Describe 3 challenges you had to overcome during these weeks and what you learned in overcoming them that can be applied in your professional practice. How has this course impacted your life, thinking, or spirituality? Which origin of religion theory or theories do you believe to be the description of your own views on religion? Explain your answer including an example.

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Week 8 Assignment: Reflection on Learning Essay

Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

Textbook: all chapters
Lesson: all weeks
Feedback from peers and instructor

Instructions
Complete the following as either a written essay or video reflection. If video is chosen, you should include all these same requirements.

Reflect on your learning experiences over these 8 weeks. Choose a word, phrase, or quote that you would use to describe it overall and explain why you chose it and what this experience has added to your life.
Select and describe 3 of your most significant learning and how you will apply what you learned from each to your personal worldview or professional practice.
Describe 3 challenges you had to overcome during these weeks and what you learned in overcoming them that can be applied in your professional practice.
How has this course impacted your life, thinking, or spirituality? Which origin of religion theory or theories do you believe to be the description of your own views on religion? Explain your answer including an example.

Develop a timeline showing the historical relationship among Judaism, Christianity and Islam’s beginnings. Indicate their geographical connections, founders, and several key theological divisions within each religion. Choose two (2) elements from the following list: the nature of God, the nature of Jesus, holy books, salvation or social justice. Analyze your chosen element by demonstrating the similarities or differences among the three religions regarding your chosen element, using specific examples.

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Week 7 Assignment: Analytical Essay-

Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

Textbook: Chapter 8, 9 10
Week 6 & 7 lessons
Minimum of 6 scholarly sources – at least 2 for Judaism, 2 for Christianity, & 2 for Islam (in addition to textbook/lesson)

Instructions
In a well-composed essay, complete the following:

Introduction: Clarify briefly what this essay will accomplish.
Develop a timeline showing the historical relationship among Judaism, Christianity and Islam’s beginnings. Indicate their geographical connections, founders, and several key theological divisions within each religion.

Choose two (2) elements from the following list: the nature of God, the nature of Jesus, holy books, salvation or social justice. Analyze your chosen element by demonstrating the similarities or differences among the three religions regarding your chosen element, using specific examples.

Examine at least two challenges that affect how all three religions currently relate to each other. Give an example of each challenge to support your observation. Further, define globalization and discuss how globalization helps or hinders this current relationship. (You can find a very good video on globalization in Week 8).

Conclusion: Bring your essay together by reflecting on what you learned and how it might help you in your profession going forward.
Your paper should include headings for each segment, including the introduction and conclusion, and thoughtful examples and analysis in your body paragraphs.

What distinguishes your stream from other streams? What makes your stream unique? What aspects of faith are encouraged in your approach and what aspects are limited? What aspects of other streams may be helpful to your current model of worship? How does understand the background of your worship stream enhance your weekly corporate worship?

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Know Your Roots

Know Your Roots: Identifying Your Community’s Worship Stream & Enhancing Their Corporate Worship

Utilizing Pinson’s Perspectives on Christian Worship and White’s A Brief History of Christian Worship, you will clearly identify the worship stream(s) most associated with corporate worship in their own context. Write a reflective essay including the following:

1. Introduction: Begin the assignment with a brief introduction that includes a description of the demographics, denomination and approach to worship of your current church or ministry context.

2. Your Roots: Using White’s book to clearly define the specific historic era(s) (New Testament, Early Christian, Middle Ages, Reformation, Modern) most closely associated with your own church’s corporate worship. Describe why you would make this categorization. Next use Pinson’s book to define which perspective/stream (Liturgical, Traditional Evangelical, Contemporary, Blended or Emerging) your church is most closely linked with. What specific values, theological-emphasis, acts of worship, styles of music or worship forms, etc. support your categorization?

3. Conclusions and Reflections: Conclude your paper reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of your current stream/perspective. What distinguishes your stream from other streams? What makes your stream unique? What aspects of faith are encouraged in your approach and what aspects are limited? What aspects of other streams may be helpful to your current model of worship? How does understand the background of your worship stream enhance your weekly corporate worship?

