[This syllabus is adapted from two, half-credit courses for the Fall 2005 and spring 2006]
HS 963, Comparative Study of Missionary Religions, Fall 2005, Pontifical College Josephinum, Dr. Paul D. Numrich.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of the motivations, historical and institutional development, geographical dispersion, and contemporary dynamics of the three largest missionary religions in the world—Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The course will examine aspects of “mission” common to all three religions, as well as ways in which each religion uniquely defines its “mission.”
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Examine the concept of “mission” from a comparative religious perspective.
2. Gain new insights on Christian understandings of “mission.”
3. Develop one’s own perspective on the meaning of Christian mission in a multi-religious world, in preparation for faithful participation in inter-religious interaction and informed leadership among fellow Christians.
4. Enhance the scholarly enterprise of the Consortium seminaries.
REQUIRED READINGS: There is no single required textbook for this course. The Assignment Schedule lists the required readings, additions to which are possible.
SELECTED SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS:
Christianity:
A. Camps, L. A. Hoedemaker, M. R. Spindler, and F. J. Verstraelen, eds., Missiology: An Ecumenical Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1995). [MTSO/TLS BV2030.M55 1995, PCJ 240.77.3229.C199m]
James M. Phillips and Robert T. Coote, eds., Toward the 21st Century in Christian Mission (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1993). [MTSO/TLS BV2063.T688 1993]
Stephen C. Neill, “Missions: Christian Missions,” Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed., ed. Lindsay Jones (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005), vol. 9, 6082-6087. [MTSO/TLS BL31.E46 2005, PCJ 203.E42e 2005]
David J. Bosch, Witness to the World: The Christian Mission in Theological Perspective (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1980), Chapters 1-5 (pp. 2-49). [MTSO/TLS BV2063.B65 1980]
Hans-Werner Gensichen, “History of Mission,” Dictionary of Mission: Theology, History, Perspectives, ed. Karl Muller, Theo Sundermeier, Stephen B. Bevans, and Richard H. Bliese (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997), 187-189. [MTSO/TLS BV2040.L4813 1997, PCJ 240.77.3215.M958d]
James J. Stamoolis, “History of Missions,” Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, ed. A. Scott Moreau, Harold A. Netland, Charles Edward van Engen, and David Burnett (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 439-446. [TLS BV2040.E92 2000]
Hans-Jurgen Findeis, “Missiology,” Dictionary of Mission: Theology, History, Perspectives, ed. Karl Muller, Theo Sundermeier, Stephen B. Bevans, and Richard H. Bliese (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997), 299-303. [MTSO/TLS BV2040.L4813 1997, PCJ 240.77.3215.M958d]
Theo Sundermeier, “Theology of Mission,” Dictionary of Mission: Theology, History, Perspectives, ed. Karl Muller, Theo Sundermeier, Stephen B. Bevans, and Richard H. Bliese (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997), 429-451. [MTSO/TLS BV2040.L4813 1997, PCJ 240.77.3215.M958d]
Charles van Engen, “Theology of Mission,” Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, ed. A. Scott Moreau, Harold A. Netland, Charles Edward van Engen, and David Burnett (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 949-951. [TLS BV2040.E92 2000]
Buddhism:
Heinz Bechert and Richard Gombrich, eds., The World of Buddhism: Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Society and Culture (New York: Facts on File Publications, 1984). [MTSO/TLS BQ4012.W67, PCJ 294.3.B391w]
Charles S. Prebish and Martin Baumann, eds., Westward Dharma: Buddhism beyond Asia (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002). [TLS BQ5925.W47 2002, PCJ 294.3.W538]
Noble Ross Reat, Buddhism: A History (Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press, 1994). [TLS BQ266.R43 1994]
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1990), [PCJ 294.3.H342i]
Richard F. Gombrich, Theravada Buddhism: ASocial History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo (London: Routledge, 1988), Chapter 7. [MTSO BQ7185.G66, PCJ 294.391.G632t]
Erik Zurcher, “Missions: Buddhist Missions,” Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987), vol. 9, 570-573. [MTSO/TLS BL31.E46 1986, PCJ 203.E42e]
Jonathan S. Walters, “Missions: Buddhist Missions,” Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed., ed. Lindsay Jones (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005), vol. 9, 6077-6082. [MTSO/TLS BL31.E46 2005, PCJ 203.E42e 2005].
