World Religions Unit 1

Religion

a system of belief in response to the divine (or Ultimate) including sacred books, cultic rituals, and ethical practices of adherents

Faith

Experience of the divine or holy presence

• sometimes involves intellectual belief

• sometimes emphasizes personal trust.

What is the difference between religion and faith?

religion —> highlights concrete and institutional aspects of the human response to God/Ultimate

• ex: rites and rituals, scriptures, specific doctrines and beliefs

faith —> highlights personal experience of and belief in God/Ultimate

What explains human differences from other beings, human experiences, and universal questions?

religion

examples of human’s differences from other beings (4)

• empathy

• conscience (knowing right from wrong)

• spiritual capacity (sense that there is more than the visible)

• capacity for the infinity (asking questions)

  • Why are we here?

  • where do we go?

  • Is there a God/Ultimate?

theism

the belief in a transcendent, personal God [or gods] who creates, conserves, and acts in special ways (e.g., through miracles) in the world.

monotheism

belief in only one God

polytheism

the belief in many gods

Divine Transcendence

a theological term that states that God is outside of/transcends the universe and is independent of it and its properties—he is not limited by it

can human beings fully know/experience God?

no. their capacities are finite while God’s transcendent nature is unlimited

Divine Immanence

theological conception of God as existing in and throughout the created world

*allows the Divine to in some limited way be knowable/perceivable by human beings

pantheism

the belief that the divine reality exists in everything; the universe is identical with divinity; everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent God

atheism

rejection of belief in the existence of God or gods

nontheism

belief system saying there is no divine being

transtheistic

decribes a religion that allows for belief in divine or semidivine beings without the belief in an essentially relevant god.

cosmology

the understanding of the nature of the universe

empathy

capacity for seeing things from another’s POV

ethical

dimension of religion that deals w/ how we are to act while living in the world

mysticism

a category of religious experiences characterized by communing or uniting with the divine through inward contemplation

myth

a story (often recorded in scripture) that tends to answer questions of origins and serves as a source of sacred truth

revelation

the idea that God or the Ultimate communicates w/ human beings in some way (usually myths/scripture or religious experience) to convey a divine will/message

ritual

formal worship practice, often based on the reenactment of a myth

transcendence

the overcoming of the normal limitations imposed by the human conditions, whether temporarily or abidingly

*note: applies to the HUMAN desire to move beyond normal limits, often with goal of spiritual union w/ the divine

theological anthropology

interpretation of human existence (in its origin, nature, and destiny) in the light of faith

*how a religion understands the human person/nature

3-Part definition of religion

1. Religions begin w/ mystery and respond to fundamental human questions of identity, origins, purpose, destiny, and the Ultimate

2. systems of beliefs that provide time-tested responses to these questions, offer a sense of tradition, and involve community

3. Offer a way to draw near to and establish the right relationship w/ Ultimate Reality (often through scriptures, rituals, and ethical practices

Seven Dimensions of Religion

1. Doctrinal

2. ritual

3. social

4. ethical

5. material

6. mythic

7. experiential

Doctrinal dimension

theological teachings held by followers of religion

examples of doctrinal dimension (2)

trinity —> fully human and divine

Creed —> agreeing to ideas

ritual

form of meaningful worship that is tied to myth/sacred story

examples of rituals (2)

Eucharist, Seder (Jewish passover meal)

social

community, belonging, structure/hierarchy and religious organization (how to organizes itself)

example of social dimension (1)

church

ethics

moral principles that guide action/behavior

examples of ethical dimension (2)

10 commandments, “Golden Rule”

material

physical objects

*could be natural

examples of material dimension (5)

houses of worship, clothing, statues of gods, books, rivers in Hinduism

mythic

window into spiritual truth (origins, cosmology, and theological anthropology)

T/F: the mythic dimension has historic rational and deals with the recent past

False; the mythic dimension is NOT historic rational and deals w/ the distance past

example of mythic dimension (1)

Adam and Eve —> tells that humans are fundamentally good

experiential

religious and personal experience of faith

Mysticism is part of what dimension?

experiential

Two models to learn about and understand other religions

comparative and empathy

comparative model

compare and contrast multiple religions

empathy model

experience religion by participating in its ritual and entering into it as a believer would (to degree possible) —> see what its like

Nostra Aetate

declaration on the relation of the Church to non-christian religions

what does nostra aetate mean?

“of our time”

what does nostra aetate recognize?

the possibility that holiness and truth can be found in other religious contexts

what does nostra aetate indicate?

a more inclusive stance

T/F: Nostra aetate says that all other religious beliefs are necessarily true/holy and equal

False; nostra aetate does NOT say that all other religious beliefs are necessarily true/holy and does NOT say they are all equal

Practical recommendations of Nostra Aetate (3)

• recognize, preserve, and promote the good things in other traditions

• encourage dialogue (both formal and informal)

• collaboration (eg. education, outreach efforts)

Second Vatican Council

21st and most recent ecumenical council

who called the second vatican council?

Pope John XXIII (23)

Who proclaimed Nostra Aetate and why?

Pope Paul VI (6) b/c Pope John XXIII died before its creation

ecumenical council

important meeting/council of bishops called by the Pope

why was Vatican II called?

to have dialogue w/ the modern world and bring the Church up to date with the times (reading the “signs of the time)

what does “Aggiornamento” translate to?

“updating” or “bringing up to date”

Examples of what Vatican II talked about (4) and documents they made (2)

• What are people doing in the Church? —> The Liturgy

• The nature of the Church

• Interpretation of sacred scripture

• Interfaith Issues —> Nostra Aetate

Examples of cosmology (2)

• Buddhism —> cycle

• Christianity —> linear

what year was nostra aetate written

1965