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Religious Studies 425* [Fall 2016] MWF 10:30 AM-11:20 PM -\\

Emerson Thoreau Whitman

Dr. Steven L. Reagles B.A. [English] University of Wisconsin—LaCrosse M.Div. [Theology] Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary M.A. [Speech-Communication] Minnesota State University Ph.D. [English—Rhetoric & Linguistics] Indiana University—Pennsylvania

The Influence of Asian Spirituality

on American Culture & Thinking

“ EMPOWERING PEOPLE THROUGH A

RHETORIC OF GOD?? WITHIN”

OFFICE: Honsey Hall,#227 OFFICE HOURS: M, W, F 2:30 - 5:00

(Other Hours by Appointment) T, R 1:00 – 5:00

TELEPHONE: Office--344-7338 [E-Mail--sreagles@blc.edu] Leave Voice or E- Mail. COURSE TEXTS Tweed, Thomas A. & Stephen Prothero. Asian Religion in America: A Documentary

History. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Bhagavad-Gita. Trans. Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood. New York:

Signet, 2002. Course Reading Packet. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This upper level Religion course helps fulfill requirements for Religion and History Majors and Minors as well as Upper Division General Education Religion Core Requirements for the Bachelors degree. The course explores the fascinating and, often, controversial influence of Asian/Eastern Religious thought upon American culture beginning in the 19th century and marked by the Watershed 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions, which encouraged 20th century Ecumenism and the spread of Buddhism, Hinduism Theosophy, Mind Cure, New Age and the contemporary Self- Help Movement.

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Religion Studies Learning Outcomes [RPLO]: “The goal of our Religious Studies Program is to draw upon the full scope of liberal arts to enable students to comprehend Religious Studies in general and, in particular, Trinitarian, Creedal Christianity as defined by Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.” Given this context, after taking this course, Students Will Be Able To… use the following categories and concepts in applying, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating religious ideas. This includes ability to compare/contrast historic Christianity with: 1) its various branches, and 2) other world religions, in relation to these categories: 1. Source and nature of truth in religion; Bible as divine revelation. Related concepts: Inspiration and canon of Sacred Scripture; the authority, clarity, efficacy and sufficiency of Scripture; the Books of the Bible and the literary genre to which they belong; the eras of Bible History and the personalities and events of each. 2. The need of mankind for redemption: The fall into sin and all its implications. Related concepts: Alienation from God and neighbor; the bondage of the human will; death in all its dimensions. 3. The message of salvation in all its dimensions: How it was acquired; how it is distributed; how it is appropriated by the individual. Related concepts: the grace of God expressed in the person and work of Christ; the Means of Grace and the work of the Holy Spirit; faith in the heart of the individual. 4. The nature of the Christian life in this world: the “saint and sinner” paradox; sanctification as a work in progress; Christian vocation, and the place of good works in religion. 5. The Christian hope: resurrection and eternal life. COURSE SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES [CSLO] DERIVED FROM RPLO. At the end of this semester, as a result of taking this course, Students Will Be Able To:

I. Discuss the key role of Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman in promoting Eastern religious thought in American culture. [1, 3, 4]*

II. Highlight how Unitarian, Transcendentalist, Theosophy, New Thought, Self-Realization Fellowship and liberal Christianity supported Eastern religious thought & syncretistic Christianity in America. [1]

III. Discuss the watershed role of the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in establishing Eastern Religious Influence & ecumenical movement. [1]

IV. Identify the influence of Eastern thought on American culture, business models, the “human potential” movement and deification of self. [1, 3]

V. Compare/contrast how Eastern religion & philosophy differs from Christianity in its teaching about God, human nature, salvation, enlightenment and Divinity. [1, 2, 3]

VI. Compare and contrast Eastern, New Age and Gnostic thinking in the current Geist of American culture. [4]

VII. Articulate the theological difference between orthodox, Creedal Christianity and Eastern & Metaphysical religion. [1, 2, 3, 5]

