Hist/Rels 113, Fall 2006

Reading Reflections (revised 10/5/06)

Coming to understand the past

through the evidence of primary sources

Our big task in the course is to come to understand something of the historical experience of Jews, Christians, and Muslims through the direct evidence provided by primary source material. "Experience" is intended here in a very broad sense: beliefs and attitudes as well as practices, behaviors, and events. What have been central religious ideas, beliefs, and practices? What changes occurred over time? What are significant differences and similarities among these three related traditions?

The best way to answer these questions is to study primary source documents: texts written by and read by the people we want to understand. Noticing things that look peculiar to us can be a useful entry to a world that is different from our own--the beginning of a quest to understand how this idea/belief/practice/attitude which looks odd to us could yet make sense to them.

The general goal of these short essays: Use the primary source readings assigned for the day as an entry point into the world from which the texts come. Figure something out about this world, and explain it to your reader. Maybe an image will help: think of the documents as scattered puzzle pieces. We're trying to put the pieces together to get a sense of the puzzle. We don't have all the pieces of the puzzle, so our picture will be incomplete, but we can still figure out quite a bit.

Two ways to procede in your essays:

1) From the specific to the general:

Open your reflections with a some specific element that you want to work on from one of the assigned primary source readings of the day. It could be a passage that you begin with as a quotation, or it could be a small piece of a narrative or of an argument. Then comment on this element. What caught your attention and why? Where can it lead us in terms of an understanding of underlying attitudes, concepts, beliefs, practices? What's going on here? How do other things we've read help explain what's going on? What further questions does this consideration lead you to? What else do you need to know to make more sense of this element?

2) From the general to the specific:

You might instead want to begin the essay with a general insight that you have gleaned from the readings for the day. Open with a clear statement of the insight you've come to, and then develop this idea further in the essay, supporting each step with evidence drawn from the primary sources (supplemented with material from Ludwig when helpful).

Practical guidelines:

Focus: Your essay should have its origin and focus in the primary source readings for the day on which the essay is due; that is, you will be writing the essay before class discussion of these documents. You should focus on one significant issue that you see in one or more of these readings. (Ludwig's Sacred Paths of the West is not a primary source, and should never be the main focus of your essay.)

Exploring/proving your point:

1) Comb the primary source material assigned for that day for all evidence that is relevant to the issue of interest; then select the most pertinent, illuminating evidence to support your case.

2) Look back over your reading notes to remind yourself of other sources read, and review any that look relevant. Use comparison to other primary source material that will help illluminate your topic.

3) Is there some background material in Ludwig, Sacred Paths, that could help understand this material? If so, bring this into the essay as well.

4) Avoid general statements that you cannot back up. For example, any general statement that claims a monolithic unity for any of these religions will never help your case. (E.g., "Christian practice is that. . .") If you are speaking from your own experience as a member of a religious tradition, you are welcome to use this as evidence, but clarify the nature of the source. That is, "From my experience within a Reform Jewish congregation. . ." or "From what I was taught as I grew up within the Roman Catholic Church. . ."

Citations: Always note the name of the source and its page number(s) for any quotations or specific references.

Comments: Review any comments you've received on previous essays--maybe they'll help!

Attitude: Both historians and anthropologists can claim a goal of "making the strange familiar and the familiar strange." Making the strange familiar: When confronting something in the readings that seems very strange, it is helpful to think of yourself as a respectful guest in the culture. Things may look odd, and you may be quite sure you never want to have anything to do with these beliefs/practices yourself. But you know that this was a viable culture, that it persisted over a long period of time, and you want to understand how that could be. How might a particular religious belief or practice "make sense" to a practitioner, even if not to you? Making the familiar strange: Getting practice at looking at the strange with a sense of curiosity and respect will help you gain a wider perspective on things that at first glance look familiar and comfortable. Are there things now that you notice about familiar beliefs and practices that you didn't see before?

Length: About 500 words (not including an initial quotation if you begin your essay with one)