Category: Religion

In 850-900 words! Greek philosophy, Hebrew Scripture, and Buddhist teachings eac

In 850-900 words! Greek philosophy, Hebrew Scripture, and Buddhist teachings each have a view about evil. For this essay, select two of these worldviews. Then, compare the two. You might explain what one of them would say in answer to the other’s view about the nature of good and evil. For example, if a Buddhist encountered the Theory of Forms, what might they say in response? You might also simply explain which is more plausible to you any why.

Your paper should run 5-7 pages in WHITE PAPER STYLE and should includes at leas

Your paper should run 5-7 pages in WHITE PAPER STYLE and should includes at least 3 scholarly sources. It should be formatted in APA style and should include:
A title page
An introduction (including a “problem statement”)
Background (research-heavy section where you identify the problem)
A proposed solution
Conclusion
References or citations formatted in APA style

(14 pages) (Kate-Turabian style) (footnotes are a must)
Students are to write a

(14 pages) (Kate-Turabian style) (footnotes are a must)
Students are to write a 14-page biblical theology of Pastoral Ministry paper based upon an in- depth understanding of scripture. There needs to be a minimum of 10-15 unique academic sources. A detailed description and grading rubric are provided in the Assignment section of Canvas.
Rubric
Quality content which addresses these five
required sections of this 14 page paper:
(1) Introduction (1/2-page),
(2) Body (7 pages) – presents the biblical and
theological foundations of pastoral ministry
(3) The Sacraments (2 pages) – provides a
biblical overview of baptism and The Lord’s
Supper
(4) Church Procedures (1-page) – details
how one becomes a pastor in student’s
ecclesial context
(5) Personal Reflection (2 pages) – accesses
student’s strengths and weaknesses in pastoral
ministry
(6) Conclusion (1/2) – describes major
takeaways from the assignment.
Integration throughout paper of biblical
support, and at least 10-15 scholarly cited
resources.
Paper is to be 14 pages, excluding the title
page and Works cited page and only resources
referenced in the paper should appear on the
Works cited page.
Quality of writing: double-spaced, well-
developed writing, use of appropriate
headings, correct grammar, appropriate
citations, & formatting using Turabian style
including title page, table of contents and
“Works Cited” section. An introduction
containing a clear purpose statement and a
conclusion are essential! Page numbers
should appear in the upper right-hand corner
(with no page number on the title page). Use
in-text parenthetic Bible references, rather
than footnotes to cite Scripture—for example:
(Gen 1:1).

