REL331 Exam 1

Select one of the two following questions to write about. The minimum length is 1,000 words. There is no maximum. Place the word count on the front of the exam (five points deducted if this is missing).

You must reference the text in a way that demonstrates your reading of and thinking about the material; you must use MLA parenthetical documentation – e.g., (Hillesum 56).

Please save the exam and label it with your last name, middle initial, first name, and exam1. For example, Doe.M.Johnexam1.doc would be the exam file label for John M. Doe.

1. Respond to the following quotation: “The Holocaust shows not only that religious faith is untenable but also that life is absurd. A powerful and loving God could not create a world in which such events are possible. Religion is wishful thinking — ‘Fear created the first gods’ (Caecilius Statius, 2nd c. BCE). Moreover, life itself contradicts the most basic of human aspirations: to live without suffering and cruelty.” Etty herself discusses these issues, so in responding be sure to show that you know how Etty would reply to this kind of position.

2. Discuss Etty’s spiritual response to her challenges and comment on how this relates to the challenges we face today. How did she find meaning in life, what were her spiritual practices, how did she integrate these into her life, what effects did her faith have on the way she lived, and which, if any, of these practices would be suitable for you?

As you are reading works for this course, your focus should be on thinking about what the authors are saying, not on memorizing facts. You will be asked to discuss the readings and also to write an essay exam about them. You are articulating a response, one that will over time build understanding of yourself and your world, so as you read, it would be helpful to make notes for yourself about certain ideas and events and their locations (page numbers) in the texts so you can refer to them in discussions and in your essays.

Note: The editor’s introduction will give you important background information, as will the endnotes.

· Etty Hillesum, An Interrupted Life. 1996, pp. vii-143

· Etty Hillesum, An Interrupted Life. 1996, pp. 144-231, 328-364.