rlgn 104 critical thinking paper buddhism

RLGN104: Christian Life and Biblical Worldview

11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024 Request Info

Course Description

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the  Academic Course Catalog .

RLGN 104 is designed to deepen and broaden the student’s understanding of the core fundamentals of the biblical worldview and to equip the student to present that view in relation to competing worldviews. The goal is to enable the student to think more clearly and critically about Christianity and truth. It is intended to equip the student to become a more effective witness and to participate more constructively in the larger socio-cultural debate. In order to accomplish this goal, the student must (1) understand the essentials of Christian truth, (2) be familiar with the historical opponents to Christianity and truth, and (3) present a biblical, logical, and reasonable defense of Christianity. Through studying worldviews, the student can better understand the nature of humanity and individual conduct so that he or she is prepared to address relevant questions in a culture of relativism. As the apostle Paul states: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6, NIV). By understanding worldviews, the student will acquire a powerful form of wisdom that characterized the sons of Issachar: “men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do…” (1 Chronicles 12:32, NASB).

Course Assignment

Textbook Readings and Lecture Presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations , the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided topic for each Discussion. Discussion: Beliefs requires the student to create a thread that must be a minimum of 75 words for each question (150 words total). Discussion: Gospel Message Perceptions and Discussion: Gospel Message Friendships and Barriers require the student to create a thread that must be 300–500 words. The student is required to add and cite content from two sources (scripture, course materials, and or research) in each thread using current APA, MLA, or Turabian formatting (whichever corresponds to the student’s degree program). (CLOs: C, D and E). This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CT 5, CGE3, CGE4, CGE 5.

In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. For Discussion: Beliefs, each reply must be a minimum of 100 words. For Discussion: Gospel Message Perceptions and Discussion: Gospel Message Friendships and Barriers, each reply must be a minimum of 150–200 words. The student is required to add and cite content from two sources (scripture, course materials, and or research) in each reply using current APA, MLA, or Turabian formatting (whichever corresponds to the student’s degree program). (CLOs: A, C, D) This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CT4.

Research Paper Assignments (4)

This assignment will be completed in four parts:

Research Paper: Worldview Definition Assignment: The student will define the term “worldview” in 75 – 100 words.

Research Paper: Biblical Worldview Assignment: The student will add to the worldview definition the answers to the five worldview questions of Origin, Identity, Meaning/Purpose, Morality, and Destiny from a Biblical Worldview in 400 – 500 words. The student will review chapter four of Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World for content and clarity to these questions.  

Research Paper: Non-Christian Worldview Assignment: The student will add to the first two assignments the answers to the five worldview questions from one of the four worldviews (Secular Humanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Islam) in 400-500 words. The student will review chapter five of Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World for content and clarity to these questions.

Research Paper: Critical Thinking Assignment: The student will compile all content comparing and contrasting the Biblical Worldview and the worldview they chose in the Non-Christian Worldview responses to the five worldview questions in 500 words.

(CLOs: A, B, E) This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CT2, CT3, CT 4, CT5, CGE1, CGE 3, CGE4, and CGE5.

For this assignment, the student is to research and articulate two different approaches to sharing the gospel message with a non-Christian (250-400 words). In addition, the student will interview a non-Christian. They will ask them the assignment questions and type out their responses to the questions. The student is encouraged to record the session with the interviewee’s permission to help complete the assignment after the interview. The word count for this assignment will be 300-500 words based on the interviewee’s responses. The student will submit the Gospel Interview Assignment using the Template provided. (CLO’s D, E). This assignment aligns with the following FSLO’s: CT2, CT4, CGE3, CGE4 & CGE5.

Quizzes (8)

Each Quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned Module: Week. Each Quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 20 multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a 30-minute time limit. (CLOs: A, B, C) This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CT3, CT4, CT5, CGE1, CGE 3 , CGE 4.

How Can We Get in Touch?

Request information.

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Foundation for Contemplative Studies – Moscow

Mindfulness, meditation and contemplative psychology in moscow, russia, august 10 to 16, 2019: great perfection retreat with lama alan wallace.

General Information

The retreat will be held in North Kunsangar (70km away from Moscow) and be focused on the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) teachings based on the following three texts:

• An overview of the View, Meditation and Conduct by Yangthang RInpoche
• Lamp to Dispel the Darkness   by Mipham Rinpoche
• Shower of Blessings: A Guru Yoga conjoined with the Seven-line Prayer  by Mipham Rinpoche

The teachings will include detailed practical explanations of the texts and elaborate instructions on their practical application.

Due to the advanced nature of the root texts, the retreat is first and foremost geared towards experienced Buddhist practitioners with a general knowledge of such topics as the Four Noble Truths and the mind-training teachings, along with practical experience in the practices of shamatha, four immeasurables and four applications of mindfulness.

Note that teachings will be accompanied by consecutive translation into Russian and filmed. The expected number of participants is between 200 and 250 people.

Participation

The suggested donation for the retreat (to cover the organizational expenses) is 200 US dollars per person; however, the actual amount of your offering depends on your own financial situation.

Participants will also have a chance to make a personal offering to the teacher at the conclusion of the teachings.

If you are coming from abroad, you will most likely need a Russian visa  (check the rules for your own country). Please not that we are not able to provide visa assistance or guidance. The best way to get a visa is to contact a visa agency in your country; you can either employ them to apply on your behalf or just order a tourist voucher and invitation that need to be submitted together with your visa application.

The lodging and food at the retreat  are provided by North Kunsangar ; the final cost will depend on the type of accommodation available and the exchange currency rate for RUR at the time of the retreat.

For your reference, the price of lodging and food for a double room is 3400 rubles per day for 2 people;  it is 1550 rubles for a 4-person d o rmitory per person . You can generally expect your accommodation and food to be under 300 dollars/euro. Please note that North Kunsangar cannot guarantee a gluten-free diet;  however, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options will be provided.

