AMDG
World Religions
Mr. Mulé, Fr. Rivera
Christian Service Reflection Paper #2
Due Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Theme: Exploring Xavier’s Christian Service Program through Non-Christian Religious Perspectives
Assignment: The first Christian Service reflection paper asked you to look at your experiences so far with an eye
towards judging the extent to which they have been helpful in developing the characteristics of the Grad at Grad
in your own life. This assignment will ask you to move beyond the Ignatian/Christian dimension of service to
explore the possibilities and significance of interreligious dialogue and understanding in efforts toward
collaboration for social justice.
1. Begin with an introduction of no more than one well-constructed paragraph which concisely and concretely
defines “Christian Service” and distinguishes it from non-religious or secular volunteerism. Consider what elements
of Xavier’s program fulfill that definition and how your “Christian” service differs from other service programs or
opportunities you have encountered.
2. Choose one of the four non-Christian religious traditions that we’ve explored this year (Hinduism, Buddhism,
Judaism, Islam) and reflect on your experience through the lens of that tradition’s religious imagination. How
would your motivation, experience, role/task differ were you to approach it as a practitioner of that religion?
In order to accomplish this you might consider:
 How does your agency’s mission, your role, and experience with others compare with that of the founder
or other significant representative figure in that religion?
 Does your work at your agency conform to distinctive elements of the ethical or ritual dimensions of
that religious tradition?
 What in the doctrine of that religion helps you interpret the spiritual and transcendental significance
of the work you performed?
 What is the perceived effect on oneself and world by engaging in this service opportunity according
to the anthropology and cosmology of that religion?
3. End with a conclusion of one well-constructed paragraph in which you reflect on the possibilities of
collaboration and cooperation between Christianity and the non-Christian religion you chose. What points of
comparison would facilitate greater mutual self-understanding through common mission and service for social
justice? What points of contrast might hinder such collaboration? Could the differences between the religions
instead serve to complement under-emphasized elements in one or the other tradition? What might you
recommend Xavier High School do to participate in such an endeavor?
Format: The final result must read like an essay written by you and not another student (past or present). Your
grade will reflect the extent to which you show understanding of connections between Christian and non-Christian
interpretations of service and your particular volunteer assignment; your ability to think critically about your service
as being part of a distinctively Christian mission; your care in providing specific and concrete examples of the point
you are making; and your ability to express yourself in a clear and concise style. Your paper must be at least one
full page, typed, 12 point Normal Times New Roman font, 1” margins, completely free from spelling and
grammatical errors.
Due Date: D Day, Wednesday 5/14/14. Papers must be submitted to Turnitin.com by 8:30am and a hard copy
brought into class that day. If both are not completed as such, late assignments will be immediately penalized to a
C+ for the next 48 hours. After that, highest grade is an F and a 0 if never turned in. See syllabus to review my late
penalty for major papers. This paper and the first service reflection count towards 35% of your 4th quarter grade.