RELI 101 Planning

So, yesterday, I started with a whiteboard that looked liked this:

I was spending some quality time working on the Religion 101 class I will be teaching in less than a month, Sacred Texts and Ideas.

I was a tad bit overwhelmed.

I’ve read.  I’ve thought.  I’ve read some more.  But I wasn’t sure how to you cram all the major religions and their sacred texts into a class schedule.  How do you determine that its going to take me only three hours to cover Judaism?

I mean, come on, people.  This stuff is challenging for a person like me who is not the brightest mind you come into contact with.

But I prayed.  I worked.  I read.  I dreamed.  And I whiteboarded.

I don’t know why, but Hannah laughs her head off when she walks by and sees me scrutinizing the whiteboard and dressing it up.  But after a long period of time, here you go:

It’s actually a lot of content.  I’ve got every class period covered and outlined.  I’ve got every test planned, and every assignment detailed out.

And I actually feel good about it!

I have finished the syllabus, and now just have to organize lectures and presentations.  I can’t believe I’m only a few weeks away now.

Here’s the layout of the class:

• Overview
• Worldviews
• Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?
• Role of Scripture
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• 10 Other World Religions
• Philosophy of Religion
• Judaism
• Christianity
• Islam

I have much more detail than that, but that’s the direction.  I am so excited.  I still have a lot of work to do for it, but having a direction for the entire semester helped me sleep better last night and excited me about the opportunities to come with my 30 or so students in a few weeks!

Travis Agnew

Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.