ISP 6010
INTERDISCIPLINARY CORE SEMINAR
FALL 2006

Religion and Secularism in America Today
Monday 6:00 - 9:30        122 Cohn Bldg

Instructor:  Prof. Ronald Aronson    (313) 577-0828
Office:  2426 AAB / 5700 Cass Avenue
Email:  ac7159@wayne.edu
Fax:  (313) 577-8585

Class meets every Monday, 6:00-9:30pm, September 11 - December 11.

Office Hours: I will be at my office on campus at least one hour before every class session; please see me by appointment during that time. Contact me by phone or by email with any questions or to make an appointment.

Course Plan:
ISP 6010 is the Interdisciplinary Core Seminar. As such, it is an Introduction to the six major objectives and orientations for advanced interdisciplinary study: (1) interdisciplinarity; (2) social and linguistic construction of knowledge; (3) theory and epistemology; (4) norms and values; (5) history; (6) bibliographical and research methodology.

Texts are available at the Wayne State University Bookstore (Barnes and Noble), Cass and Warren, Detroit: 313-577-2436:

Julian Baggini, Atheism
William Sloan Coffin, Credo
Susan Jacoby, Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism
Alistair McGrath, The Twilight of Atheism
Alan Wolfe, The Transformation of American Religion

Texts available on Blackboard:

Ronald Aronson, “Finding Faith in Disbelief,” Common Review (Spring, 2006)
__________, “Gratitude,” Philosophers’ Magazine (Spring, 2006)
__________, “The New Atheists,” Bookforum (September/October 2005)
_________, additional texts to be named
John E. Jones III, Decision in Katzmiller et al vs. Dover Area School District (December, 2005): http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/kitzmiller/kitzmiller_342.pdf
Lincoln and Mamiya, excerpts from The Black Church in the African American Experience

Student Responsibilities and Grading Procedures:
The following are the undergraduate responsibilities required by this instructor. Graduate students operate according to a different contract, whose spirit is one of the collective and individual pursuit of knowledge and development of skills. No such specific demands are made of graduate students, but it is understood that they shall come to class prepared and attend every class.


Entering class after the first week:
No student will be allowed into the class after the third week. Students place themselves at a serious disadvantage by first coming to class after the first week, especially when not obtaining the syllabus either directly or through Blackboard, not contacting the instructor to find out what they missed, or not obtaining course books, and not coming to the next class with the assigned reading completed.

Any of these greatly increases one’s chances of not completing the course satisfactorily. In order to avoid getting off on the wrong foot, a student who for whatever reason cannot be at the first class should:

● Contact the instructor immediately by phone or email to introduce yourself, explain the situation, and obtain a makeup assignment, including making arrangements to see any missed films;
● Go to Blackboard and download the syllabus;
● Read the syllabus carefully and email the instructor with any questions;
● Purchase the course books at the University Bookstore;
● Come to the next class with all work prepared.


Keeping informed:
Students are expected to check Blackboard once a week for any new information or assignment updates. The syllabus will be posted there, as well as regular announcements and information about your grades.

Coming to class prepared:
There will be a quiz or in-class writing assignment on each week’s readings.

Assigned papers include:
(1) Weekly papers and quizzes on readings (25%)
(2) Reflective papers on the readings (25%)
(3) A final research paper, based on your reading of all course materials and six additional sources of which at least two must be books. This will be an in-depth discussion of your chosen topic (30%).
Class attendance and participation will constitute 20% of the final grade.

● Late assignments will be marked-down ½ grade every day past the due date. Always keep a copy of your submitted work.


The Learning Contract:
As students you have a right to expect that your instructor will come to class prepared, treat you with respect, and conduct class in a scholarly manner. Being learners and not consumers, students’ growth and development entail a corresponding commitment: coming to class prepared, treating the instructor and fellow students with respect, and taking all aspects of class participation seriously. Students are required to be punctual and to attend every class session in full. Participation entails active involvement in class discussion and all activities, scholarly demeanor, and respect for the classroom process and the opinions of others.

The purpose of this course is to help students develop their capacity to think, do research, and write. As a course focusing on ideas, its lifeblood is class discussion. This is a collective process, requiring tolerance, openness, and careful listening. Each participant has a right to expect this of the others.

Grades on papers:
A = Excellent (A is equivalent to 4.00 HPA; A- is equivalent to 3.67). Well-written and well-argued with a clear thesis statement, sustained focus on the thesis, plenty of well-developed examples, and use of relevant readings from the text. May contain original ideas or insights.
B = Good (B+ 3.33 HPA; B 3.00; B- 2.67). A strong presentation but may not adequately develop one or more of the above areas.
C = Average (C+ 2.33 HPA; C 2.00; C- l.67). Shows understanding of the issues and readings, but a thin presentation, weak in key areas or does not touch upon key points. May also have writing problems.
D = Poor but still passing (D+ 1.33 HPA; D 1.00; D- 0.67). A cursory presentation lacking in examples and support from the text, and or serious writing problems. May show inadequate reading or reflection.
E = not acceptable (E or F = 0.00 HPA). Inadequate effort. Plagiarized papers automatically receive this grade and cannot be rewritten.