You must submit a word document that includes ALL the elements as described above. Make sure all answers are answered to each question and also White’s and Pinson’s perspectives are also included.

Provide footnotes for this assignment which will be key evidence of engagement with the course readings and learning materials in this paper.

Reflect on what you have learned about Islam and the argument  about Sacred History and history. Does it help provide a religious context for what appears to be just the opposite of “Islam” as peace? Do you find problems with this interpretation?

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Terror and Sacred History

Reflect on what you have learned about Islam and the argument  about Sacred History and history. Does it help provide a religious context for what appears to be just the opposite of “Islam” as peace? Do you find problems with this interpretation? Several of you have probably taken other classes that have dealt with Islamic terrorism and might have very helpful ideas and views to add.

Create a chart to compare and contrast the view of sacred items, practices, or areas of Oceanic cults compared to that of one religion discussed so far in this course. Create a bulleted list of assessing why members of religious groups can be divided on new beliefs or topics. Explain the values and practices surrounding cults.

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Religious News

Instructions
Religious News is giving you the opportunity to give your readers a deeper glimpse into your thoughts. Your boss has tasked you with creating a PowerPoint presentation detailing some things you have learned about the religious practices in Oceania. You recall the scenario below while creating your presentation.
You discover that a religious group has begun on the other side of town in which you are staying. You begin attending some of their worship sessions and find that the people are quite welcoming. After attending a few sessions, they invite you to live within the community they have established. It sounds like a great opportunity, and you begin to consider the offer.

While talking with your neighbor, who attends church regularly, about the new religious group, she informs you that this group is most likely a cult. She has witnessed the members beginning to build large walls around their compound and bring in supplies, specifically weapons, on regular accounts. She also points out that this group resembles a cult, based on her knowledge of previous incidents.
She concludes by cautioning you against moving into the newly formed community, noting that cults tend to have vary drastic views and practices compared to other religions. You assure her you will take her cautions to heart while making your decision. In the end though, will you join the cult?

For your presentation, you must include the following components:
Create a chart to compare and contrast the view of sacred items, practices, or areas of Oceanic cults compared to that of one religion discussed so far in this course.
Create a bulleted list of assessing why members of religious groups can be divided on new beliefs or topics.
Explain the values and practices surrounding cults.
Justify your chosen action based on the provided scenario.

Your presentation must be a minimum of five slides, not counting the title slide and reference slide. Remember to title each slide and include an introductory sentence per slide. You do not need to utilize the notes section or audio for this presentation. Include at least one image in your presentation. Remember to review the rubric to compare it with your presentation before you submit it.

In details examine the of absolute and moral attributes of God. Including who God is and what His desire is relational with His people.

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RESEARCH GOD’S ATTRIBUTES, OUR STRENGTH ( Knowing God)

This paper must have a strong and intimate relationship with God. Including who God is and what His desire is relational with His people. In details examination of absolute and moral attributes of God. Today culture is permeated with the falsehood of “other gods.” Knowing God reveals the one true and Living God for who He is and what He does in the heart of man.” Ex;

1. God is Omnipresence. No human can be in the same place the same.
2. God is Authentic. Human are born from a human womb, can not duplicate God.

How would you and your life change if you accepted that change was not an exception but the rule?

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Dao

The Dao symbolizes a reality that is ever changing, ever fluid, but with a continual alternation between two elemental forces, the yin and the yang. How would you and your life change if you accepted that change was not an exception but the rule?

Describe the Jewish concept of Messiah and what Jews expected of their Messiah. How is Messiah understood before and after the second temple destruction? What characterized Jewish practice before the destruction of the 2nd Temple? What characterizes Jewish practice after the Temple’s destruction?

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Week 5 Discussion: Judaism

Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, respond to only one of the following options:

Option 1
For this option, address the following:

Choose two (2) of the following terms: Orthodox Judaism, Hassidic Judaism, Reform Judaism, and Conservative Judaism.
Briefly explain these two terms.
Describe where and how they originally developed and identify their similarities and differences.
Explain one contemporary issue related to justice or social justice that challenges each of your chosen religious traditions.

