Essay Topic: In Chapter 5, Kessler discusses what he calls “Sacred Action.” In p

Essay Topic: In Chapter 5, Kessler discusses what he calls “Sacred Action.” In pages 94-97, Kessler focuses specifically on sacred action in the form of sacrifice and how sacrifice can merge with violence. To investigate why people would do that, we can ask sociologists, who try to understand group behavior and how cultural beliefs can influence group behavior. One theory of sacrifice was suggested by sociologist René Girard, who argued that a group may assign blame for wrongdoing to a scapegoat (which could be an animal or a human), and by killing (that is, sacrificing) the scapegoat in a sacred ritual, they remove the blame from the group.
For this essay, focus on one unique “sacred action,” or ritual, that has been a part of most religions since human history began: human sacrifice. Imagine you are the sociologist René Girard and examine those beliefs about human sacrifice from his perspective. Begin your essay by defining what you think Girard means by “scapegoating.” Then focus on human (not animal) sacrifice as it has appeared in two religions, the ancient Roman tradition and Christianity. Summarize some cases of human sacrifice in those two religions, and then ask whether Girard’s theory would explain those cases. Before you attempt to write your essay, be sure to read Kessler’s Chapter 5, my PowerPoint lesson on that chapter, and my PowerPoint lessons on ancient Roman religion and Christianity in Bowker.
Instructions: All of the essays require critical thinking. The “correct” response to a critical thinking essay cannot be found in your textbook, because it is supposed to represent your own opinion on an issue that has no absolutely right or wrong answer. Everybody has their own opinion on these topics, but some opinions are based on better reasoning and evidence than others. When you express your opinion on a topic, explain in detail your reasons and evidence for that opinion. Think of it this way: Lawyers present their arguments in court, and both sides have evidence for their argument. A jury or a judge then looks at all the evidence and makes their decision, based on which body of evidence is most convincing. Keep that in mind when you are expressing an opinion, and present the best reasoning and evidence that you can think of.
For each essay, you will compare a single aspect of several religions from an “outsider” perspective such as a philosopher, sociologist, or anthropologist. The assignment will include two religions to compare. You must use the assigned religions for your essay; you cannot substitute other religions. The essays should have two main sections; you may even be able to answer the question in only two paragraphs, though I would expect them to be long paragraphs. The first section should identify each religion’s belief, their way of understanding the assigned topic. The second section should discuss how those different doctrines might be understood when seen from the assigned academic perspective. One way to compare religions that you should not use is to argue that it is inconsistent with your own religion. That’s an insider’s point of view. You need to take the point of view of an outsider, from an academic perspective, and look at the topic objectively. If you argue that one religion makes more sense to you just because that’s the way you were brought up, I’ll return your essay for a rewrite.
The essays should be any standard format such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. Any information that is not provided in your texts or my PowerPoint lessons should be cited. Plagiarized essays will be given a zero, with no exceptions. The essays should be about 500 to 1000 words, which roughly equals two to four double-spaced pages. Your scores on the essays and final paper are based on the quality of your reasoning and evidence as well as the quality and clarity of your writing.

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