Assignment 1: The Problems of Evil and Suffering All human beings encounter pain and suffering in life. This can present some difficult questions to organized religions. On some level, all religions answer fundamental questions of human existence, including, "why are we here?" Pain and suffering complicate these basic questions of human existence, whether the religion is monotheistic, polytheistic, or atheistic. Some people endure much more pain and suffering than others. Why is this so? What is the origin of suffering? Is evil external or internal? Does it have any meaning? How should we respond to it? Even more difficult is the problem of moral evil: some people deliberately cause other people to suffer. Why? If there is meaning in the universe, and especially if the universe is ruled by a beneficent deity, how can this be? Write an essay of 1,000 words that examines the basic positions of each of the five religious traditions considering these human questions In your essay, address the following questions: How does each religion respond to the problems of evil and suffering? How are those responses similar? In what ways do the responses differ? What factors account for these differences? Which way of addressing evil is the most similar to your own? What role does reason play in your personal understanding of evil? How does that overlap or contradict with the major religions' uses of reason in explaining evil? Assignment 1 Grading Criteria Maximum Points Introduce how each of the five religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) responds to or address the problems of evil and suffering. 68 Compare the five religions and identify commonalities or similarities between them in addressing both the problem of evil and the problem of suffering. 40 Compare the five religions and identify differences between the five religions and how they address the problem of evil and the problem of suffering. 40 Discuss the factors that account for these differences in how the five religions address the problem of evil and the problem of suffering. 40 Describe which way of addressing evil is the most similar to the student's personal belief system. What role does reason play in your personal understanding of evil? How does that overlap or contradict with the major religions' uses of reason in explaining evil? 48 Style (8 points): Tone, audience, and word choice Organization (16 points): Introduction, transitions, and conclusion Usage and Mechanics (16 points): Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure APA Elements (24 points): In-text citations and references, paraphrasing, and appropriate use of quotations and other elements of style 64 Total: 300 .

1. Assignment 1: The Problems of Evil and Suffering
All human beings encounter pain and suffering in life. This can
present some difficult questions to organized religions.
On some level, all religions answer fundamental questions of
human existence, including, "why are we here?" Pain and
suffering complicate these basic questions of human existence,
whether the religion is monotheistic, polytheistic, or atheistic.
Some people endure much more pain and suffering than others.
Why is this so? What is the origin of suffering? Is evil external
or internal? Does it have any meaning? How should we respond
to it?
Even more difficult is the problem of moral evil: some people
deliberately cause other people to suffer. Why? If there is
meaning in the universe, and especially if the universe is ruled
by a beneficent deity, how can this be?
Write an essay of 1,000 words that examines the basic positions
of each of the five religious traditions considering these human
questions
In your essay, address the following questions:
How does
each
religion respond to the problems of evil and suffering?
How are those responses similar?
In what ways do the responses differ?
What factors account for these differences?
Which way of addressing evil is the most similar to your own?
What role does reason play in your personal understanding of

2. evil? How does that overlap or contradict with the major
religions' uses of reason in explaining evil?
Assignment 1 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Introduce how each of the five religions (Judaism, Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) responds to or address the
problems of evil and suffering.
68
Compare the five religions and identify commonalities or
similarities between them in addressing both the problem of evil
and the problem of suffering.
40
Compare the five religions and identify differences between the
five religions and how they address the problem of evil and the
problem of suffering.
40
Discuss the factors that account for these differences in how the
five religions address the problem of evil and the problem of
suffering.
40
Describe which way of addressing evil is the most similar to the
student's personal belief system. What role does reason play in
your personal understanding of evil? How does that overlap or
contradict with the major religions' uses of reason in explaining
evil?
48
Style (8 points):
Tone, audience, and word choice
Organization (16 points):
Introduction, transitions, and conclusion
Usage and Mechanics (16 points):

3. Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure
APA Elements (24 points):
In-text citations and references, paraphrasing, and appropriate
use of quotations and other elements of style
64
Total:
300