A number of religious perspectives take the Exclusivist or Inclusivist position. These are considered to be "insider" positions, and this is not how we will be looking at religions in this class. We will be trying to look at religions from an "outsider" point of view which corresponds best with the "Empathetic Interest in Other People" point of view above. This may be a challenge for those of you who were raised within a very religious point of view.

Please remember, though, that we are not saying in the class that these religious points of view are wrong. We are saying that it is important for you to try and take a different "outsider" point of view on religious traditions, especially because this is how religions are talked about in the university setting. Also, religions are very diverse, and you will certainly come upon things you have never heard of in our readings. An academic point of view is important to have when confronted with the unfamiliar because it helps us learn about something with less bias.

The Catholic Church, however, takes more of a pluralistic view of other religions, as we shall see, but this point of view is qualified in a specific way that maintains Catholicism as the "best" path to the divine.

So now, what I want you to do for your discussion post is to answer ALL the following questions (this is not a week with a choice of questions to answer). Remember to write at least 200-300 words total for your initial post. Then remember to come back on a different day and reply to two of your classmates with two posts of at least 100 words each.

1. Which approach mentioned above do you take in your everyday life?

2. Which approach will we take in this class and how might you have to adjust your approach to participate successfully in this class?

3. What definition of "religion" do you think would be the best one to use in this class?

4. Based on your reading of Nostra Aetate and Dignitatis Humanae, explain how an empathetic approach to world religions differs a bit from the approach taken by the Catholic Church to world religions.

Nostra Aetate - http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

Dignitatis Humanae - http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html