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Do not submit work from a previous order or any other assignment. It will be flagged for plagiarism by Turnitin.
Instructions: Length: 1500-2000 words, in addition to a bibliography/works cited page. Formatting: Double –spaced, 12-pt font, Arial or Times New Roman Font.
Bibliography: a minimum of 3 academic sources; preferably peer-reviewed publications and books. Do not use Wikipedia as an Internet source. One of these must be a book reference. These academic sources are in addition to the next sources: Book “Living Religions, 10th Edition. SBN: 9780134169248 By: Mary Pat Fisher; Robin Rinehart” The textbook and readings(files) will not have enough information about any of the topic questions above to formulate substantial responses.
To succeed in this assignment, set aside sufficient time to research the chosen topic thoroughly.
From the Paper Topic, select the topic at your discretion with the best chance of success. Paper Topics Construct an argument to answer one of the following three questions: 1-Identify one of the religions covered in this course that emphasizes behavior/deeds over adherence to creeds/beliefs/spiritual experiences in our current era. Then, compare it to another religion that you interpret as emphasizing the opposite, i.e., creeds/beliefs/spiritual experiences over behavior/deeds. Explain the reasons for such possible differences in emphases by exploring underlying sociological and historical themes. What were major world events or cultural developments that may have led each of these religions to emphasize each of these particular aspects over the other?
2-Although Buddhism and Hinduism share similar beliefs, their approaches to the self, or the ‘soul’ are very different. Explain the metaphysical and practical distinctions between anatman and atman, and how these concepts tie into each religion’s unique approach to the sacred (god/gods) and the path to salvation. Make sure you specify which branches of Buddhism and Hinduism your analysis is tackling.
3-What is the meaning of the word Jihad in Islam? Select two distinct sects of Islam and explain key differences/similarities in the interpretation and practices of this term. What role, if any, does Jihad serve in the sects you have selected, in today’s world? How has this role changed from previous historical time periods and/or how has it remained the same? Essay Paper Grading Rubric: Excellent Author directly addresses the main question or issue, and adds new insight to the subject not provided in lectures, readings, or class discussions. The author has retained nearly all of the knowledge presented in class. He/She is able to synthesize this knowledge in new ways and relate to material not covered in the course.
Essay Paper Grading Rubric
Excellent Essay contains a clear argument—i.e., lets the reader know exactly what the author is trying to communicate.
Excellent Provides compelling and accurate evidence that convinces reader to accept main argument. The importance/relevance of all pieces of evidence is clearly stated. There are no gaps in reasoning—i.e., the reader does not need to assume anything or do additional research to accept main argument.
Excellent The author considers the evidence, or alternate interpretations of evidence, that could be used to refute or weaken his/her argument, and thoughtfully responds to it.
Excellent Evidence is used from a wide range of sources, including lectures and course readings. When required, the author also consults scholarly books, websites, journal articles, etc. not explicitly discussed in class.
Excellent All evidence is properly cited in footnotes or endnotes. Excellent Essay contains an intro, main body, and conclusion. Introduction lays out main argument and gives an outline of what the reader can expect in the essay. The conclusion brings everything together, acknowledges potential shortcomings of the paper, and gives the reader a sense of what further work might be done to advance the subject matter described in the paper.
Excellent All sentences are grammatically correct and clearly written. No words are misused or unnecessarily fancy. Technical terms, words from other languages, and words from other historical periods are always explained. All information is accurate and up-to-date. Paper has been spell-checked AND proofread (ideally by you and somebody else), and contains no errors.
Research Resources The following resources can assist with your research for this assignment: ATLA (Links to an external site.)
Religion Database JSTOR (Links to an external site.)