Travis Chilcott

Course

RELIG 205: Introduction to World Religions

Resource

• The Pluralism Project: Harvard University

Case Study

The Introduction to World Religions course meets the International Perspectives Requirement and is also a required course for Religious Studies majors. It examines some of the most influential religions of the world with attention to their various myths, beliefs, rituals, values, and social forms.

Textbooks on “World Religions” typically cost between $100 and $150. Several years ago, I switched from using for-profit textbooks as my principal textbook to an online resource published by Harvard University under their Pluralism Project. The material we use follows the basic format and content of textbooks I previously used, but with the added benefits of being free and offering embedded links to a range of media and current events related to the material we are learning. It also provides an abundance of relevant resources that interested students can explore independent of class assignments.