nature of religion

term 1

worldview?

A framework that changes the way we perceive our world.

Supernatural dimension

Belief of beings or powers beyond the natural world and human understanding.

They defy natural laws and exceeds limits of human and physical worlds.

monotheistic faiths

believe in one divine being that is superior to the world. These faiths are transcendent.

polytheistic faiths

Many divine beings, these faiths are either immanent or transcendent.

Transcendent dimension

Divine are above or superior to the world, the ultimate cause in the universe. It is a distance from human being, this idea is common to christianity. (beyond this world)

Immanent dimension

refers to the divine presence in the world through participation and intervention in human history. This idea links to hinduism. (within this world)

Intevention

Intervention refers to a divine presence, close to human beings and concerned for their welfare.

what are the four characteristics of religion?

1. Beliefs and believers

2. rituals and ceremonies

3. sacred texts and writings

4. ethics

beliefs and believers

Sustain all religions and keep religions alive.

Belief: having confidence or trust in someone/something

believer: an adherent of a particular religion and have faith in that religion.

sacred texts and writings

instil, law, character and spirituality.

Important beliefs of a religion are contained in its sacred texts,

Before being written down they were in oral circulation.

The sacred texts contain stories explaining how people are connected to the supernatural dimension, and the creation story.

Ritual and ceremonies

linked to supernatural beings or forces including gestures, words and objects.

Practical expressions of aspects of a religion and involve prescribed words and actions along with the use of symbols.

reflects an understanding of the sacred dimension and an ultimate reality.

ethics

Ethics are morals and behind decision making. They are philosophical, encompassing with is right and wrong for believers.

Ethics are the laws which embody the key values of a religion allowing for practical application of that religion.

It offers a system of standards which regulate moral decision making.

define dynamic

meaning to be interactive, take part in effective action, continual change in activities or progress.

define living

meaning to engage, participate, function and evolve with time and change to suit context.

contribution of religion to individuals

personal search of meaning, ethical guidance, sense of belonging, greater understanding and ritual meaning. It answers the fundamental questions of existence.

Rituals Vs ceremonies

Rituals are explicit engagement performed in a particular order

Ceremonies are more low-key and inspired by religion

how do the characteristics create an interactive religion.

All characteristic provide the adherent a religion full of life. It is evident in society and culture and clearly expressed in the lives of the followers.

Believer aim to live out the actions, values and morals. There would be no religion without the believers. The morals are contained in the sacred texts. Through understanding sacred texts, believers apply these to their daily life to live out their faith demonstrating a dynamic living religion. Those base their ethical and moral stance of these beliefs, which effect the believers response to issues in society.

Rituals and ceremonies reflect a living dynamic religion because the allow you to physical demonstrate core beliefs and teaching of their religion within a community or individually. It is clear that each of the components of a religion demonstrate how religion is living and dynamic in society and culture.

How has religion contributed to society and culture?

It has helped individual to understand the meaning of existence and sustain knowledge of a deeper meaning of life. It has provided a path of a meaningful life in the present and provides hope for the future. It establishes rites of passage within a culture through rituals. Sustains a society of social cohesion, which comes from a understanding of meaning of life.

christianity characteristics

Christianity is an transcendent religion, believing in a superior power. Its sacred text is the bible providing us with a creation story and ethics which we live by which includes loving the lord your god with all your heart . We also have different rituals and ceremonies such as baptism. They believe Jesus is the messiah and will come back and save us.

Examples of public ritual

Bar Mitzvah- its is a formal event organised where the jewish community celebrity coming of age.

examples of private ritual

Shabbot- a day of rest, marked by family dinner on a friday night. It can be performed individually or within a small group.

What is the dreaming?

The dreaming is the past, present and future, it holds the aboriginal view of creation being the beginning of everything. Of time, the creation of life the birth of humanity and the ordering of all things. It shapes and structures aboriginal life by regulating kinship. ceremonial life and obligation involving people, land and spirits.

Kinship

Kinship is the most important way of organising and regulating social and spiritual relationships.

The highest kinship level is of the tribe or nation then followed by the totemistic groups, clans and moieties.

Specific rules relating to marriage vary from tribe to tribe, but revolve around clans and moieties.

Totems

are animal or natural species related through the spirit ancestors and are a symbol to an individual or group of people.

Totemism expresses the importance of the connection between a person and creation.

what do the four totems represent?

nation

clan

family

personal/individual

How does the nature of dreaming relate to the origins of the universe?

The nature of the dreaming is experience in the origins of the universe. It is evident in the Ancestor beings creating the natural world. The Dreaming creation stories are the origin of important landscape features and the Dreaming explains the workings of nature and humanity. The origins of the universe are told through dreaming stories explaining how the physical universe began.

How does the nature of dreaming relate to Dreaming stories?

The dreaming is communicated through dreaming stories, carrying the Aboriginal culture through generations. They vary through different tribes but explain how to world came to be nad how to live in harmony with the land, connecting the Aboriginal people to their culture.

How does the nature of dreaming relate to the sacred sites?

The land is the way way the dreaming is communicates and how it becomes practices. The sacred sites are connected to specific dreaming stories, events or places where ancestor spirits live. The sacred sites may be land or rock formations. Aboriginal people believe their sacred sites were created and shaped into their particular forms during the dreaming and demonstrate physical proof of the actions of their ancestral beings. They are responsible for the land and are obligated to care for it.

How does the nature of dreaming relate to symbolism and art?

Aboriginal stories can be part of body painting, drawn on the sand or painted on various surfaces. It is an essential paart of Aboriginal life and the artist is the custodian of the knowledge of the dreaming in which they are painting. The symbols and artworks play a role in communication. Art usually depics the Aboriginal bond with the land and the activities of ancestral beings, and beliefs and the sacred dreaming stories. The art can show the origins of the universe, laws, kinship relationships and The dreaming.

Diversity of the Dreaming for Aboriginal peoples

Each tribe follows different rules regarding the dreaming. There are also special rules and restrictions that vary with each totem. Aboriginal people feel an obligation to care for the land. Aboriginal people maintain their cultural identity but there is a diversity of culture, ways of life and kinship structures depending on the tribal groups.

importance of the Dreaming for the life of Aboriginal peoples

ABoriginal society is held together by the connection between the Dreaming, land and identity including relationships, responsibilities and behaviours. Where all elements operate as one.

inextricable connection of the Dreaming, the land and identity

The land and the dreaming are co-dependent. The connection with the dreaming and lands creates the aboriginal identity, The dreaming and the land prescribe all aspects of Aboriginal society including relationships, language, special rules and ancestor spirits, key to continuing aboriginals identity. The dreaming, land and identity are strengthened by the different elements of aboriginal life such as the dreaming stories.

Inextricable

The links between things are so strong they can’t be separated.

Animism

When the divine is within a living thing giving Aboriginal people special responsibilities to care for the land, expressed through ceremonies.