Assignment

Perhaps you have wondered, as you’ve worked through this course, how particular religious commitments and practices either align with or conflict with the normative values of the surrounding culture. Obviously, a religion must have elements in common with a culture if it is to take hold and flourish. For example, Max Weber has argued that the work ethic inherent to Protestantism deeply influenced the development of Western capitalism. Conversely, its not so easy for a Muslim to practice their faith in a place like America, where charging interest undergirds the economic system and the workday is not altogether conducive to a regular schedule of mandatory prayers. For this discussion, give some consideration to the relationship between religion and culture, and use Buddhism as the specific example. Begin by thinking about American values and its ideas about what constitutes a happy life and the route to achieving it. Then recall what Buddhism teaches about such things. First, can there be such a thing as an “American Buddhist”? Second, what might the issues raised by this topic mean for the successful spread of the religions? To what degree do religion and culture influence one another?

300 words