Essay Assignment: For this assignment you are to compare and contrast the five religious traditions you are learning about this semester in regards to a particular theme that you select. These five religious traditions are: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In each chapter of your text there are comparative boxes.

Each comparative box has a particular theme. Choose one of these boxes to discuss for your essay. For each religion, I have provided you with the corresponding text for each of these comparative boxes. You can find these documents under either the Modules or Pages link.

Refer to the Format Example below while reading the directions.

Directions: You must satisfy all of the requirements for this assignment.

1. Comparative box:

a. Pick one of the comparative boxes; find the full text of the references in the box and cut/paste these on the first page(s) of your assignment.

b. At top of page state theme title and chapter from which it comes.

2. Comparative Essay:

a. Explain the theme of your chosen comparative box. What does the theme mean? If your theme is about behavior or attitude, determine how do the religious scriptures instruct people to act and/or become? For example, for the "healing" theme how do each of the religions guide their believers in healing? Is this an inner healing or an outer? Are we healing our souls, minds, entire being, our community, the world-at-large, etc? If your theme is about the nature of reality or some other metaphysical topic, determine how the religious scriptures inform people about how is the world.

b. Discuss/explain the similarities and differences among the religions in regards to your chosen theme. You must use tenets, doctrines, worshiping practices, etc. that you learned about in each religions unit in your discussion/explanation.

Using material from each of the religions explain how the messages are the same and how they differ. I suggest you first make a draft discussing each of the religions in regards to your theme. Then look over your discussion of each of the religions and find commonalities and differences among them in regards to your theme. Then you will be all set to write your comparative essay about the five religions.

c. The paper length does not include the scriptural texts from the comparative boxes.

d. Since I used the "Healing" theme in these instructions, you are not permitted to use this theme for your essay.

e. Length: 2 pages

f. This assignment is worth 15% of your final grade. For more information see grading rubric.

3. Format:

a. Double-spaced

b. Times New Roman 12 point

c. Cover page

d. 1" margins all around

Format Example:

Theme: Healing

O Mankind! There has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, a balm for that which is in the breasts, a guidance and mercy for believers.

Islam. Qur'an 10.57

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Isaiah 35.5-6

A great crowd followed [Jesus] and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well." And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiv- ing in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

Christianity. Bible, Mark 5.24-34

Whatever defect I have of eye, of heart, of mind, or whatever excess there is, may Brishaspati remedy it.

Gracious to us be the Lord of the world.

Hinduism. Yajur Veda 36.2

The Buddha, the Truly Enlightened One, the unexcelled master physician... having developed and perfected the medicines of the Teaching over countless eons, having cultivated and learned all skills in application of means, and fully consummated the power of illuminating spells, is able to quell all sentient beings' afflictions.

Buddhism. Garland Sutra 37

Paragraph 1: Theme explanation

Generally discuss what healing means to the five religious traditions. Explain how each of the religions guides their believers in healing. Discuss whether this is an inner healing or an outer healing. Explain what one is to be healing. Use elements from scripture passages in defense of your explanation.

Paragraph 2: Similarity 1

Discuss how the religious traditions guide their believers in healing themselves. Use terms, beliefs, practices and/or elements from the scripture passages to support your claim.

Paragraph 3: Similarity 2

Describe how the religious traditions guide their believers in healing their communities as a whole and the other individual members. Use terms, beliefs, practices and/or elements from the scripture passages to support your claim.

Paragraph 4: Difference 1

Explain how for some of the religious traditions you are your own guide to how to heal yourself and others; whereas, it is from god that one is guided on how to heal. Use terms, beliefs, practices and/or elements from the scripture passages to support your claim.

Paragraph 5: Difference 2

Discuss how the emphasis on healing is outward healing before inner healing; whereas, for others it is inward healing before outward healing. Use terms, beliefs, practices and/or elements from the scripture passages to support your claim.

Paragraph 6: Conclusion

Summarize the main points of your essay and draw any remaining conclusions that help clarify your explanation of the theme and/or your positions taken.

If you discuss more similarities or differences you will have more paragraphs. You must discuss at least two similarities and two differences.