Humanities 387
Western Religions
Fall 2003
Professor David A. Salomon
Christianity Essay

Choose ONE and only one of the following questions. Some are more difficult than others; choose a question that you feel comfortable with and one that you feel you can discuss competently, completely, and interestingly. Answer it in a complete and thoughtful essay. Your essay should be a well-developed, clear, logical and complete idea developed from a definite thesis statement. Use texts where appropriate to support your answer, but not merely summarize your reading or the lectures. Secondary sources will be necessary; begin with your course text. Any sources you use in your paper must be properly cited according to the conventions of MLA style. Unless otherwise noted, do not use Internet sources. Use the conventions of good essay writing; if you have doubts as to what those are, see either the instructor and/or visit the Writing Center.

Essays should be typed (double-spaced) and approximately 4-6 pages in length–no fewer than 4 full pages will suffice for this assignment, and longer than that is undoubtedly necessary to answer any of these questions in any kind of depth. This paper is due on Thursday, November 20. Papers must be submitted on time. Papers handed in late will receive a one grade deduction for each class late. I will be happy to look at drafts ahead of time; in fact, I encourage it! Papers must be stapled; unstapled papers will be returned unread.

You must, by noon of the day the paper is due, upload a copy of the paper to turnitin.com, following the proper procedure. Our class account ID is 1076589, and the password is jacket1. You have not completed the assignment until you have handed in a hard copy in class and uploaded a digital copy of your paper to turnitin.com.

Read the questions carefully. Proofread your work.

1) Write an essay in which you discuss the differences and similarities between the early gnostic view and the early catholic view (note the small "c") of Christianity. You should clearly describe/discuss/define the two views, and your thesis should address whether you believe there are more differences or more similarities.

2) Examine how the Christian ritual of the Mass attempts to link contemporary Christians to ancient and early Christians. This essay will address the various components of the Mass (be sure to be clear on the denomination you are discussing) and discuss their relationship to the earliest practices as evident in the New Testament.

3) Compare and contrast three rituals within two (no more) specific contemporary Christian denominations.

4) Write an essay that examines the development of Christian monasticism and focuses on the reasons for that development in the first place. What did Benedict, particularly, find distasteful about secular life that compelled him to found the monastic movement?

5) Discuss the changing role of women in Christianity, focusing on the importance of Eve and Mary in your essay. (This is the most difficult question and is probably more appropriate as a longer paper topic.)

6) Using the Gospel texts as your only sources, discuss the role of antisemitism in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death (suggestion: focus on the Gospel of John).