rlg200 exam review

study of religion

studying religion from an academic or institutional perspective, aims to understand the different facets of religion through the application of other intellectual disciplines

theology

offers the opportunity to focus on religious belief in detail through the study of scriptures, it’s history, its influence on ethical debates, and the actions of its believers

functional definitions

what religion does

• examples. marx, freud, durkheim

substantive definitions

what religion is

• examples. tylor, otto, smart

Ninian Smart’s seven dimensions of religion

1. ritual

2. doctrinal

3. mythic/narrative

4. experiential

5. ethical

6. social/institutional

7. material/artistic

creedal belief

religions that prioritize belief, practitioners can express their faith in various ways, but the essential aspect of being part of that religion is holding a specific belief

• example. Christianity

votive belief

prioritizes practice over belief, in these religions it is crucial to act in a way that is deemed appropriate by the community not just holding the same beliefs

• example. Islam and Judaism

approaches to the study of religion (8)

1. evolutionary

2. historical

3. theological

4. philosophical

5. psychological

6. sociological

7. phenomenological

8. feminist

thoughts on sacredness and secularism

religion cannot be neatly separated from the secular world

• example. even secular things like nationalism or football can have religious dimensions

religion- Nye

‘religion’ is something that humans do, and so the study of religion is primarily concerned with people and cultures

• “religioning”

religioning

describes everyday lived religion (practices, actions, rituals) not just formal beliefs or institutions

is religion cross-cultural?

Yes- it is imperative to approach the study of any religion from a cross-cultural perspective

• helps us understand how current and historical events are shaped by religious practices and factors of influence

• example. Christianity appears differently in the USA, Latin America, and Poland

world religions approach

terms of each religion having certain characteristics, which can be clustered in particular areas:

• major texts

• foundational ideas/ beliefs

• particular histories and leaders

• sense of distinct identity

critique of world religions approach

• it puts practices that may be culturally distinct in a specific category that limits its understanding

• this classification is mostly a political exercise- shaped by a particular Western perspective

insider perspective (emic)

to be inside a place is to belong to it and identity with it, and the more profoundly inside you are the stronger your identity with the place

insider perspective example

identifying as a “local”, feeling safe in your home and understanding the local language, dialect, and culture as well

outsider perspective (etic)

an unreflective sense of belonging that comes from being an existential insider (someone who doesnt know)- not a negative connotation

• “out of place”

outsider perspective example

a tourist, someone who is doing research work on a specific community

jonathan z. smith- “playing pilgrim”

• how ritual, play, and performance help construct religious meaning

• rituals are not just a reflection of belief, but a creative act that shapes identity and meaning

• the “pilgrim” is not a passive actor, they actively engage in repetition, choice, and transformation

simpson- ethnographic refusal

• anthropology and ethnography have historically functioned as tools of colonialism to categorize and control indigenous peoples

• emphasizes indigenous sovereignty especially the right the withhold knowledge from being “known” in western terms

rituals

• performing religion- being religious is not simply a matter of holding certain ideas in the head, it also involves doing things

• represents terms that refer to a diverse range of human behaviours and actions in the world

examples of rituals

• judaism = bar mitzvah and ritual objects

• christianity = liturgical calendar

• islam - five daily prayers

maurice bloch- studies of religion

• suggests that the study of religion would be better framed as the study of ritual

• helpful as it emphasizes the study of religion

catherine bell- ritualization

• thinks that the term “ritual” can be misleading, using “ritual” as a fixed category misrepresents the complexity and fluidity of these actions, use “ritualization” instead

• they involve the active participation of people- agency of people or the agency of the divine)

ritualization/ ritual behaviour

this concept allows us to focus on the rituals themselves and the meaningful experience of each individual who partakes in it- a fluid term

ronald grimes theory on rituals

• not all rituals are religious, and not all religious acts are ritualized- rituals can happen outside of religion

• about the way we do things, not what we do

examples of rituals outside of religion

graduations, parades, memorials, even brushing your teeth or checking your phone

8 ways of looking at rituals

1. meaning

2. symbolism

3. communication

4. performance

5. society

6. repetition

7. transformation

8. power

meaning of rituals

rituals have meanings and may represent some deeper aspects

• example. when hindus marry, the bride and groom walk around fire to symbolize a new life

symbolism of rituals

rituals can be seen as form of ‘symbolic action’, with symbols being central to their understanding

• example. the christian cross

• no symbol has a fixed meaning

communication of rituals

participating in a ritual can help people become aware of important ideas or beliefs

• example. common rituals in western cultures like marriages, funerals, thanksgiving- highlight togetherness

performance of rituals

ritual actions special activities that people do in particular ways, whether they realize it or not

• example. festivals, parades for religious figures

culture

the shared beliefs, values, practices, and social behaviours of a particular group of people

culture as a concept of religion

we often begin our examination of a particular religion by exploring its major cultural products, such as literature, music, and art, which hold significant religious importance

examples of culture as a concept of religion

• example 1. Christian tradition and Bible as a high cultural artifact

• example 2. Islam and transcription of Qur’an

raymond williams- three ways to categorize culture

1. culture as an ideal

2. culture in a documentary sense

3. culture in a social sense

culture as an ideal

• refers to high-quality art that is important

  • example. in school children learn about culture by reading classics like shakepeare

