DSST Introduction to World Religions study plan

Define the seven classical dimensions of religion (experiential, mythic, doctrinal, ethical, ritual, social, material) and give one example of each from a tradition you already know

Distinguish phenomenological, sociological, psychological, and comparative-historical approaches to studying religion, and state what each method can and cannot explain

Differentiate the terms sacred and profane, immanent and transcendent, monotheism, polytheism, henotheism, pantheism, and animism with a written example of each

Summarize the main features of primal (indigenous) traditions: oral transmission, ancestor veneration, shamanic mediation, taboo, and mythic time

Explain how primal traditions treat sacred space, initiation rites, and trickster figures, citing two named traditions such as Yoruba or Lakota

Trace Hindu chronology from the Indus Valley and Vedic period through the Upanishads, epics, and devotional movements, placing each major text in its era

Define Brahman, atman, maya, karma, samsara, dharma, and moksha and explain how they interlock in Hindu soteriology

Compare the four yogic paths (jnana, bhakti, karma, raja) and identify which Hindu school or text emphasizes each

Outline the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the marks of existence without consulting notes

Distinguish Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana on canon, ideal figures, and geography, and define nirvana, anatman, and sunyata

Explain Buddhist monastic practice, the sangha, and the role of meditation and lay merit-making in Theravada societies

Describe Mahayana developments including the bodhisattva ideal, Pure Land devotion, and Chan/Zen meditation practice

Summarize Confucius's life and the Analects as a source, distinguishing the historical figure from later tradition

Define ren, li, yi, xiao, and junzi and show how each term functions in Confucian ethics

Contrast Mencius and Xunzi on human nature and explain how the civil service examination system institutionalized Confucian values

Define Tao, wu wei, ziran, and te, and explain how the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi differ in tone and emphasis

Distinguish philosophical Taoism from religious Taoism, including alchemy, longevity practices, and the Taoist pantheon

Trace Jewish history from the biblical patriarchs through the Exodus, monarchy, exile, and return, identifying which events shaped which beliefs

Define covenant, Torah, mitzvot, teshuvah, and tikkun olam and explain how they organize Jewish life and ethics

Compare Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist Judaism on law, revelation, and practice

Outline the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus as presented in the Gospels, and identify the four Gospel authors and their emphases

Explain the doctrines of the Trinity, incarnation, atonement, and grace, and how the major creeds formalize them

Distinguish Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christianity on authority, sacraments, and salvation

Trace Muhammad's life and the formation of the Quran and hadith, distinguishing the two as sources

List and explain the Five Pillars and the Six Articles of Faith, and compare Sunni and Shia on authority and succession

Define kami, purity, and pollution, and explain how misogi and harai rituals restore ritual cleanliness in Shinto

Distinguish Shrine Shinto, State Shinto, and folk practice, and explain the Meiji-era separation of Shinto and Buddhism

Identify the main Shinto deities and the role of the imperial line in Shinto myth as recorded in the Kojiki and Nihongi

Describe the Homeric and Hesiodic pantheons, the role of fate and the Moirai, and the function of hero cult and mystery religion in Greek practice

Compare Greek and Roman religion on deities, civic ritual, household cult, and the imperial cult, and explain how Roman practice absorbed Greek forms

Summarize the origins, stated beliefs, and practices of Scientology as presented in its own materials, describing auditing and the E-meter without evaluating them

Explain why scholars classify Scientology differently from older traditions and identify the controversy surrounding its status as a religion

Reapply the seven dimensions of religion to two traditions studied earlier and note where the model fits poorly

Revisit primal traditions and identify three features they share with Shinto and three they do not

Write a defensible definition of religion that accounts for both new religious movements and indigenous traditions

Retrieve from memory the founding figures, core texts, and central doctrines of all twelve domains in a single timed writing session

Resolve every term you missed on earlier deliverables by rewriting its definition and one example

Practice comparative questions that span domains, such as ritual in Shinto and Hinduism or law in Judaism and Islam

Identify your three weakest domains by practice-question accuracy and drill only those in the final sessions

Simulate full exam timing at least twice and review every wrong answer for the underlying concept, not just the fact