Instructions: Choose two of the following prompts and write an essay on each of them.
Each essay should be a minimum of 750 words and a maximum of 1000 words. For all
questions, be sure to use specific examples from the textbook and course notes.
NOTE: You may not focus on the same religious tradition in both questions. In other words,
if you choose to compare Christianity and Islam in question 1, then you should not write
about either Christianity or Islam in your second response.
Questions
1. Many religions have sacred texts that eventually get organized into a canon. Why is the
process of canonization so important to understand? Choose any two of the religious
traditions that we looked at in the course and compare and contrast their canonization
processes.
2. Many New Religious Movements are derived from existing traditions. What themes
unite the new religious movements rooted in Eastern traditions? How do these
concerns compare with the central themes expressed in the new religious movements
based in the Abrahamic tradition?
3. Throughout the course, we’ve talked about the difficulties in establishing definitions
and categories. Explain some of these challenges when talking about “religion” broadly;
why is there no universally agreed-upon definition for religion and how can this be
mitigated? Then, think the terms “new religion,” “sect,” and “cult.” Why is it sometimes
difficult to distinguish between these three terms? Provide one example of each and
explain why you’ve classified it that way.
4. The different understandings of a possible life after death reflect the cultural values and
historical circumstances out of which they arose. Compare and contrast different
understandings of the afterlife in any two of religious traditions that we examined in
the course in the light of their respective cultural and historical circumstances.
5. Choose either Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or Indigenous Traditions and discuss the role
of women in this tradition. How has the role and place of women in your chosen
tradition/culture changed over time? What issues regarding gender and sexuality are
currently being considered within the community? Be sure to consider how gender
appears in the sacred texts/stories and whether/how women appear in leadership
roles.
6. All religious traditions change over time. Choose either Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or
Indigenous Traditions and compare the ancient practices to modern ones. How are the
ancient and modern practices related? What historical developments are important for
analyzing the transition between the ancient and modern periods in your chosen
tradition?
