Assignment 1: Discussion: Individual Faith

In this course so far, you have spent time learning about various world religions and also the philosophy of religion. Now it is time for you to examine faith on an individual level.

In this assignment, you are going to look at the religious beliefs of one person and then categorize those beliefs. You may give a brief account of your own faith or you may interview someone and give an account of his or her faith.

Next, categorize those beliefs according to the following typology:

 Polytheist Monotheist Deist Pantheist Panentheist Atheist Agnostic Mystic Other

Describe the category you chose. Give examples of the beliefs of the person you wrote about and then explain why those beliefs belong in the category you selected.

Next, give a short answer to the following classic questions of philosophy, relative to the category you have chosen:

 What can this person believe about God and the universe? What must this person do to lead an ethical life? What may this person hope? What happens to this person when he or she dies?

Your initial response should be 2 to 3 paragraphs (250 words) in length. If you write about another person’s beliefs, remember to keep that person anonymous.

After you post your initial response, please respond to a minimum of two of your peers’ original posts. Remember, you are not to criticize the religious beliefs of your classmates.