The teacher

B. Alan Wallace is a prominent voice in the emerging discussion between contemporary Buddhist thinkers and scientists who question the materialist presumptions of their 20th-century paradigms. He left his college studies in 1971 and moved to Dharamsala, India to study Tibetan Buddhism, medicine and language. He was ordained by H.H. the Dalai Lama, and over fourteen years as a monk he studied with and translated for several of the generation’s greatest lamas. In 1984 he resumed his Western education at Amherst College where he studied physics and the philosophy of science. He then applied that background to his PhD research at Stanford on the interface between Buddhism and Western science and philosophy. Since 1987 he has been a frequent translator and contributor at the “Mind and Life” conferences at which the Dalai Lama and prominent scientists exchange views, and he has written and translated more than 40 books. Along with his scholarly work, Alan is regarded as one of the West’s preeminent meditation teachers and retreat guides. He is the founder and director of the Santa Barbara Institute for Conscious Studies and is the motivating force behind the develop of the Center for Contemplative Research in Tuscany, Italy.

Retreat registration

Before registering, please check your flights and look into the visa process. If you are absolutely sure you will participate, please email us at [email protected] with the following information:

• Your full name
• Your expected arrival and departure dates (to Moscow / from Moscow)
• Your preferred accommodation – double or 4-person dormitory (please note that due to the expected number of participants we cannot guarantee a specific type of room)

You will be able to pay for accommodation, food and the retreat itself upon arrival.

Ondy Willson in Moscow, May 2019

Invited by the Foundation for Contemplative Studies in Moscow, Ondy will visit Russia in May 2019. This is her seventh time teachings mindfulness and Buddhist psychology in Moscow!

Event schedule

May 17, Friday (7.30 to 9pm ) May 18-19, Saturday-Sunday (12 to 6pm ) Weekend workshop: “Compassionate self-correction as a way of training the mind”

Venue: Otkrytiy Mir Center

Hearing so much about the need to  achieve  and  do , we can easily extend the achiever mentality towards our psychological growth. What if I’m not enlightened by next Wednesday? This weekend workshop will explore the different ways of being gentle and compassionate with ourselves so that we can, indeed, gradually change our habits and become wiser and kinder people.

May 21, Tuesday (7:30 to 10:00pm) Evening workshop: “Relaxation and observation: bringing mindfulness to the body”

An exploration of how mindful attention to the body can allow us to develop our ability to relax, control our emotions and enhance our wellbeing.

May 22, Wednesday (7:30 to 9:30) Evening workshop on emotional intelligence and mindfulness for women

An evening for exploring our feelings, roles and practice together with fellow female practitioners.

May 23, Thursday (7:30 to 10:00) Evening workshop: “Generous kindness: generosity and morality in Shantideva’s text”

Using select verses from Shantideva’s “Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life”, Ondy will guide participants in an exploration of the perfections of generosity and moral discipline: how can we practise both to become kinder with ourselves and others?

May 24, Friday (7:30 to 9) May 25 and 26, Saturday-Sunday (12:00 to 6pm) Weekend workshop: “What’s my motive? Arousing joy of effort for personal development”

Venue: Ripa Buddhist Center

Mindfulness alone can greatly enrich our life, but what if we combine it with wise long-term aspirations? Using analytical tools, self-reflection and group work, Ondy will look into the various ways of generating wise aspirations and wishes – something perpetually relevant in both the secular and Buddhist context.

May 27 (Monday) to June 2 (Sunday) MBMT (Mindfulness-based mind training) Train the Trainer course, part 2 

The seven days will be spent working through the remaining modules of the training and taking part in the final residential retreat.   (Only for registered participants from 2018)

News of some of Ondy’s previous trips to the Russian sangha can be read here .

Ondy Willson in Moscow, April 2016

Ondy’s unique approach to teaching mindfulness is called mindfulness-based mind-training (MBMT). MBMT goes beyond mere stress-reduction to make an emphasis on developing solid emotional skills by means of cognitive and behavioral training.

In April 2016, Ondy will make her fourth visit to Moscow.

April 16 – 17 – Weekend workshop on the Buddhist approach to transforming problems into happiness

12 to 6 pm on both days

Tverskaya / Pushkinskaya / Chekhovskaya subway stations. Tverskaya street, 20, building 1, 6th floor, office 605. You need to show your passport at the security desk and say you’re going to Millenium

Relying on such classic Buddhist texts as The Seven-Point Mind-Training by Geshe Chekawa, Ondy will explain some of the classic techniques for transforming problems into happiness.

The workshop might be of interest to everybody who wants to learn more about the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.

Suggested dana is 3000 rubles. If you’re unable to give the whole amount, any donation would be highly appreciated.

April 19 – Open talk on “Mindfulness for parents and teachers”

With her rich experience as a mother and a professional teacher, Ondy will speak of the ‘mindful model’ approach to parenting and guiding the young.

Free entrance. We’re grateful for any donations which would go towards covering the expenses for organising the visit.

April 22 – Open talk on “Making our way through a maze of desires: what truly brings happiness”

A discussion on the idea of genuine happiness (as opposed to mere sensory pleasure) and ways of attaining it by training one’s mind and heart.

Entrance free. We’re grateful for any donations which would go towards covering the expenses for organising the visit.

April 23-24 – Weekend workshop on “Mindful living in crisis times”

Chistiye Prudy / Turgenevskaya / Sretenskiy Bulvar subway stations. Myasnitskaya street, 13, building 20 ( please see the video instruction on how to get there )

Ondy will take the participants through an exciting exploration of the potential use of mindfulness-related practices in a crisis – when things around (or on the inside) seem to crush and fall.

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