Grades of B- or below are not satisfactory for graduate-level work.

Policy on Final Grades (Effective Fall Semester 2006)

A = Excellent (A equivalent to 4.00 HPA; A- equivalent to 3.67)
B = Good (B+ 3.33 HPA; B 3.00; B- 2.67)
C = Average (C+ 2.33 HPA; C 2.00; C- l.67)
D = Poor (D+ 1.33 HPA; D 1.00; D- 0.67)
F = Not acceptable ( F = 0.00 HPA). “F” replaces the former “E” grade.

I = Requirements not met fully (at least 70% of the work completed with no need to attend further classes). At the end of year, the University automatically converts an "I" into an "F." Extensions past academic one year will no longer be possible.
Y = Standard mark for a thesis or a dissertation in progress. AGS 4991 students who make sufficient progress will receive a “Y.” If not, they might receive an “I” if meeting the qualifications for “I” (as would AGS 4992 and AGS 4996 students). The “Y” is changed to a letter grade upon completion of the final product. If this policy creates a problem for tuition reimbursement from an employer, a letter grade can be assigned.
W = Student-initiated withdrawal from classes in three possible categories:
WP (Withdrawal Passing), WF (Withdrawal Failing), and WN (Withdrawal Never Attended). The old “X” grade has been eliminated. Students who do not complete coursework and who do not request a course withdrawal prior to the final exam will receive a failing grade of “F” under the new University-wide policy.

Grades of B- or below are not satisfactory for graduate-level work and constitute a valid reason for dropping a student from the graduate program.

Repeats of Courses: Two rules apply. (1) Students may only repeat the same class twice. To repeat the same class a third time, an advisor must grant approval. (2) Students may only have 3 total repeats of all of their classes. To repeat a fourth class, an advisor must grant approval. Here is an example: a student could repeat the following three separate classes: MAT 1800, ENG 1010, and PHY 2310. An advisor would have to approve the student to repeat a different class.

Grade Appeals: The ISP formal policy applies if a student disagrees with an instructor’s grade (see <http://www.is.wayne.edu/Policies/Grade%20Appeal%20Process.htm)>. The appeal policy has two steps. First, talk with the instructor to see if the dispute can be resolved informally. If the first step fails, speak to the Department Chair, who will refer the matter to the IS Academic Standing Committee. Students should also consult the WSU Bulletin section on the Ombudsperson.


Plagiarism, Citation and Rough-Draft Policies.
PLAGIARISM IS NOT TOLERATED AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY; STUDENTS WHO PASS OFF THE WORK OF OTHERS AS THEIR OWN WILL RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE. THIS IS AUTOMATIC AND CANNOT BE APPEALED. WHETHER QUOTING, SUMMARIZING, PARAPHRASING, OR ALLUDING, YOU MUST PROVIDE PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF ALL SOURCES following Trimmer's Guide to MLA Documentation (4th edition) or the MLA Handbook (fifth edition). Or look online at: <http://wwwold.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml>. For IS plagiarism policy see: <http://www.is.wayne.edu/Policies/Plagiarism.htm>. I encourage rough drafts and ongoing discussion of papers by email.

The Course Themes:

Listening to comedian Bill Maher rail against religion we would not suspect that secularists, agnostics, and atheists are having any sort of crisis of faith. His trademark barbs flying, his audience solidly with him, Maher hits two targets at once: “I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative.” In this the twenty-first century, he is confident that “the future does not belong to the evangelicals. The future does not belong to religion.”

If so, why his angry tone - is it because the present does belong to religion? Maher complains that the United States has “been taken over by people like evangelicals, by people who do not believe in science and rationality.” After all, isn’t this the time of the “faith-based presidency,” of public school boards mandating teaching alternatives to evolution, when political candidates feel the need to affirm their religious convictions? Interviewing Maher, conservative talk show host Joe Scarborough chortles: “I mean, gosh, when you look at the Grammy Awards, and this guy gets out and he sings rap—he raps to “Jesus Walks,” the whole place goes crazy. A guy picks up three yards in a football game, he kneels. I would say evangelicals are on the ascendancy.”

Compare today’s mood to the high tide, only two generations ago, of secularism, agnosticism, and atheism - when those turning out to hear Clarence Darrow on the lecture circuit might crowd into a packed house to watch him simultaneously debate a rabbi, a priest, and a minister. America’s great defender of the underdog would stand before an audience and proclaim his disbelief: “I don’t believe in God because I don’t believe in Mother Goose.” We don’t know if the place went crazy, but we do know, according to Variety, that Darrow was America’s greatest one-man attraction, playing to standing-room only crowds. And we know that his outlook continued to grow in numbers and force, reaching its peak that moment in April, 1966, when Time featured the famous question on its cover: “Is God Dead?” Not long after, John Lennon’s Imagine reached the top of the sales charts by expressing a utopian vision of a society without religion:

    Imagine there's no heaven,
    It's easy if you try,
    No hell below us,
    Above us only sky,
    Imagine all the people living for today. . . .

