mod2 religion

Assignment 1: Discussion: Individual Faith

In this course so far, you have spent time learning about various world religions and also the philosophy of religion. Now it is time for you to examine faith on an individual level.

In this assignment, you are going to look at the religious beliefs of one person and then categorize those beliefs. You may give a brief account of your own faith or you may interview someone and give an account of his or her faith.

Next, categorize those beliefs according to the following typology:

•Polytheist

•Monotheist

•Deist

•Pantheist

•Panentheist

•Atheist

•Agnostic

•Mystic

•Other

Describe the category you chose. Give examples of the beliefs of the person you wrote about and then explain why those beliefs belong in the category you selected.

Next, give a short answer to the following classic questions of philosophy, relative to the category you have chosen:

•What can this person believe about God and the universe?

•What must this person do to lead an ethical life?

•What may this person hope? What happens to this person when he or she dies?

Your initial response should be 2 to 3 paragraphs (250 words) in length. If you write about another person's beliefs, remember to keep that person anonymous.

After you post your initial response, please respond to a minimum of two of your peers' original posts. Remember, you are not to criticize the religious beliefs of your classmates.

By Saturday, September 13, 2014 write an account of you own religious beliefs, or those of a friend, and post that account to the Discussion Area. By Wednesday, September 17, 2014 respond to at least two original postings from your classmates.

Assignment 2: Unless I See, I Will Not Believe: The Relationship between Faith and Doubt

The words faith and doubt are easy to define, but they are much more difficult to live with. Faith is the belief in what is unseen or unsubstantiated in the physical sense as if it were in fact reality. Doubt is a particularly difficult concept for organized religions to handle—the doubts of a handful of believers, or even a single believer, can lead to a major change in a religion. Thus, as humans are we destined to doubt by human nature?

In an essay of 700 to 800 words, discuss the relationship between doubt and faith.

In your essay, address the following questions:

•What do the terms faith and doubt mean to religious philosophers?

•How do you define faith and doubt in the context of your life?

•What is the difference between saying, "I believe that," and "I believe in"?

•Is faith, in the religious sense, a matter of opinion or of trust?

•Are faith and doubt incompatible? Are they opposite or complementary?

•Discuss the religious tradition (of the five options) where faith is most prevalent. Where doubt is the most prevalent. Do these religions offer insight into your own faith/doubt equation?