1200 words and three scholarly references

1. In appropriate depth and detail, and utilizing scholarly references, describe the basic characteristics of religion, patterns among religions, and multidisciplinary approaches to the study of religion. In your response, be sure to answer the question, “Why do we study religion?”

2. In appropriate depth and detail, and utilizing scholarly references, describe the basic characteristics of Hinduism, including but not limited to: its history, its primary beliefs, its criticisms, its practices, and its organization.