RELS 291:0
Women in the Western Religious Traditions
January – April 2009
Chapter Critique and Presentation Guidelines
The chapter critique (3-4 pages) and presentation should NOT simply be a summary of the author’s work, but should be a critical evaluation of the work(s) being read. The responsibility of the presenter is to start a discussion by providing a critical evaluation of the assigned readings for the day. This evaluation may include but is not limited to: a) posing a set of questions that interrogates the author’s key ideas and arguments; b) extracting the author’s thesis idea or key ideas and comparing and contrasting this (these) against ideas that have emerged from our other readings; and, c) offering suggestions for questions or avenues of inquiry that will push the boundaries of what the author has already presented. This is the time to offer your perspectives, confusions, questions, problems and responses to the author’s work. Each student will hand in their chapter critique at the end of class on the day of the presentation.
The responsibility of the respondents is to provide a direct response to the presenter’s material: this may include, but should not be limited to, a rebuttal, critical inquiries, point(s) of agreement, or suggestions for further inquiries. Respondents are required to provide hard copies of their questions/ inquiries to the professor at the end of class on the day of the presentation.
Thursday February 5 – Women in Judaism critiques due
Thursday March 5 – Women in Christianity critiques due
Thursday March 26 – Women in Islam critiques due
Final Research Essay Topic and Guidelines
The final research paper (7-8 pages) will be based on a woman who has had a direct impact on one of the three religions we will discuss in class. The purpose of the essay is to write about the role these women have played within their religious tradition, their impact, the changes they may have made and the challenges they faced. Explain how these women are written about in primary texts (scripture) if they are from that time period, as well as what secondary sources say about these women. How do feminist interpretations change the way these women are understood within their faiths? Write about the traditional and modern understandings of these women in order to better explain their impact on their faiths today.
NOTE: You will need to get approval for the topic of your essay from the professor by Thursday March 5th as each essay has to be one someone unique. Two students cannot pick the same person upon which to write their essay, so the sooner you choose your topic, the more likely you are to get the topic you want.
Thursday April 2 - Final Research Essay Due Date
The following women can be chosen for your essay (or you may propose another not on the list with approval):
Judaism:
Eve • Deborah the Judge • Miriam • Abigail/Esther (Female Prophets) • Sarah/Rebekah/Rachel/Leah • Bathsheba • Lilith (Apocrypha) • Salome • Jesabel
Christianity:
Mary (Mother of Jesus) • Phoebe (Deacon in early church) • Thecla (virgin martyr) • Perpetua (martyr) • Felicitas (martyr) • Teresa of Avila • Hildegard of Bingen • Julian of Norwich • Claire of Assisi • Ellen White (Seventh Day Adventism) • Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science)
Islam:
Hind al-Hunnud • Khadijah (Prophet’s first wife) • A’ishah (Prophet’s wife) • Fatimah (Prophet’s daughter) •Rabi’ah al-Afawiyya (Sufi master)