These are single page essays that have been changed because of covid. She wants us to have like a
conversation with ourselves as best we can since we aren’t having in person classes so we are kind of our
own “study buddy”. This doesn’t have to be anything too crazy its just a 1300 level class so be as
imaginative as you would like. Below is the link to the textbook and has the username and password.
https://digital.wwnorton.com/religionmatters
SWA 5 + Study Buddy Prep: Religions of Repair
At least two of the religions that Prothero calls “religions of repair” also have a supersessionist aspect:
Christianity claimed to replace Judaism, and Islam claimed to replace both Judaism and Christianity. The
word “replace” here embraces some nuances, but we don’t see this in religions in Prothero’s other groups.
Gather online with your buddies and discuss why this might be the case. In particular, think about this: does
something about the problem-solution set-up of religions of repair open the door to supersessionism in a
way that the problem-solutions of release and reversion do not? Could religions of repair stand on their
own, without their various supersessionisms? (Does Judaism do this? Or does it too have a
supersessionism baked in?)
Then compose a paragraph of 200-300 words addressing this question. The paragraphs are you individual
work, but in them you must refer to your buddy discussion. In other words, your two resources for writing
your paragraph are Prothero and the primary sources and the discussion you have with buddies.
Study Buddy Discussion & SWA 6
In this discussion plus paragraph, we return to the problem of defining religion. Please do the following
steps in order.
1. Without looking at your work on a definition early in the term, think about the course material so far. Then
write down a definition that you think encompasses the religions you have studied in this course.
2. Meet with your study buddies and discuss Confucianism and Daoism with this question of definition in
mind. Does one of these fit your definitions more easily than the other? Why? Try to pinpoint where either
of these traditions seems not to fit, or where your definition has elements that you can’t find in
Confucianism or Daoism. Does anything need to be adjusted? If so, what should be adjusted — your
definition, or are you willing to say “X is not a religion for reasons Y and Z”? Remember, buddies don’t have
to agree.
3. Compose a paragraph of 200-300 words in which you describe the process of making your newer
definition interact with these two major Chinese traditions. What conclusion did you come to about what
religion is or isn’t? (You’re not committing to this for life, you just need a conclusion that you can justify with
appropriate evidence and reasoning.)
