For Monday 8/27

1) Read over syllabus yourself and ask any questions you may have.

2) You are to write a 1-2 pg short essay (350-700 words) responding to these questions:

• Are you a spiritual person?
• Are you a religious person?
• Do you believe in God? Explain your answer.
• Conclude with 1 or 2 questions you have about God, other religions, and spirituality in general.

3) Please bring in 1 photo or 1 object fromyour summer experience. We will share in class on Monday.

For Monday, please read pgs. 1-15 in Smith's World's Religions.  Be sure and notice the art, photos, and images, important part of these traditions!

Then summarize in bullet points Smith's approach to "religion".  I will check in class to see that you have completed the assignment.

1) Please read Ch IX on Primal Religions in Smith.  You need to answer the questions on the website listed under Smith Questions.  The Primal Religion section is the 1st section.  These are due Monday, 9/11.   See me with any questions.

2) We will begin watching Baraka today and tomorrow. Please click on the link on my website to get some more background on the film. For Monday, 9/11, you are to write a 1-2 pg typed reflection response, incorporating at least 3 of the 12 questions listed at the link. 1-2 pages means b/w 500-750 words. Please TYPE, 1 1/2 spaced, 12 pt font and please print on both sides if you can. The printers at SI print on both sides.

Please note, both homeworks are due Monday, though you have 2 nights and a weekend night to work on them. Please pace yourself accordingly.

See Above

1) Please click on the link Ultimate Questions on the main page, underneath Intro/Primal. Print this out and put in your binders. We will go over on Monday.

1)Please read Primal Religions chapter in Novak (read a sampling under each heading), and answer 1st 3 questions, then choose 1 from each subheading, and any additional 2 for a total of 10 questions answered.  You do NOT have to type your questions, just make them neat and easy to read.  This concludes our reading of our 1st tradition: Primal Religions. This is due our 3rd meeting this week.

Looking ahead: Mr. Lynch will come to speak to our classes on Wednesday for both 6th and 2nd.

We will begin Whale Rider next week!

1) Smith & Novak Primal Questions will be collected Thurs for 6th period and Friday for 2nd period.

2) Please read Ch. 8 in Mr. Lynch's handout, highlighting and making notes in the margins. The reading is due Friday. We will discuss in class. No questions to answer, so please come prepared to discuss. I will check to see if you read it.

Please read links in preparation for our viewing of the film Whale Rider.  This is about the Maori of New Zealand.  I will not require you to write a summary of the readings...please read for background, as you will be lost in the film otherwise!  This should not take you long.   You will enjoy this film!

http://www.whaleriderthemovie.com

(CLICK MOVIE, THEN CLICK SYNOPSIS, feel free to poke around further if you like!)

http://www.haro-online.com/movies/whale_rider.html

http://www.movienet.com/whalerider.html

You will write your 1st Final Synthesis assignment this week for our 1st tradition(s) - Primal/Indigenous Traditions. Please go to the Vision Quest link on the main page and you will see the directions there. This will be due Monday, Sept. 25th.

Mr. Haardt will be away on Kairos Wed-Friday. Your homework due Monday, 10/2, will be to finish the Hindu section in Smith, The World's Religions and answer the questions listed under Smith. There are 20 total questions.

You are also to read the Hindu section in Novak , which will be due 3rd meeting, 10/4 -2nd pd, 10/5 - 6th pd. Please read selections from Vedas, Upanishads, Gita and Grace Notes.   See Novak link for questions... you must answer # 11, 12, 27-29 (5 questions) & then choose any additional 7 questions under each sub-heading (Vedas-2, Upanishads-2, Gita-2) + any additional 1. Total = 12 Questions!

See Aug-Sept for hmwk due this week.

For Friday, Prepare 5 min presentation of the important themes of your section...meaning you need to know what you want to emphasize in 5 minutes.

Also Novak Questions are Due!

See the main page under Hindus, 1st link is the handout in class I gave to the groups, a nice overview which we did in class on Friday. The 2nd link is your final synthesis which is due Friday the 13th! We will share these in class.

