Religious Literacy Reflection 1

Reflection and Application Assignment 1

(to be used as HD assessment)

Assignment Instructions: In a short-essay format (approximately 300-400 words), engage the following reflection and application prompt to demonstrate your critical thinking on the subject. Your entry should have a clear thesis and draw upon course materials and examples to support your argument. Quotations should include in-text citations.

PROMPT: In our study of religions weve seen how classification, definition and identification are methods by which humans make the world knowable, but in so doing they also can have real-world effects on people and communities and studying the ways in which religion/people are classified can also reveal something about the classifier. In a well-organized short answer (approx.. 300-400 words), respond to the following:

• Describe a specific example from your readings that helped you understand how classification and definition of religion(s) is a socially constructed phenomenon which shapes and impacts understanding. Offer enough details to orient your reader well, do not assume they know what you are referencing. (This example should come from course readings, cite where you are getting the example from. Failure to use a course example will result in a zero.)
• Explain the influence that environmental and historical contexts have had on the social construction of the religion identified in the example above.
• Analyze how the classification and definition systems used to identify this religion have also created barriers for some and opportunities for others. Where and how are there discriminatory attitudes present within this social construction?

You will need to submit this assignment here for class points and then AGAIN in the HD Assessment Assignment.