Religion

Note: This is a “Critical Thinking” assignment so you must go beyond just giving factual content, and demonstrate your comprehension of the material. To accomplish this, the assignment will be asking you to “compare and contrast” your selected worldview (Secular Humanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Islam) with the biblical worldview.• Compare: How are the 2 worldview positions similar or the same?• Contrast: How are the 2 worldview positions different?In your paper, you must follow the outline and answer the questions below.How would the worldview that you selected answer these 5 worldview questions:1. The Question of Origin – (What is the origin of the universe etc.? How did humanity come into existence?)i. How would your selected worldview answer this question?ii. Compare and contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question.2. The Question of Identity –(What does it mean to be human? Are humans more important than other living things?)i. How would your selected worldview answer this question?ii. Compare and contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question.3. The Question of Meaning/Purpose – (What is humanity’s purpose?)i. How would your selected worldview answer this question?ii. Compare and contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question.4. The Question of Morality – (What is meant by right and wrong? How is morality determined?)i. How would your selected worldview answer this question?ii. Compare and contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question.5. The Question of Destiny – (What happens when a person dies?)i. How would your selected worldview answer this question?ii. Compare and contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question.*An overview of these specific worldview questions can be found in chapter 4 of Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World.

Suggested Writing Method: Now is the time to put the deconstruction assignment to good use.When you set up your essay, be clear and logical with each level and you will be on your way to a strong essay. Make sure you have selected the best evidence from your sources and documented it accurately. Create a draft, then walk away and forget about. Return in a couple of days to edit and revise, check your documentation, and add whatever you need to make it your essay and your best work. Read it out loud. Be critical. Plan ahead.Deconstruction levels1. The general topic and the specific focus2. The specific problem or issue you find interesting3. Your solution to the problem or issue you set up (thesis)4. The main arguments supporting the solution—always advance your thesis2 ESSAY TOPICS (Consult your TA if you wish to propose your own) i. Most of the world religions insist that peace is a core value, yet nearly all of the religious groups are or have been at war with each other and often side with political factions waging war. How are we to understand the professed virtues of religion in light of violence and persecution? ii. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are described as Abrahamic traditions and theiradherents are described as the “people of the book.” Why then do these traditionsoften find themselves in conflict? iii. If sin is forsaking God for the temptations of the flesh/ego (Christianity) and ignorance is forsaking Brahman for the illusion of the self/ego (Hinduism), then what, if any, is the essential difference between sin and ignorance and between liberation and salvation? iv. Freud said that religion was a human longing for a powerful father figure. Carl Jung saidthat “God” is a feature of all human psyches. Is religion a human instinct? What does your response tell us of the nature of religion Consider, if you prefer, the role psychology has played in the growth and response of at least two world religions (one from the east and one from the west).v. In light of the current interest in whether governments should legislate and enforce what its citizens must wear in public (in terms of a mask), should a government legislate and enforce what religious believers can and cannot wear in public (in terms of clothing, symbols, and paraphernalia)? What is the value of even wearing religious “things”?vi. In the Bible, after exiting the ark, Noah planted a vineyard and drank wine. Jesus, at a wedding, turned water into wine. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a much-respected Buddhist leader, was a scotch drinker who died at age 48 of cirrhosis of the liver. Some religious traditions either discourage or forbid its consumption, but is alcohol inherently good or evil? Compare attitudes to alcohol in at least two world religions (one from the east and one from the west). What scholarly arguments can you make for why religions are so divided? vii. Is celibacy a more spiritual lifestyle than marriage? Considering the advantages and disadvantages of religious celibacy, how much is human sexuality an essential component of the nature of religion? Why do some traditions see it as a negative and others as a positive? viii. The young Buddhist disciple asked her master, “O Master, is it proper for a monk to use email?” To which the Master responded, “Sure . . . as long as there are no attachments.” What role has humour played in the growth and response of at least two world religions (one from the east and one from the west). Consider, for example, if parody and satire are fruitful or counterproductive in religion. Are “humorous” films, literature, comics, and cartoons instructive or destructive? ix. What role has universal human rights played in the growth and response of at least two world religions (one from the east and one from the west). Are religions inherently racist or do they consistently project a tolerance of the “other”? What is it about the nature of religion that it may often be a tool for exclusivity and not inclusivity? x. Discuss the relationship between religion, state, and ethnocultural identities of at least two world religions (one from the east and one from the west). xi. What could you argue in a meaningful, academic way when you compare and contrast one monotheistic, one polytheistic, and one non-theistic religious traditions studied in this course? Is it simply the nature of religion to posit the idea that belief in something greater than human is the absolute minimum element required? xii. What does the representation of religion in fiction or fantasy (TV, film, literature, comics or otherwise) tells us about the nature of religion? In your response you must be sure touse proper MLA citation, and you must use at least one academic theorist from the media form you choose as one of your scholarly sources (e.g., film theorist, television theorist, literary critic, or graphic novel/comics critic)

