HUMAN SPIRITUALITY, RELS 108 – 001 and 004

HUMAN SPIRITUALITY, RELS 108 – 001 and 004 Independent study/Observation: As part of this class you are asked complete an independent study project by observing and analyzing a spiritual practice outside of your spiritual comfort zone. You are assigned to attend or visit a religious institution that is not your own, or attend a lecture or program put on by any group organization whose mission is not aligned with the tradition or intellectual lineage that is familiar to you. (If for instance, if you were brought up in a religious tradition, that will count as your “comfort zone.”) Written Analysis:Please write 150-250 word essay (double spaced and in 12 point type) discussing how what you saw on your visit intersected with one of the themes in the class. You may use themes like: the sacred; transcendent OR immanent understandings of the sacred; functional OR substantive description of your event ritual; pilgrimage; gratitude, compassion; mindfulness; home and family; human rights; health and wellness; mortality. . . If you are unsure, please, check with me! Examples: attend a pagan worship ceremony, and discuss how it assumes an immanent God Or go to a meditation training and discuss how meditation relates to prayer . . . Or, attend Friday Prayers with the Muslim Student Association, and discuss the importance of ritual ONLY CAVEAT—this cannot be your own tradition. Submission format: At the top of the first page write: 1. your name 2. the class and section number 3. title of the event that you attended, 4. date of that event 5. state what is your “spiritual comfort zone.” (anything from Sunni or Shi’a Muslim, to Protestant or Catholic Christian, or No Religion will do)—this is for identification and not confessional purposes. But. . .Baptist visiting Presbyterian event is too close. . . 6. 150-– 250 word “Written analysis.” Grading rubric: 10 point assignment 1. Attending the event: 6 points 2. Timely submission, in the proper format (described above): 1 point 3. Critical Analysis: Describes your visit, and then correctly identifies and defines a class theme and explains/analyzes how the theme connects with what you saw: 2 points 4. Writing style: clear thesis statement, with no typos or spelling errors, and good grammar: 1 point