233-313 course syllabus Fall 2024-2
.pdf
School
Concordia University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
THEO 233
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 5, 2025
Pages
5
Uploaded by BaronMusic15659
Theo 233-A / Poli 313-CReligious Pluralism in a Secular CultureFall 2024 (3 credits)Instructor: Dr. Lucian Turcescu, Professor Department of Theological Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science Teaching Assistant: Benjamin Zalatan-Bedard CONTACT INFORMATION Professor: Lucian.Turcescu@concordia.ca, Annex D, room 201, SGW campus, Tel: (514) 848-2424 ext. 2341 Professor’s Office hours: Thursday, 10:00-11:15 (in person or by zoom) Teaching Assistant: bbzalatan@hotmail.com, Annex D, room 105, SGW campus TA Office hours: Tuesday, 4:00-5:00 pm or by zoomCourse schedule: Fall 2024, Thursday, 11:45-14:30 (11:45 am-2:30 pm) Where: MB S2.330 SGW COURSE DESCRIPTIONThis course focuses on the relationships between religion, pluralism, and secular culture. Itdeals specifically with secularization, secularism and theological responses that are rootedin historical discourses of church/state relations. Questions dealt with in the courseinclude: How should secularization be evaluated? How does faith pertain to the “secular”world? How does religion figure in the public/private distinction? How does religious belieffunction? How does Christian theology situate itself amidst cultural and religious plurality?COURSE OBJECTIVESThe course aims to help students situate contemporary issues and concerns in a theologicaldialogue with the world, develop an understanding of the positions taken in westernsocieties concerning religious pluralism and to develop a critical awareness of the contextand the methods used in theological assessments of secular culture, law and politicaltheory.COURSE MATERIALSRequired Textbook: J. C. Soper, K. R. den Dulk, and S. V. Monsma,The Challenge ofPluralism: Church and State in Six Democracies, 3rded. (New York: Rowman and Littlefield,2017).The Concordia library has an electronic version of the book (with the possibility todownload parts of it), but only three users at a time can use it:
Dr. L. TurcescuTheo 233 Religious Pluralism in a Secular Culture- 2 -https://lib-ezproxy.concordia.ca/login?url=https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/concordia-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4773468If you want to purchase your own copy of the book from Amazon.ca or Amazon.com ordirectly from the publisher:https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442250420/The-Challenge-of-Pluralism-Church-and-State-in-Six-Democracies-Third-EditionAdditional readingsare available through the Moodle course website. (log-in toMyConcordia.ca and then choose the link to the course in your left-hand column)EVALUATIONa) The quiz and assignment deadlines are firm, yet contingent on no cancellations orpostponements due to influenza pandemics as determined by university authorities.Grading: Evaluation is carried out in conformity with Department of Theological Studiesofficial grid:https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/theology/programs/undergraduate.htmlAssignments:1)Class Attendance: 10% (done through Moodle)2)Two quizzes: 20% each (total 40%) (on Oct 10 and Nov 7)3)Final exam (COLE Proctored): 50% (during exam period, date TBD)a.The final exam will consist of essay style questions and be held online using Concordia’s COLE system. You will have to make sure you meet the system requirements and familiarize yourself with the system beforehand. More information regarding proctored exams on COLE is found here https://www.concordia.ca/online/exams/proctored-online-exams.html . If you do not wish to take a proctored online final exam, you have the option of dropping the course. b.For more information about COLE Please visit: https://www.concordia.ca/online/exams.html Late Submissions Policy: Late submissions will be lowered by a grade (for example, from Bto B-) each 24-hour period after which the assignment is due unless a valid medical reasonis supplied with authentic documentation.DETAILED SCHEDULESep. 5 IntroductionSep. 12 Augustine of Hippo (340-430 CE), the secular, and the fall of RomeRead: Augustine,City of God(fragments from Books 4, 14, 15)R. Markus, “Augustine and the Secularisation of Rome,” 31-48
