Religious News (Ukraine Edition) 2.26

• Saturday Night Live's cold open features The Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York singing "A Prayer for Ukraine" (Deadline)
• Amid Russian attacks, Ukrainians find shelter in subterranean church (Al Jazeera) 
• Pope expresses his "profound pain" to Ukrainian president (Reuters)
  
• Mormon church withdraws missionaries from Ukraine (Arizona Republic)
•  Jewish groups send aid to Jews in Ukraine (Jerusalem Post)
  

Reflection 3: You'll Get Your Turn—On Our Impending Deaths

Generally speaking, humans tend not to dwell on death too much. For most of us, our own death is a concept too large to wrap our brains around. Still, each and every one of us will eventually die. To help reconcile the gravity of that fact, we've constructed a number of explanations for what happens when we die via religion, philosophy, science, and the arts. Constructs, such as the circle of life or an afterlife, help us better comprehend what lies ahead. But, of course, now one can agree just what happens at the moment of our death. What do you believe happens when we die? Does our essence live on through a soul or form of energy? What of the role of science? How has it informed our understanding of this natural process? Finally, are you afraid of dying? What, if anything, gives you comfort?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Thinking about Death Can Make You Value Life More" (LiveScience)
• "Five Facts About Americans’ Views on Life-and-Death Issues (Pew Research)
• "What Happens When We Die? " (Time)
• "I Do Not Fear Death" (Salon)
• "Confronting Death with an Open, Mindful Attitude" (Huff Post)

Required:

• MLA Style, plus works cited page
• 2 pages
  

Submission Window: Thu 3.3 - Tue 3.8 (via Canvas)

Reflection 2: Let's Change the Subject—How (and How Not) to Talk About Religion

An old adage says Americans should never talk about money, politics, or religion. In reality, all three subjects are talked about regularly today, but all three subjects come with potential pitfalls. Americans must carefully navigate social waters when it comes to religion, especially. Whether you are the one bringing up the subject of religion or you are the one hoping to escape any such conversation, American etiquette dictates at least a minimum amount of politeness and tact. Unfortunately, religious conversations—even among friends—often quickly become uncivil. How should we talk about religion in America? What are the right and wrong times to bring it up? If you are a person of faith, what rules guide the times you speak of your faith? If you do not believe in a religion, how would you prefer the topic is broached, if at all? Finally, where can we find common ground in a topic that divides us so?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "How to Talk About Religion Without Starting a Fight" (Jezebel)
• "How Not to Talk About the Beliefs of Others" (Huff Post)
• "Religion: How to Talk About it Properly" (Chicago Sun-Times)
• "What Non-Christians Want Christians to Hear" (Patheos)
• "How to Deal With Overly Religious Parents Mindfully" (LoveToKnow)

Required:

• MLA Style, plus works cited page
• 2 pages
  

Submission Window: Thu 3.3 - Tue 3.8 (via Canvas)

Week 5: Tue 2.22/Thu 2.24 – Hellenism

Hellenism is the revival of the religious beliefs and practices of Ancient Greece.

Week 5: Tue 2.22/Thu 2.24 – Hellenism
Read: BLUE—5. Faith: Penguin Sex – 8. Gods: Our Tiny Invisible Friends
Class: Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Reading Right: New Techniques” and “Do It Now: Ten Easy Grammar Fixes” Upcoming:

Week 6: Tue 3.1/Thu 3.3 – Buddhism
Read: BLUE—9. Change: New Starts at Ancient Faith – 12. Church: How I Go Without Getting Angry
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Guest speaker—TBA; Lecture— “Inside the Narrative: Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad”
Due: REFLECTIONS 2 & 3