Theology paper "Church experience."

Paper Prompt

This is to be a 4 to 5 page paper, analyzing your experience at a religious service or house of worship in any given faith. I ask you to choose, for your first assignment, a religious tradition that you are unfamiliar with – one that is not your own. For one of the subsequent assignments, you may choose your own faith to assess. I have provided the names of several local organizations or houses of worship which might be useful to choose from. I will also arrange for several field trips if you would like to do this fieldwork in a group setting.

Please make arrangements with someone at that particular house of worship, letting them know in advance that you are going to attend. There may be certain dress codes or points of behavior etiquette that you should follow. Ask them about this. Let them know that you are doing this for a college class. You may let them know my name if you’d like. If a ceremony or service is available to you, try to attend one of those. It is important to witness the rituals and services of different faiths, to get a good sense of everyday worship. If these are inaccessible to non-members or if you are unable to make arrangements to visit during a ceremony, then simply make an appointment to speak directly to someone in the congregation – perhaps one of the clergy or leadership – who would be willing to give you a tour of the house of worship and speak with you in person about their faith.

When you attend, remember that you are an emissary, a representative, from LMU. Be a suitable representative that will make a good impression. Do not judge. Remember that all people of all religions have suffered persecution at some point. We share that heritage. Give them the opportunity to teach you something about themselves without being condescending toward them.

When you are at the house of worship, remain as silent as you can while the service is going on, so as not to disturb any of the ceremonies. Observe without judgment. After the service, ask questions of the people who have been your hosts or guides, but ask politely and respectfully. It is important to ask questions, so that misunderstandings do not persist. If you talk about your own faith at all with your hosts, please do not do so in an adversarial manner, preaching at them. Merely share your perspectives briefly, for comparison, and do so non-confrontationally.

In your paper, give a brief summary of the experience, including the date, time, location, and any other details, such as the particular religion or sect, the type of service you attended, and perhaps the title and name of the person presiding over the service or acting as your guide. Then address certain things such as your understanding of the relationship between the religious leaders and the congregation. Focus on the way people address the deity (if applicable) and what their perceived relationship is with that deity. Focus on the use of space in the house of worship. Is there more lateral (left-right) space, or more longitudinal space? Is there much vertical gradation, suggesting hierarchy and elevation of the deity above the adherents? What do the worshipers hope to achieve through their rituals? Is it reconciliation with the divine? Is it appeasement? Favor? Any other observations that you have, such as the relationship between men and women or children and adults, during the service, are worthwhile noting as well. Please limit yourself to 4-5 pages, double spaced, with 1” margins.

This should be a fun and enjoyable experience, one in which you have learned something about another religion. The only way for us to understand each other as human beings is to share with one another and to be exposed to each other’s traditions in a non-adversarial situation.