Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 208
•
Trim: 7¼ x 10½
978-1-5381-0094-3 • Hardback • November 2017 • $92.00 • (£71.00)
978-1-5381-0095-0 • Paperback • November 2017 • $45.00 • (£35.00)
978-1-5381-0096-7 • eBook • November 2017 • $42.50 • (£35.00)
Joel Hopko is a member of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
Gregory M. Scott is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Stephen M. Garrison is professor of English and creative writing, former chair of the Department of English, and director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Central Oklahoma.
TO THE STUDENT: Welcome to the Greatest Stories Ever Told
TO THE TEACHER: As We Teach Writing, You Teach Religion and Theology
PART 1: Reading & Writing for Introductory Religion and Theology Courses
1Read & Write to Understand Religious Experience
1.1The Benefits of Effective Reading
Read & Write 1.1: Analyze a Sermon
1.2Reading Ritual and Narrative
Read & Write 1.2: Appreciate the Lakota Heyoka Ceremony
1.3Reading Mystical Experience and the Sacred
Read & Write 1.3: Explain the Popularity of Juan Soldado
1.4Reading Social Cohesion and Ethics
Read & Write 1.4: Explain How New Religious Moments Achieve Social Cohesion
1.5Reading Doctrine
Read & Write 1.5: Explore Doctrinal Options for the Separation of Church and State
2Read & Write Effectively
2.1Get into the Flow of Writing
Read & Write 2.1: Explain or Persuade
2.2Think Creatively
Read & Write 2.2: Freewriting
2.3Organize Your Writing
Read & Write 2.3: Write a Paper Outline
2.4Draft, Revise, Edit, and Proofread
Read & Write 2.4: Discover Your Own Style
3Practice the Craft of Scholarship
3.1The Competent Writer
Read & Write 3.1: Correct a Sentence Fragment
3.2Avoid Errors in Grammar and Punctuation
Read & Write 3.2: Proofread for the Pope
3.3Format Your Paper Professionally
Read & Write 3.3: Explain the Data in this Table
3.4Cite Your Sources Properly
Read & Write 3.4: Create a Scholarly Bibliography
3.5Avoid Plagiarism
Read & Write 3.5: Summarize an Article from Shambala Sun, Moment, or Guideposts
4Become Familiar with Quality Information Sources
4.1Welcome to the American Academy of Religion (AAR)
Read & Write 4.1: Write an Email to an AAR Section Chair
4.2Welcome to the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)
Read & Write 4.2: Write an Email to an SBL Section Chair
4.3How to Locate Religion and Theology Dissertations and Theses
Read & Write 4.3: Collect Six Dissertation Abstracts on a Topic of Interest
4.4How to Locate Studies by Think Tanks
Read & Write 4.4: Collect Six Think Tank Studies on a Topic of Interest
4.5Welcome to the Library of Congress (LOC)
Read & Write 4.5: Examine Some Religion Items from the Library of Congress Collection
PART 2: Become a Scholar of Religion
5Learning Observation Skills
5.1Conduct an Interview
Read & Write 5.1: Interview a Local Religious Leader
5.2Conduct a Focus Group
Read & Write 5.2: Conduct a Focus Group on a Topic of Interest
5.3Conduct a Case Study
Read & Write 5.3: Conduct a Case Study on a Local Religious Group
5.4Conduct a Survey
Read & Write 5.4: Conduct a Survey on a Topic in Religion
6Learning Scholarship Skills
6.1How to Read Religion and Theology Scholarship
Read & Write 6.1: Explain the Content of a Recent Article from a Religion or Theology
Journal
6.2How to Critique an Academic Article
Read & Write 6.2: Critique a Recent Article from a Religion or Theology Journal
6.3How to Write a Book Review
Read & Write 6.3: Review a New Religion or Theology Book
6.4How to Write a Literature Review
Read & Write 6.4: Write a Religion or Theology Literature Review
7How to Research Effectively
7.1Institute an Effective Research Process
Read & Write 7.1: Write a Religion or Theology Research Proposal
7.2Evaluate the Quality of Online and Printed Information
Read & Write 7.2: Write a Bibliography with a Dozen High Quality Sources
PART 3: Practice Some Avenues of Religion Scholarship
8Study the History of Religion
8.1Study the Origins of Religion
Read & Write 8.1: Explore Cosmos and History in South America
8.2Study the Histories of Religions
Read & Write 8.2: Chronicle the Recent History of an Asian Religion
8.3Compare Religions
Read & Write 8.3: Compare Rituals, Doctrines, or Practice of Two African Religions
9Discover Some Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Religion
9.1Sociology of Religion
Read & Write 9.1: Welcome to PEW Trust Religion Studies
9.2Psychology of Religion
Read & Write 9.2: Encounter Minds and Gods
9.3Neurology and Religion
Read & Write 9.3: Explore Experiences of Spiritual Consciousness
9.4Politics and Religion
Read & Write 9.4: Consider the Politics of Religion
9.5Postmodern Approaches to Religion
Read & Write 9.5: Behold the Panopticon
PART 4: Practice Theology, Ministry, and Discipleship
10Engaging Scripture
10.1Engaging Hermeneutics
Read & Write 10.1: Construct a Personal Hermeneutic
10.2Engaging Exegesis
Read & Write 10.2: Practice Exegesis
11Engaging the History of Theology
11.1Tracing the Course of a Tradition’s Theology
Read & Write 11.1: Trace the Course of a Religious Tradition’s Theology
11.2Comparing Practices and Doctrines
Read & Write 11.2: Compare Doctrines of Two Major Sects within a Major Religious
Tradition
12Writing for Worship and Sharing Life
12.1The Craft of Homiletics
Read & Write 12.1: Write Words to Inspire
12.2The Craft of Celebration
Read & Write 12.2: Write Words to Unite in Joy
12.3The Craft of Healing
Read & Write 12.3: Write Words to Console in Bereavement
GLOSSARY
NOTES
INDEX