1. (ORIGINAL CONTENT ONLY) (400 WORDS FOR THE POST) (APA CITATIONS)
(IN-TEXT CI

1. (ORIGINAL CONTENT ONLY) (400 WORDS FOR THE POST) (APA CITATIONS)
(IN-TEXT CITATIONS ARE A MUST)
(Must cite text: Hedges, P. (2021). Understanding Religion: Theories and Methods for Studying Religiously Diverse Societies. Oakland: University of California Press.)
DQ1: Learning to Compare (All Over Again)
Contains unread posts
Context
Comparison is a natural part of our thought process, but rarely do we think about the process of comparison. Every decision we make, from what’s for dinner to which degree to pursue, is a comparative decision that takes into account our values, priorities, and practical considerations. When comparing religions and the people who practice them, there are specific factors one must attend to for the comparison to be done ethically. If we are going to compare—and we are because that’s how our brains are wired—then we should learn to do so responsibly.
Description
In light of your readings, write a post in which you
share what you perceive to be the five (5) main issues that scholars of comparative religion need to address in order for their work to be viable.
Do you think these concerns can be addressed effectively, resulting in an ethically balanced comparison?
If “yes,” how?
If “no,” why not?
If “maybe,” what is the comparativist’s success contingent upon?
2. (ORIGINAL CONTENT ONLY) (400 WORDS FOR THE POST) (APA CITATIONS)
DQ2: Ritualizing Ritual
Contains unread posts
Context
Like comparison, ritual is everywhere. In this exercise, we practice putting theory and method into action by applying what you have learned toward an analysis of an actual ritual. We focus on rituals that are brief yet important to the everyday practitioner; this allows you to go into depth, rather than spending your time on breadth.
Description
Choose one of the rituals curated below and
analyze it in terms of performance theory and speech acts.
What is done, where, by whom, with what intent, and to what effect?
What about the ritual do you find most interesting or would like to explore further?
Does this ritual give you any insight into the worldview of the tradition from which it comes?
Please do additional research as needed.
Hindu puja, a daily worship ritual: How to Have a Puja at Home (Howcast; 3:23 min)
Buddhist twice-daily chant: How to Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyoo | (Soka Gakkai Official; 6 min)
Jewish Amidah prayer: The Amidah Prayer (PBS Religion & Ethics Newsweekly; 3:26 min)
3. (ORIGINAL CONTENT ONLY) (400 WORDS FOR THE POST) (APA CITATIONS)
DQ3: Combining Approaches
Contains unread posts
Context
In response to critics of cross-cultural comparison, Wendy Doniger states, “I still think that cross-cultural comparison is worth doing and can be done responsibly, rigorously. But I now realize more fully how much is lost if [historical] context is abandoned, and how many more ways there are of contextualizing comparison to make it richer” (The Implied Spider, xi). Comparison and the study of ritual, like so much of what we do in religious studies, is inherently interdisciplinary and requires applying a variety of approaches if we are to see a phenomenon with any depth. Here, we are going to practice combining approaches.
Description
For this application exercise,
(Two Rituals: Rites of Passage and Liminality)
choose two (Rites of Passage and Liminality) of the rituals from the required viewing for this week. Drawing from the readings for this week,
how would you begin to answer Doniger’s call to compare these two rituals responsibly and rigorously?
What might you need to study before diving into an interpretation of either or both rituals?
4. (ORIGINAL CONTENT ONLY) (600 WORDS FOR THE POST) (APA CITATIONS)
