RELS200 Midterm 1

What does the Latin word universitas mean?

A legal corporation, often of students or masters; a community of scholars

What is studium generale?

A university that attracted students from across Europe

What is the origin of the word “Chair” for professor?

Medieval professors lectured seated on a chair; “chair” became a synonym for professor

Which university is linked to Martin Luther and the Reformation?

University of Wittenberg (1502)

Who founded University of Marburg in 1527?

Philip of Hesse

What was Luther’s teaching about Scripture?

That it is self-interpreting; salvation by faith alone

Which university reflected Pietism and became a model for “modern” universities?

University of Halle (1694)

Who was Dorothea Erxleben?

First woman to graduate from a European university (Medicine, Halle, 1754)

What was Humboldt’s vision for universities?

Integration of teaching and research (University of Berlin, 1810)

When was the University of Calgary founded?

1966

Why is it difficult to define religion?

Religions differ widely; some have gods, others do not (e.g., Buddhism)

Emile Durkheim’s definition of religion?

A unified system of beliefs and practices about sacred things that unite a moral community

Immanuel Kant’s definition of religion?

Recognition of all duties as divine commands

Max Müller’s twofold idea of religion?

Doctrines and canonical tradition + a human “faculty of faith”

Paul Tillich’s definition of religion?

Religion is “ultimate concern”

Stark & Bainbridge’s definition of religion?

Systems of “general compensators” based on supernatural assumptions

Ninian Smart’s model approach?

Religion can be recognized by features like rituals, myths, traditions, doctrines, sacral sentiments, and divine orientation

Criticism of Smart’s model?

Too descriptive, fails to measure commitment or hidden impulses

What is implicit religion?

Real commitments seen in actions, not just explicit creeds

Fred Welbourn’s approach to African religion?

Focus on lived practice and behavior rather than abstract beliefs

Malinowski’s view of myth?

Myths give social meaning and justify practices regardless of truth

What role do doctrines play in religion?

They systematize and resolve contradictions found in myths

What is the “canon problem” in world religion textbooks?

They excluded African traditions while elevating India and Asia

What was the Sacred Books of the East project?

A 50-volume series of Hindu and Buddhist texts edited by Max Müller (1879–1894)

How did Ninian Smart treat African vs Indian sacrifice?

Called Indian sacrifice “central,” dismissed African sacrifice as peripheral

Which Enlightenment thinkers disparaged Africans?

Voltaire, Hume, Kant, and Hegel

What racist claim did Rousseau make about Africans?

That African children “learn to walk slowly and with difficulty”

Who was Anton Wilhelm Amo?

Ghanaian-born philosopher who earned a doctorate at Wittenberg (1734) and taught at Halle

Who was Londa Shembe?

20th-century leader of the amaNazarites, demonstrating sophistication of African Christianity

Why did colonialism reinforce bias in Religious Studies?

It portrayed African practices as “primitive” to justify European dominance

Key features of African religion?

High God (remote), ancestor veneration, spirits, holistic worldview

Role of oral tradition in Africa?

Preserves myths and rituals without written scripture

Who are diviners and healers?

Specialists mediating between humans, spirits, and ancestors

What is witchcraft in African belief?

An inborn, often unconscious spiritual power

What is sorcery in African belief?

Deliberate use of objects or spells to cause harm

What social role does belief in witchcraft play?

Explains misfortune and reinforces moral codes

Who is Unkulunkulu in Zulu religion?

The High God/creator, distant but central in myth

How do Zulus interact with the divine?

Through ancestors, who mediate blessings and protection

Who was Isaiah Shembe?

Founder of the Nazareth Baptist Church (amaNazaretha)

What was unique about Shembe’s church?

Blended Christianity with Zulu ritual, healing, and dance

Why is Shembe significant?

Shows African Christianity as indigenous and creative, not just missionary-imposed

Name four flawed methods of studying religion.

Propaganda, proof-texting, ex-member testimonies, selective/bad surveys

What is proof-texting?

Taking religious texts out of context to “prove” a point

Why are ex-member accounts unreliable?

They often exaggerate negative experiences out of bias

What flawed survey was done in South Africa?

It claimed only 5% of members were Black, but actually over 60% were

What is triangulation in research?

Using multiple methods together to ensure reliability

What is the principle of openness in academia?

Transparency, questioning authority, and recognizing bias

Why is a scholar’s background important?

Their biography, politics, and ideology shape their interpretations

What question began Lecture 2.2?

“How do we see the world?”

What is a worldview (Weltanschauung)?

A set of fundamental beliefs forming a comprehensive outlook on life

Who developed the “narrative paradigm”?

Walter Fisher – humans are storytellers who judge stories by coherence and fidelity

What two strands does the narrative paradigm combine?

Rational/argumentative and aesthetic/storytelling strands

What is the foundational idea of the narrative paradigm?

Humans are essentially storytellers

Which new religion was used to test definitions of religion?

Scientology

Why is Christianity often a “lens” in Religious Studies?

Because terms like sin, salvation, and scripture are applied to explain other religions

How does cultural history shape religious interpretation?

European events like the Crusades, Reformation, and Enlightenment act as filters

What worldview is influential in Western Canadian Christianity?

Fundamentalist pre-millennialism (e.g., Creationism, End-times focus, anti-education)