Namaste

Please go to www.sfvedanta.org and review where we are going on Wed.

We begin the Buddhist tradition. Please read the Buddhist chapter in Smith and answer the 30 questions listed. This is the longest chapter in Smith and the most questions. So please pace yourself. Questions will be due from Smith on our 2nd meeting next week, Oct. 31st for 2nd and Nov. 1st for 6th. Please keep up with the reading!

Novak Questions due Monday, Nov. 6th - Pick any 10 questions of the 30 listed, try to choose ones you have not answered in Smith already. Take this time to read the actual sacred texts themselves and think about what Buddhism is trying to reveal about the human condition.

Good Luck and please complete these on time.

Please go to www.sfzc.org to prepare for our visit to the SF Zen Center.

Also, please go this link http://www.livingdharma.org/Real.World.Buddhism/LittleBuddha.html and read this 1 page review in prep for the film. We start Little Buddha next week with Keanu Reeves starring as the Buddha!

Please complete your Taoism Final Synthesis by Tues - 2nd pd, Wed- 6th pd.

Read Tao Te Ching section in Novak in preparation for your assignment above.

Please remember to bring your baby photos to our 2nd meeting this week, we will share in class.

We begin Islam this week.  Given the nature of this tradition and the very poor coverage of this wisdom tradition in the media, it is very important that you read and read carefully.  Thus, you are to read Chapter VI in Smith on Islam and answer Smith Questions on Islam...Answer #1-10 and #29, then choose 9 others of your choice, for a total of 20 questions!  DUE Friday, Dec. 1st.

Spiritual Activity is due Mon. Dec. 4th .

As-Salaamu Alaykum - Peace be with you.

1) Smith Questions due Monday

2) Spiritual Activity Due Monday

3) Meet in Orradre - Bring Zinn & Novak!

4) Read Novak Chapter Seven: Islam...Remember read selections of each...Qur'an, Hadith, Sufis, Malcolm X.

Then answer Novak Questions, #1-10, #32, and choose any additional 3 for a total of 15 questions.  This is your final set of questions!!!

Due: 3rd meeting - Wed - 2nd pd, Thurs-6th pd

1) Novak Questions due 3rd meeting, see above.

2) For Monday, you are to prepare your Islam Final Synthesis and come prepared to share. Remember, I will not accept any late papers, at this stage in our semester. Thank you for understanding.

I look forward to the discussion with all of you.

" "A human being is a part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." – Einstein 

From Science to God chapters are as follows:

1 - Ch. 3

2 - Ch. 4

3 - Ch. 6

4 - Ch. 7

5 - Ch. 8

6 - Ch. 9

Each person will prepare a written outline with key terms/distinctions and a summary of the chapter in your own words and using some direct quotes from the text. This is due Tuesday. If you have questions, list those, but please take care to present this information as clear as you can, you are responsible for your group's learning the material. You need to make 6 copies of your outline -- 1 pg, typed, 1 1/2 spaced, easy to read (use bullets, outline format). You will turn in your copy to me at the end of class. You will have 3-5 minutes to share your summary, so please rehearse what you are going to teach your small group.

For Wed, please read Smith's Final Examination pgs. 244-249.  Please bring your book to class as we will reference what he says.  Please answer these 3 questions in your notes for our discussion. 

1) How does Smith deal with the relation between religions?

2) What wisdom do these Wisdom Traditions offer the world?

3) Given our pluralistic, modern world, what is our response going forward in the complex times we are living in?

See above...

For your Final Essay, please click on the link on the main page.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT THE EXAM, IN ORRADRE CHAPEL ON Monday, Dec. 18th, 10:20-11:35. We will share our essays on that day after a period of meditation.

It has been a pleasure working with all of you this semester...I hope you have deepened your own view of the world, yourself, and the role spirituality plays in the life of human beings.

Namaste & Peace be with you...Mr. Haardt