Religious Studies 35 Course Outline
1. What Being Human Means?
Human nature and animal nature
Resolutions
What are humans for?
Human qualities
Understand vs. animal awareness
love vs. animal affection
grow as human vs. animal slavery
Potential
Luke 10:30-37
Luke 14:7-24
Genesis 49:1-28
Hebrews 5: 11-14
Isaiah 1:2-6
Film Study
Paul, Apostle of Christ
2. Conscience
Utilitarian: What works
Altruistic: What’s right
Lawrence Kohlberg
6 stages of moral awareness
Sigmund Freud
Superego-Ego-Id
Personality: Outer Self
Character: Inner Self
2Corinthians 1:12-14
Matthew 5:21-24
Acts 15:1-21
Romans 2:12-16
1Corinthians 10:27-33
3. Relationships
Freedom and autonomy
What does any human deserve from the objective fact of his or her humanity?
Human relationships
Education
Making a living
Finding what living is for
Who am I?
conscience-autonomy
Where do I fit in?
Biological ecology
Moral ecology
2Samuel 11:1-12:15
Romans 12:9-21
Acts 6:1-7
James 1:22-25
Galations 6:7-10
4. Legal/Moral
Rules or Laws
Arbitrary vs. Natural
Two objective factors
Narcissism vs. Inertia
Two kinds of authority(power)
Political
Moral
2 Corinthians 3:1-6
Galatians 3:10-14
James 2:8-13
Mark 6:37-42
Matthew 15:16-20
Written Assignments
The written assignments are the most important element in this course. Assigned writing has at least three functions.
First, all students in this course must be active participants in the thinking process. The written assignments will engage your active thinking.
Second, the assignments will force students to put into words what they are thinking. Having some vague “feeling” about an issue in not thinking. “Having an idea” is not the same thing as “reasoning.” Many will settle for top-of-the-head responses, don’t let yourself get away with this. Avoid any immature minimalism that will simply get the assignment out of the way, challenge yourself to think more clearly about a topic.
Third, your written assignments will be taken seriously. They will be collected in Classroom and graded on a 3 point scale.
Final Course Mark
Midterm and final course marks will be based on total points collected on assignments and quizzes. There is no final exam.