Religion Foundations Project: Class Guide Home

Essential Questions:

• How are new religions created? 
• What social, political and personal drivers do religions fulfill?

Religion Foundation Project

Part 1 – Group Presentation

Mission: In your group, research the origin, symbolism, and system foundation of your religion.

Presentations should include commentary on the following:

• Events leading to the creation of the religion
• Key figures in the creation of the religion
• Philosophical/Political/Spiritual/Mystical motivations for the founding
• Geographically significant characteristics that influenced the formation of the religion
• Goals when created vs. goals today
• Commandments/Mantra/Oral Tradition and the significance/message/mission of each for the religion
• Social situation at the founding – unity/disunity
• Social Contract, coercive creation, proselytizing faith?
• Inspiration/Continuity/Failure of the faith – what keeps it going or not?
• Key components to remember

The Group must present as a team.

Each Presentation should be 20 to 30 minutes in length – though some groups go way over time.

Each group must have a handout, and visual - and music and/or ritual samples might be relevant – power point, poster, map, mp3….

Groups will be graded on the following: 1) Completion and Distribution of Tasks, 2) Accuracy of Information, 3) Class involvement/attentiveness, 4) Audio and Visuals, 5) Analysis of group findings 6) Individual and team performances, 7) Timing

Due Date: Presentations will be given as the introduction of their corresponding unit

Part 2 – Personal Analysis “Thinking like Smith”

The final component to the project will be a 3-5 page analytical paper in which you discuss the findings of the group and offer your individual interpretation of the advantages or disadvantages your religion possessed as it attempted to grow and stabilize. Your conclusion should make a comment as to the short and long term viability of the faith and why it exists the way it does today.

Each paper should be typed in Times New Roman size 12 font, with one inch margins, and no cover page. Writing should begin at the top of the first page and end with the bibliography.  A complete bibliography of sources must be included, and internal citations used to note the source of your information must be used. Any paper not following this format will be returned unread to be resubmitted with a maximum grade of D.

Papers may be turned in in paper form, or emailed. All emailed work should be sent as a Word document with “your name”.doc (Ex. Stuart.doc) as the file name. 

Papers will be graded on: 1) Format, 2) Introduction 3) Accuracy and relevance of the facts discussed, 4) Logic/Quality of assertions, 5) Conclusion

Due Date: October 27^th

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