Inspired by the "Curriculum Drafting" thread over in the teens SIG!
So, lots of people if they actually try to talk about their religious stuff in great detail and as a whole have something immensely complicated going on, more than seven class periods worth of stuff. So: what if there were a whole college, departments and everything, that was dedicated to Your Thing? What would the departments be? What would some of the classes be? What would be the required classes that everyone has to take? Would there be distribution requirements ('you have to take at least two classes in each of the following departments', etc.)?
(I am currently seriously going through course catalogues at a couple of schools I've attended pulling stuff out to add to the imaginary course catalaogue for my answer to this thing, to go along with the things that I made up. So, uh. Watch this space for my totally ridiculous answer.)
Ok, I've got something. The Way I see it, there are two choices, to create a specific school for the subjects, or to add some courses to a university.
The first idea is the separate school/college specifically for the learning of religious duties. The school must be accredited, and gives an accredited qualification. This qualification allows the student to legally register as a priest, though there is no absolute need to do so. The course covers ancient belief, but should then take these beliefs and bring them into the modern world. Therefore there will also be scientific subjects. These are not mandatory, and will take a religious perspective, but will still deal with the science.
Set-up: 3 years involving theory and practise. Each course runs all year, and is organised like a uni course, with lectures and tutorials of 1 hour each. Each course should have 4 hours of contact time. Maybe 20 hours a week (4 courses).
Format: The school offers several courses on a variety of topics. Students take the basic courses, and then can specialise in later years. Part-Time is also permissible, and I would have no objections to students attending both the religious school, and a University, if the college is not seen as a viable qualification (though I'd want it to be).
There are several different categories of class:
1: History and Society (basically Humanities)
2: Creative (Art and Performance)
3: Science (and Mathematics)
Year 1:
History and Society:
Introduction to the Mesoamerican Culture: A basic study of the general culture of Mesoamerica, used to provide historical context. This course is mandatory.
Gods and Mythology: A basic introduction to the mythology of Mesoamerica and the gods. This course covers the formal depictions of religion present in the codices. This course is mandatory.
Society: Basically a course that analyses social issues from a religious perspective.
Creative:
Prayer Writing and Recital: What is sounds. Prayers are read out to increase oratory skills. The prayers are also to be analysed, and then students can write their own. Possibly mostly tutorials.
Aesthetics: This course looks at Mesoamerican religious art and architecture. So temples, shrines, murals. The course should include an analytical component, and an artistic component.
Science:
Basic Science: Just what it says. The focus would be on topics important to ancient Mesoamericans, such as astronomy, ecology, agricultural science, psychology, and maybe engineering.
Year 2:
History and Society:
Morals and Rhetoric: Similar to the above, but focusing more on basic social values and concepts of morality.
Community Engagement: Basically, this course covers the role of priests in society. Basically follows on from Society, and describes the priests role as a social commentator.
Creative
Poetry: Following on from both Aesthetics and Prayer this focuses on well, poetry. The course name is fairly self explanatory.
Basic Rituals: A course on how small rituals are to be organised. So offerings, alter set up, and choreography.
Science:
Science: This course would have a similar structure to the Basis Science, but each topic would be covered in more detail.
Basic Calenders: A look at the two main calenders in Mesoamerica, the solar and the ritual. The emphasis should be on the mechanics, the use of the calendar to record dates and to schedule festivals. This course uses basic mathematics.
Year 3:
History and Society:
Theology and Philosophy: Following on from the Gods and Mythology and Morals and Rhetoric courses, this topic goes straight to the high concept metaphysics and philosophical principles of the religion.
Creative:
Religious Architecture and Sacred Landscapes: Another aesthetics course. The focus is not on the engineering per se, but on overall design of temples and sacred precincts the features they need to have.
Advanced Rituals: Like the other ritual course, but focusing on the choreography of much larger rituals, which would be used for state events.
Science:
Advanced Calenders: Following on from the previous Calender courses, this would introduce the lunar calendar, and the Maya long count, and the use of the combinations to record specific dates.
Astronomy: A follow on from the sciences courses, but focuses entirely on Astronomy.
Ecological Relationships: Like the above, but focused on Ecology and and Agricultural Science.
Spiritual Health: Essentially a specific psychology course, to help priests give advice and to provide counselling.
After completing Year 3, students would have the option to do a 2 year 'Masters', on a subject of their choice, assuming that their results are good enough.
The advantage of this system is that you can design courses that deal specifically with the religious perspective. In addition, you can attract students who are specifically interested in these subjects who then end up with specific qualifications.
The disadvantage of course is that such an organisation would be lacking in legitimacy. This may make it difficult to attract reliable and qualified teachers.
Alternatively, some of these courses could be included in a University, such as:
Mesoamerican History as a history unit.
Mesoamerican Religion. This would be a longer course chain (covering 3 years) and examining Mythology, Divinities, Theology, Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Calendrics. Each year would deal with a different set of units.
Both these courses would be placed within the humanities and social sciences.
The advantage of this system is that students are able to choose the combination of subjects from a much wider range of courses available. In addition universities have already existing legitimacy and audience. There would be no need to write an entire new curriculum, or build new facilities just for one school/college.
The disadvantage is, well, how do you get the courses in there? I imagine that demand would have to increase to the level that it was warranted, but how to get to that point? So its hard to see how this would occur. Not only that, but other courses would not necessarily support these courses.
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