Dr. Julius-Kei Kato

RS2180 [2022] Course Content

Week 0 Things to Do Before the Course Begins on May 9

[1] Join our Microsoft Team for this course!

Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3a9YClErHC0z5LQRtphTtCqCGjbQuRFleCRpqS9gdY2FI1%40thread.tacv2/conversations?groupId=b74480b7-3517-4803-8909-4ee99226bfb4&tenantId=ad93a64d-ad0d-4ecd-b2fd-e53ce15965be

If you are not familiar with how to use Microsoft Teams, please consult:

[a] A quick (10 minute) student guide to the use of Microsoft Teams:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-UfAvO18Uc

[b] A more extensive guide for students (the essential information starts at the 10:00 minute mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teiZvb5xJzs

Think of OWL as our “storage space/cabinet” for PowerPoint slides, readings, gradebook, etc.

Link: https://owl.uwo.ca/x/1AMMLq

[2] REQUIRED!  Read/View and Study

  • Julius-Kei Kato: Why Religion and Spirituality Matter as Part of One’s Education: Why not Take a Course on Religion-Spirituality?. Link: http://spiritual-notandyet-religious-jkk.blogspot.com/2021/01/why-religion-and-spirituality-matter-as.html
  • Be familiar with how we are going to conduct the course by reading the most recent version of the course outline (which I will send out soon) carefully. It will be found in OWL-Resources too. However, remember that the schedule of topics/readings can change as we go along the course.
  • Please fill out the INFORMATION SHEET on MS Teams.

[3] OPTIONAL but Highly Recommended Things to Do

  • Start watching  Finding Joe by Patrick Solomon. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8nFACrLxr0
  • The transcript of Finding Joe is found in OWL-Resources. I will also assign portions of this video as MANDATORY viewing/reading throughout the course.
  • Be familiar with the general flow of the story of Harry Potter. Consult: https://wikisummaries.org/harry-potter/#Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows
  • This is not strictly required but highly encouraged. Try to view the movie Regarding Henry starring Harrison Ford and Annette Benning (1991). It will serve as an illustration of the Hero’s Journey in a non-mythological, potentially real-life situation. It also illustrates the concept of “Limit” that is a key idea of this course.

NOTE WELL! Almost all the movies I recommend in this course are available to stream through the Western Library system. Please do a library search for them before you purchase or rent.

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RS2180 Week 01:

(The required readings and links are all found in OWL-Resources)

Main Themes

  • Preliminaries: Spirituality and Religion
  • Spiritual Quests-Journeys – Joseph Campbell – The Hero’s Journey
  • Christianity as the dominant “Western” cultural and spiritual tradition
  • The Christian Worldview
  • Jesus as a “Hero”
  • The Harry Potter Extended Story – as an Illustration of the Hero’s Journey

Week 01 Pre-recorded lecture: Please prioritize the lecture contents ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvEXc6LQ_60

REQUIRED READING/VIEWING

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

  • Read or view the above course materials for Week 01.
  • Complete and submit the Worksheet for Week 01. It will be available at MS Teams from Thursday (6 am) to Friday (11:55 pm)
  • You can submit a Course Journal Entry up to Sunday (11:55 pm). The form is found in MS Teams Assignments tab.
  • You can post questions or comments on our Microsoft Whiteboard (at MS Teams)

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RS2180 Week 02

IMPORTANT for next week! Since Monday, May 23 is a holiday in Canada, we will not have our regular weekly zoom check-in. Instead, let’s move it only for Week 03 to Tuesday, May 24 at 10:30 am.

Join URL: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/97156512331

 

Main Themes

  1. “Archetypal Heroes”
  2. “Archetype”
  3. Carl Jung – “collective unconscious”
  4. Main Characteristics of an Archetypal Hero
  5. Some Features of the Spiritual Quest in the Harry Potter Saga
  6. “Christ Figures” related with the Archetypal Hero
  7. “Archetypes” and their role in the Hero’s Journey – The six archetypes.
  8. Four important terms: Myth – Hero – Popular Culture – “Superhero”: Take note how they’re connected with each other
  9. Goals, Tasks, Fears, Gifts of every archetype

 

Pre-recorded lectures – This week we will have 2 pre-recorded segments.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJB9p2eIiVU  

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poNtuXa2Gwg  

 

REQUIRED READING/VIEWING (All found in OWL-Resources-Readings by Week)

  • Carol Pearson:  The Hero Within – Into/chapter 1   
  • John Granger: Harry Potter’s Hero Journey
  • View Finding Joe (from 19:55 to 37:14) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8nFACrLxr0 . You can follow the videos main points by using the transcript

 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

  • Read or view the above course materials for Week 02.
  • Complete and submit the Worksheet for Week 02. It will be available at MS Teams from Thursday (6 am) to Friday (11:55 pm)
  • You can submit a Course Journal Entry up to Sunday (11:55 pm). The form is found in MS Teams Assignments tab.
  • You can post questions or comments on our Microsoft Whiteboard (at MS Teams)
  • Make sure you watch the required movies. At this point, try to complete watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. We will discuss it next week.

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