Nature of Religion and Beliefs - Vocabulary Flashcards (Video Notes)

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering core concepts, terms, and figures from religion studies in the notes, including worldview types, sacred texts, major religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism), Aboriginal Dreaming, and pre-1945 Australia.

Immanent worldview

The belief that the divine or spiritual presence is found within the natural world and everything in it.

Transcendent Religion

The belief that the divine exists beyond the physical world and is separate from it.

Monotheism

Belief in the existence of one God.

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods.

Dynamic and living religion

A religion that stays relevant today by adapting to the modern world while keeping core beliefs.

Pantheism

Belief that the universe or the ‘all’ is God, or worship of many/all Gods.

Sacred texts

Written accounts detailing rules, ethics, morals, and rituals of a religion.

Ethics

Code of morals and behaviours followed by individuals or groups.

Rituals

Ceremonies or behaviours connected to religious/traditional practices.

Beliefs

Convictions about the divine or religious teachings guiding meaning and action.

Torah

Sacred text in Judaism containing laws and teachings.

Quran

Holy book of Islam, believed to be the word of Allah.

Bible

Christian sacred scriptures, including the Old and New Testaments.

Tripitaka

Buddhist scriptures: the three baskets (Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka, Abhidharma Pitaka).

Vedka

Vedas; ancient Hindu scriptures referenced in the broader religious context.

Kosher kitchen

Jewish dietary laws that separate meat and dairy and govern food preparation.

Sacred texts (Judaism/Christianity/Buddhism)

Core scriptures that shape ethics, rituals, and beliefs across faiths.

Gospels

The good news about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection in the New Testament.

Revelation

God making Himself known to humanity.

Pharisee

A Jewish religious group known for strict adherence to the law.

Trinity

The Christian belief in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God in three persons.

Salvation

The belief in deliverance from sin and eternal life with God.

Death and Resurrection (Christianity)

Jesus’ crucifixion and rising from the dead, the foundation of Christian hope.

Bible (as a source of ethics)

The primary Christian sacred text guiding beliefs, rituals, and morality.

Epistles

New Testament letters addressing early Christian communities and moral guidance.

Ekklesia

Early Christian church, an organized assembly of believers.

Anglicanism

Church form arising from the English Reformation, blending Catholic order with Protestant worship.

Catholicism

Christianity in communion with the Pope, hierarchical, seven sacraments.

Orthodoxy

Eastern Orthodox Church; tradition and scripture with liturgical distinctives.

Pentecostalism

Christian movement emphasizing the gifts of the Holy Spirit and personal conversion.

Protestantism

Branch of Christianity from the Reformation; Bible as authority; faith and grace.

Tawhid

Oneness of God; central Islamic doctrine of Islam’s monotheism.

Shirk

The sin of practicing idolatry or polytheism; associating partners with Allah.

Umma

Global community of Muslims sharing a common faith and practice.

Hadith

Sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad used to guide daily life.

Qur’an

Allah’s revealed word, the central holy book of Islam.

Surah

Chapter of the Qur’an.

Hijra

Migration of the Prophet Muhammad and followers from Mecca to Medina (622 CE).

Shariah

Islamic moral and religious law based on Qur’an and Hadith.

Fatwa

A legal opinion issued by a qualified Islamic scholar.

Ijma

Consensus of scholars on a matter of Islamic law.

Qiyas

Analogical reasoning used to apply Shariah to new situations.

Halal

Permissible actions or foods under Islamic law.

Haram

Forbidden actions or foods under Islamic law.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core acts of worship: Shahada (faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage).

Ramadan

Islamic month of fasting from sunrise to sunset to grow piety and self-discipline.

Twelve (Three) Jewels

Buddhism’s three refuges: Buddha, Dharma (teaching), Sangha (community) that guide practice.

Four Noble Truths

Buddhist teaching acknowledging suffering and the path to its cessation.

Eightfold Path

The eight aspects of life (wisdom, ethical conduct, meditation) leading to enlightenment.

Karma

Moral action and its consequences affecting future rebirths.

Samsara

The endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by craving and ignorance.

Nirvana

liberation from samsara; the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice.

Bodhisattva

An enlightened being who delays final Nirvana to help others attain it.

Sangha

The Buddhist community of monks, nuns, and lay followers.

Theravada

Early Buddhist tradition; emphasis on original teachings and monastic path.

Mahayana

Buddhist tradition emphasizing the Bodhisattva path to help others attain enlightenment.

Vajrayana

Tibetan Buddhism; esoteric practices and mystical elements.

Tripitaka (Pali Canon)

Three baskets: Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka, Abhidharma Pitaka; primary Theravada scriptures.

Sutta Pitaka

Discourses and sermons of the Buddha in the Pali canon.

Vinaya Pitaka

Rules and disciplinary code for monks and nuns.

Abhidharma Pitaka

Philosophical and metaphysical Buddhist teachings.

Puja

Devotional practices to honor the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; offerings, chants, meditation.

Lotus of the Good Law (Lotus Sutra)

Mahayana scripture highlighting universal salvation and the Bodhisattva path.

Three Jewels (Buddhism)

Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—the refuges guiding daily life.

Bardo (Vajrayana)

The intermediate state between death and rebirth described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

Anicca

Impermanence; all things are inconstant and change.

Metta

Loving-kindness or benevolent compassion in Buddhist practice.

Siddhartha Gautama

The Buddha, founder of Buddhism.

KOi (Siddhartha’s Four Sights)

Old age, disease, death, and an ascetic; sparked the quest for enlightenment.

Suttas/Jataka tales

Buddhist stories of the Buddha’s past lives and teachings.

First Council (Rajgir)

Post-Buddha council to agree on teachings and monastic rules; led to Sutra and Vinaya divisions.

Second Council (Vaishali)

Schisms debated Dharma and monastic rules; contributed to Theravada/Mahasanghikas split.

Plural branches of Christianity

Branches include Anglicanism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Pentecostalism, and Protestantism.

Sabbatarianism

Movement advocating strict Sunday observance and rest.

Wowser

A moral campaigner against drinking, gambling, and ‘immoral’ behavior.

Education Act (Australia)

Statutes moving schooling toward free, compulsory, secular education; church influence waned.

Mary Mackillop

Founder of the Sisters of St Joseph; significant figure in rural Australian education.

Bush Hospitals / Royal Flying Doctor Service

Christian-driven initiatives providing remote medical care in rural Australia.

First Fleet

The 1788 arrival of convicts and clergy that established Christian worship as Australia’s foundation.

Church of England (Anglicanism in Australia)

Official church brought by the First Fleet; links between church, state, and law.