Page 361 - Social Sciences Humanities - The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 - 2013

B. APPROACHESTOTHESTUDYOF THE SACRED
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
B1. Why Study World Religions and Belief Traditions?: demonstrate an understanding of various reasons for the study of world religions and belief traditions;
B2. Terms and Concepts in the Study of the Sacred: demonstrate an understanding of terms and concepts related to the study of world religions and belief traditions;
B3. Approaches: demonstrate an understanding and assess the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to the study of world religions and belief traditions.
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
B1.1 identify diverse religions and belief traditions that are found in Canada (e.g., Christianity, First Nation and Inuit ritual and spirituality, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, secular humanism)
B1.2 identify reasons for the study of world religions and belief traditions (e.g., to broaden their understanding of the world, to gain insight into human behaviour and diverse perspectives, to identify and explore universal values)
Teacher prompt: “How does the study of world religions and belief traditions enhance our ability to understand and appreciate diversity? In what ways might the study of world religions reduce our tendency to negatively judge people who are different from ourselves?”
B1.3 identify and describe local and global contexts in which it is important to have an understanding of diverse religions and belief traditions
Teacher prompts: “In what ways does global­ ization increase the need for us to learn about the belief traditions of others?” “How does a study of history show us the importance of understanding diverse belief traditions?”
By the end of this course, students will:
B2.1 explain the various terms used to classify religions and belief traditions and the values implicit in these classifications (e.g., belief system, cult, denomination, religion, sect)
Teacher prompt: “Why might some people say that Buddhism is a philosophy and not a religion? What difference does this make?”
B2.2 define and appropriately use terms that relate to the study of world religions and belief traditions (e.g., atheism, agnosticism, ethics, monotheism, pantheism, polytheism, animism, theology)
B2.3 explain important concepts related to the study of religions and belief traditions (e.g., insider-outsider challenge, reductionism versus religionism, thick description)
B3. Approaches
By the end of this course, students will:
B3.1 identify and explain the rationale for at least two recognized conceptual or methodological approaches to the study of religions and belief traditions (e.g., theological, anthropological, historical, psychological, typological, sociological)
APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF THE SACRED
B1. Why Study World Religions and Belief Traditions?
B2. Terms and Concepts in the Study of the Sacred
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Perspectives, Issues, and Challenges
Research and Inquiry Skills
World Religions and Belief Traditions:
H H I F R 1 T 0 3 / M2 0