Your senior pastor has asked you to develop a biblical counseling ministry at your church. Specifically, your senior pastor wants you to identify three theological principles upon which to build the counseling ministry. These principles would serve as a guide for the structure in the ministry. What three theological principles would you use to build your church’s counseling ministry? Use scripture to support your answer.
(Original Content Only) (600 words) (APA format) (APA in-text citations are a must)
Watch all 2 GYH videos and read all GYH academic resources for weeks 6.
GYH video Links:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYhIHFL3pCv-dWKzrz-UNMsMKmpsyOvd/view?pli=1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kbwuxtc0TfLaRah4UOgQevgg4OM6mNQ7/view

send me back a plagiarism report !!
Essay 2 Instructions
Minimum Length: Over 2

send me back a plagiarism report !!
Essay 2 Instructions
Minimum Length: Over 2 pages of double-spaced, size-12 text
Maximum Length: 4 pages (going over the max a little won’t lose you any points in my class, but more is good
only if it’s correct and well written)
Grammatical Correctness: Grammar is the most important thing to me, and it’s how most students end
up failing essays. Pay attention to spell and grammar checks and use services like Grammarly.
Basic Essay Elements: Your essay should have the following elements:
1. a title
2. an introductory paragraph of no less than 5 compound-complex sentences
3. body paragraphs of at least 7 to 12 compound-complex sentences
4. a concluding paragraph of no less than 5 compound-complex sentences
Refer to the Writing Essays presentation in the Essays folder in Blackboard for more info on these elements.
MLA Essay Design: I have made instructional videos for how to format MLA papers in both Word and Google
Docs. You can find them in the Essays folder. Do what they show you and make your paper look exactly
like what you see. A significant portion of your grade depends on executing this properly.
Originality: I expect this essay to be 100% your own writing. If you choose to bring in outside sources (which I
don’t recommend at this point), I will grade your essay as a research paper, which means you must have
correctly integrated quotes, along with properly executed MLA (not APA) works-cited and in-text citations.
Read my presentations in the Essays folder for more info on these important topics.
Do not take material from the Internet or any other source and drop it into your paper without properly
citing it! That is plagiarism, and it will get your essay an automatic 50 (first offense) or a 0 and reported to the
Office of Academic Affairs (second offense).
When you have finished your essay, save it as a .docx or .pdf file and upload that file to the Essay 1 Dropbox
in the Essays folder in Blackboard. If you need help figuring out how to submit your essay, I have a video in the
Essays folder that can show you what to do.
The essay can be turned in late in Blackboard for up to 3 days after the due date, with a 5-point penalty for
each day it is late.
Pick ONE of the following for your essay:
1. Choose an event from either childhood or now that you believe doesn’t show you behaving at your best.
Write an essay explaining what happened and how you now view that event. Would you change what you
did? Why?
2. Explain how a certain ritual or ceremony is conducted in your religion. Make sure that someone of another
faith will be able to understand the process and include a thesis statement that explains why this process is
important to you or your faith.
3. Think about your room, home, or any other space that you feel represents you, that has your stuff, that
displays the things you love, etc. Describe that space in an orderly fashion (clockwise from the door, front
to back, etc.), focusing on the objects or elements that represent who you are and what’s important to you.