*Numbers within brackets signify the Religious Studies Learning Outcomes addressed by these Course Specific Learning Objectives. CLASS REQUIREMENTS: Roman Numerals in brackets [VI] refer to the CSLO being assessed. Class Participation: During class we consider daily readings using critical thinking strategies that may include Socratic questioning; group work: jig-saws, teaching in pairs, triads & quartets; as well as lecture, discussion, debates, free-writes. Your chief responsibility is to read daily assignments BEFORE CLASS, so you can actively speak and write about subjects. I will deliver “mini-lectures” to summarize ideas or provoke discussion. On some days class members will read their own writing out loud to class. [I-VII]

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Critical Response Sheets: For each class write a reaction to daily readings in terms of course goals. For each CRS include 1) name, 2) date 3) title & text page numbers of the daily reading. Aim daily for @ 150-200 words. Keep your CRS together in a pocket file folder. We may use your responses to begin class. I will collect your CRS each Friday and will return them, graded, on Monday. I’m not concerned that you edit responses. Since this exercise’s main purpose is to provide an opportunity to record reactions to daily readings, treat your responses as “Free-Writes.” Raise questions. Disagree. Register your interests. Connect the daily reading to contemporary life in America or other readings. Focus upon well articulated ideas rather than perfect editing. Your main task is to process your thinking on a daily basis at sufficient length. [I-VII] “Fire-starter” on Daily Reading: During the semester you will team up with other students to provoke a discussion about one of the daily readings, during the first 5-7 minutes of class. [I-VII] Minimum of Two Mini-Reports on Eastern or New Age Religious Influence: Search for examples of Asian religious influence in contemporary culture and report briefly in writing and orally. Examples are everywhere in pop culture: song lyrics ads, business, cartoons, movies, etc.. You might take a picture of your example, bring the object with you, paste it on the Report sheet; then type a 100 word description, articulating the nature of influence. Or send a You Tube link or electronic copy. For a movie, describe and react to the contents. Identify the religion and religious concept/idea—Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianist, Taoist—represented. The first Mini-Report is due October 10; the second Mini-Report is due November 23. Quizzes/Five-Minute Essays: I will give several quizzes on daily readings, which includes asking you to write 5 Five-Minute Essays. Some quizzes will be individual, others group quizzes. [I-VII First Test—Eastern Religious Tenets—Preliminaries: In this test you demonstrate understanding of basic tenets of Eastern religion & historical developments up to the 18th century based on Tweed/Prothero. [I-III] Second Test—The Key Eastern Religious Movements in 19th Century America: This exam on Tweed and Prothero, tests understanding of Eastern Religious Influence on 19th C. American thought. [III, V] Third Test—The Key Eastern Religious Movements in 20th & 21st Century America: Test #3 examines your ability to critique the impact of Eastern religious thinking on recent American thinking, using Tweed Prothero and other course readings as a basis for critique. [I, II, IV, V, VI, VII] Paper Project: This research-based essay intersects with the course topic and your individual interests. Class readings should generate a myriad of possible ideas for this project. You will be expected to cite sources following APA, MLA or CHICAGO format. Length: 4 to 6 pages. First Draft Due November 30. Several sessions are set aside the last week to hear you describe project findings. [I-VII] COMPUTATION OF FINAL COURSE GRADES:

Assignment Percentage of Final Grade Class Participation 5 Critical Response Sheets 20 “Firestarter” 5 Two Mini-Reports [5% each] 10 Quizzes/Five-Minute Essays 10

First Test-- 10 Second Test-- 10 Third Test-- 15 Paper Project 15

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POLICIES

Regarding Late or Missed Assignments: Written assignments are due on the assigned date and may only be handed in after this date by prior permission. For bona fide sickness or emergencies please provide evidence to be excused from these requirements. Late assignments result in reduction of grade.

Regarding Attendance & Participation: Students are expected to participate in class & contribute to discussion. More than three absences may result in lowering your final grade one letter; other absences result in further grade reduction. Six unexcused absences: students are dropped from the course.

