THE 2050 Religions of the World
In an increasingly interconnected world, and especially in the religiously plural context of the United States, it is crucial that healthcare professionals become acquainted with the beliefs and practices of people from the diverse religious traditions that make up the American landscape. This course examines the world’s religious traditions, and in particular, the ways they conceptualize the person, health, and healing. Study of world religions can offer important and challenging insights into Western medicine. By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts, beliefs, and practices of a variety of religious traditions; analyze primary sources drawn from religious traditions, such as sacred texts, images, ethical and dietary codes, first-person accounts, and the like; make comparisons between religious traditions based on evidence from primary sources; and use a variety of tools (online databases, journals, books, newspapers, web sites) to develop and research questions regarding the connection between a particular religious tradition and healthcare issues. Because one of the aims of the college is to prepare health professionals for evidence-based practice, research skills are reinforced in this class.