Balancing the Insider vs. Outsider Perspective: Analyzing and Understanding Religious Experience
Balancing the insider vs. outsider perspective is key to an academic study of religion. For most religions you will be the outsider, until we study your religion. But as F. Max Mueller said "to know one is to know none", so comparing one religion to others is an important analytical tool. As is learning to have empathy (the ability to see things from another's perspective. But how do we do that? I like to break it down like this:
1. What am I observing? symbols, rituals.
2. What is the meaning or motivation behind what I am observing?
3. How does this compare to other religions including my own?
4. Is there a concept or principle that applies to myself or the world at large?
As religious scholars it is important not only to learn the facts and details of a religion but to have experience, learn from insiders, and analyze what we learn so we can develop empathy (the ability to see things from another's perspective) Beyond experiencing and learning about another religion, learning to take what you have learned and write a clear essay is part of the scholar's trade. The ability to clearly express your ideas, arguments and opinions in an essay is a skill that goes far beyond the classroom.
1. How did this experience help me to better understand Christianity?
2. How does this compare to other religions?
3. What lessons can be applied from this religion?
Experience & reflection paper
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Criteria
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Ratings
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Pts
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization & Grammar:
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3 pts
Excellent
Clear thesis. Well-organized and easy to follow, with an introduction and conclusion. Clearly written and well-edited for grammar and spelling, including complete sentences. Presented in your own words.
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2 pts
Satisfactory
Weak thesis. Mostly well-organized but could be improved with revision to make the argument clearer to the reader. At times the paper could have been more tightly written. Mostly well-written with a few errors in grammar or spelling
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1 pts
Needs work
No thesis. The essay lacks a clear organization, making the argument difficult to follow. Lacks an introduction and/or conclusion, or the introduction and/or conclusion are overly brief and do not clearly state the argument and summarize the key points. Contains several errors or style issues that detract from the clarity and readability of the essay.
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3 pts
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescription of religious experience
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3 pts
Excellent
Clear description of the religious experience that demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another religion in relation to its beliefs, practices, teachings, and history.
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2 pts
Satisfactory
Factual description of sequence of events with little “texture” or interpretation. Clearly not fully developed.
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1 pts
Needs work
Little description at all, or brief, perfunctory statements glossing over the event(s). The reader has little idea what transpired
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3 pts
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAnalysis / Synthesis
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3 pts
Excellent
Asks complex questions about other religions, seeks out and articulates answers to these questions that reflect multiple religious perspectives. (synthesis)
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2 pts
Satisfactory
Asks deeper questions about other religions and seeks out answers to these questions.
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1 pts
Needs work
Asks simple or surface questions about other religions.
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3 pts
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeApplication/ Evaluation
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3 pts
Excellent
Recognizes the value in another religion’s beliefs or practice and demonstrates how the world at large or oneself could benefit from the principle.
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2 pts
Satisfactory
Positive experience at an intuitive or emotive level. Gains affectively from the ‘experience’ but applying insights are few or simplistic
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1 pts
Needs work
Doing the assignment. Neutral experience without personal resonance or impact.
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3 pts
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEmpathy
The ability to see things from another's perspective.
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3 pts
Excellent
Interprets religious experience from the perspectives of own and more than one worldview and demonstrates ability to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the feelings of another religious group.
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2 pts
Satisfactory
Recognizes intellectual and emotional dimensions of more than one worldview and sometimes uses more than one worldview in interactions.
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1 pts
Needs work
Views the experience of others but does so through own cultural worldview.
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3 pts
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Total Points: 15
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