West Religion experience reflection

· Sabbath

· Jewish holidays

· Prophet/Moses

· Covenant relationship/ Chosen People

· Holocaust and anti-Semitism

· Orthodox, conservative and reform

· Sephardic and Ashkenazic

· Zealots, Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes

· Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

· Jewish concept of Messiah

· Summarize some of the main teachings from the Sermon on the Mount.

· How did Constantine play a role during the transformation of Christianity?

· Pick three Christian holidays and explain in detail historically, especially regarding their pagan influence.

· Describe Paul and his role in the spread of Christianity.

· Compare and contrast the 4 gospels (authors) of the NT.

· Summarize several of the main teachings from the Sermon on the Mount.

· What role did the martyrs play in the spread of Christianity?

· Why is Constantine so important to the development of Christianity?

· How is Mary ("Theotokos") viewed within Catholicism?

· What were the reasons Jesus was killed and the circumstances surrounding his arrest and sentencing?

· How/why did the early monastic movement develop? How did it affect the Catholic church? Give an example of a desert father.

· Compare and contrast at least two modern Christian Protestant denominations (i.e. LDS, Pentecostals, Methodists, AME, Baptists, etc.)

· Discuss some of the other books that did not make it into the official canon.

· What is a saint's role within the Catholic tradition? Choose a saint and describe.

· Muhammed, his role in Islam, how he is viewed by Muslims, his revelations and the beginnings of early Islam.

· Shariah, its prohibitions and cultural influences.

· Hijab, its symbolism, scriptural reference, controversy, etc.

· Stereotyping and why Muslims are not all terrrorists.

· Sufism and the mystical tradition of Islam.

· Women and Islam, early history and practice.

· Nation of Islam and Malcolm X

· Paganism and Wicca

· Hoodoo (Voodoo)

· Scientology

· Rastafarianism

· Theosophy

· Falun Gong

· Humanism

· Cao Dai

· Contemplative Practices

· Pop Culture/Film, Art and Photography

· Interrelatedness

· Eclectic Spirituality

· Environmentalism

· Sacred Texts and Violence

· Secularism

· Science and Ethical Issues

· Science and Technology

· Sexuality and Orientation

· Women's Rights

· Multiculturalism and Interfaith Dialogue

· The New World Order