Introduction to Religion
Introduction to Religion Why is religion a significant element in human life and affairs? What roles does religion play in the lives of individuals and communities? And what is religion anyway? Drawing on Western and Asian traditions, we will take a comparative approach to these questions, examining how religious traditions can differ and converge. Throughout the course, we will introduce the basic vocabulary and analytical tools of the academic study of religion. We will also consider how both scholars and practitioners make sense of religion and debate its role in societies past and present.
I really enjoyed this class. It is definitely a lot of material, as the course covers the history and traditions of both Judaism and Hinduism, but I thought the readings and lectures were generally interesting, although dense at times, and thought the class format of comparing and contrasting the two religions was very interesting.
This course was taught by both Professor Schine and Ortegren. Keep in mind- it is not an "introduction to religion" so much as a comparative course between Judaism and Hinduism. There is a fair bit of reading with scheduled reading quizzes throughout, and the grading is on the tougher side. I had Ortegren as my grader and I believe she is the easier grader. Overall, it was an interesting enough class and I would take it again.
This course was taught by both Professor Schine and Ortegren. Keep in mind- it is not an "introduction to religion" so much as a comparative course between Judaism and Hinduism. There is a fair bit of reading with scheduled reading quizzes throughout, and the grading is on the tougher side. I had Ortegren as my grader and I believe s …Read more
This class was divided into the study of Hinduism and Judaism. Schine taught the Judaism while Ortegren taught the Hinduism. The lectures were long and fairly boring especially coming from Schine. He had a tendency to ramble on and make it through very little of the material. If you went to office hours they were very happy to help as grading was mostly based on two essays you write.
This class was divided into the study of Hinduism and Judaism. Schine taught the Judaism while Ortegren taught the Hinduism. The lectures were long and fairly boring especially coming from Schine. He had a tendency to ramble on and make it through very little of the material. If you went to office hours they were very happy to help a …Read more
The course is taught by both Professor Schine and Professor Ortegren. Prof. Ortegren teaches Hinduism, but more it's role in Indian's society bringing in her personal experiences of when she lived there. Schine focuses more on Judaism, and less on the real world, but more on its practices, traditions, and text. Schine is a hilarious teacher, but a slow-talker which can get quite long. Thankfully, Ortegren balances this out with her energetic form of teaching. The readings are quite long for the week, but it's quite an enjoyable course if you're trying to get rid of your requirement.
The course is taught by both Professor Schine and Professor Ortegren. Prof. Ortegren teaches Hinduism, but more it's role in Indian's society bringing in her personal experiences of when she lived there. Schine focuses more on Judaism, and less on the real world, but more on its practices, traditions, and text. Schine is a hilarious …Read more
This course is co-taught by professor Schine and Ortogren. While both professors are highly knowledgeable in their respective fields (Judaism and Hinduism), the lectures can be quite boring at times with constant talking. The readings are long, but the content can be interesting. Grading-wise, it's a mixed bag - the quizzes are easy, but the essays can be judged harshly. Note that professor Ortegren requires students to wear a mask in class.
This course is co-taught by professor Schine and Ortogren. While both professors are highly knowledgeable in their respective fields (Judaism and Hinduism), the lectures can be quite boring at times with constant talking. The readings are long, but the content can be interesting. Grading-wise, it's a mixed bag - the quizzes are easy, …Read more
I took this class in the Fall of 2022 along with some math and econ courses and it ended up being my favorite/most interesting class. When I signed up for an Intro to Religion class I thought it wouldn't really talk about individual religions and talk more about religion as a concept but we ended up learning about the two religions, Hinduism and Judaism, and the practices and beliefs within them. The course was taught by two professors which added a very interesting yet fun dynamic. Professor Ortegren taught about Hinduism while Professor Schine taught about Judaism. The 2 professors couldn't be any more different in that Ortegren talks very fast and is very engaged with the class during her lectures while Schine is not a very engaging lecturer and talks extremely slow to the point where you could fall asleep. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and I'm very glad I took it as I would have never learned much about either religion if it weren't for this class.
I took this class in the Fall of 2022 along with some math and econ courses and it ended up being my favorite/most interesting class. When I signed up for an Intro to Religion class I thought it wouldn't really talk about individual religions and talk more about religion as a concept but we ended up learning about the two religions, …Read more