Exploration Project One: Religion in Your Neighborhood
(minimum 1500 words)
In this exploration project, I want you to go out and explore (walk, bike, drive, ride; or usethe
internet; or better yet, use both) the religious diversity of your immediate neighborhood You may define “neighborhood” in various ways, such as “one mile in each direction of my apartment in the city” or “my small town” or “Brooklyn Park” or “North Minneapolis.” The scope of your neighborhood must be large enough to include at least 3 different religions or denominations. However, don’t let the neighborhood be larger than a small-sized city (Minneapolis is too large). You may choose the place you grew up (even overseas) or the place you currently live. To begin your exploration, check out community resources such as the yellow pages, community newspapers, community postings and fliers, craigslist, internet searching, drive around and look for signs, ask people around about religious groups in the neighborhood. Do as much investigative field work as you can! Don’t be afraid to contact locations and ask questions. You should do some creative searching as well, since some religious groups do not advertise themselves as religions but rather a spiritual group, a community center, a music or dance group or a meeting hall. Some will be located in an obviously religious building, but others may be in homes, centers, cafes, bookstores, or healing centers. For example, Wiccan groups can meet in bookstores or homes; Mosques are often called “Masjid” or “Islamic Center”; Christians can meet in homes or schools or theaters. Take close care in your searching! As you gather information and observe religious diversity in your neighborhood, try to do some interviews (via email, phone, in-person) with people who you know or get to know in the neighborhood. Keep a journal of all your field notes and remember to ask the persons you interview if you can include their name and comments in your paper! After you are done with your exploring, start writing. In the first sentence of your exploration, define the boundaries of your neighborhood. Then, describe the rich diversity of religious communities in your neighborhood in broad ways. After you have given a good picture of the religious diversity, create a profile of 3 different religious places that you found with more details. You could focus on, for example, one catholic church, one mosque and one Indian temple; or maybe one synagogue, one Buddhist Zen Center and one Protestant church; or maybe one catholic, one Lutheran and one Methodist church. For each profile, describe what makes each UNIQUE and DIFFERENT from each other. Include demographics about the people2 participating (language, ethnic group, class, etc..), observations and reflections on the religious art, symbols and structure of the meeting place (any images, styles, age, etc…), their key beliefs and values as well as their programs and activities in the community – including how they have responded to the pandemic, racial injustices, the environment, etc… Try to point out how they are different from the other religious groups or denominations near them and anything else you find interesting. You may need to do additional research as well to help in your explanation. And have fun!
Exploration Project Two: Participant Observation in a Monotheist
Religion (1500 word minimum)
For your second exploration project, each of you will choose one monotheist religion that you personally do not follow and have not been a part of in the past. You must observe and/or
participate in one of their rituals, such as worship, practices, music, dance, prayer, meditation, etc… (note: if you are part of one “denomination” (such as Catholic or Lutheran in Christianity or Reform Judaism, etc…, you MAY NOT choose a different denomination for this project unless approved by instructor). A monotheist religion is a religious community that worships one God (even as that God is known and experienced in different ways). This would include Judaism, Islam, Christianity (including Jehovah Witness and Church of Latter Day Saints), Baha’i, Sikhism and some African and Indigenous religions as well. For example, you may attend a worship service at a church or temple (if you are not or have not been Christian) or synagogue (if not Jewish) or Friday prayers at a Mosque (if not Muslim), visit a Catholic Monastery, attend a Muslim Sufi Dzikr, etc… The point of this is to experience
directly a different religious practice in a monotheist religion with respect and appreciation, take notes (if possible) and then answer the questions below. It will be up to you to find this religious ritual. Many religions have websites with days and times each week for new people or observers to come. Sometimes there are student organizations (such as at MCTC or UofM) that have weekly experiences, but not often in the summer. You may also want to phone or email the place ahead of time to make sure it is OK for you to observe or participate. If you explain that you are a college student doing a research project and do so with a respectful attitude and good intentions, most places are very welcoming!
BEFORE you go to observe or participate, you must do research to learn about that religion and that specific religious ritual. You should use the books for this class, but you also need to use the Research Guide to gather scholarly works on that religion and practice. You should begin by finding entries on that religion and that religious ritual in the Encyclopedia of Religion that you can access through the Research Guide on the MCTC library website. You need to look into other scholarly sources, such as journal articles, books and other encyclopedias and include a bibliography of all of the scholarly sources you used for this project no less than 5 sources! General websites do not count as scholarly sources! If you want to participate in something not listed above, you must get your project approved by your instructor (via email or phone) before you go.3
WHILE THERE you must demonstrate respect and tolerance for that religion at all times even if/when you disagree. Take notes on what you see and experience; try to interview someone about the meaningfulness of the practice from their perspective and ask permission to use their comments for your paper. Keep in mind the four questions while there as you will answer them as part of the project.
AFTER you participate in the religious practice, answer all five questions below. Include
information from your textbooks, websites and research in your answers as well. Please include a bibliography of articles, books, websites, etc… that you used in your project.
Question One: describe the practice/ritual experience in detail including who you may have talked to and the research you did prior to your participation.
Question Two: explain the key physical elements (physical; sensual) such as art, readings,
words, body postures, structures, etc… that you observed or experience as part of the practice. Where do these physical elements come from? How are they related to the religion’s texts, history or beliefs?
Question Three: explain the key psychological-spiritual elements (beliefs, ideas subjective experiences) that you observed or experienced as part of the practice. Where do these elementscome from? How are they related to the religion’s texts, history or beliefs?
Question Four: explain the key social elements (texts, social functions, communal
engagements, etc…) that you observed or experienced as part of this practice. Where do thesecome from?
Question Five: describe something from this experience that you believe could be a basis for
interfaith dialogue, and activity with people of other religions. In other words, given that this is a different religious group from your own, what do you see as a common starting point to foster a healthy relationship between your religion and theirs? If you are not part of a religion, then what common starting point is there between your own beliefs and practices and this religious group?
Include a bibliography of all of the sources you used for this project. You need a minimum of 5 scholarly sources in addition to any non-scholarly sources you used.
Note: for those of you who cannot find any religious experience to attend or believe that the assignment violates your religious ethics, please discuss this with the instructor as soon as possible for an alternative assignment.
Another Note: some of you who participate in religious practices regularly might want to
extend an invitation to other students so that they can go with you for this project. You could be a very valuable “guide” for other students, particularly those of you who practice religions often misunderstood or unknown. Post your invitation on the “Come with Me for Your Project Three” in the discussion board as soon as possible.