Book: Ankersen, Rasmus; Hunger in Paradise; Turbulenz Publishing, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-9956162-0-2 Summarize the contents of the book. Then critically analyze concepts and ideas from the author. State wether you agree or disagree with the concepts, supporting your stand Biblically and Theologically. Give a majority of space to what you believe was the most useful material in the book.

Main Learning Objective: Apply the five family resemblances of a religion to a fictional NRM Secondary Learning Objectives: Compose a New Religious Movement using creativity Practice clear writing in standard English using paragraphs and proper grammar Have fun! There is no discussion question or essay this week. Instead you will create your own new religion. In this course, I suggested that all religions share some characteristics or “family resemblances”: Some understanding of a transcendent reality; Rituals or ceremonies that connect practitioners to the transcendent; Stories that explain the transcendent, the rituals, and the practitioners’ relation to them; Institutions that structure the participants collective experience of the transcendent and enable it to persist across generations; A set of moral norms or ethical instructions. This week you are reading about New Religious Movements. Your writing assignment is to create your own religious movement. This is an exercise in creativity! Imagine that you are the founder of a new religion. (If you have a hard time coming up with something, image that you are a science fiction writer creating an alternative universe for your characters, and you must come up with some kind of religion for them to practice). You must write a short essay-like letter explaining your new religion to an interested person whom you would like to convert to your religion. The letter must be (must be) between 400-500 words (essays that are 399 words or less will be marked down! essays that are 501 words or more will be marked down!) Your letter must discuss all five elements of religions: it must discuss what vision of the transcendent inspires your religion, it must explain the rituals that you practice, it must summarize the stories or myths that articulate truth as your religion understands it, it must specify what institutions organize and preserve it, and it must lay out some ethical instructions consistent with your religion. Please do not waste any space creating a backstory to explain the relationship between you and the imaginary letter-recipient. We will just assume that it is an interested acquaintance. Feel free to be creative, but please do not see this as an opportunity to be snarky about religion. The point of this exercise is to get you to appreciate in a creative fashion the five shared family resemblances of religions, not to make light of any particular religion or religion in general.

Write an essay of 1,100 words that analyzes key beliefs in Hinduism by addressing the following concepts: 1. Describe the three most important Hindu deities found in the Trimurti, their history of development in the Vedic literature, and their functions in the kalpic cycle of life. 2. Make an analysis of how the caste system might function in the life of a particular Hindu individual as he or she interacts with individuals of other castes. 3. Select one ancient or modern Christian community living or serving in a Hindu context, such as the St. Thomas Church of South India, denominations and ministries started by William Carey, Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity, etc. Compare the principles and practices of this Christian community with the four key Hindu beliefs and practices: all pervasive divinity, karma, reincarnation, and dharma. 4. Taking into consideration the differences between the four key Hindu beliefs and practices and Christian doctrine, how might a Christian engage a follower of Hinduism with the gospel of Jesus Christ? What would be vital points to consider for such a conversation (e.g., Who God is, sin and the fall, Jesus, forgiveness, salvation)? A minimum of four academic resources.