Option 2
The destruction of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem marks a major shift in the history and character of Judaism. For this option, address the following:

Describe the Jewish concept of Messiah and what Jews expected of their Messiah. How is Messiah understood before and after the second temple destruction?
What characterized Jewish practice before the destruction of the 2nd Temple?
What characterizes Jewish practice after the Temple’s destruction?
Explain one contemporary issue related to justice or social justice that challenges Judaism today.

Identify any conflicts between the stated beliefs of their tradition and their personal beliefs. What challenges can your partner identify that their religious tradition faces in the modern world in respect to questions of justice and social justice? Do they feel that their tradition is responding positively? Explain.

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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 a conversation about religion. That means that you will not only ask questions, but you will hopefully answer questions about your own beliefs, as well. Please note atheist and agnostic are not acceptable choices for your assignment as neither is recognized as a religion.

Before meeting with your partner, review the above article for this activity, “Talking About Religion – How to Do It Right” (link in Required Resources), for some guidance on how to engage in conversations about religion. You may also wish to share this information with your partner, if needed.

In this assignment, you will listen to the ideas of someone whom you identify as religiously “other.” You will share your own ideas (though to a lesser extent) and report on what you learned about this other religion, including your partner’s beliefs and how those beliefs compare to your own religious upbringing and/or current practice.

The report should describe the major topics of discussion (below) and a detailed summary of what you learned. Your final essay should include all of the following:

Introduction: Provide some cultural and historical context for the religious tradition of your conversation partner. Include why you chose this religion and person. (It is important that you do some research before you have your conversation so that you ask informed questions that come from genuine interest.) This should not be a long section of the essay.
Describe your conversation partner’s beliefs. Include the following 8 elements of religion from Week 1:

Belief system. Several beliefs fit together into a complete and systematic interpretation of the universe and the place of humans in it; it explains a religion’s worldview. Highlight the most important.

Community. How are the belief system and its ideals practiced as a group of believers who come together? How do they come together?

Central myths. Stories that express the religious beliefs and history of a religion and give it meaning through retelling and/or re-enacting (e.g., major events in the life of Krishna, the enlightenment of Buddha, death and resurrection of Jesus, Mohammed’s escape from Mecca, Israelite’s escape through the Red Sea, and so on).

Ritual. Ceremonies and/or Rites that enrich beliefs.

Ethics. Rules about human behavior which are often believed to be given by a supernatural realm (God) or socially generated guidelines.

Characteristic emotional experiences. Some emotions associated with religion are dread, guilt, awe, mystery, devotion, conversion, “rebirth,” liberation, ecstasy bliss, inner peace.

Material expressions. Physical elements like statues, paintings, musical compositions, instruments, objects like incense, flowers, clothing, architecture or sacred places.

Sacredness/Holiness. A distinction is made between what is ordinary and what is sacred through use of a different language or ceremony or clothing or acts of reverence. Certain objects, actions, people and places may share or express sacredness/holiness (e.g., receiving communion, Mecca, an altar, a shrine, the Dali Lama, menorah).

Identify any conflicts between the stated beliefs of their tradition and their personal beliefs.
After hearing your partner’s description, explain whose theory of the origin of religions (Week 1) you think offers the best explanation for his/her religion?
What challenges can your partner identify that their religious tradition faces in the modern world in respect to questions of justice and social justice? Do they feel that their tradition is responding positively? Explain.
Examine if the tradition is focused on belief (orthodoxy) or behavior (orthopraxis).
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.

Conclusion: Conclude with your personal reaction to this experience and any additional questions that came up after your conversation.
This is a formal academic paper, so pay careful attention to the basics of writing a good English composition, to essay structure, and complete APA.

Religion has caused more misery to all of mankind in every stage in every stage of human history than any other idea. To what extent do you agree with this statnment.

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Religion and misery

Religion has caused more misery to all of mankind in every stage in every stage of human history than any other idea. To what extent do you agree with this statnment.