Teaching directory
Course 2022-2023

Studies in Religion [INFOB114]

  • 3 credits
  • 30h
  • 2nd quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français

Learning outcomes

The objective of the course is to lead the students to be able to carry out a personal reflexion on the religious and ethical questions, to be able to formulate and to defend a position in this field and to locate it in comparison with the current religious tendancies, with a particular regard towards the charter of the FUNDP.

Content

At the beginning, the course presents a survey on religion and on the values in contemporary Europe. Then, we'll develop a reflexion on the relations between Science and Faith and especially this question in the context of University (FUNDP's chart) . For a dozen of major religious or philosophical traditions, or for new movements, we'll analyse 3 dimensions: 1° History and Organization ; 2° Symbolical system (beliefs and pratices) and values ; 3° Critical glances and reflexions. Finally, we'll take a transversal perspective with 4 large questions : Man, Life and Death, Liberty, and Democracy. Each of these topic will be presented in 3 steps : 1° Problematic in a contemporary context ; 2° questions of ethic ; 3° Positions of religions.

Teaching methods

The teaching device 1° a presentation of great sets of themes or problems related to the philosophico-religious questions and ethics. 2° Using visual or audio-visual tools, analyzes in group of real religious situations. 3° personal work aiming to the personal appropriation of a book looking further into the panel of themes of the teachings. 4° a large panel of evaluation's method.

Evaluations

1) At the second course, the students will receive a book to analyse 2) According to instructions specified with this meeting, each group will read the book, will analyze it and will discuss it to make sure of its common comprehension. Then, individually, each student will establish a critical report, re-contextualized in comparison with the data of the course. The goal being to establish a maximum of link between the reality of the book and the course. This report of 6-8 pages (Times 10, interval 1.5) will be send to the "Secretariat", at least, the first day of the session CONTENTS: Two parts a) Synthesis of the work emphasizing the essential ideas. (3-4 pages) The synthesis must be a personal reappropriation by the student of the book. It is not a simple summary. The student put his own main idea, starting from a religious or ethical question particular which it will have chosen, neglecting consequently (by justifying it) what is marginal with its problems. b) Critical of the ideas of the book. (3-4 pages) In criticism, the student must utilize the following elements: 1) Recontextualization of the text compared to the course, and mainly to the various religious traditions. 2) Personal standpoint about the ideas and posiions of the book; 3) In order to supporting its criticism (positive or negative), link with the course or external informations like other readings, other lessons, web sites, reports televised or radios; the recourse to these materials must of course be justified with some infrapaginal notes. 3) The student will defend his personal paper during an oral examination of 15 '. Its comprehension of the book, and its standpoint will be subjected to a first series of questions. In the second time, the student will answer a short complementary question (and possibly a second) only related to the matter of the course.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté d'informatique
rue Grandgagnage 21
5000 NAMUR
P. 081725252
F. 081724967
secretariat.info@unamur.be

Degree of Reference

Undergraduate Degree