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Rel100  PL203

Introduction to the Study of Religion

• Due week 2 (chapter 2): Religious Scavenger Hunt: See course website/handout for worksheet.

• Due week 4 (chapter 4): Your Spiritual Autobiography:

In a 500-1000 word typed essay, describe where you are, religiously speaking, and how you got there. What place does religion have in your life? What are your religious beliefs and practices? Was religion part of your upbringing? In what way? Have you questioned or gone a different path from that of your childhood? Why or why not? Even if you have no religious background you can still find something to say about why this is the case, how you feel about it and where you perceive yourself going in the future as regards religion (are you searching for some spiritual direction in your life? Would you, for instance, expect to raise your own children the same way you were raised? Why or why not?).

In addition to an essay visit the website: "The Belief System Indicator" (www.selectsmart.com/religion) and answer a few simple questions to find out which religions your personal beliefs are most aligned with. At the end of the questionnaire you will find a field where you can enter your e-mail address to send a copy of your results to yourself. Please do this and then forward this on to the instructor (or print it out and hand it in with your essay). You will use these results to determine the topic of your research paper/project for this class.

• Due week 6 (chapter 5): Create your own Personalized Mandala: See course website/handout for details.

• Due week 8 (chapter 7): The Story of Yourself: See course website/handout for details.

• Due week 9 (chapter 9): Your Conception of God: What do we mean when we say "God"?:

In a 500-1000 word typed essay discuss your conception of God and how you come by it. How has your understanding of God changed during your life? Has your belief in this God changed? In what way? Why? (Please note that even an atheist can have a conception of God. This is simply a God that they believe does not exist.)

Alternatively: you might present an original philosophic argument for or against the existence of God: reasons why you do or do not believe in God.

• Due week 11 (chapter 11): Your personal values: Write your own set of "commandments" reflecting what you feel to be important guiding principles for the way you live your life. What would your "Golden Rule" be? (please try to be original!)

• Due the final week of class (chapter 16): Write a 500-1000 word typed essay on the subject: What is Religion and Why Study It?

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