Units timetabled for 2013 and 2014 are provisional only, and details of semester and time will change. The official timetable for each year is released on 1 September of the prior year.

Archived unit descriptions for 2011 are available here.

Religious Traditions of South and East Asia

Unit Code: 
ODM370
RTI: 
United Faculty of Theology
Unit Value: 
15 points

This unit will introduce students to the contemporary beliefs and practices of Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese Family Religion, and Shinto – the religious traditions that were born in the regions of India, China-Tibet and Japan. The unit will place great emphasis on three major fronts: a) the theoretical and conceptual frameworks employed in the study of religion, b) the place of religious ideas and practices of these traditions that shape social identities in their native contexts, and c) their role and influence in the changing religious landscape of contemporary Australian and other western societies.

Learning Outcomes: 

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

  1. appreciate and understand Asian-born religions at a foundational level
  2. develop tools to understand hermeneutical issues involved in understanding religion across cultures and social groups
  3. apply and use a range of theological and conceptual frameworks to understand the place of religion in society
  4. provide a cross-cultural and interreligious examination of some of the key issues for the study of religion in contemporary society
  5. develop critical and theological skills for understanding religious diversity and its role in global events and trends
  6. demonstrate an ability to critically assess and understand phenomena such as religious fundamentalism, global terrorism, quasi-religious ideologies and new religions.
Lecturer/s: 
Ruwan Palapathwala
Timetabling
Unit Frequency: 
Occasional
Years Offered: 
2009
Years Offered: 
2013
Unit Fields
Courses: 
Graduate Diploma in Theology
Courses: 
Master of Divinity
Field: 
Field D Theology: Mission and Ministry
Disciplines: 
Missiology
MDiv Field: 
Christian Life and Ministry
Department Name: 
Department of Moral and Practical Theology
Unit Level
GradDip Field: 
Elective
MDiv Type of Study: 
Specialised
Prerequisites: 

At least 45 points of Foundational study.

Mode of Teaching: 
Online
Teaching Methods: 

There are six fortnightly sessions covering key themes and texts relating to the study of religious traditions of south and east Asia. Each session consists of guided reading in primary and secondary sources, additional reading resources and some notes, together with an online tutorial.

Workload
Total workload hours per week: 
0
Assessment
Assessment TypeWeightingLearning Outcomes Assessed
Assessment Type: 

1 x 3000 word essay

Weighting: 
50%
Assessment Type: 

1 x 3000 word essay

Weighting: 
50%

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