For your final essay you should assess this claim through a comparison (or contrast) of a single feature common to at least two “eastern” religions (Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism) and two “western” religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). For “eastern” religions you should discuss one Chinese (Confucianism or Taoism) and one Indian (Hinduism or Buddhism) religious tradition. One of the “western” religions you discuss must be Islam. Thus your essay will focus on a common theme but discuss it with regard to four distinct religions. Once again an excellent essay will not only draw on the description of these religious traditions in Smith but will give illustrations from the scriptures found in Van Voorst. In general, the more narrow your theme, the better the quality of your essay will be. Also in general, you need to choose a theme for which there is support in the scriptures included in the Van Voorst book, or scriptures you can readily identify in another authoritative source.