Following Christianity can have a positive impact on mental health issues such a

Following Christianity can have a positive impact on mental health issues such as depressions
Works Cited
Keating, David. “Spirituality and Support: A Descriptive Analysis of
Online Social Support for Depression.” Journal of Religion & Health,
vol. 52, no. 3, Sept. 2013, pp. 1014–28. EBSCOhost,
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs10943-012-9577-x&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cffa4fc80d86f4463ca0408dc5cb16b83%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638487164467809301%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=F9jhM7VLjympBnX1MUr80zulv5rWllidVj8vWmNv4F8%3D&reserved=0.

Please complete the following seperate assignments, each in their own document:

Please complete the following seperate assignments, each in their own document:
Assignment 1: please read the following before class:
ousterhout, “the holy space: architecture and the liturgy”
worksheet questions (remember to include quotes from the texts):
what is a church? what, if anything, is required for a building to be a church (or not)?
what different aspects might you focus on in the study of church buildings? how might the approaches of architects, theologians, archaeologists, and art historians differ?
what stood out to you most about the construction and architecture of Hagia Sophia (this can include how it’s different from other Byzantine churches)?
how did the style of Byzantine churches evolve over time? Assignment 2: please read the following before class:
germanus of constantinople, on the divine liturgy (*read only pp16-23, and then read 7 numbered sections from 1-43 (pp57-107) of your choosing)
worksheet questions (remember to include quotes from the texts):
in your own words, what do you think is a liturgy (and think about what is necessary to constitute a liturgy)? what strikes you as the most important components or aspects of a liturgy? drawing on our last class and the description of the byzantine liturgy of the eighth century (pg. 16-23), how would you describe the relationship between physical space and the divine liturgy?
drawing upon germanus’ text (and the fact the text itself is an interpretation of the liturgy), what do you think the divine liturgy meant for byzantine christians?
what’s the most surprising thing that stood out to you from the reading (either from the introduction or the commentary)? and why?
abbreviated worksheets 6&7
what is a church? what, if anything, is required for a building to be a church (or not)?
what stood out to you most about the construction and architecture of Hagia Sophia (this can include how it’s different from other Byzantine churches)?
how did the style of Byzantine churches evolve over time? what are two things that stood out to you about the byzantine liturgy (16-23)?
what stood out to you from the 7 sections you read about the germanus’ commentary/interpretation of the liturgy?
Assignment 3: please read the following before class:
romanos the melodist, the harlot from the kontakia on the nativity of christ
arentzen, holy arousal
[in-class] kassia, hymns
[in-class] the sound of hagia sophia (4min)
worksheet questions (remember to include quotes from the texts):
describe the most memorable concert/performance you’ve attended. what made it so memorable? how did the setting (location, time, people, etc) influence your experience? what passage from the kontakion fascinates you the most and why?
in what ways do you think the audience would have responded to this part of Romanos’ performance?
what are two things that caught your attention in arentzen’s piece and why?

