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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Philosophy of Religion

Course Title:	RL545 - Philosophy of Religion
Department:	Religious Studies
Instructor:	Don E. Peavy, Sr., Ph.D. E-Mail Vita
Prerequisites:	None

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

Welcome to RL 545, Philosophy of Religion, “Philosophy is mainly concerned with ideas and reasons. Ideas can sometimes be confused and muddled. The philosopher’s job is to straighten out and bring clarity to our concepts. We are not as concerned with what people believe as why they believe it. … We are interested in the logical reasons people have for holding their beliefs, not the psychological ones.” (Stairs/Bernard vi) The purpose of this course then is to acquaint students with the methodology of philosophical inquiry and in doing so to enable students to think critically about religious beliefs and practices. Our task is not the search for truth; rather, it is the search for understanding.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

Students should strive to use inclusive language in their writings. By inclusive language is meant language that is not gender specific and which attempts to include as many people as possible. For instance, instead of writing that "God wills that every man obeys His will," inclusive language would require us to write, "God wills that everyone obeys Gods will."

REQUIREMENTS

1. Readings. The required texts are: Online Bookstore
   
   Play it Where it Lies! by Don E. Peavey. University Press of America (2007). ISBN13: ISBN:
   
   A Thinker's Guide to the Philosophy of Religion by Allen Stairs and Christopher Bernard. Pearson Education (2006). ISBN13: 9780321243751 ISBN: 0321243757

2. Conferences. Students may schedule no more than two Internet conferences between the student and the professor. These should be scheduled as necessary by the student. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above or by posting them to the message board.

3. Exams. There will be no exams in this course.

4. Papers.There will be a short paper of at least two single-spaced pages or 1,250 words (not counting end-notes and bibliography), due at the end of each week=s readings in which students will answer the discussion questions and give a reaction to their readings. There is a mid-term paper due of between 1500 and 2500 words. These papers are to be e-mailed to the professor. Those who do not feel comfortable with e-mailing the papers can contact the professor for a mailing address. Papers should conform to the form and style outlined in Kate L. Turabian=s "A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations," 6th ed. Students should use end notes instead of footnotes. Finally, the papers are intended to be reflection papers and not research or the "author said" papers. Students should indicate their understanding of the texts and this cannot be done merely by quoting the authors.

5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:
   
   

   Papers	60%
   Midterm Paper	40%

6. Grading Scale
   
   

   90 - 100%	A - Excellent
   80 - 89%	B - Above Average
   70 - 79%	C - Average
   60 - 69%	D - Below Average
   59% or below	F - Failing Grade

   
   
   A = Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue. Articulates well and writes logically and clearly. Integrates ideas previously learned from this and other disciplines. Anticipates next steps in progression of ideas.
   
   B = Grasps subject matter at a level considered to be good to very good. Is an active listener and participant in chats, message boards, e-mails and conferences. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work is of high quality.
   
   C = Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates at an acceptable level for a college student. Has a generally acceptable understanding of all basic concepts.
   
   D = Quality and quantity of work is below average and barely acceptable.
   
   F = Quality and quantity of work is unacceptable.

WEEK ONE

Read Peavy Introduction. Read Stairs/Bernard Introduction. Read Peavy’s article “Fideism.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. At the beginning of your study into philosophical inquiry, we pose perhaps the most difficult question of all. What is the role of philosophy in religious study? How do Stairs/Bernard and Peavy answer this question? How do you answer it?
2. Should religious discourse be protected speech? That is, should the philosopher go by religious conversations in “bemused silence?”
3. In a recent homily, His Holiness (the Pope) stated that religion must have a rational basis. Do you agree? If the Pope is correct, then does that make the task of philosophy of religion greater or lesser?

WEEK TWO

Read Stairs/Bernard pages 1-102.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is your concept of God? Please note that one does not have to believe in God to have a concept of God. For instance, I do not believe in fairies. However, I have a concept of fairies – they are a creation of human imagination and projection.
2. Which of the arguments for belief in God do you most agree with? Which one do you least agree with?
3. Does it make sense to speak of perfection at all? What is perfection?
4. Can belief in God be understood philosophically?

WEEK THREE

Read Stairs/Bernard pages 103-228.

Mid-Term Paper

You are to write a coherent essay in which you answer the following questions. Your paper should be between 1500 and 2500 words and be in proper APA or Turabian format.

1. It is said that the problem of evil is the greatest challenge to the rational belief in God. Apparently, many believers believe this and to address the problems presented to rational belief by evil have generated theodicies – defenses for belief in God in the face of evil. Which of the theodicies do you most agree with? Why?
2. If believers are willing to engage in rational debate on the problem of evil, ought believers to be willing to engage in rational debate on all matters of belief? Why or why not?
3. Does it make sense to believe something that has no rational basis? For instance, there are people who still believe that Elvis Pressley is alive and that the United States has never put a man on the Moon. What is the relationship between belief and reason? In other words, do beliefs have to be reasonable?

WEEK FOUR

Read Stairs/Bernard pages 229-320.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. In his marvelous book, “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis says at page 31, “It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power – it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk.” For Lewis, God is the Power behind the Moral Law. For Lewis, human morality is the greatest evidence for God. Do you agree with Lewis? Why or why not?
2. In a classic song, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Sam Cooke sings, “It’s been too hard living but I’m afraid to die because I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky.” Is there any rational way we can ever know what is beyond the sky other than space?
3. If there is only one “God,” would that necessarily mean that there would have to be one “true” religion or at least a few of them? In other words, if reason is our standard, could all religions be true? Does truth demand something false to be compared to?

WEEK FIVE

Read Peavy chapters one through three.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the basis for the rules proposed by Peavy in the reading for this week? How does that basis compare/contrast to what Lewis wrote in question one for week four above?
2. Peavy’s thesis, in part, seems to be that philosophy possesses “transformative power.” What do you understand Peavy to mean by that statement? Do you agree/disagree?
3. One reader of Peavy’s book wrote that it was “antireligious.” Do you agree with that assessment? Why or why not?

WEEK SIX

Read Peavy chapter four to end.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What does Peavy say about ghosts? Do you agree or disagree? Can ghosts be discussed rationally?
2. Déjà vu experiences form the evidence offered by many people to support their religious beliefs. What explanation do people give for such experiences and how rational is that explanation?
3. Peavy asks, “For how can I tell where my mind ends and my spirit begins?” How would you answer Peavy’s question? Does Peavy’s question indicate a limit to philosophy or religion?
4. What is your general impression of this course, its texts, its methodology? Has the journey been worth it?