Comparative Religion

Week 4September 16^th-September 22^nd

Buddhism

On each week continue after to the the next week after the reference page. No plagiarism….there is questions for each week but not all questions need to be answered.

week 4 read:Chapters 5inInvitation to World Religions

Chapter 5 Selected Readings from the World’s Religious Traditions

In Sacred Readings:

From the Paili Canon on Impurity

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.18.budd.html

Dhamapada – Verse 5

http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=005

Answer any 3 of the following week 4 essays:

Prompts:

You may use any resources at your disposal. List your sources at the end of each essay. Most of the answers to these questions are directly addressed in your text. Suggested length is 2 or more pages per question (450 to 800 words).

1. What are some of the differences and similarities between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism?

2. Explain some of the key concepts in Buddhism such as: dharma, dukkha, Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, anicca, kamma, nirvana, sunyata, bodhisattvas, and the sangha. (You don’t have to write about every single one them).

3. Address the history and ideology of some of the specific schools within Mahayana Buddhism such as: Tibetan, Tantric, Zen, Nichiren and Pure Land. (You don’t have to write about all of them.)

4. Write about the importance of monasticism or meditation in Buddhist tradition.

5. Consider doing some research on the current Dalai Lama and presenting it in an essay.

6. Comment upon several of the Sacred Readings (links above). You may look at any of the selections you wish. Try doing some additional research on the works.

You might consider looking at the following video for help with your essays on Buddhism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJX9-gHv0IQ

Essays for weeks 4 through 7 are due by Monday October 15^th (11:59 p.m.)

You should send them directly to the professor through Blackboard. Please attach the 4 weeks of essays (10 total essays) in a single Microsoft Word file using the Assignment Submission tab within the Assignment section of the Blackboard menu. Be sure to number your questions, put them in order, and identify the week. Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

Please submit all questions together in one attachment. Do not create an attachment or folder for each question or week. Number them, separate them by week and put them all in one single attachment.

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Week 5 September 23^rd -September 29^th

Daoism (Taoism)

Confucianism

for week 5 read: Chapter 8in Invitation to World Religions

Chapter 8 Selected Readings from the World’s Religious Traditions

Answer any 2 of the following week 5 essays:

1. Compare and contrast elements of Taoism with Confucianism. Be sure to include some of the following key concepts: yin & yang, chi, de (te), wu wei, tian, harmony, relationships, filial piety, jen (ren), shu, li, hsueh.

2. Explore on your own some of the Chinese scriptures such as: the Analects, Tao te Ching, Mencius, I Ching, Confucius’ Ethics and Politics, the works of Chuang Tzu. Share your thoughts on the particular readings you have chosen. (You will have to look outside your text for much of this information.)

3. Comment upon selected Taoist or Confucian scriptures from the Sacred Readings website or the readings with links above. How do the scriptures or reading you have selected (tell me specifically which ones you have chosen to write about) compare with the historical and theological information presented in the Invitation to World Religions text?

4. Answer Review Questions # 1, 3 and 4 from p. 292 of Invitation to World Religions (end of Chapter 8)

Essays for weeks 4 through 7 are due by Monday October 15^th (11:59 p.m.)

You should send them directly to the professor through Blackboard. Please attach the 4 weeks of essays (10 total essays) in a single Microsoft Word file using the Assignment Submission tab within the Assignment section of the blackboard menu. Be sure to number your questions, put them in order, and identify the week. Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

Please submit the questions together in one attachment. Do not create an attachment or folder for each question or week. Number them, separate them by week and put them all in one single attachment.

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Week 6September 30^th -October 6^th

Jainism

Shinto

for week 5 read: Chapters6 & 9in Invitation to World Religions

Chapters 6 & 9 Selected Readings from the World’s Religious Traditions

Jainism – Acarangasutra, The Third Lesson

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jai/sbe22/sbe2222.htm

Shinto Rituals

http://sacred-texts.com/shi/yengi.htm

Answer 1 Jain question and 1 Shinto questionfrom the following week 6 essays:

1. How is ancient Chinese polytheism like Shinto? In what ways are they different? In what ways are Shinto unlike any other world religions? You might address things like ancestor worship, kami, divination, shrines, ritual, miko, Kojiki, I Ching, zoomorphism, roles of kings & emperors, shamans & priests.

2. Discuss Jainism along with its ideologies, scriptures and practices. Compare it to the Hindu culture from which it evolves. How is Jainism similar and dissimilar to Buddhism?

3. Answer Review Questions 2 and 4, and Further Reflection question # 3 (on page 214) at the end of the Invitation to World Religions chapter on Jainism.

4. Trace the evolution of the revival of Shinto in the modern period (19^th and 20^th centuries).

Essays for weeks 4 through 7 are due by Monday October 15^th (11:59 p.m.)

You should send them directly to the professor through Blackboard. Please attach the 4 weeks of essays (10 total essays) in a single Microsoft Word file using the Assignment Submission tab within the Assignment section of the blackboard menu. Be sure to number your questions, put them in order, and identify the week. Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

Please submit all questions together in one attachment. Do not create an attachment or folder for each question or week. Number them, separate them by week and put them all in one single attachment.

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Week7October 7^th -October 13^th

Judaism

Zoroastrianism

for week 6read: Chapters 10 & 11in Invitation to World Religions

Chapters 10 & 11 Selected Readings from the World’s Religious Traditions

In Sacred Readings:

Look at and Listen to a few Zoroastrian Scriptures

http://www.avesta.org/ka/index.html

Jewish Rabbinic Text –Pirke Avot (The Sayings of the Fathers)

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/sjf/sjf04.htm

Write2Jewish essays and 1Zoroastrianessay:

Prompts:

You may use any resources at your disposal. List your sources at the end of each essay.Not all the answers to these questions are directly addressed in your text. Appropriately cite any sources if you are quoting or closely borrowing from an author’s text (physical or electronic). Suggested length is 2 or more pages per question (450 to 800 words).

1.At what point can Jewish myths from the scriptural tradition be separated from Jewish history? Why is the scriptural tradition so important and why do you think it has been so enduring (its narrative directly integrated into the two largest religions in the world today, Christianity and Islam)?

2.Outline the significance of the notion of “Oral Torah” and later development of the Mishnah, Midrash, Hagaddah, Halakah and Talmud. Address the evolving role of the synagogue in Jewish history and tradition. Why do you think Judaism was comprised of so many movements or parties (Scribes, Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, Herodians, Essenes) in the centuries surrounding the beginning of the Common Era (CE or AD) ?

3. How is Judaism transformed in the Medieval period and how have those changes effected the evolving shape of Judaism into the modern period?

4. Write about the significance of ceremony, tradition and scripture in modern Jewish practice.Describe some of the modern Jewish movements (Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, Hasidic, Reconstructionist).

5. Answer Review Questions 1, 2 & 5 at the end of Chapter 10 (page 348) in Invitation to World Religions.

6. What are some of the most important factors concerning the ancient origin and history of Zoroastrianism?

7. Discuss some of the Zoroastrian influences upon Judaism and Christianity.

8. Write an essay about Judaism in America.

Essays for weeks 4 through 7 are due by Monday October 15^th (11:59 p.m.)

You should send them directly to the professor through Blackboard. Please attach the 4 weeks of essays (10 total essays) in a single Microsoft Word file using the Assignment Submission tab within the Assignment section of the Blackboard menu. Be sure to number your questions, put them in order, and identify the week. Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

Please submit all questions together in one attachment. Do not create an attachment or folder for each question or week. Number them, separate them by week and put them all in one single attachment.