Religious and Theological Studies Vocabulary

A collection of vocabulary terms exploring religious frameworks, interpretation methods, and historical context as discussed in the lecture notes.

a priori

Reasoning that comes to conclusions before experience and evidence

animism

Belief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a spirit and conscious life.

cult

A religious group which differs significantly in some one or more respects as to belief or practice from those religious groups which are regarded as the normative expression of religion in our total culture

dharmic/karmic religions

Religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, that are all similar in that they all have dharma & karma, but they each have different definitions of them

doctrine

A belief, principle, or teaching

eisegesis

The process of interpreting a text by injecting one's own preconceived ideas, biases, or agendas into it, rather than deriving meaning from the text's inherent context and authorial intent; means "to bring into" the text.

Enlightenment era

Period stretching from the late $17^{th}$ century through the end of the $18^{th}$ century, sometimes called the Age of Reason, where science flourished and philosophers like David Hume provided reasons why miracles do not exist.

exclusivism

Belief that one's own tradition is the only true religion and that others are invalid

exegesis

The process of interpreting a text in order to discover its intended meaning, rather than injecting one's own preconceived ideas, biases, or agendas into it; means "to bring out" of the text.

fairmindedness

The willingness to seek truth openly and humbly by honoring multiple perspectives, including those that challenge our own.

folk religions

Religions which are derived from syncretistic cultures and often focus on oral stories rather than what official religions include within scriptures.

inclusivism

The belief that there is truth in all religions, but some parts are false in some of them

Messianic religions

Religions that believe that someone extremely powerful is going to come back to our crazy situations and restore order; people's end-time hopes are placed in the Messiah

mystical religions

Religions in which salvation/deliverance takes place when people exclude all awareness of one's existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings; people become one with the divine.

pluralism

The belief that all religions are different paths up the same mountaintop; all religions are equally true

salvation

The goal/purpose of a religion

Sigmund Freud

Austrian psychologist who is known for saying religion provides a psychological crutch or wish fulfillment for those who believe in it

syncretism

A blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith

theology of religions

The discipline of theological studies which provides a way to view the meaning and value of religions as a whole

Vivekananda

The first great missionary representative of Hinduism on the global stage from the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in $1893$.