How times have changed - today’s most famous critic of religion in America is a comedian! Despite Maher’s vehemence and his audience’s cheers, the shift since Darrow’s day suggests that something totally unexpected has happened to Maher’s Enlightenment hope. Not only has religion mounted a remarkable comeback in the United States, but Darrow’s and Lennon’s secular perspective is no longer taken for granted in the mainstream. Those who affirm God no longer see themselves swimming against the current. Poll results have been proclaiming this loudly: 64% of Americans now describe themselves as religious, and and the same number pray daily. An even greater percentage believe in an afterlife, and more Americans accept the Bible’s creation story than do evolution. The once-standard formula for reconciling religion and politics by separating them into “private” and “public” spheres no longer works - new efforts are mounting to mandate teaching “intelligent design,” the barrier between church and state has been growing more porous, discrimination against homosexuals is public policy, and abortion rights have been narrowed. It has become a commonplace, even in the White House, to hear people say, reverentially, that they have been “chosen” for their life path, or that everything is “meant to happen,” both presumably by God.

As religion has been regaining strength, secularism, agnosticism, and atheism have been losing their appeal. By the time author John Updike could speak of atheism’s “drastic uninterestingness as an intellectual position” it had clearly lost its glow as the daring, future-oriented outlook of those in the know. But why is this happening? Why are those who live without God finding themselves pushed to the margins of public discourse? And what has become of their deep confidence that history is going their way?


Themes, Readings, Schedule:

Week 1): September 11
The Situation for Secularism Today: Aronson; the Nature of Interdisciplinary Study
Begin reading Wolfe
Possible paper topics

Week 2): September 18
The Situation for Religion and Secularism Today: Aronson, “Finding Faith in Disbelief,” Common Review (Spring, 2006)
http://www.thecommonreview.org/fileadmin/template/tcr/pdf/44faith.pdf#search=%22common%20review%20aronson%22
Wolfe, Transformation, 1-154
Study Question: What is the current situation with the traditional religious emphases on sin, obedience to God’s will, and doctrinal coherence?
Paper topics and interdisciplinary research tips

Week 3): September 25
Wolfe, 155-264.
Study Question: How has religion adapted to American consumer society?
Paper topics and interdisciplinary research tips

Week 4): October 2
The History of Atheism, Agnosticism, and Secularism in America
Jacoby, 1-123
Study Question: What was the Founding Fathers’ view about the proper role of religion in the United States?
Paper topics due

Week 5): October 9
Jacoby, 123-348
Study Questions: 1) When, why, and how has evolution been supported and opposed in the United States? 2) Describe the beliefs of Robert Ingersoll

Week 6): October 16
The Crisis of Atheism, Agnosticism, and Secularism
Jacoby, 348-65, McGrath, 1-111
Study Question: What are the reasons for atheism’s rise?
Preliminary bibliography due

Week 7): October 23
McGrath, 112-256, Aronson, “The New Atheists,” Bookforum, Ocdtober/November 2005, http://www.bookforum.com/archive/fall_05/aronson.html
Study Question: What are the reasons for atheism’s decline?

Week 8): October 30
African American Religion:
McGrath, 257-79,
Lincoln and Mamiya, “The Religious Dimension” and “The Black Church and the Twenty-first Century”
from The Black Church in the African American Experience
Study Question: Why does religion flourish among African Americans today?

Week 9): November 6
Exploring One Person’s Theology
Read all of Coffin
Study Question: What are Coffin’s key beliefs and do they resonate more with traditional religious believers or contemporary secularists?
Working bibliography due

Week 10): November 13
Contemporary Atheism
Read all of Baggini
Study Question: What are the main arguments of contemporary atheism?

Week 11) November 20
Religion versus Science? The Dover School Board Case
Assignment: Judge Jones’s decision: http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/kitzmiller/kitzmiller_342.pdf
Study Question: Why is Creationism not science?
Student Presentations

Week 12): November 27
Living without God: Aronson on Gratitude: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1157198468604&call_pageid=970599119419
Student Presentations

Week 13): December 4
Student Presentations

Week 14): December 11
Final Exam Week: Papers Due

Paper Topics will include the following (with possible starting points):

Belief and disbelief in Europe compared with the US (Andrew Greeley, Religion in Europe at the End of the Second Millennium)

US Fundamentalism (George Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture : The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism, 1870-1925)

History of atheism (“Jean Meslier and ‘The Gentle Inclination of Nature,’” Michel Onfray, New Politics)

Evolution and religion (Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker)

The nature of religious belief (Daniel Dennett Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon)

Science and religion today (Stephen Jay Gould, Rock of Ages)