Regarding Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: “Plagiarism” is the act of promoting someone else’s ideas, words, phrases, in academic work—as if they were yours. If you think using other’s ideas without attribution is unproblematic, consider the uproar during the recent Republican convention, when it was discovered that Melania Trump’s speech had copied lines from a speech of Michelle Obama, without giving credit. In the contemporary world plagiarism and cheating is considered a serious breach of ethics. In most professions and in institutions of higher learning heavy penalties are opposed that range from dismissal to course or project failure. In this course any plagiarism will receive an automatic “F” on the plagiarized course unit. If you have questions about the proper use of other sources ask your instructor.

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

CLASS DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT August 24 Intro to Course; My Critical “Viewpoint”;

[#RP]=Reading Packet

TP=Tweed Prothero“ Ecumenical Creeds” Book of Concord [#RP 1-4];

August 26 1. General Intro; 2. Critical Thinking:;

Paul & Elder’s typology—RED/YELLOW/BLUE CRITICAL THINKING WHEEL; Differences: Eastern Religion vs orthodox Christianity

TP 1-12; Chade-Meng “Searching Inside Yourself” [Class Handout]

August 29 Intro to Asian Religions: Hinduism Buddhism Tweed & Prothero [Hereafter TP]; 13-

18; CRITICAL /THINKING/QUIZ August 31 Intro to Asian Religions: Jainism, Sikhism,

Shinto, Confucianism & Taoism Tweed & Prothero [Hereafter TP]; 18-22

September 2 Orientations—1784-1809: Delano; Morrison TP 25-7; 29-32; 35-8; Quiz

Hinduism terms TP 14-16 September 5 Labor Day Vacation September 7 Views from Home: Franklin (1788); Priestley

(1799); J.Adams (1813-14); H. Adams (1817) TP 43-51; 54-7

September 9 Encounters, 1840-1924: Chinese

Exclusion Act; Masters; Sonoda; Singh; TP 61-64; 73-86; Quiz Buddhism terms TP 16-18

September 12

Paramananda “Christ & Oriental Ideals”; A’s Fascination with East; Hindu Terms: Darshana; Vedanta; Advaita; Dvaita; Atman; brahman

TP 86-8; Fuller “Fascination with the Mystic East” 77-87 [RP 5-11]; Leaman 270-1; 87; 4-8; 95-98; 27-30; 49-53 [RP 14-27]

September 14 American Jesus as “Oriental Christ”: A

Review of Key Terms Prothero “Oriental Christ 267-90 [RP 29-41]

September 16 Romancing the Orient: Emerson, Thoreau,

Whitman, Eliot; “RalphWaldo EmersoninMinnesota”[DownloadfromInternet]

Emerson, Thoreau, Harte, Whitman, Eliot TP 92-98; 100-109; Hoeltje 145-59

September 19 Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God:

Translator’s Preface; “Intro” by Aldous Huxley; “Gita and Mahabharata”; Arjuna’s Sorrow; Yoga of Knowledge; Karma Yoga

Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 9-49

September 21 The Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 49-90

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September 23 The Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 90-130 September 26 Hinduism in Contemporary America Goldberg “Voice of An Old

Intelligence” 26-46 [RP 44-54] September 28 Vedanta in the U.S.: Prophecies &

Fulfillments [1945] Prabhavananda “Is Vedanta for the West?” 28-30 [RP 57-58] ; Mahadevan “Western Vedanta” 31-5 [RP 58-60]; Quiz: Jainism, Sikhism terms TP 18-20

September 30 Vedanta in the U.S.: Prophecies &

Fulfillments; Goldberg “Namaste America” 7-23 [RP 63-71];

October 3 Further Considerations of Emerson;

Contact points in Hindu Scripture TP 18-20; Ferrando “Emerson & East” 351-6 . [RP 75-78]; Upanishads & Bhagvatgita [RP 81-101]

October 5 PC Quiz Shintoism Confucianism

and Taoism terms TP 20-22 October 7 Test #1 on Preliminaries Cf. “Test #1 Study Guide” October 10 Introduce Semester Writing Project Mini-Report #1 Eastern

