COVER PAGE
SYMBOL: Draw a symbol of the religion.
FOUNDER: Who is credited with starting the religion?
FOLLOWERS: Who practice the religion?
DATE OF ORIGIN: When did the religion start?
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Where did the religion start?
HOLY BOOKS: What texts are sacred in the religion?
HOLY SITES: What places are sacred in the religion?
HOLY DAYS: What times are sacred in the religion?
FOUNDER PAGE
ILLUSTRATION: Draw a picture of the founder. Include face or entire body. Include distinguishing features. Include background.
BIOGRAPHY: Describe the life of the founder, family, birth, upbringing, career, death, and major events.
CHARACTER: What is the personality of the founder? What makes them great? What makes them interesting?
MIRACLES: Did the founder participate in any supernatural events? Does the founder have any supernatural powers?
FOLLOWERS PAGE
DEMOGRAPHICS: Who are the followers of this religion? How do you become one? How many are there? Where do they live? What language do they speak? Are they all one race? Describe the community of this religion.
DISTINCTIONS: Do the followers have special names? DO they have special marks on their bodies? DO they wear special clothing? Do they otherwise distinguish themselves?
OBLIGATIONS: What must one do in order to be a member of this religion? (Prayers, fasting, diet, holidays, attending rituals, pilgrimage, following laws or commandments, or other activities)
CLERGY: Are there priests who conduct this religion? Describe the priests. How does one become a priest? Are there monks who separate themselves from society to practice the religion? Describe the monks. How does one become a monk?
HOLY BOOK PAGE
FORMAT: What language is the book written in? How long is it? Is it divided into sections? What is it written on? Is it memorized? Is it given special treatment?
CONTENT: What is the book about? Is it a story? A set of laws? Philosophy? Who are the characters? What is the plot? What is the point?
SAMPLE PASSAGE: Write a quote from the book that is a good example of its style and content.
INTERPRETATIONS: Who reads this book? How is it studied? How is it interpreted? What does it mean? What is the moral? Is it metaphoric?
HOLY SITE PAGE
MAP: Draw a picture, diagram or map of the holy site. Include informative details.
DESCRIPTION: What is the holy site? Where is it? Is it a natural site? Is it a building? How big is it? What shape is it? What is it made of? What different parts does it have?
HISTORY: Who started the site? When was it built? Has it changed over time? Was it always holy to this religion? Is it holy to any other religion?
PILGRIMAGE: Why do people visit the site? When do they visit? Do they do anything to prepare for the visit? What do they do at the site? (Prayers, sacrifice, meals, songs, dances, etc.) Do they bring anything to the site? Do they bring anything back?
HOLY DAY PAGE
CALENDAR: When does the holiday occur? Does it coincide with a celestial event? (like the movements of the sun and moon). Does it coincide with natural events? (a birthday or anniversary of something)
DESCRIPTION: What is this holiday? What does it represent? What does it mean? What is the theme?
CELEBRATION: How do people celebrate this holiday? (Fasting, meals, prayers, rituals, songs, dances, sacrifice, special clothing, or any other special activity)
DEVELOPMENT: How did the holiday start? How has it changed over time?
THEOLOGY PAGE
DIVINITY: Do members of this religion believe in God or Gods? What is the nature of that God or Gods? What are they like?
REVELATION: Has their God or Gods spoken to anyone? Who and why? Has God written any books? Has God demonstrated existence or power in some other way?
COMMUNION: How do members of this religion relate to or experience the Divine? Through certain practices? Through rituals? Through writings? How do they know who God is? How do they get close to God?
ESCHATOLOGY: What happens after death? Is there a Heaven or Hell? Is there rebirth? Will the world end? How?
ETHICS PAGE
COMMANDMENTS: What religious laws or commandments do members of this religion follow? How do they act? How do they treat each other? How do they treat non-members?
FAMILY: What is the role of family in this religion? Is there marriage? Are men and women equal? Do men and women play different roles? How are children raised?
GOVERNMENT: Does this religion have a leader or leaders? How do they become leaders? What powers do the leaders have? How do members of this religion interact with political states? Do members of this religion follow political laws?
DIET: What do members of the religion eat? What don’t they eat? Do they prepare food in a special way? How do they treat animals? How do they treat the land?
HISTORY PAGE
ORIGIN: When did this religion begin? Where did this religion begin? How did this religion begin?
DEVELOPMENT: How did this religion become a religion? How did it spread? How has it changed over time?
SIMILARITIES: Is this religion related to other religions? How? Is this religion similar to other religions? How?
FUTURE: What will happen to this religion in the future? Will it change? Will it end?
