Worship Service Comparison Paper

Paper Instructions: Worship Service Comparison Paper

How do different religions worship? Attend or watch videos of TWO worship services from groups based in the province of Ontario (each at least 35 minutes long)–one each from two different traditions, neither of which may be your own religious/secular tradition (Please don’t choose Islam as topic for my paper). Choose a service from a religion from List A and one service from a religion from List B.

List A: Indigenous Canadian Religion, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Sinkyo, or Shinto.

List B: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Unitarian Universalist, Baha’i, or Secular Humanism.

If you are unsure of what category a worship service falls into or if it eligible, email Dr. Z. Toronto alone has a multitude of different worship sites that stream services on a weekly basis; be sure to check that the service occurs in a language you understand before choosing it. If you attend in person, you MUST be in contact with the worship site first to see if there are any expectations they have from outsiders (e.g., how to dress, rituals you should not participate in). Note that this paper does not require a thesis statement or an argument. For a paper to get a grade in the “A” range, it must be well written and discuss all of the following.

Your paper should include proper citation and a works cited page (in Chicago citation system) that does NOT include Wikipedia or any other encyclopedic or non-scholarly web site. In a minimum of 2000 words address the following:

1. 1. Fundamental beliefs (important if you are visiting a sectarian group and note differences in belief and practice from its parent group) and sources of authority or basis for the religion or sect (inspired scriptures, teachers, direct revelations, etc.). Specify both the religion and the sect or branch you have visited (e.g., Hinduism: Shiva, Vishnu, Hare Krishna; Judaism: Orthodox, Reformed, Conservative, Reconstructionist; Buddhism: Tibetan, Mahayana, Theravada; Islam: Nation of Islam, Sunni, Shia; Christian: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, United Church of Canada, Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints).
2. Describe art, symbols, and images, sacred objects of the religion – and most importantly, their meaning and importance! Explain how they were used in the building/service. Remember, all kinds of things may have importance – such as the direction the building is facing, the colors used, any symbols.
3. 3. Distinctive dress, articles of clothing, of members and/or clergy of the religion you witnessed during visit. Inquire as to whether normally there is a distinctive dress, etc. in other locations. Include how much adaptation or concessions to “Canadian” ways of worshipping you witnessed during your visit (for this you may also have to tap a knowledgeable person for information). How also has COVID-19 affected things – what parts of the service needed to change and what needed to remain the same?
4. Forms of ritual, worship/liturgy, special ceremonies, and particular/distinctive practices that you saw practice during your visit. Be sure you can describe the flow of the service and what rituals were performed.
5. Describe how what you saw and heard impacted you. Did visit enhance your appreciation for that particular religious faith and/or for religion in general? Did you feel you were “worshipping”? Did anything strike you in a negative way? What was the most positive result of your visit?
6. How did the service differ from or conform to your expectations, especially based on the readings you had done for class and any other preconceived notions?
7. Finally, be sure this is a COMPARATIVE paper! Discuss the similarities and differences (do not say there aren’t any) between the services you attended. You may also draw in comparisons with your own religious/secular background.

Notes: Please do not write a “boring essay” with 7 paragraphs discussing each point listed above in order. Have fun with it.