Religious Influence October 12 Unitarian Anti-Trinitarian, Pro-Asian

Religious Sentiment Priestley TP 44-8; Adams 54-7; Child 111-14; Clarke 114-17

October 14 Mid-Term Break October 17 Hindu Syncretism; 1893 World’s Parliament

of Religions; Vivekanda A Portion of Dharmapala’s 1896-1897 Tour—Minnesota & New Ulm [cf. Packet]

Paramananda TP 86-8; Barrows TP 127-29; Vive-kananda TP 130-3; Dharma-pala 133-7 [RP 102-103]; Shaku TP 137-40;

October 19 Eastern Religious Sympathy &

Conversions—Olcott, Blavatsky & Company Olcott TP 141-5; Sister Christine 145-8; Carus 148-51; Cana-varro 151-54; Bigelow 154-7

October 21 Buddhist Crossings

TP: Suzuki 191-3; Goddard 193-6; Kerouac 196-200; Sasaki 200-3; Cage 218-21; OPTIONAL READING: “Diamond Sutra” Goddard Buddhist Bible 87-107 [RP 104-114]

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October 24 Hindu Crossings; The Syncretistic Spirit; Gandhi and ahimsa

TP: Shridharani 178-81; Yoga-nanda 181-5; Krishna-murti 185-7; Yale 187-90; Jones 209-12; Thurmans/Gandhi 215-18

October 26 Advising Day October 28 Reformation Lectures

October 31 The Countercultural 1960s—LSD, TM, Beatles; Eastern Religion in Pop Culture; Steve Jobs: from Lutheranism? to Eastern Religion

TP: Watts 229-32; Leary 232-5; Dass 235-40; TM Catechism 241-4; Beatles & Swami Prabhupada 244-8; Bhajan 248-51; Simpson 251-5; Satchidananda 253-6; Excerpts from Steve Jobs, Isaacson [RP 117-28]

November 2 Buddhist Teachers, Converts, Movements TP: Suzuki 261-4; Trungpa

264-8; Thich Nhat Hanh 268-70; “Dalai Lama” 319-22; “His Lai Temple” 331-4

November 4 Asian Religions in Pop Culture TP:Lee 335-9; Hoff 339-41;

Snyder 342-5; “Interview with Glass” 345-9; Beastie Boys 349-51; Jackson 353-7

November 7 Asian Religion—Pros, Cons & Cops TP: Merton 362-65; Kamenetz

369-71; “Parlia-ment W’s Religions ‘93” 371-6; Martin 376-7; Douglas 378-81; “ Supreme Court” 381-2; Rehnquist 383-5;“Sikh Kirpans“Viet. Home Temple” 388-91

November 9 NCA No Class November 11 NCA TEST #2: Eastern Religion Origins &

Progress in America

November 14 New Thought Trine 151-7 Andersen Three Magic Words 7-8; 313-18

November 16 Deepak Chopra’s Third Jesus; The “God

Within” in the Upanishads; Christian Scripture on “Divinity/God within”—

Luke 21; D. Chopra “Kingdom of God is Within” 36-43 The Third Jesus ;

November 18 Yogananda’s The Second Coming of Christ Yogananda “The Kingdom of God

is Within You” Discourse 1176-91

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November 21 1) New Age Syncretism—The Incompatibility of Eastern Religion & Christianity; 2) What does orthodox Christianity teach about “Divinity Within”?

“Dyer 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace;

November 23 Mini-Report #2 Eastern

Religious Influence Nov. 24-27 Thanksgiving Break November 28 Eastern Religion, New Thought & the

Nightingale-Conant Tradition Collier “The World is Yours” Secret of Ages 1-27

November 30 First Draft of Semester Paper Project Due December 2 Eastern Influence On Collier Collier “Power Within Your

Grasp”; Amazing Secrets Masters Far East 1-32

December 5 Show Excerpts “The Secret” The Human

Potential Movement, Eastern Religion and the Business Connection—Roots of Brian Tracy’s Philosophy—“Activate your Superconscious Mind”

RESERVE Wattles Financial Success; Yogananda from To BE Victorious in Life 42-3, 46-7; Tracy’s Change Thinking Change Life; & Goals

December 7 Two Minute Reports on Paper Project Hand In Final Draft December 9 Two Minute Reports on Paper Project December 12 Monday

TAKE-HOME FINAL DUE—No Later than 3:30 P.M.

