Understanding religious belief helps us to see the reason for dynamic growth in Asian, African, and European cultures. Select either three of the religions that have been covered in Module Two (Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Shinto), or three religions within the regions studied thus far, for comparison.

For instance, Judaism or Viking mythology might not appear in the module itself, but including either in the paper is encouraged.

In a two-page paper, draw parallels and contrasts among these religions according to the theme of your choice: ritual, social values, authority, or economic influence.

You will need to summarize each religion's relationship with your chosen theme to draw conclusions about the relative comparisons at the end of your paper. You may consider deities, prayer, sacrifice, ritual, administrative structure, or influence as a way to focus your comparison of these religions. Ultimately, what do these religions tell us about the historical culture in which they were followed?

Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a two- to three-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least three sources cited in Chicago/Turabian format. Note: The paper must include the description of world religions from 3000 BCE to 900 CE.