AMDG
World's Wisdom Traditions: FINAL ESSAY
Mr. Haardt
REPORT TO ORRADRE CHAPEL ON Tuesday, May 26th at 10:20-11:35
Please Submit Essay to Turnitin.com
We have covered a great deal since we began. For your final essay, which will be due on the day of our final, Tues, May 26th (which you are required to report to and bring your essay), you are to write a 3-5 page typed (1000-1500 words), 1 ½ spaced, essay integrating what you have learned this semester into your own picture of where you are on your spiritual/personal journey. What have you learned? What has stayed with you after these 5 months? What do you make of these wisdom traditions and how do you understand the Christian tradition now?
Here are some questions to guide you: (you do not need to answer all of them, answer the ones that are most relevant to you)
- What do you make of these wisdom traditions and how do you understand the Christian tradition now?
- What have you learned about what it means to be human? The Human Condition? - Father Keating
- What have you learned about Ultimate Reality? Purpose of life? "G-d"? "Nirvana"? Consciousness? Tao? Atman? Wakan-Tanka? Mindfulness? True Self/False Self? Spirit? Awakening? Meditation?
- How can/do human beings transform, deepen, and grow? What keeps human beings from growing, awakening, transforming?
- What qualities are you cultivating in your own life? What keeps you from being real and true, what helps you?
- What does it mean to be contemplatives in action, a term used by Jesuits & Christians around the world?
- What questions, insights, doubts, faith are you left with?
This final essay must include:
• 1-2 themes from the Christian tradition, something you have learned in your 4 years here at SI, to integrate with the rest of your essay.
• 1-2 themes from another tradition(s ) we learned about that resonated with you & your own life experience.
• Given the 2 bullets above, what is your own vision of the world and yourself at this point in your life ( as you are about to enter adulthood, according to our culture)
• 3 references/quotes/passages from any discussion, text/reading, film, field trip this semester that you found meaningful and relevant.
Please conclude your essay by addressing the questions we addressed during the Islam Unit - what is the future of authentic religion vs inauthentic religion? How can religion really be a force for goodness, compassion and mercy in a world that so desperately needs it?
Final Note:
• I want your best work, your clearest writing, and your deepest thoughts on all of this. You are heading into another phase of your life, so make this a meaningful, reflective essay with substance and clarity integrating all that you have learned.
• Raise questions of yourself and challenge your thinking. Incorporate anything and everything you have learned and seen this semester and for the past 7-8 semesters at SI. I look forward to reading these and sharing them during our Final Exam!
• We will share these as a class on our Final Exam Day, so be prepared to share 1-2 paragraphs (choose your paragraphs before the final exam day), especially those of you who have not shared as much this year!!!
"Nothing is more practical than finding God; that is, falling in love in
a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your
imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you
out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you
will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your
heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love; stay
in love, and it will decide everything." - Pedro Arrupe, S.J.