the ethical impact of religion on culture.
3. The student will identify the way religion contributes to social unity and integrity by:
a. assessing how various religions view the way humans relate to nature.
b. analyzing the impact of religion on the structure of society.
c. evaluating the role religions play in providing order and cultural stability.
d. citing the influence religion has on ordering life-cycle events.
4. The student will analyze basic religious concepts by:
a. identifying the ways the "sacred" is delineated.
b. comparing how religions define the nature of humans and the human dilemma.
c. distinguishing and contrasting the various goals of each religion.
d. summarizing the worldview presented by each religion.
5. The student will compare and contrast various types of religious experience in both Eastern and Western cultures by:
a. describing various rituals and evaluating the impact of the experience.
b. listing the major festivals of each religion and how they represent differing beliefs and world views.
c. identifying the varieties of religious experience and how they differ between cultures.
d. examining the effectiveness of ritual as an expression of belief.
Prerequisites: Dev Level 2 Writing Met or satisfactory score on the SPC placement test.
Required Textbook: Van Voorst, Robert. RELG: World. 4th Edition, Cengage Learning, 2020.
(Found in the "Textbook Access" module in the "Course Content")
This course is part of the First Day Inclusive Access Program. First Day is a partnership between Barnes & Noble College, SPC and the Publisher to bring your course materials to you through MyCourses at the lowest price in the marketplace, on the first day of class. You have the option to opt out of the program within the first week of class if you want to purchase your materials elsewhere. Opting out of the program is likely to cause you to pay a higher rate. SPC will bill your student account at the discounted price after the opt-out deadline passes. If you are using a 3rd party vendor for your course materials and are Chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation, Dual Enrollment, etc. we will bill the 3rd party vendor for you.
If you are only taking one course using Cengage, then staying opted-in in the First Day Inclusive Access Program is the best value. If you are taking more than one course using Cengage, you may consider opting out of the First Day program and purchasing Cengage Unlimited from the Bookstore or Cengage directly at www.cengage.com/unlimited. Cengage Unlimited is a subscription that includes all Cengage digital materials for one price. Click here to see more information about Cengage Unlimited. If you have Cengage Unlimited, use these instructions to access the eText for this course: Cengage Unlimited Instructions.
Customer Care Contact Information
Customer Care is available to help students with questions about accessing their course material, using their eTextbook, or opting-out or in to the First Day program.
Questions? Contact your SPC Bookstore First Day Team
firstdaysupport@bncservices.com
View the Learning Resources site.
View the Accessibility Services site.
View the Academic Support site.
View the Student Services site.
Course Dates, Drop Date, and Withdrawal Date: Academic Calendar
Financial Aid Dates: View the Financial Aid Dates site.
Religion can be a very passionate and controversial subject. In this course, it is important that there be an exchange of ideas about a theme or religious tradition while accepting difference of opinion from others. Please avoid being smug, sarcastic, or judgmental about another person's religion or non-religion. No one should be here to criticize, convert, or demean others; nor should you expect anyone to defend his/her religion or lack of religion in your discussion conversations. It is also important to understand that each religion has examples of pious and good people who are wonderful examples of the faith; however, each religion also has its share of "bad apples" who are not immune from the baser side of humanity's character spectrum. Like our actions, character itself is a choice.
In this course, we will approach each religion in an academic scholarly way. This involves understanding the terms and concepts associated with an academic study or religion. Each student should acquire a knowledge base of diverse religious traditions that includes founders, major divisions, scriptures, myths, rituals, ethics, and concepts of sacred reality and experience. With this understanding you should be able to describe how religious traditions contribute to an understanding of people, cultures, nations, and art.
This class will require a significant amount of reading, writing, and studying. It is a good idea to plan a routine that works with the course calendar to stay on top of the work. If you do not set aside time for your academic pursuits, who will?
View the college-wide attendance policy included in How to be a Successful Student.