Dr. L. TurcescuTheo 233 Religious Pluralism in a Secular Culture- 3 -Sep. 19 Age of Faith vs. SecularizationRead: Rodney Stark, “Secularization, R.I.P.”Sociology of Religion60, no. 3 (1999) 249-273.Sep 26 – The Secular, Secularizations, SecularismsRead: José Casanova, “The Secular, Secularizations, Secularisms,” in C. Calhoun, M.Juergensmeyer, J. Vanantwerpen, eds.,Rethinking Secularism(Oxford University Press,2011) 54-74Oct. 3 Secularization and the Dangers of Fundamentalist ReligionHistorical Documentary to watch in class and discuss: “God Fights Back: Religiousfundamentalism flourishes in the East and West, 1978-1992” (PBS documentary, 1999)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoNC6iQa-Xs&t=16sOct. 10 The United States: Strict Separation under FireRead: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 17-50Quiz 1 on October 10(online on Moodle) – based on the readings from Augustine,Markus, Stark, Casanova, Soper and others (only the US chapter)(Reading week, Oct 15-20 – no classes)Oct 24 France: Separation from the Public Square andThe Netherlands: Principled PluralismRead: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 51-82 and 85-120Oct 31 Australia: Pragmatic PluralismRead: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 121-156Nov 7 England: Restrained Establishment (professor will be away at conference)Read: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 159-192Quiz 2 on November 7(online on Moodle) – based on the readings from Soper andothers (chapters on France, the Netherlands, Australia, and England)Nov 14 Germany: Church-State PartnershipRead: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 193-228Nov 21 Final discussions about western democraciesRead: Soper, Dulk and Monsma, 229-252Nov 28 – Church and State in Newer Democracies and concluding session (last class)Read: L. Stan and L. Turcescu, “Romania” in idem,Church, State and Democracy inExpanding Europe(Oxford University Press, 2011), 135-150.Exam period:4-18 December(exact exam date TBA)
Dr. L. TurcescuTheo 233 Religious Pluralism in a Secular Culture- 4 -ETHICAL BEHAVIOURGroup vs. individual workPlease note that academic evaluation in this course will be based on individual, NOT groupwork.Group work is not authorized in the quizzes or the final examand will be treated asan academic offence, according to the Academic Code of Conduct art. 19 b) and c):“academic offences include, the carrying out, or attempting to carry out or participating in:a. plagiarism - the presentation of the work of another person, in whatever form, as one’sown or without proper acknowledgement;b. the contribution by one student to another student of work with the knowledge that thelatter may submit the work in part or in whole as his or her own;c. unauthorized collaboration between students”Plagiarism:The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which theCode defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or withoutproper acknowledgement.”This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites,professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resemblesthe original source. It also includes for examplethe work of a fellow student, an answer ona quiz, an exam, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student.It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –itcan refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited towritten work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignment and artistic works.Finally, if you translate the work of another person into any other language and do not citethe source, this is also plagiarism.In Simple Words:Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without saying where youobtained it!(The Academic Integrity Website:https://www.concordia.ca/conduct/academic-integrity)LIST OF STUDENT SERVICES1.Counselling and Psychological Services:http://concordia.ca/students/counselling-life-skills2.The Recovery and Wellness Community Centre (RAWCC) is a peer-led addictions recovery centre runby the CSU (recovery meetings, workshops, wellness sessions, social events). For more information,please write torawcc@csu.qc.ca.3.Concordia Library Citation and Style Guides:http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/citations4.Student Success Centre:http://concordia.ca/students/success5.Health Services:http://concordia.ca/students/health
Dr. L. TurcescuTheo 233 Religious Pluralism in a Secular Culture- 5 -6.Financial Aid and Awards:http://concordia.ca/offices/faao7.HOJO (Off Campus Housing and Job Bank):http://csu.qc.ca/hojo8.Academic Integrity:http://concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity9.Access Centre for Students with Disabilities:http://concordia.ca/offices/acsd10.CSU Advocacy Centre:http://csu.qc.ca/advocacy11.Dean of Students Office:http://concordia.ca/offices/dean-students12.International Students Office:http://concordia.ca/students/international13.Student Hub:http://concordia.ca/students