Introduction to the Study of Religion

Project I

Purpose of assignment:

• To research and present basic information about a specific religion that interests you.
• To gain experience using the Internet and Web sites for research.
• To explore how what you are learning about religion applies in the study of a specific religion.

What you should do:

1. Early in the semester, select a topic (a specific religion) to study – preferably a religion you know little about but which you are interested in learning more about. Religions you might select from for your research:
   • Any non-Christian religion that is not your own, the less familiar you are with it the better
   • Any lesser known, non-mainline Christian sect with which you are unfamiliar. Some possible choices:
     • Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Romanian, Serbian, etc.) 
     • Brethren 
     • Mennonite 
     • Amish
     • Friends (Quaker) 
     • Seventh Day Adventist 
     • Christian Science 
     • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon)
     • Unity Church 
     • Jehovah's Witnesses
     • Unitarian Universalist
   • Here are some resources that will introduce you to some religions you might choose from:

• http://www.religioustolerance.org/var_rel.htm
• http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/listalpha.htm
• http://www.omsakthi.org/religions.html
• You might want to try the "Belief-o-Matic" at Beliefnet.com. Here you can answer some questions about your own beliefs and values and see which religions are most in line with your own views. You may find a religion you are not familiar with comes out near the top of the results list. You can choose to research this religion.

I may have already made some suggestions as feedback to your belief-o-matic results and/or interests indicated in your spiritual autobiography or introductory journaling. You can also take a look at the list of religions noted at the first three websites listed above. Let me know early in the semester which religion you are researching just to verify that it is suitable.

2. Search out resources – especially good Web based resources – from which you may gather information (guidance in using the Web for research can be found at this site). There are many good websites on religion. Some are objective, academic sites. Others are “insider” sites – put together by people within the various religions to educate both insiders and outsiders. There are also a lot of bad sites on religions – these tend to be biased, even intentionally against some other religion(s) trying to demonstrate what is wrong with the religion(s) discussed and/or how their own religion is better. You are to avoid use of such biased sites!

   Here are some good, objective sites to get you started with the basics of many religions:

   • The Religious Movements Page provides basic, introductory information on hundreds of “new religious movements” (many often considered to be “cults”).

   • Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance provides information on the major religions of the world and also on quite a number of other, lesser known religions

   •  Religion Facts also provides basic information on major religions and lesser known sects and denominations

   All of the above noted sites provide links to other sites, some of which will be “insider” sites you can use (and do be sure to use at least one “insider” site, dedicated exclusively to the one religion you are researching – it will have lot’s more detail than the general sites noted above).

   You can also refer to my own website for links to other sites about the world’s religions and religion specific sites:

   • Websites on the world’s religions

   • Recommended websites for the study of religions

   • Websites related to major eastern religions

   • Websites related to major western religions

   • Collection of websites used by students in the past (not all of them good) (here you can also see both good and bad examples of how to cite and annotate websites)

   • Websites on specific universal topics/themes as they relate to multiple religions

   And, of course, you are encouraged to locate other sites and resources on your own. Find something I am not familiar with!

   Understanding URLs Make sure you know where you are. Many links on any Web page will actually take you to an entirely different Website. Keep an eye on the "domain name". Depending on how your browser is set up, you may be able to determine where a link will take you before you actually click on it. Simply pass your cursor over the link and look at the bottom of your browser window for the link's URL (the link above should read: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/entry_level_pc_ie_url.htm). 

   Beware of URLs found through search engines. Sometimes the search engine will display some other site within the search engine's own site. Do not reference the search engine's URL (often very complex). Eliminate the "middle man" (the search engine) and go directly to the site it is linking you to (somewhere in the middle of the search engine's URL you will usually find a section that begins with "www". Eliminate everything before this www and the search criteria at the end (the string of words with + that you entered into the search engine) and you should get to the actual site being referenced. 

   Example:
   http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:kwLO4oMHWeQJ:www.internet4
   classrooms.com/entry_level_pc_ie_url.htm+understanding+URLs&hl
   =en%20target=nw

   What makes for a good Website? Not a single page; rather, a comprehensive coverage of the religion in question, produced by credible and knowledgeable persons or organizations (usually either an academic source or people within the religion being discussed). For guidance in evaluating Websites you can use these resources:

   • Online tutorial: Evaluating information from the World Wide Web
   • Five criteria for web site evaluation (chart)

   Websites should be annotated: 

   Annotations are simply notes about the site. These notes are typically 3-5 sentences long that provide the reader with a sense of the credibility of the site (perhaps a reference to the sponsoring organization or the author's credentials), a brief description of the contents of the site, and an indication of the potential value of the site for fellow students. (similar to what I have provided for you). Annotations should include:

   • Title of site with complete and working URL
   • Site author and/or sponsoring organization, attesting to the credibility of the site (is it an "insider" or "outsider" site?)
   • Purpose and/or agenda of the site. Is this an objective, informative site presenting just the facts or an interpretive site with a particular perspective on the topics addressed?
   • Listing of major topics covered at the site (not just the topics you used for your project but what else is at the site that might interest anyone visiting it)
   • Usefulness for fellow students of religion (here you can include observations regarding appearance and navigation as well as the value of the content itself)

   Be sure to include these resources in a "works cited" page at the end of your project. 