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course materi

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it until you have completed the unit’s Milestones. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.
Touchstone 3: Evaluating the Impact of Religion on Individuals, Society, and the World
ASSIGNMENT: In each of the three units in this course, you have learned about the role of religions in our world. You have already reflected on some of the major approaches to studying religions, and compared and contrasted two religions. In Unit 3, you have investigated the impact of religion on individuals and society, including learning about religion’s role in shaping morality and ethics, as well as ritual and material culture. Finally, you also thought about religion’s influence on government and global affairs. For your final Touchstone, you will evaluate the impact of religion on individuals, society, and the world. In a 400-600 word short essay, you will evaluate some of the ways in which religions both unite and divide, using specific examples from the lessons in Units 1, 2, and 3 to support your conclusions, by responding to this question: How do religions both unite and divide humanity?
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Write a short essay of 400-600 words that responds to this question: How do religions both unite and divide humanity?
As you develop your response, you should choose two of the following areas of religious influence from Unit 3 to analyze:
Religion & the Individual
Religions & Society
Morality & Ethics
Ritual & Material Culture
Religion in Government
Religion in Global Affairs
Your short essay should include four parts:
Briefly introduce your topic and develop a clear and succinct response to the question: How do religions both unite and divide humanity?
Support your response by analyzing the first area of religious influence that you have selected from Unit 3. Use at least two specific examples from the lessons in any unit in your analysis.
Support your response by analyzing the second area of religious influence that you have selected from Unit 3. Use at least two specific examples from the lessons in any unit in your analysis.
Briefly summarize and conclude your short essay.
You will use information from the Sophia tutorials to support your response. When citing material from a tutorial, please include the name of the tutorial and use the following format (using Sophia’s Primal Religions tutorial as an example):
In-text citation: (Primal Religions, n.d.)
Reference: (n.d.). Primal Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit1/study-guide/7845/primal-religions-2
This is only an example, your own citations will be to the tutorials you use in answering the question. Please do not use any sources outside the class.
Refer to the completion checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Have you chosen two areas of religious influence from Unit 3 to analyze? ❒ Drawing on these areas of influence, have you written a clear and succinct response to the question: How do religions both unite and divide humanity? ❒ Have you supported your response by using at least two specific examples from the lessons in any unit, related to the first area of religious influence that you selected?❒ Have you supported your response by using at least two specific examples from the lessons in any unit, related to the second area of religious influence that you selected?❒ Have you ensured that your evidence supports your initial response? If not, now is a good time to go back and revise your response. ❒ Is your short essay between 400-600 words, double-spaced, and formatted in 12-point font?❒ Have you cited examples with in-text citations?❒ Are the cited examples from the class tutorials? ❒ Have you proofread your short essay for mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization?B. Rubric
Advanced (100%)Proficient (80%)Needs Improvement (60%)Non-Performance (0%)
Question Response (5 points)
Essay provides a clear and thoughtful response to the prompt.Essay develops a clear and insightful response to the question prompt, and considers how religions both unite and divide.Essay develops a response to the question prompt, and considers how religions both unite and divide.Essay develops a response to the question prompt, but may only consider how religion unites or divides, lacks clarity, or demonstrates a limited understanding of the content.Essay does not respond to the question prompt, or response is highly irrelevant.
Evaluation of Religious Influence (1) (5 points)
Essay evaluates a first area of religious influence in support of the response. Essay evaluates an area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. The analysis fully supports the response.Essay evaluates an area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. The analysis generally supports the response.Essay minimally or inaccurately evaluates an area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity.Essay does not identify or evaluate an area of religious influence and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. Evaluation of Religious Influence (2) (5 points)
Essay evaluates a second area of religious influence in support of the response.
Essay evaluates a second area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. The analysis fully supports the responseEssay evaluates a second area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. The analysis generally supports the response.Essay minimally or inaccurately evaluates a second area of religious influence selected from Unit 3’s list and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. Example may not be cited correctly, or an outside source is used.Essay does not identify or evaluate an area of religious influence and its effect on uniting or dividing humanity. Use of Evidence (5 points)
Essay uses specific examples that support the response.
At least 4 specific examples from Unit 3’s lesson are used to support the response. These are thoughtfully chosen and explained. Examples are cited appropriately.At least 4 specific examples from Unit 3’s lesson are used to support the response. Examples are cited appropriately.At least 1 specific example from Unit 3’s lesson is used to support the response.No specific examples from the lessons in Unit 3 are used to support the response.
Conventions (4 points)
Essay follows conventions for standard written English. There are almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; all length and formatting requirements are met.There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that do not impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability; length and formatting requirements are not met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability.
Meets Requirements (1 point)
Submission meets formatting requirements, including 12-point font, double-spacing, and word count.
All requirements for formatting and length are met.Requirements for formatting and length are mostly met.Requirements for formatting and length are somewhat met.Requirements for formatting and length are not met at all.
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded: Composition must be between 400-600 words.
Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
Use a readable 12-point font.
All writing must be appropriate for an academic context. Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition. Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.
In-text citations should use this style: (National Religions, n.d.)
References should use this style: (n.d.). National Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit3/study-guide/8190/national-religions-2
All cited examples are from the class tutorials

