Capstone Project

As we move into the second week of our course, the objective this week is to begin pushing you to think about your Capstone Project. As such, to answer this week’s response, you will first need to select one of the nine religions on page eleven of your Syllabus. To be sure, just because you choose one of these religions for this prompt, does not mean that you are locked into that religion for the Capstone Project. This will, however, give you a chance to begin researching these New Religious Movements so that you can start the research process well before our first Rough Draft is due in a couple of weeks. After choosing one of those religions, your first task is to do some research on the history and beliefs of that religion. After doing so, your second task is to argue whether the religion is best defined by control or liberation/transformation. These two concepts should sound familiar as they are the very one’s that are dealt with in your Religion for Breakfast video this week. In making your argument, I will be looking for responses that assess their religion fairly and without bias. To be sure, one of the challenges of being a scholar of religion is to examine religion with empathy and with understanding. I will be watching for this in your posts this week, and will moderate them as necessary if there is a sense of unfairness or religious prejudice in our post. Structure-wise, please provide three examples that prove your argument in your post. In addition, be sure to divide your post into three distinct paragraphs so that your readers will know where one idea ends and another begins. Finally, remember to respond to at least two other students, aiming for an 80 average Curiosity Score or higher in your responses to peers.