The primary purpose of the final project is to help you to explore a religious issue, which you have found interesting, develop it into an academic topic and write a paper on it, using both what you have learned from class and other scholarly sources. There are four major areas from which your paper topic can be chosen; Comparative Paper, Critical Reading and Reflection Paper, Ethnographic/Ritual Paper and Historical Paper. Your alley in this task is the library. Choose one of the following tasks, or clear your own project with the instructor. This paper due May 3. Please note that late papers will be not accepted.
1. Comparative Paper: You can choose two or more religious traditions and compare and contrast them on a particular issue. The issue could be theological, cultural and/or socio-political. For example, you can compare Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism on the notion of Messiah. Although both traditions have the idea of messiah, their understanding and practices are very different.
-Tradition: You need to choose two or more religious traditions and denominations.
-Frame of Reference: You need to choose a specific issue/topic. It may be an idea, a character of historical figures or events or a set of doctrine by which you can compare and contrast the given traditions.
-Rational for Comparison: When you compare and contrast two traditions, you need to think about why you have chosen those particular traditions, not others. Your reader should be able to know that you have chosen them deliberately rather than randomly and the comparison is meaningful and significant.
2. Critical Reading and Reflection Paper: This is an exegetical paper. You can choose a particular passage or passages from a religious text, discuss the core meaning, critically evaluate existing scholarly commentaries and provide your personal reflection. For example, you can pick the notion of the parable of the burning house from the Lotus Sutra, explore various interpretations and provide your own reflection.
*Things to do
-Identify the Text: Before getting in the primary discussion, you need to identify the text you read. Who wrote it, when and where? What is the historical and philosophical significance of the writing?
-Provide comprehensive description and interpretations of the text.
-Find Other Sources: To help your understanding, you need to find other scholarly sources. Learning from other scholars’ commentaries will help you better elaborate your thought.
-Evaluate and question the existing commentaries, find their strengths and weaknesses and use them to support your reflection.
3. Ethnographic/Ritual Paper: You can choose a religious tradition and write about its ritualistic and cultural traditions. The examples are follows.
Buddhism: temple traditions, priesthood, vegetarianism, mudra, mandala, and mantra
Confucianism: Ancestor worship
*Things to do
-Choose one or more cultural and ritualistic traditions.
-Address the purpose and the symbolic meanings.
-Introduce different views and practices, if there are.
-Find textual sources.
4. Historical Paper: You can choose a religious thinker, a thought, a sectarian group or a movement and discuss the historical development. For example, how and where did the idea of ahimsa(non-violence) start? Who is Mahatma Gandhi? And, how has his philosophy been developed and adopted into different religious or cultural traditions?
*Things to do
-Choose your theme. (an idea, a historical figure, a group or a movement)
-Address its historical development
a. Idea: Provide the definition and find the historical and textual origin. Explain how it is developed and adopted into the tradition.
b. Historical Figure: Identify him or her, provide his or her biographic information and discuss the historical and philosophical importance of the works.
c. Group or Movement: Provide its historical background and cultural and ritualistic heritages and discuss the historical importance in the given religious tradition.
Write a paper (c. 800-1000 words). At the top state your name and topic clearly. Make sure to write correct English. Use the opportunity to check out the library building, use some of the services the library offers.
Citation Style: APA, MLA or Chicago Manual
Source: You should use academic sources. At least three academic sources are required.