consider how the person, teaching, and ‘work’ of Jesus continue to impact the world today by using the text of Matthew and at least two other sources from the list below to respond to a specific situation. Students will select a case study from among those provided below and develop an analysis of how Jesus would respond to the situation using Matthew and their 2 other selected sources from the list below. Students will conclude the essay by reflecting briefly on their own resonance or dissonance with the Jesus-style response they have presented. This assignment must be submitted to moodle, which is linked to turnitin.com for this assignment. Use two of these sources in addition to the text of Matthew to develop your Jesus-style response: Kraybill The Upside-Down Kingdom Service project experience and response essay Church visit and response essay Preparation worksheet(s) for this course In-class activities and/or discussion Topic: 2. Where to Work? Discuss how the Gospel of Matthew and your other 2 sources contribute to your thinking about possible future occupations that you choose to pursue. Where would Jesus work?!

For this World Religions course, students will write a 2–3 page essay (700–1000 words) that compares one Eastern and one Western Religion. The purpose of the paper is to simply draw comparisons and contrasts between religions, not to elevate one religion over another. Students will focus on 3 topics to compare and contrast in their essay, which might include: History Rules Rituals Suffering Soteriological beliefs Afterlife beliefs Views towards women

Answer the following two questions regarding the Okholm and Taylor texts: PLEASE MAKE IT 1.5 PAGES, MAINLY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THANKS! 1. In “Monk’s habits”, please describe the aspect of the monastic life that Okholm describes that intrigues you most and why. Is it something you could incorporate into a suggestion for your patients as a way of spiritual reflection, in your opinion? 2. Per the Taylor text, what in your readings prompts you to want to incorporate spiritual care giving into your practice as a future NP the most? Please cite where you read and discovered whatever this new truth is, and let us know why this inspires you to promote spiritual care giving.

You will simply read the passage of scripture and then follow the template provided. In this assignment, you will be going back to your work in Chapter 6 to apply the principles of interpretation to some of the observations and questions you had about Galatians 4:21-31. Your assignment is to think of 1 or more questions for each category: who, what, when, where. Next, study through the steps of content, context, comparison, and consultation to come to conclusions regarding Galatians 4:21-31. Lastly, you will seek to answer the final question: why? You must approach the question of “why” somewhat differently than the questions of “who,” “what,” “when,” and “where.” When you ask “why,” you must make conclusions about the meaning of the passage based on your study up to that point. Using the template provided for you in the Assignment Instructions folder, answer the following questions about Galatians 4:21-31 based on your findings and additional research. • Who? (The Characters) Description: Find out all you can about the author and the recipients, including their identities and situations. If specific people or groups are mentioned, now is the time to learn more about them. You will need to identify at least 5 “who” questions. You are not composing a detailed biography of their lives. You simply want to note what Galatians 4:21-31 says about each of them and how that aligns with other Scripture passages. • What? (The Key Truths or Events) Description: This is the time to investigate important words and ideas in the passage. What is the tone of the passage—joy, sorrow, disappointment, delight? If it is an action passage, what do the main actions represent? What are the key truths, events, or relationships mentioned in Galatians 4:21-31? Explore these first as they appear in this passage and then throughout Scripture. Identify at least 5 “what” questions. • Where? (The Geography and Location) Description: Where are the author and readers at the time of the writing? Are there places in the passage that need to be identified in geographic placement? Can anything be learned from the location of the events? Explore these places as they appear in this passage before considering their significance outside of Galatians 4:21-31. Identify at least 2 “where” question. • When? (The Time Factors) Description: Determine if there is anything critical related to the element of time in this passage. Does the message depend at all on certain aspects of the era in the church’s history in which it was written? Are there lesson to be learned based on the timing of the events? How is this presented first in Galatians 4:21-31 and then throughout Scripture? Identify at least 1 “when” question.

Observe a religious service (there are many that are online). It can be your own religion or one that you are interested in. Be sure to cite the mode of observation (internet, in-person, the date and the time, the name of the organization). Describe the following: A) What was the order of the service? What elements of religious ritual did you observe? What was the significance of the ritual(s) observed? B) What was the message conveyed during the service? How does this reflect the ideology of the religion? How does this message reflect with issues of today? C) What is your overall analysis of the service? What did you learn? This paper should be 500 – 700 words in length.