“World Buddhist leaders stress propagation of Buddhism,” www.religionnewsblog.com/9687-World_Buddhist_leaders_stress_propagation_of_Buddhism.html
Islam:
John L. Esposito, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002). [PCJ 297.E77is]
Larry Poston, Islamic Da`wah in the West: Muslim Missionary Activity and the Dynamics of Conversion to Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992). [TLS BP170.3.P67 1992]
R. Marston Speight, God Is One: The Way of Islam, 2nd ed. (New York: Friendship Press, 2001). [NA, 1st ed. available at TCGC libraries]
John L. Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), Chapters 2, 6. [MTSO/TLS BP161.2.E85 1998, PCJ 297.E77i 1998]
Jane I. Smith, Islam in America (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), Chapter 2-4. [MTSO/TLS BP67.U6.S6 1999, PCJ 297.0973.S651i]
Frederick Mathewson Denny, “Da`wah,” Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed., ed. Lindsay Jones (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005), vol. 4, 2225-2226. [MTSO/TLS BL31.E46 2005, PCJ 203.E42e 2005]
M. Canard, “Da`wa,” Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed., ed. B. Lewis, Ch. Pellat, and J. Schacht (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1965), vol. 2, 170-172. [MTSO BP40.E5]
Isma`il al-Faruqi, “On the Nature of Islamic Da`wah,” International Review of Mission 65, 260 (October 1976): 391-409. [MTSO/TLS Periodicals]
Larry A. Poston, “Da`wa in the West,” in Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, ed., The Muslims of America (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), 125-135. [MTSO/TLS BP67.U6.M87, PCJ 297.09.H126m]
Louay M. Safi, “The Transforming Experience of American Muslims: Islamic Education and Political Maturation,” in Muslims and Islamization in North America: Problems and Prospects, ed. Amber Haque (Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications, 1999), 33-48. [NA]
www.icgt.org (Islamic Center of Greater Toledo)
www.isna.net (Islamic Society of North America)
Ihsan Bagby, Paul M. Perl, and Bryan T. Froehle, “The Mosque in America: A National Portrait,” www.cair-net.org/mosquereport/Masjid_Study_Project_2000_Report.pdf.
www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/newmuslims (“Stories of New Muslims,” USC MSA)
Lamin Sanneh, “Christian Experience of Islamic Da`wah, with Particular Reference to Africa,” International Review of Mission 65, 260 (October 1976): 410-426. [MTSO/TLS Periodicals]
Comparative:
Terry C. Muck, “The Buddha,” Buddhist-Christian Studies 19 (1999): 105-113. [TLS BR128.B8.B83, PCJ Periodicals]
Max L. Stackhouse, “Missions: Missionary Activity,” Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed., ed. Lindsay Jones (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005), vol. 9, 6068-6076. [MTSO/TLS BL31.E46 2005, PCJ 203.E42e 2005]
Peter Antes and Hans Waldenfels, “Mission in Non-Christian Religions,” Dictionary of Mission: Theology, History, Perspectives, ed. Karl Muller, Theo Sundermeier, Stephen B. Bevans, and Richard H. Bliese (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997), 303-307. [MTSO/TLS BV2040.L4813 1997, PCJ 240.77.3215.M958d]
Frank Whaling, “A Comparative Religious Study of Missionary Transplantation in Buddhism, Christianity and Islam,” International Review of Mission 70, 280 (October 1981), 314-333. [MTSO/TLS Periodicals]
“Statement of the Conference on ‘Christian Mission and Islamic Da`wah’,” International Review of Mission 65, 260 (October 1976): 457-460. [MTSO/TLS Periodicals]
World Congress for the Preservation of Religious Diversity, summary (www.aimforseva.org/congress_about.html) and draft resolutions (www.aimforseva.org/congress_draft_resolutions.html)
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20, NRSV)
Thereupon the Blessed One entered the hall of audience, and taking the seat prepared for him, he exhorted the bhikkhus, saying: “Now, O bhikkhus, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you—these you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men.” (Digha Nikaya 16, Maha-Parinibbana Sutta, Part 3:61, Vajira and Story translation)
So We have taught thee the inspired (Message), “Follow the ways of Abraham the True in Faith, and he joined not gods with Allah.” The Sabbath was only made (strict) for those who disagreed (as to its observance); But Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment, as to their differences. Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (Qur’an 16:123-125, A. Yusuf Ali translation)