*“Theinstructorreservestherighttochangethesyllabusasthecurriculumand/orprogramrequire(s)”

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Select Preliminary Bibliography Collier, Robert. The Amazing Secrets of the Masters of the Far East. Oak Harbor, Washington: Robert

Collier Publications, 1985. Dyer, Wayne. Ten Secrets for Success and Inner Peace. Carlsbad: Hay House, 2001. Eck, Diana L. A New Religious America: How a “Christian Country” Has Become the World’s Most

Religiously Diverse Nation. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “[Divinity School ] Address.” 1838. Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Ed. Brooks Atkinson. New York: Modern Library, 2000. 61-78. Ferrando, Guido. “Emerson and the East.” Vedanta for Modern Man. Ed. Christopher Isherwood.New

York: Signet, 1972. 350-6. Fuller, Robert C. Religious Revolutionaries: The Rebels Who Reshaped American Religion. New York:

Macmillan Palgrave, 2004. Fuller, Robert C. “Fascination with the Mystic East.” Spiritual but Not Religious: Understanding

Unchurched America. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. 77-87. Goldberg, Philip. American Veda. New York: Random, 2010. Hill, Napoleon. Think and Grow Rich. 1937. North Hollywood: Wishire Book Company, 1999. Hoeltje, Hubert H. “Ralph Waldo Emerson in Minnesota.” Minnesota History (June 1930): 145-59. Huxley, Aldous. “That Art Thou.” 1945. The Perennial Philosophy: An Interpretation of the Great Mystics,

East and West. New York: HarperCollins Perennial Classics, 2004.1-21. Leaman, Oliver. Key Concepts in Eastern Philosophy. London & New York: Routledge, 1999. Mahadevan, T. M. P. “Western Vedanta.” Vedanta for Modern Man. Ed. Christopher Isherwood.New York:

Signet, 1972. 31-5 Oldmeadow, Harry. Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religious Tradition.

Bloomington: World Wisdom, 2004. Pagels, Elaine. Introduction. Living Buddha, Living Christ, New York: Riverhead, 1995. Xix-xxvii. Prabhavananda, Swami. “Vedanta for the West?” Vedanta for Modern Man. Ed. Christopher

Isherwood.New York: Signet, 1972. 28-30. Prothero, Stephen. “Oriental Christ.” American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon. New

York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2003. 267-90. Salerno, Steve. Sham. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2005. Seager, Richard Hughes. Buddhism in America. New York: Columbia UP, 1999. Smith, Corinne Hosfeld. Westward I Go Free: Tracing Thoreau’s Last Journey. Winnipeg, Manitoba:

Green Frigate Books, 2012. Wattles, Wallace D. Financial success: Harnessing the Power of Creative Thought. 1910. Rochester,

Vermont: Destiny Press, 1990. Yogananda, Paramahansa. Autobiography of Yogi. 1946. LosAngeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2005. Yogananda, Paramahansa. “If Ye Have Faith, Nothing Shall Be Impossible Unto You.” The Second

Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of Christ Within You. Vol. 2. Los Angeles, California: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2005. 891-906..

Yogananda, Paramahansa. “The Kingdom of God is Within You.” The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of Christ Within You. Vol. 2. Los Angeles, California: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2005. 1173-91.

Yogananda, Paramahansa. 1944. The Law of Success: Using the Power of Spirit to Create Health, Prosperity, and Happiness. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2003. 3-28.

Yogananda, Paramahansa. 1944. To Be Victorious in Life. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2002. Siddheswarananda, Swami. “A Hindu View of Christian Theology.” Vedanta for Modern Man. Ed.

Christopher Isherwood.New York: Signet, 1972. 330-50.