Choose a religious tradition other than your own and write an essay describing its strengths and why it might have existential validity for the person who believes in that tradition. The purpose of the essay is not to argue against your religious tradition, but rather to argue for a religious tradition other than your own. Try to choose a tradition that is challenging for you to defend, that is, a religion that is radically different than you own. As you think about your essay, keep this quote from Reat’s essay “Insiders and Outsides” that we read the 1st week of class:

“I know that my religion is an essential aspect of my life as a fully human being. However, I see other fully human beings who do not share my religious beliefs. Therefore, their beliefs, when fully understood, will be seen to fulfill the same urgent, existential needs—for example the universal human need for meaning and purpose in life—that my beliefs to, and this is the key to understanding not only other religions, but perhaps even my own religion” 

As with Essay 1, make sure your essay is clear, both grammatically and structurally (refer to my “Tips for Writing” essays here), and don’t just give a catalogue of tenets and beliefs of the religion that you might find, say, in an Encyclopedia entry. Think of your own religion (or world view) and ask yourself what is it in your religion that fulfills your own “urgent, existential needs” and then find that similar concept, belief, ritual, or practice in the tradition you choose to write about. Focus your essay on this concept, belief, ritual, or practice, and try not veer from this topic or begin listing items in the religion that don’t relate to your topic. Feel free to make use of external sources, both primary and secondary, to help strengthen your essay.

I hope you find this exercise both challenging and meaningful, and I look forward to reading your final draft.

Best of luck!