For this class, please note the difference between attendance and active participation. Getting online and active in the course during the first week is very important. You should set aside time to read the syllabus and familiarize yourself with the course platform. Attendance will be taken for the first two weeks of class. During this time, attending class in the virtual environment means completing the Orientation Quiz and the first Discussion Board Activity (see the Calendar for due dates). Active participation in this class is also required at the 60% mark of the semester. The week following the last day to withdraw with a “W” is the time period in which Administration will give a grade of “WF” for all students in this particular course who have not completed the Mid-Term Exam. Please keep these important milestones in mind.
A = 90 – 100%
B = 80 – 89%
C = 70 – 79%
D = 60 – 69%
F = 0 – 59%
The final semester grade will be an average of 510 points as distributed below. Please note that you must complete the 2 Writing Assignments (with passing scores) in order to get a "C" in the course. In other words, even if you have the necessary points to earn a "C" in the course, if you did not complete both of the Writing Assignments with passing grades, you would receive a "D" or "F" grade in the course. Here are the values associated with the various assignments:
Orientation Quiz: 1 @ 10 points = 10 points
Module Quizzes: 13 @ 10 points each = 130 points
Discussions: 5 out of 6 @ 30 points each = 150 points
Writing Assignments: 2 @ 60 points each = 120 points
Exams: 2 @ 50 points each = 100 points
All assignments are completed within MyCourses. E-mail submissions of assignments will not be accepted. Please ensure that all work is submitted through the appropriate channels within the course platform. Refer to the time schedule for all assignment due dates: Time Schedule.
There will be one orientation quiz consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions relating to information from the course syllabus, assignment instructions (quizzes, discussions, writing assignments, and exams), and the navigation of the course platform. You can complete this quiz as many times as you like. This is the only quiz that can be attempted multiple times.
There will be a total of 13 online quizzes given over the course of the semester. The quiz questions are based on the assigned materials in each module and are not cumulative. These untimed open-book quizzes are only able to be attempted twice. The highest score of the two will be used for grading purposes. All quizzes will be available for completion until the final day that work is accepted for the semester (see the Time Schedule).
Over the course of the semester, there will be six interactive discussions of which each student is required to participate in five. In other words, the top five discussion scores during the semester will be used for grading purposes and the lowest single discussion score will be dropped. Each discussion will take into account the student’s research and individual response to the discussion prompt, the student’s interaction with her/his classmates’ posts, and the student’s review of other posts. Each discussion has two separate deadlines, one for the initial post and the other for the closing of the discussion board (see the Time Schedule for this information). You should review the following documents before attempting a discussion: Discussion Grading Rubric, A Sample Discussion Post, Sample Discussion Replies, and Frequently Asked Questions. Additional resources: Research and Writing Assistance Information and Using the Library Website Video (transcript here).
Students will be required to compose and submit two original writings that respond to specific topics assigned by the instructor. For more information, view: Writing Assignment 1 and Writing Assignment 2. Please note that you must complete the 2 Writing Assignments (with passing scores) in order to get a "C" in the course. In other words, even if you have the necessary points to earn a "C" in the course, if you did not complete both of the Writing Assignments with passing grades, you would receive a "D" or "F" grade in the course. These papers are provided to Turnitin, a website that flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. To see how to use Turnitin, visit Reviewing a TurnItIn Originality Report. Additional resources: Research and Writing Assistance Information and Using the Library Website Video (transcript here).
At specific times as noted on the "Time Schedule," each student is responsible for completing a Mid-Term Exam and a Final Exam. These non-proctored exams are open-book on-line objective assessments (multiple choice, T/F, and/or matching) that can be found in the appropriate module. For more specific information, each module has a study guide: Mid-Term Exam Study Guide and Final Exam Study Guide
Grades will be posted within one week of the assignment due date. If more time is needed, a communication will be posted advising students of the new time frame.
