Big Ideas addressed in this lesson:

• The political and religious aspects of life in Islamic society, up to and including the modern period, have been intertwined.
• Muslims, in the modern period in particular, struggle with the notion of authority: who decides what can and cannot be done in the name of Islam and who deserves to interpret our texts.

Questions addressed in this lesson:

• Why do some Muslims choose to serve Allah through violence?
• How do the political roots of Islam affect the religious practice of Islam?
• How do Muslims in countries that separate "religion" and "state" understand themselves as Muslims? (Or: What is their relationship to the country in which they live?)

Texts to be used:

• Excerpted video: Three Faiths: One God
• Excerpt from Memritv.org
• Excerpt from Islam by Jamal J. Elias
• Excerpt from Islam: The Straight Path by John L. Esposito

Overview of Session:

I. Introduction to the Modern Period: Meeting up with the West – 25 minutes

II. Viewing and discussion of Three Faiths One God excerpt– 45 minutes

III. Memritv.org excerpt and discussion – 20 minutes (optional)

IV. Wrap-up of the course: - 30 minutes