Religion Matters Quiz 3

Filal Piety

Respect, obedience, and care for parents/ancestors; foundational to Confucianism

Wu wei

“effortless action”, living in harmony with the natural flow of the Dao without forced striving (Daoism)

Junzi

The morally superior “noble person” cultivated through the ritual, virtue, and education (confucianism)

Ren

humaneness, benevolence; central confucian virtue

Dao

The Way; underlying natural order of the universe

Qi

life energy that animates the worlds, balanced throuhg practices and proper living

Li

ritual propriety; correct acting and etiquette that maintain social harmony

Yin and Yang

interdependent cosmic forces, yin=dark, soft, passive yang = bright, hard, active. harmony comes from their balance

Kami

Spirits, deities, or sacred presences in Shinto; found in nature, ancestors, and extraordinary places

Mandate of Heaven

Justification for imperial rule in early China- heaven chooses rulers

Prothero’s 4 part model for religion

problem → solution → techniques → exemplars

Hinduism

Problem: samsara Solution: moksha Techniques: yogas Exemplars: gurus, renouncers

Buddhism

Problem: suffering (dukkha) Solution: nirvana Techniques: eightfold path Exemplars: arhats, bodhisattvas

Judaism

Problem: exile Solution: return/obedience to the covenant Techniques: law, ritual Exemplars: prophets, rabbis

Christianity

Problem: sin Solution: salvation Techniques: faith, sacraments, prayer Exemplars: saints, Jesus

Islam

Problem: pride/self-sufficiency Solution: submission to God Techniques: Five Pillars Exemplars: prophets, immams

Confucianism

Problem: social chaos Solution: order & harmony Techniques: ritual, cultivation of virtue Exemplars: sages (Confucius)

Daoism

Problem: lifelessness Solution: flow with Dao Techniques: wu wei, meditation Exemplars: Laozi

Shinto

Problem: impurity Solution: purity Techniques: ritual, shrine practices

Hinduism: Vedic vs. Philosophical vs. Devotional

Vedic: ritual sacrifice; focus on gods, priests, cosmic order

Philosophical: Upanishads(old Sanskrit); internalization of ritual; metaphysics; liberation (moksha) through knowledge

Buddhism: Theravada vs Mahayana vs Vajrayana

Theravada - oldest; focuses on monastic discipline

Mahayana - compassion; bodhisattvas; more accessible to laypeople

Vajrayana - esoteric rituals; tantra; fast path to enlightenment

Judaism: Reform vs Conservative vs Orthodox

Reform - most liberal; adapts to modernity; ethical emphasis

Conservative - middle path; retains tradition but allows interpretation

Orthodox - strict adherence to halakha; minimal change

Christianity: Orthodox vs Catholic vs Protestant

Orthodox - decentralized, emphasis on liturgy and tradition

Catholic - papal authority; sacraments; universal church

Protestant - scripture alone; salvation by faith; rejection of papal authority

Islam- Sunni vs Shia

Sunni - majority; caliph chosen by community

Shia - leadership belongs to family of Muhammad; imams have special authority

Confucianism vs Daoism

Confucianism - social order, moral cultivation, ritual

Daoism - alignment with nature, spontaneity, non-forceShi

Shinto Themes in Spirited Away

Kami in nature

Ritual purity/impurity

Importance of shrines

Animism

Pollution (literal/symbolic)

Restoration and balance