Questions for Reflection

Reflective Questions for Journaling
General Issues

Religion: general

Purpose: for students to reflect upon their own attitudes and knowledge with regard to course content

Cognitive Skills: any or all, varies by question

Learning Styles: reflective, active (if shared with others)

Intelligences: intrapersonal, interpersonal (if shared with others)

Use: in class (or at home)

For: individuals (option: pairs or small groups)

Estimated time: 1-5 minutes

Materials needed: paper and pen

Note: can be used as a part of student journaling to be read (and, if desired, graded) by instructor.

The Activity: The questions*:

Good questions for first class session:

Which religion do you know the least about? The most about? What do you know about this religious tradition, and how do you know it?
Which religion would you like to know more about?
Do you have friends or relatives who are part of a religious tradition other then your own?

Write about the most memorable or significant encounter you have had with someone of another faith (if you do not belong to a religious tradition, write about an encounter you have had with a person who is deeply religious):

What was it about this encounter that made it so memorable or significant?

What attitudes toward religion or religious differences were expressed in that encounter (by either yourself or the other party)?

What did you learn, through this encounter, about the other person? About yourself?

What if…

…you had not been raised in the religion you were (or without religion, if that is the case). would you have chosen it? Why or why not?

…you disagreed with some of the teachings or practices of your religion; what would you do?

accept it anyway?

accept only what you agree with and ignore the rest?

seek a deeper understanding of the issues you disagree with?

hope and/or work for eventual change in the religion?

reject the entire religion?

search for a religion you find more personally appealing?

other (specify)?

(have you actually experienced this?)

Alternative possibilities: Reflective questions for journaling can be developed for many disciplines, especially those relating to life experiences and affective responses and opinions students may have already formed regarding the course content. A history or world's cultures course, art, music, philosophy, literature, etc....

* Resources: questions gleaned from:

Eck, Diana L. (1997) On Common Ground: World Religions in America. Columbia University Press (pp. 18, 24)
(for more information on this CD-ROM resource see Harvard University's Pluralism Project Website)