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course materi

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it until you have completed the unit’s Milestones. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.
Touchstone 1: Reflecting on Major Approaches to Studying Religions
ASSIGNMENT: In this unit, you learned some of the reasons for studying religion. You also learned that religion is universally recognizable, yet difficult to define. A narrow definition of religion that ties it to a belief in and worship of a higher, supernatural power, can exclude religions like Buddhism. On the other hand, definitions of religion that eliminate mention of the otherworldly or divine by equating it simply with “faith” or “belief” yield an understanding that is overly-broad. Due to the challenges of studying religion, various methodologies have arisen including: phenomenology, theology, historical approaches, comparison, philosophy, and sociology. This Touchstone gives you an opportunity to reflect on these major approaches to studying religion.
In a 400-600 word short essay, you will explain the difficulties involved in defining religion. Then you will select one method for studying religion that you believe to be most thought-provoking, and explain its strengths and weaknesses.
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Explain, in your own words, two reasons why religion is difficult to define. Review the lessons in Unit 1 as you consider your response. Then, select one method for studying religion that you believe to be most thought-provoking and explain what you believe to be its strengths and weaknesses. Your short essay should include four parts:
Explain, in your own words, two reasons why religion is difficult to define.
Select one method for studying religion that you believe to be most thought-provoking and summarize the approach in your own words. Explain a strength of this approach to studying religion.
Explain a weakness of this approach to studying religion.
The methods for studying religion discussed in Unit 1 include:
Phenomenology
Theology Historical Approaches
Comparative Religion
Philosophy of Religion
Sociology of Religion As you develop your reflection, be sure to engage with the course material from Unit 1. You will use information from the Sophia tutorials to support your response. When citing material from a tutorial, please include the name of the tutorial and use the following format (using Sophia’s Primal Religions tutorial as an example):
In-text citation: (Primal Religions, n.d.)
Reference: (n.d.). Primal Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit1/study-guide/7845/primal-religions-2
This is only an example, your own citations will be to the tutorials you use in answering the question. Please do not use any sources outside the class.
Refer to the completion checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Have you explained two reasons why religion is difficult to define, in your own words?❒ Have you selected a method for studying religion from Unit 1 and summarized the approach?❒ Have you explained a strength and a weakness of this approach to studying religion?❒ Does your short essay demonstrate engagement with the course material from Unit 1?❒ Is your short essay between 400-600 words, double-spaced, and formatted in 12-point font?❒ Have you cited examples with in-text citations?❒ Are the cited examples from the class tutorials? ❒ Have you proofread your short essay for mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization?B. Rubric
Advanced (100%)Proficient (80%)Needs Improvement (60%)Non-Performance (0%)
Reflects on the Definition of Religion (5 points)
Essay reflects on the difficulty of defining religion. Essay offers a clear discussion of two reasons why religion is difficult to define. The discussion provides unique insights and demonstrates thoughtfulness about the subject.Essay offers a clear discussion of at least one reason why religion is difficult to define.Essay offers a discussion of only one reason why religion is difficult to define; the second reason is missing or vague.Essay does not attempt to reflect on the difficulty of defining religion.
Summarizes a Method for Studying Religion (5 points)
Essay selects and summarizes a method for studying religion.
Essay selects a method for studying religion and clearly and accurately summarizes it. The summary demonstrates careful reading and understanding of the topic. Essay selects a method for studying religion and accurately summarizes it. Essay selects a method for studying religion and attempts to summarize it, but the method may not be from the course material or has an inaccurate description.Essay does not select or summarize a method for studying religion.
Reflects on a Strength of the Method (5 points)
Essay reflects on a strength of the selected method for studying religion.
Essay demonstrates insightful reflection on a strength of the method. Essay demonstrates reflection on a strength of the method. Essay states a strength of the method, but there is no description, or the description is inaccurate.Essay does not attempt to reflect on the strengths of any method for studying religion.
Reflects on a Weakness of the Method (5 points)
Essay reflects on a weakness of the selected method for studying religion.
Essay demonstrates insightful reflection on a weakness of the method. Essay demonstrates reflection on a weakness of the method. Essay states a weakness, but there is no description or the description is inaccurate. Essay does not attempt to reflect on the weaknesses of any method for studying religion.
Use of Evidence (3 points)
Submission uses specific examples from the course, that are cited appropriately, to support the response.
At least 2 specific examples are thoughtfully selected and explained to support the response. Examples from the course material are cited appropriately.At least 2 specific examples from the course are used to support the response. Examples from the course material are cited appropriately.At least 1 example from the course is used to support the response. The example is cited from the course material but may not be cited appropriately. No examples from the course are used or cited to support the response.
Conventions (1 point)
Submission follows conventions for standard written English. There are almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; all length and formatting requirements are met.There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that do not impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability; length and formatting requirements are not met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability. Meets requirements (1 point)
Submission meets formatting requirements, including 12-point font, double-spacing, and word count.
All requirements for formatting and length are met.Requirements for formatting and length are mostly met.Requirements for formatting and length are somewhat met.Requirements for formatting and length are not met at all.
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded: Composition must be between 400-600 words.
Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
Use a readable 12-point font.
All writing must be appropriate for an academic context. Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition. Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.
In-text citations should use this style: (Primal Religions, n.d.)
References should use this style: (n.d.). Primal Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit1/study-guide/7845/primal-religions-2
All cited examples are from the class tutorials

ouchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course materia

ouchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it until you have completed the unit’s Milestones. Once you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted toward your final course score.
Touchstone 2: Comparing and Contrasting the Common Elements of Religions
ASSIGNMENT: For this Touchstone, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of religions so far by comparing and contrasting two of the world’s religions. In a 400-600 word short essay, you will compare and contrast one “Eastern” religion and one “Western” religion discussed so far in this course. Using specific examples from the lessons in Unit 1 and Unit 2 to support your conclusions, you will analyze some of the ways in which these religions are both similar and different. In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Select one “Eastern” religion and one “Western” religion discussed so far in this course. Review the lessons in Unit 1 and Unit 2 as you consider how these religions are both similar and different.
Your short essay should include four parts:
Briefly introduce the two religions you have selected to compare and contrast.
Identify and explain at least two commonalities between these two religions, using specific examples from the lessons.
Identify and explain at least two differences between these two religions, using specific examples from the lessons. Briefly summarize & conclude your short essay. In your conclusion, explain what we can learn about religions in general by noticing both their similarities and differences.
As you develop your response, you should compare or contrast at least one example from each of the following elements of religion:
Historical & geographic origins
Core beliefs & doctrines Core rituals & practices
Important texts & narratives You will use information from the Sophia tutorials to support your response. When citing material from a tutorial, please include the name of the tutorial and use the following format (using Sophia’s Primal Religions tutorial as an example):
In-text citation: (Primal Religions, n.d.)
Reference: (n.d.). Primal Religions [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit1/study-guide/7845/primal-religions-2
This is only an example, your own citations will be to the tutorials you use in answering the question. Please do not use any sources outside the class.
Refer to the completion checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Have you selected one “Eastern” religion and one “Western religion” discussed so far in this course? ❒ Have you briefly introduced the two religions you selected?❒ Have you identified and explained at least two commonalities between these religions?❒ Have you identified and explained at least two differences between these religions?❒ Have you included at least one example from each of the given elements of religion: historical & geographic origins; core beliefs & doctrines; core rituals & practices; and important texts & narratives? ❒ Is your short essay between 400-600 words, double-spaced, and formatted in 12-point font?❒ Have you cited examples with in-text citations? ❒ Are the cited examples from the class tutorials?❒ Have you proofread your short essay for mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization?B. Rubric
Advanced (100%)Proficient (80%)Needs Improvement (60%)Non-Performance (0%)
Selection of Religions (5 points)
Essay identifies an “Eastern” and a “Western” religion discussed in the course.Essay correctly identifies an ‘Eastern’ religion and a ‘Western’ religion to compare and contrast, and accurately describes both. The reasoning behind the selections are clear and interesting.Essay correctly identifies an ‘Eastern’ religion and a ‘Western’ religion to compare and contrast, and accurately describes both.Essay incorrectly categorizes religions, selects two ‘Eastern’ or two ‘Western’ religions, or provides a significantly inaccurate description of one or both.Essay fails to identify an “Eastern” religion and a “Western” religion to compare and contrast, or to provide any description of either.
Analysis of Similarities (Comparison) (5 points)
Essay analyzes similarities between religions and provides specific examples that support the analysis. Essay accurately identifies and explains two similarities between the selected religions. The essay demonstrates an insightful analysis of the similarities.Essay accurately identifies and explains two similarities between the selected religions.Essay accurately identifies and explains only one difference between the selected religions.Essay does not accurately identify and explain similarities between religions.
Analysis of Differences (Contrast) (5 points)
Essay analyzes differences between religions and provides specific examples that support the analysis. Essay accurately identifies and explains at least two differences between the selected religions. The essay demonstrates insightful analysis of these differences.Essay accurately identifies and explains two differences between the selected religions.Essay identifies and explains only one difference between religions. The explanation may be vague or contain inaccuracies.Essay does not accurately identify and explain differences between religions.
Elements of Religion (5 points)
Essay draws on disparate elements of religion for analysis.
Essay describes examples from each of the four elements of religion: -historical & geographic origins -core beliefs & doctrines -core rituals & practices -important texts & narratives The examples are thoughtfully chosen and explained.Essay describes examples from each of the four elements of religion: -historical & geographic origins -core beliefs & doctrines -core rituals & practices -important texts & narrativesEssay describes examples from one or two of the four elements of religion: -historical & geographic origins -core beliefs & doctrines -core rituals & practices -important texts & narratives Two or three elements are missing.Essay does not describe examples from any of the four four given elements of religion: -historical & geographic origins -core beliefs & doctrines -core rituals & practices -important texts & narratives
Use of Evidence (3 points)
Submission uses specific examples from the course, that are cited appropriately, to support the response.
At least 4 specific examples from the course are used to support the response. Examples from the course are cited appropriately. The examples are thoughtfully chosen and explained.At least 4 specific examples from the course are used to support the response. Examples from the course are cited appropriately.1-2 examples from the course are used to support the response. Examples may not be cited appropriately or may come from sources outside of the course material.No examples from the course are used or cited to support the response.
Conventions (1 point)
Essay follows conventions for standard written English. There are almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; all length and formatting requirements are met.There are minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that do not impede readability; length and formatting requirements are nearly met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability; length and formatting requirements are not met.There are consistent errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization that significantly impede readability. Meets requirements (1 point)
Submission meets formatting requirements, including 12-point font, double-spacing, and word count.
All requirements for formatting and length are met.Requirements for formatting and length are mostly met.Requirements for formatting and length are somewhat met.Requirements for formatting and length are not met at all.
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded: Composition must be between 400-600 words.
Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
Use a readable 12-point font.
All writing must be appropriate for an academic context. Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition. Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.
In-text citations should use this style: (Monotheism, n.d.)
References should use this style: (n.d.). Monotheism [MOOC]. In Approaches to Studying Religions. Sophia Learning. https://app.sophia.org/spcc/approaches-to-studying-religions–2/unit2/study-guide/8161/monotheism-2
All cited examples are from the class tutorials