Week 5 Assignment: Interview Essay
Instructions
For this assignment, you are required to sit down for a conversation with someone whose religious identity differs from your own (this means that if you identify as Christian, for example, you should find a conversation partner who does not identify as such). The purpose of this exercise is for you to engage with someone else in the conversation. That means that you will not only ask questions, but you will hopefully answer questions about your own beliefs, as well.
I am Christian- Roman Catholic
In this exercise, you will listen to the ideas of someone who you identify as religiously \"other.\" You will share your own ideas and report on what you learned. This would include what you learned about your conversation partner\'s beliefs, and how those beliefs compare to your own religious upbringing and/or current practice.
The report should give a description of the major topics of discussion and a detailed summary of what you learned. As part of your assignment you should include the following:
Describe your conversation partner\'s beliefs. Some things to consider include the following:
What are the material expressions of their tradition (statues, paintings, music, etc.)?
Do they see any conflict between the stated beliefs of their tradition and their own beliefs?
Based on your partner\'s description, which theory of the origin of religions offers the best explanation for their approach to religion?
What challenges can your partner identify that their religious tradition faces in the modern world? Do they feel that their tradition is responding positively?
Is the tradition focused on belief (orthodoxy) or behavior (orthopraxis)?
Apply the 8 elements of religion.
(religion Molloy 8 elements
sacredness. a distinction is made between the sacred and the ordinary. ...
belief system. several beliefs fit together into a fairly complete and systematic interpretation of the universe and the human beings place.
community.
central myths.
ritual.
ethics.
characteristic emotional experiences.
material expression.)
Provide some cultural and historical context for the religious tradition of your conversation partner. (It is important that you do some research before you have your conversation so that you are able to ask informed questions that come from genuine interest.) Make sure you use citations in your discussion of what you learned from your research.
Compare your partner’s beliefs and practices to your own religious upbringing and/or current practice. This is to be done in the report not as a debate with your partner.
Conclude with your personal reaction to this experience and any additional questions that came up after your conversation. Be kind!
This is a formal academic paper so pay careful attention to the basics of writing a good English composition.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
Length: 1000-1200 words (not including title page or references page)
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page
References page (minimum of 2 scholarly sources)
