Philosophy of Religion Final Research Project

You have been helped to engage in various activities to stimulate personal reflection; encouraged to participate in group discussions, guided in your reading of some important philosophical texts; and, above all, challenged to think for yourself about issues raised and arguments deployed. By the end of the course, you should feel more (justifiably) confident in the defensibility of your religious beliefs or lack of them.

This final project is an opportunity to conduct research and to demonstrate your understanding and application of concepts you have learned in this course over the course of the semester. This assignment will be graded in terms of how clear and well the student organizes, presents and evaluates the required elements. Students are to do the following in the assignment.

Required elements:

1. Identify the philosophical problem of evil and show how it manifests itself in two major world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism).

2. Carefully explain the problem and discuss two different perspectives on the problem within the context of world religions.

3. Compare and contrast the different perspectives giving special attention to the meaning, coherence, and prospects for a rational justification of religious beliefs.

4. Philosophically engage the different views by evaluating them and perhaps even constructing your own solution or model to the problem.

5. Discus the ethical implications of the problem or issues discussed in light of world religions.

6. Support your arguments drawing on at least one of the following: relevant liturgical symbols, movies, paintings, music, sculpture, myths, scriptures, etc.

7. Write a reflection or critical guide for people who are faced with these sorts of views or perspectives. How could they approach the issue? Why?

8. Submit your research project using PowerPoint (permission required for use of other digital communication media).