Religious Ritual/Worship

B. This paper should be written according to the guidelines offered on canvas, “What are the qualities of a writing assignment that gets a grade of A- or A? The quality of your writing is an important component of your grade.

C. This report should be descriptive and analytical; it is NOT a research paper. The ritual, under the current circumstances, may be viewed on youtube or any other site. It should be 3-2-3 typed pages (double-spaced). You don’t have to answer all the questions below, only those issues that are relevant to the ritual you witnessed.

D. The Setting:

1. What religion does this ritual represent? Make sure you know the precise denomination of the church/synagogue/temple.

2. What is the link so that I can witness it as well?

3. Who is the clergy conducting the ritual? What is his/her title? Are there other clergy or laity involved in the ritual? Who are they? (Not names, but how are they linked to the ritual?)

4. Is the room/building imposing or intimate?

5. Is the room decorated (visually stimulating) and pleasing?

6. Are the participants situated toward each other, toward a leader, toward the room itself, or toward a religious artifact?

7. Is the physical environment pleasant? (Art, decorations, simple? Elaborate? Any other description you can offer?)

8. Is there a pleasant auditory environment? (music, chanting, reading, silences)?

9. Did the environment contribute to a sense of sacred space or sacred time for the participants? How was that evident to you?

10 The Ritual. Does the ritual that you are observing fit one of the following? In what way? Explain.

a. the commemoration of a life cycle event? (wedding, communion, bar mitzvah?

b. it acknowledges the passage of seasons and finds religious significance in them?

c. it contains one or more of the following elements: adoration, thanksgiving, petition and penance, purification? (look up these words if they are not clear).

d. the commemoration of a “historical” event?

11. Other issues:

a. Did this ritual/ceremony have any effect on the other people participating in it? Did it have any effect upon you? To what would you attribute this feeling?

b. What did you learn about this religion from witnessing this event? What did you learn about its view of God? Humankind? Those who belong to this religion? The history of this religious community?

c. If you would like to offer a critique of anything you witnessed, do so only in the most respectful manner.