World Religions - Unit 1

Religion comes from the Latin word

Religare

What is the meaning of Religare

"to bind"

Why should we study world religons

1. to understand your religion more 2. to be more open and accepting 3. to dispel fears and misunderstanding 4. to gain more Insite to human beings 5. to understand more about history of humans and civilizations 6. to understand more about cultures around the world & 7. to learn from all sources of wisdom

What is one very important part of Nostra Aetate

" The catholic church rejects nothing that is true and holy"

Religious Literacy

The ablity to understand and use in ones day to day life the Basic building blocks of religious traditions - their symbols doctrines practices sayings characters and narratives

Americans are

both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant about religion

Implications of Religious Literacy for Understanding

Cultural

Liberal education as religion is a key component of cultural literacy

Implications of Religious Literacy for Understanding

Civic & political perspectives

To understand and participate in discussions and debates on abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, capital punishment, euthanasia, birth control, welfare policy etc.

Implications of Religious Literacy for Understanding

Historical

Role of and fight for Jerusalem in the lives of Christians, Muslims and Jews

Civil War rhetoric of biblical teachings for and against slavery

Implications of Religious Literacy for Understanding

Science

Debates about abortion and stem cell research

care for creation domination or stewardship

Exclusivism

Because religion deals with the ultimate truth there is only one true religion (mine)

Inclusivism

There is one true or best religion on that holds the fullness of religious truth and human salvation however there is something of this truth in other religions as well.

Other religions have some truth but ours have the best truth

Relativism

No religion can be absolutely true.

1.No religion is worthy of commitment

2. People can pick wtv they want

Pluralism

The different religions are simply different. At the same time, each is ultimately true and must be honored as such.

I honor the truth of my own religion, and I respect the truth of your religion for you.

Totalitarianism

A desire for only one's own group to dominate and others to suffocate.

Ecumenism Vs Interfaith Dialogue

Catholics and Christians vs Catholics and other faiths

Dignitatis Humanae/Declaration on Religious Freedom

Address the right of the indavidual to soical and civil freedom with regard to religious matters

Nostra Aetate/Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-

Christian Religions

Addressed the churches relations with non-Christian religious traditions

Unitaris Redintegratio/Decree on Ecumenism

Spoke on the catholic church’s relationship with other Christians

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification

Catholic Church and Lutheran church during the 16th reformation

Agnostic

Someone who does not known whether God exists, saying it cannot be proved

Atheist

Someone who denies God’s existence

Nones

Someone who has not researched religion and does not claim one

Liturgy

A definite set of forms for public religious worship; the official public worship of the Church. The Seven Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are the primary forms of Catholic liturgical celebrations.

Myths

Traditional or ancient stories that help explain a people’s creation, customs, and/or ideas

Evangelism

From the Greek root word translated into English as “Gospel”; the “sharing of the Good News”

Witnessing

Giving testimony of one’s religious faith to another.

Proselytizing