The religion I want to do it on is “Islam”…..

Interview a person from another religious tradition than your own. They must belong to tradition that is covered in our textbook. It cannot be their personal religion or spirituality. You will want to interview someone who is devoted to their religion. Do not interview a spouse, parent, sibling, or child of your immediate family. Be sure to schedule your interview several weeks in advance. Particularly if you are interviewing professional clergy (priests, imans, ministers, rabbis, etc), be prepared to interview at their convenience. Face to face interviews are encouraged. Email / text interviews are not accepted.

Be sure to provide your interviewee a list of questions at least a week prior to the interview. Your interviewee may wish to conduct your interview with other students. There are many sections of this course that require an interview or visit. Please express your gratitude for their time. In the first paragraph, clearly state the name of your interviewee and the date the interview occurred.

Prior to the interview, you should review the basic history, beliefs, and practices of the religion that you have learned this semester. If it is a particular faith expression that we have not covered, you will have to do some of your own background study. You are not bound to the questions below. They are a starting point and give you some broad direction. The purpose of the interview is for you to have an conversation based on your understanding of the religion and their experience. If your interviewee gives an answer that is different from what you have studied, respectfully ask them to explain. The interviewee should not feel defensive. Respect their experiences and perspective. Often local expressions of religion differ from the historical tradition. Be sure you include information beyond what is included in the textbook for each question. The goal of the project is to go beyond the basics, so including the same beliefs that the textbook teaches does not offer anything new. Submit an essay, multimedia product, or website which answers the following questions:

1. What are the essential teachings of your faith? Again, go deeper than the information in the notes and textbook. What does their sect/group/denomination emphasize or do differently than other members of the faith?

1. What is your Sacred Scripture? Why is it sacred?
2. Who are the leaders in your tradition? This includes founders, significant teachers, prophets considered the most significant leader in your religion and why? I’m more interested in leadership at a local, regional or denominational level. If Christian, one assumes Jesus is important. If Muslim, one assumes Muhammad. Do not include either of these in this response. What takes place in worship (see above)?
3. How does an individual join the faith and/or the local congregation? What is expected of members?
4. What are the significant rites of passage and other rituals/practices in your faith?
5. What are the roles of men, women, and children in your religion?
6. What attitude does your religion have towards other religions?
7. In Raleigh / Durham, how large is this faith? How many religious centers exist for this faith group?
8. What is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you want outsiders to understand about your faith? What is the biggest misconception others have of your faith? What are resources to correct this misconception?
9. Other relevant questions you come up with on your own.

RESOURCES TO CONSIDER

• You may want to visit this DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS CENTERS (opens in a new window) (plain text URL is http://pluralism.org/pages/directory/about) to locate resources close to you.

III.PRESENTATION

ESSAY OPTION Acceptable Length: 4 double-spaced pages, 12 point Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma font, 1 inch margins

Formatting Requirements:
Put your name, course and section number, and assignment title clearly at the top of the document.

To get a top score, your paper should:

1. Include an introduction in which you identify the activity, date, and place of worship or person interviewed.
2. Be organized clearly, guided by the above questions.
3. Include specific information that demonstrates insight into the important characteristics of the religion. If your interview subject cannot answer a question, include why they cannot answer AND do some light research to see if you can find any information.
4. Include observations that show objectivity and appreciation towards the religion.
5. Avoid judgmental or biased comments.
6. Include the full name, address, and contact information for religious organization that you visited.
7. Include a digital photo of you along with the person you interviewed and/or the place of worship you attended at the beginning or end of your paper.