   • How to cite Internet sources
   • General MLA style citation guidelines

   How to copy a URL into your project: URLs can be very lengthy and complex and must be precise if they are to work. Some are actually case sensitive. Do not attempt to manually type the URL of your source. The best way to make sure your URL is accurate is to copy it from the address line in your browser and paste it into your project (to copy a URL, highlight the URL in the address line, right click, select "copy" or use keyboard shortcut: control+c, then simply paste into your critique as you would for any other copied material).

   If your project is not electronic, please also submit an electronic version of your Web resources
   

3. Research and prepare a scrapbook, PowerPoint slide series, or series of Web pages reflecting, in an attractive way, what you have learned (see contents, below). Do not simply include a collection of printed Web pages. You may, however, copy and paste material from various sources into your project or rephrase/summarize/edit it in your own words.

   Also compose at least a page of your own reflective commentary on what you have learned about this religion: your impressions and response. Commentary may be at the beginning, the end, and/or scattered throughout the factual information you present. You are encouraged to be creative, using visuals and attractive layout.

   • If you prepare your work as a Website and publish this online, you may simply provide your mentor with the URL (via e-mail).
   • If you use PowerPoint or other such presentation software to prepare your presentation, please print out and mount or bind your work for your mentor to review (in addition to presenting it electronically). Here is some guidance for working with PowerPoint

Contents:

When it comes to the information you should gather about your chosen religion, here are some suggestions to include in your project. Not all topics will be applicable to all religions but you should include at least ten of these or other topics pertinent to your chosen religion: Take a clue from your sources. What topics do they most often discuss?

Introduction: origins of the religion (when, where, founded by whom?) and current demographics (population, geographic distribution, ethnic or universal?, etc.) (consider using a map)

Beliefs:

• views on the sacred (theistic or non-theistic?, mono- or poly-theistic?) and spiritual beings

• sacred texts

• a creation myth and/or birth story of the founder, parable or other important "teaching" story (as found in the sacred texts) and its meaning

• purpose, meaning and destiny of human existence - understanding of the nature of the human condition (e.g., “original sin,” “the Four Noble Truths”)

• beliefs about the origin, nature, meaning of evil and suffering

• beliefs about the afterlife

Practices:

• important rites (life cycle events - rituals of birth, coming of age, marriage, death)

• central practices (e.g., Five Pillars, sacraments)

• major holy days (holidays) and their significance (e.g., Christmas: Dec. 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus)

• important symbols, their meaning and use (use images here)

• sacred places and pilgrimage sites

• Worship practices: where, when, how

• path(s) to “salvation,” spiritual practices (e.g., meditation, sacred arts)

Social dimensions:

• major divisions, organizational structure

• ethical guidelines (e.g., 10 commandments, 5 precepts)

• Status of/attitude toward women's roles

• any other unique aspects of the religion in question (dress, appearance, dietary regulations, etc.)

You will note that the above considerations relate to the various topics covered in the course and text.

Some religions may not lend themselves well to one or another of these topics. Others may suggest additional topics not mentioned. Feel free to modify this list as you see fit, based on your research findings.

Conclusion:

• annotated references to websites about the religion (especially major sites produced by and for followers of the religions) and other resources used for your research (submit resources electronically)

• one page reflective commentary of your thoughts and feelings regarding the things you have learned about this religion. Commentary may also be scattered throughout, in response to specific aspects of the religion.

Grading Criteria: Finished projects should be presented in print format, mounted and/or bound in an attractive way (only exception is if you have created this as a website)

• Content: number, kinds of topics, and coverage included, according to demands of topic (religion) researched (40%)

• Presentation: effort demonstrated in compiling information in an attractive and reasonable order, according to demands of topic (30%) 

• Reflective commentary on findings (500 words) (20%)

• Resources cited, including at least three appropriate and suitably annotated Websites (submitted electronically as well as included in printed project) (10%)

Some examples of past work:

• Superior work (PowerPoint)

• Less than superior work (PowerPoint) (can you tell the difference between these two? What's missing from the less superior piece? How would you suggest it be improved?)

• Here's an example of what one student did as a Website for a similar project at another college

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