Professor: Travis W. Smith, PhD
Office Location: Zoom
Office Hours: MWF 9:50-10:50 and TR 2:00-3:00 and by appointment
Zoom Personal Meeting ID (PMI) used for Office Hours: 420 148 3839 
Phone: 405-537-8820
Email: twsmith@centralmethodist.edu

Course: RL122 A – Religion and the Human Adventure (3 credit hour course)
Meeting Time: MWF 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. Central Standard Time
Meeting Location: MW in T. Berry Smith Hall room 210; Friday on Zoom
Zoom Meeting ID to attend Zoom classes: 967 9174 2761
Zoom/Panopto recordings of class sessions are available at: https://centralmethodist.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Sessions/List.aspx?folderID=ce9ee4eb-a8fb-4f42-8231-acb4017fb8d4

This course has one required text. Information is below.

Lewis Vaughn, Anthology of World Religions, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016). ISBN 13: 978-0195332360

• A copy of the textbook is on reserve in the library. Ask for it at the front desk.
• The textbook is also available as an eBook at https://www.redshelf.com
• Student Resources are available on the Companion Website at https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780195332360/resources/
• Additional Readings are required. They are PDFs available to download on myCMU.

This is an introduction to the ways in which religion provides meaning and purpose for human life. The course includes a study of a variety of religious traditions, beliefs, and practices. Prerequisite to all upper-level courses in Religion.

1. To familiarize students with basic tools in the study of religion as well as basic terminology and the great figures in both the study and history of religion.
2. To help students develop analytical skills in evaluating issues and texts in religion.
3. To help students develop a knowledge base by which to identify the historical and social context in which religions and their texts come to be, and how they interact with their cultural context.
4. To help students develop skills in communicating religious-oriented materials orally and in written form to an audience.