This week's readings focused on the difficulty of defining religion. With articles from famed religious historian J.Z. Smith and University of Chicago Divinity School professor Bruce Lincoln, the idea of "puzzlement" was discussed. These discussions were contrasted with the necessitated definitions of religion used in court proceedings like that of Lynch v. Donnelly.
Prompt: Reflect on the educational value of puzzlement. Smith, like Lincoln (a prior reading), discusses the difficulty of defining religion. Compare or contrast their perspectives. Scholars can debate these definitions endlessly, but sometimes courts need to decide what is religion, what is religious or what constitutes unlawful entanglement of religion and the state. In this context, discuss Lynch v. Donnelly. |
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