Religion in Contemporary America

Course Outline and Reading-Spring, 1998

Note: Resources listed as "Exploring the Web" are optional. All other readings are required.

INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Tues., Jan. 20 Introduction to the Course
NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGION
Thur., Jan. 22 The Lakota Sioux and The Hopi
Albanese 24-48
Powers, "When Black Elk Speaks Everybody Listens" in Hackett ch. 22
JUDAISM
Tues., Jan. 27 Historical Context
Albanese 50-66
Sarna, "The Debate over Mixed Seating in the American Synagogue" in Hackett ch. 14
Thur., Jan. 29 Contemporary American Judaism
Albanese 67-72
Moore, "Seeking Jewish Spiritual Roots in Miami and Los Angeles" in Hackett ch. 20
Exploring the Web

Shamash Home Page
Judaism Section at Yahoo
Orthodox Union
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Reform Judaism
Hillel (Jewish Campus Organization)
Jewish Calendar
Kol Isha a Jewish feminist orginization homepage
Observance, Marriage, Women in Judaism from soc.culture.jewish
Jewish Feminist Resources
Rivka Slonim: Chasidic Feminist (Article from Wellsprings Magazine)
Articles on Jewish Women in Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace(Lubavitcher Hasidic Judaism)
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
ROMAN CATHOLICISM
Tues., Feb. 3 Historical Context
Albanese 74-84
McDannell, "Catholic Domesticity 1860-1960" in Hackett ch. 15
Thurs., Feb. 5 Contemporary American Catholicism
Albanese 85-100
Exploring the Web
Catholic Resources-Extensive Listing
National Coalition of American Nuns on Women's Ordination
Interview with a Former Roman Catholic Nun by Charles Haitz
EASTERN ORTHODOXY
Tues., Feb. 10 Eastern Orthodoxy in America
Albanese 286-291
Exploring the Web
The Orthodox Christian Page in America
Orthodox Icons

PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY
Thurs., Feb. 12 Historical Context
Albanese 102-132
Tues., Feb. 17 The Protestant Liberal Tradition
Albanese 133-148
Thurs., Feb. 19 Public Protestantism
Albanese 396-430
Tues., Feb. 24 Issues in Contemporary American Protestant Christianity
Wuthnow, "Old Fissures and New Fractures in American Religious Life" in Hackett ch. 19
Exploring the Web
Protestant Resources-Extensive Listing
Articles on Christian Denominations/Groups (Presentations made by students in RS133: Intro to Christianity at Penn-Most are summaries of interviews they did with ministers/religious leaders)
AMERICAN ORIGINALS
Thurs., Feb. 26 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (The Mormons)
Albanese 220-229
Shipps, "The Genesis of Mormonism" in Hackett ch. 9
Recommended (not required): Conkin ch. 4
Exploring the Web
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Official Page)
MormonNet
Article on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Rupert Hsu.
Tues., Mar. 3 Apocalyptic Christianity: Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses
Albanese 230-234
Conkin ch. 3
Exploring the Web
SDA Net (Seventh Day Adventist)
Watchtower: Official Website of of Jehovah's Witnesses
Thurs., Mar. 5 Metaphysical Christianity: Christian Science and Unity
Albanese 235-239
Conkin ch. 5
Exploring the Web
Church of Christ, Scientist Official Home Page
Article on Christian Science by Brian Cleveland
Mary Baker Eddy
Unity School of Christianity-World Headquarters
Tues., Mar. 10 Mid-Term Exam
AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
Thurs., Mar. 12 Christianity
Albanese 193-207
Believer I Know: The Emergence of African American Christianity" in Hackett ch. 10
Exploring the Web
African Methodist Episcopal Church
National Baptist Convention
Tues., Mar. 17, Thurs., March 19 No Class-Spring Break!
Tues., Mar. 24 Islam
Albanese 208-217
Cone, "Martin and Malcom" in Hackett ch. 21
Exploring the Web
The Nation of Islam Online
The Final Call Online Edition (Official Newpaper of the Nation of Islam
CSU Muslim Student Association page on Malcom X
FUNDAMENTALISTS, PENTECOSTALS, EVANGELICALS AND CHARISMATICS
Thurs., Mar 26 Fundamentalists and Evangelicals
Albanese 369-392
Exploring the Web
See the various Fundamentalist or Evangelical denominations in the list of Protestant Resources
D.C. Talk
Christian Rock
Tues., Mar. 31 Pentecostals and Charismatics
Conkin ch. 6
Wacker, "Searching for Eden with a Satellite Dish: Primitivism, Pragmatism and the Pentecostal Character" in Hackett ch. 23
Thurs., Apr. 2 Pentecostalism in the Latino Community
Deck, "The Challenge of Evangelical/Pentecostal Christianity to Hispanic Catholicism" in Hackett ch. 24
Exploring the Web
The Apostle Movie Web Site (An extremely accurate portrayal of traditional Pentecostals which, for once, doesn't make fun of their religious experience)
Pentecostal/Charismatic Resources (Extensive Listing)
Tues., Apr. 7 Promise Keepers
Exploring the Web
Promise Keepers: Men of Integrity Official Web Site
Women of the Promise
WORLD RELIGIONS "NEW" TO THE WEST
Thurs., Apr. 9 Islam in America
Albanese 292-299
Exploring the Web
Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship (Example of a Sufi Mosque in a suburb West of Philadelphia)
Islamic Texts and Resources Metapage
CyberMuslim Information Collective
Tues., Apr. 14 Hinduism in America
Albanese 300-309
Eck, "Frontiers of Encounter: The Meeting of East and West in America" in Hackett ch. 26
Exploring the Web
Hare Krishna Home Page
Back to Godhead Magazine
Thurs., Apr. 16 Buddhism in America
Albanese 313-322
Exploring the Web
Buddhanet
DharmaNet
Journal of Buddhist Ethics
TRENDS: SYNCRETISM, POPULAR RELIGION AND CULTURE
Tues., Apr. 21 Ancient Ways and Contemporary Practice: Santeria; Vodou; Neo-Paganism
Albanese 250-259
Brown, "The Power to Heal in Haitian Vodou: Reflections on Women, Religion and Medicine" in Hackett ch. 25
Exploring the Web
Yo Soy Hechicero (Web Site for a Film on Santeria in New Jersey)
Church of All Worlds
The Green Egg (A famous Pagan journal)
Undernet #wicca Home Page
Wiccan Paths (Traditions) at the Undernet page
The Craft
Circle in the Sand: High Plains Pagan and Magick Page
Arachne's Web: Pagan/Wiccan Links(Over 450 Links)
Pagan Best of the Web (Award site with many links)
Merry Meet: Wicca Page (Project created by students in Intro to Religion here at Rutgers-Camden)
Wicca: An Introduction (Project created by students in Intro to Religion here at Rutgers-Camden)
Thurs., Apr. 23 The New Age
Albanese 352-368
Tues., Apr. 28 The Virgin Mary in Georgia: Popular Movements in Catholicism
Class Handout
Exploring the Web
Apparitions of Jesus and Mary-Conyers, Georgia
Catholic Apparitions of Jesus and Mary
Thurs., Apr. 30 Toward the Year 2000: Apocalyptic and Millennial Movements
Apocalyptic Movements and Cyberspace
Explore: Michael Nielsen's copy of The Heaven's Gate Web Site
Exploring the Web
The Millenial Watch Institute (Academic Institute which tracks and preserves information on Millennial Groups)
The End Days (Catholic Prophecy Site)
According to Prophecy
"This Week In Bible Prophecy"
Apocalypse: The Motion Picture Web Site
The Rapture Index
"Rapture Ready"
May 6-13 Final Exams Week

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Religion in Contemporary America
Course Page
Last Modified March 10, 1998
Kenneth J. Banner
banner@camden.rutgers.edu
 Return to the
Religion in Contemporary America
Syllabus