1) At the beginning of the term, you wrote about your views about the Bible – •Now that the term is over, have your views about the Bible and how it can be used changed? If so, how and why? •Please identify two things you learned in this course about the Bible, its contents, its context, or how it has been interpreted? •How have your attitudes towards other Religions and the role of religion in American Society changed? 2) The simulation activities we did this term addressed various aspects of the interactions between religion and Society, primarily in an American context. (please address each of them in terms of the questions below): o Bomb the Church o Kansas Evolution 2000 o Same Sex Marriage in Massachusetts – 2000 - Where is the line between religious power and secular power in these scenarios (at least the “real” ones)? – How well are dissenting religious voices protected? – What voices (or ideas) were prominent in these role plays? What voices (or ideas) were absent? – How relevant do you think the conflicts in the games are to current American debates? - Do you consider religion to be a positive or negative influence in modern society? Why? Please give examples. - Please comment on the process of using roleplay simulations to study religion – how was it helpful or challenging for you? 3) Please read the following article: https://www.jta.org/2019/02/05/opinion/i-was-barred-from-becoming-a-foster-parent-because-i-am-jewish?fbclid＝IwAR2cSMKOsDqWs2pZkDdfSFyVcRHtmilQQgRRZRdB5ktQ6slN13xKt0OS2Cs – How does this article relate to the themes and conflicts in the two larger simulations we used? – What criteria would you use to assess its reliability? (see for instance https://library.hccs.edu/evaluatingsources/test) – Do you think it’s reliable? Why or why not? – Using ideas from this course, please discuss how you think this situation should be resolved? 4) Please comment on your progress toward each of the following goals which were listed in the syllabus: [and it is ok to indicate that you don’t feel you achieved the goal or that the coursework didn’t address it enough] •Read the Hebrew Bible critically for its own merit & for Christian meanings, & compare the many ways Jews & Christians (especially Catholics) have interpreted its stories ◦This Relates to Field 1 Goal 1b: “Understand religious ideas and religious values in their relationship to religious institutions” ◦And also to Goal 1c: “Understand the diversity of patterns of religious belief in human experience” •Describe the ways the Hebrew Bible has been implemented in different communities and religious institutions and specifically in American society ◦This Relates to Field 1 Goal 1a: “Understand the role of religion in the experiences and actions of human life” •Apply various scholarly approaches for understanding the Hebrew Bible as you explore its contents, themes, history, social setting, etc. ◦This Relates to Field 1 Goal 2b “Demonstrate the ability to understand and explain religious concepts” •Explore the Bible’s statements about social issues like race, gender, and morality and how those statements have been used and continue to be used in society ◦This Relates to Field 1 Goal 2c “Demonstrate the ability to relate course subject matter to human experience” •Develop your interpretive voice & investigate the Hebrew Bible’s modern implications, with attention to use of primary sources ◦This Relates to Field 1 Goal 2a: “Demonstrate competence in the use and analysis of primary sources” 5) This paper is worth 50 points. Please make a case for the number of points you earned and discuss how this fits with your overall performance in the course. (please use points (40, 45, 50, etc) instead of letter grade. (note – if you skip some of the above sections, that may reduce your grade) – (note – for any references anything that’s not your own words, please indicate a citation – it can be as simple as “Borowski, Daily Life in Biblical Times
