Attached Files: Religion Worship Visit.docx (15.047 KB) 1) Visit a place of worship- Your own or one you are interested in.A) In most cases it will be a serviceB) In some cases it will be more of a “Tour” (eg: Baha’i Temple)C) Call ahead:- For a place and time of service- Explain your purpose in visiting- Ask if there is a dress code.- Ask if you can have an interview (Elder, Monk, Deacon, Minister, Rabbi, Imam, Member, other official etc.) 2) Obtain some background about the religion you selected.A) Read some material ahead of visit (book/ Internet)B) Pick up materials available at Worship site. *** Most Religious places and groups welcome sincere students as visitors. Remember you are a guest. Be quiet, respectful, appropriately dressed and THANK YOUR HOSTS! The PaperThe assignment is to write a 7-10 page paper on a worship experience visit. 1/3 of the paper should summarize major beliefs and history of the religion, and the background of the local group which you visited. 2/3 of the paper describes a “phenomenological” account of the religious activity. The purpose is to observe, carefully and empathetically, what actually happens. It is a first hand observation by you. It is not meant to criticize or praise the group but to describe and compare it to what we’ve studied and to significant comparison links, if applicable, to your own religious tradition. Writing the Paper: Proper paper format- Title page, double spaced, short works-cited page for the material you used. 3) Here is a possible outline of the visit and what to include in the paper.A) General Information:- Give full name, exact address and religious affiliation of the group (don’t say ‘Buddhist Temple’ or ‘Catholic Church’)- Give exact date and time of the visit; give the name and type of service attended.- Describe apparent social class, lifestyle type, ethnic background, gender, average age, number present of participants.- Describe what happened from beginning to end of your visit. Try to give some sense of emotional tone and subjective spiritual meaning of the scenario. Was the opening dramatic or casual? Is congregational participation emotional or reserved? IS much of the service spontaneous of ritualized?- Describe the significance of the art, architecture and symbolism in and around the site. If you obtain an interview (20min short). It is best to do after you have attended the service so you can ask more questions (optional) B) Analysis: Analyze the topic in terms of the three forms of religious expression. 1) Theoretical: What, essentially, does this religion teach? As far as you could tell from this one experience, what is the main message this religion gives through it’s sermons, practices, symbols, etc. ?2) Practical: What is the basic nature of the worship? Formal or informal? Ancient or modern? Structured or spontaneous? What message about this group conceives the role of the religion does the nature of the worship communicate?3) Sociological: What kind of group is it? Close-knit or diffused? Mostly people drawn to the religion by family or ethnic ties, or mostly committed converts of different backgrounds? What Role does the priest/leader play? What message about religious experience and meaning is communicated by the nature of the leadership and the group?This should be an interesting and rewarding experience. Best wishes.
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