world religions final fall 2025

Hadith

Stories that contain the sunnah of the Prophet

Sharia

The path to the watering hole

Qiyas

 Reasoning by analogy

Isnad

The chain of authority

Dhikr

The sufi practice of reciting the divine names using a rosary

Bismillah

"In the name of Allah"

Inshallah

"If God wills"

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca

Sufi

A mystical form of Islam

Rumi

A Sufi prophet

Jen/Ren

Compassion

Li

The right thing at the right time

Tao

The universal ordering system

Yin Yang

The symbol of light and darkness

Sangoma (mganga)

An african traditional healer

“Jen” (ren) is best understood as

Compassion

“Li” is best understood as

Knowing the right thing to do at the right time

Confucius was primarily concerned with

The ordering of human relationship

The Yakama people are the _____ people

Salmon

In Yakama long-house _____ drummers and sets of songs

7

In Yakama tradition, the _____ is the “trickster”

Coyote

Islam is best understood as

A Way of Life

Shari’a literally means

"The path to the watering hole"

Sufis are best understood as the ______ of Islam

Mystics

Rumi is a famous Sufi _____

Poet

AIC or African Independent (or Initiated) Churches are known for

Combining traditional beliefs with Christianity

ATR (African Traditional Religion) remembers a...

lost paradise

In African traditional medicine, diagnosis is made by using

divination by guidance from the ancestral spirits

African concepts of time focus as follows

past, present, and future

The Yin & Yang symbol is best understood as expressing the key to

Light & Darkness to the world around us

The Tao is best understood as

Ineffable

“Ch’i” refers to a person’s

Life force

Contemporary Judaism is primarily focused on

A religion based upon relationships

Sufis believe in a _____version of Islam

Mystical

All Muslims have a commitment to both Orthodox Islam and to

Folk Islam

Many Evangelicals who become Roman Catholic because they

Admire the Roman Catholic tradition, Want to connect with church history prior to the reformation, are looking for certainty in doctrine and practice.

The focus in Judaism is primarily on

Walking in the ways of the Torah in this life

In Judaism, the high point of the week is

The Sabbath

Devout Jews keep the Law because

Why not?

The sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad found in the Hadith refers to

His example

List the 5 constant relationships as taught by Confucius

Father to son

Elder brother to younger brother

Husband to wife

Elder to younger

Ruler to subject

List the 6 main beliefs of Islam

Allah is one

The Angels

The books

Prophets

The last day

Allah's decrees

List the 5 Pillars of Islamic practice

Recital of the creed

Prayer

Alms

Fasting

Pilgrimage

List the 5 main characteristics of “traditional religions”

Life is holistic

Life is spiritual

Life is ritualistic

Life is mythical

Life is rhythmical

Is the God of Muhammad the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”? Explain your answer. (Long Answer)

No. They do not believe Jesus is God's son. A non-trinitarian God is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is also bound by his character and attributes. This is not true of the God of the Quran.

What is the relationship between Orthodox and Folk Islam?

Orthodox: highly structured (prayers, pillars, laws)

Folk: concerned with evil spirits and avoiding being affected by them. muslims are requires to have a foot in both of these camps

Explain what is meant by a "Christology from above".

Titles/Descriptions in the Bible that can only be used to describe God are applied to Jesus. Focuses on the truth of God becoming man, not a man becoming God.

Compare and contrast Confucius and Lao Tzu's approaches to the formation of a well-ordered and just society.

Confucius: Cultivate virtue, study the arts, and focus on the five constant relationships.

Lao Tzu: Hands off approach. You can't make things turn out alright, so there is no need to try to.

Discuss the key elements of faith in African Traditional Religion

They believe in God and gods, and the existence of good and bad spirits. They believe certain actions are forbidden(taboo). they believe in sacrifices to appease the ancestors, the living dead, and coming judgement.