Extra credit work is not accepted in this course. Each graded activity corresponds to specific course objectives, ensuring students meet the course expectations. Additionally, all the coursework is open-resource, allowing the student to utilize course materials on assessments. Finally, each assignment includes provisions for maximizing your points:
Because of all this, the course grade is calculated based on the assigned work only. The course schedule has clear deadlines, so it is up to the student to meet them (see the Time Schedule and/or the individual assignment instructions for this information). In extreme circumstances that prevent a student from accessing the class for an extended period of time (i.e. extended illnesses, unexpected surgery, etc.), there is a possibility to receive a grade of “I” (Incomplete). An “I” grade may be assigned to complete required course work only if the student was prevented from completing the course work due to non-academic reasons (documentation required). In accordance with college policy, the “I” grade will only be considered when the student has completed at least 50% of the graded course assignments and is passing the course at the time of request. Incomplete “I” grades may only be assigned if a written agreement has been documented, agreed to, and signed or electronically acknowledged by both the student and faculty member. All work must be completed by the end of the subsequent term. If the work is not completed within the prescribed time frame, the “I” will automatically change to an “F” grade.
SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication. View the Student Expectations in How to be a Successful Student.
View the Academic Honesty Policy.
In addition to the criteria listed in the assignment instructions, all written work must represent the students’ original writing. “Original Writing” means the unique and creative written composition of the student using his/her own words and produced using his/her own writing skills. The use modified source material is not considered original writing and will result in a reduced score for the assignment or a rejection of the work submitted. In other words, it is not acceptable to use the general structure of course materials where synonyms are utilized in the place of some (or all) of the content. You also need to make sure you are using quotes and documentation to identify the words of your source materials. However, this should be very limited as original writing comes from you, not your research sources. In a college course where individual thinking is a goal, you really need to have the skill of transforming what you read into original writing. Think of it as a conversation about a topic that you are having with someone at a gathering. Do you string together sentences and phrases that you read or do you explain it in your own words? Likewise, your writing needs to demonstrate that you understand the material to the point of explaining it to someone without the book in front of you. When you provide a response that strings together the sentences of your sources, you are only demonstrating that you have the ability to find the answer, not that you understand it. Reading source material should initiate original thoughts in your mind that are tied to your understanding of the world around you. The resulting answers should have your specific take on the main ideas. Additionally, it is not acceptable to submit work from another assignment, course, or section of this course (in whole or in part). For example, if you are repeating this course, you may not submit work you produced during a previous attempt.
As an SPC student, it's vital that you know Titans Care. You can access resources through SPC's Student Assistance Program (SAP) at https://mycoursessupport.spcollege.edu/student-assistance-program, a collaboration resource for students with mental health or general life issues. SAP provides help and education in suicide prevention, mental health, substance abuse awareness and more. It is SPC's belief that supporting mental wellness is everyone's charge, and that one loss as a result of substance abuse, mental illness, or suicide is one too many. If you or a loved one are considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Copyrighted material within this course, or posted on this course website, is used in compliance with United States Copyright Law. Under that law you may use the material for educational purposes related to the learning outcomes of this course. You may not further download, copy, alter, or distribute the material unless in accordance with copyright law or with permission of the copyright holder. For more information on copyright visit: www.copyright.gov.
The instructor of this course may require use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. Review the Turnitin Usage Agreement. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography. To learn how you can benefit from this tool, please view the Reviewing a TurnItIn/Originality Report tutorial.
The Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.
View the MyCourses Minimum Technology Requirements.
Students should know how to navigate the course and use the course tools. Dropbox-style assignments may require attachments in either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf), so that they can be properly evaluated. If an attachment cannot be opened by the instructor, students will be required to re-format and re-submit an assignment so that it can be evaluated and returned with feedback.
Minimum Technical Skills: Specify the minimum technical skills expected of the learner: general and course-specific learners must have to succeed in the course.
MyCourses tutorials are available to students new to this LMS and are located at the beginning of the course. Most features on MyCourses are accessible on mobile devices, although it is recommended that you use a computer for quizzes, tests, and essay assignments.
Technical support is available via the Technical Support Desk.