• this understanding of culture looks at how people try to achieve excellence through these artistic expressions- focuses on the best examples of human creativity

culture in a documentary sense

• “popular culture”- used to describe a broader concept of culture that extends beyond elite or idealized notions

• stuart hall identities three distinct interpretations of the term “popular”

stuart hall- three distinct interpretations of the term “popular”

1. popular as something that is well-liked by the masses

2. popular as simply reflecting what people engage in

3. popular as contrasting with dominant (or elite) culture

culture in a social sense

• concept of “mass appeal”

• “popular” not only signifies mass appeal but also represents a broader idea of “popular as what people do”

popular religion

the religion that people do, rather than the official version defined by religious authorities

chidester- doing religiously

explores how religious activities create a sense of sacredness, moral or another form of profound significance

• being religious as demonstrated through actions, rather than defining religious life primarily by beliefs with an established religion

doing religiously

actions that feel meaningful and sacred, even if not tied to institutional religion

religious work

acts that help people negotiate what it means to be human

pilgrimage

a practice that involves a journey to a significant location, engaging with geography, meaning, and social contexts

• viewed as a form of tourism- a pilgrim does not necessarily have to identify as religious

fan

fans are individuals who show enthusiasm for a person, media text, genre, or activity

• a person can identity as a fan without being a part of the larger fandom

fan culture

encompasses the practices of fans

• common feature include consuming media, collecting merchandise, attending concerts, games, etc.

fan pilgrimmage

refers to visiting locations related to filming, character or celebrity memorials, fan events, themed attractions, and similar sites

• type of ritual or ritualization

three effects of ritualization

1. sacralizing space

2. performing social ties

3. witnessing and identity

sacralizing space- example from reading

example. places like platform 9 3/4 being sacralized through ritual-like actions (placing flowers after alan rickman’s death)

performing social ties- example from reading

example. scarf photo ritual affirms identity and belonging

witnessing and identity- example from reading

example. luna’s story of the wand ceremony as symbolic of being “seen” and valued

turner- liminality

state of being “betwixt and between”, representing the experience of being outside of or in transition between typical categories or statuses

examples of liminality

• a pilgrim that is not necessarily of that particular religion that is hosting the pilgrimage

• stairs- not on the first or second floor, you are on a liminal stage

texts

sacred writings or scriptures that are considered central to a particular religion's beliefs, practices, and teachings

• the predominant focus on culture as texts have dramatically influenced the study of religion

study of culture and texts

not limited to “great” texts- movies, novels, and other forms of media can be included

Nye- texts

texts are not just read; they are performed, recited, chanted, and interpreted in communal or ritual settings

• example. Quran recitation

jonathan culler- distinction of texts

offers a distinction between poetics and hermeneutics in response to texts

jonathan culler- poetics

the analysis of a text’s form, style, and rhetoric, focusing on how it is presented and how it communicates, potentially as a work of art

jonathan culler- hermeneutics

focusing not only on how the text functions but also on what it convey- uncover the meaning of the text

• grounding the text in a particular time period, monitoring who the text was written for in that time period

high culture

refers to the cultural practices and products valued by the educated elite and those with higher social status

examples of high culture

classical music, opera, ballet, fine art, and classical architecture

low culture

refers to the cultural products and practices that are widely accessible and enjoyed by the majority of the population

examples of low culture

pop music, TV shows, movies, comic books, and romance novels

max muller- on religious texts

• scholars of religion should focus on primarily sacred texts- these documents contain the actual teachings of the founders of religions and their immediate disciples

• modern, contemporary practices = “corruptions of later ages”

jacques derrida- grammatology

writing is not a secondary representation of spoken language but rather an integral part of how meaning is constructed

• how writing influences thought

jacques derrida- logocentrism

• prioritizing speech over writing, and to view language as a direct and transparent representation of a pre-existing, stable reality or "truth"

• derrida is against this

  • leads to a metaphysics of presence that falsely assumes a stable connection between language and reality

intertextuality

texts interact with other texts to produce meaning

• texts interpret the meanings of other texts, which in turn shape our understanding of them- not self-evident or fixed

example of intertextuality

feminist interpretations of Christian biblical texts

reader’s response theory

the study of texts that requires us to pay close attention to both the author and the reader and how they interact through the text

elizabeth schüssler fiorenza- readers’ response theory

meaning is not derived from the author but rather from a reading that challenges both the text and author’s intentions

• texts by academics should not be taken at face value. we must read with the assumption of gendered power imbalances

amina wadud- readers’ response theory

the reader can better understand the author’s intentions or meanings by interpreting the passages independently (example. Quran)

androcentrism

the belief that male perspectives and experiences are the primary and most significant points of reference

• important to challenge dominant male-centered perspectives when feminist authors have often been ignored or superficially acknowledged

joan scott- power dynamics

• “gender is a primary field through which power dynamics are expressed”

• gender used to understand power in the west, particularly with both Judaeo-Christian and Islamic traditions

mary dally- gender in the study of religion

argues that belief in a male deity contributes to significant sexual inequalities

• intellectually dishonest to assume that insights drawn from discussions primarily with men are representative of both men and women

elisabeth schüssler fiorenza- gener in the study of religion

• study of religion should embody a “feminist hermeneutics of suspicion”

  • texts should not be taken at face value- must read with the assumption of gendered power imbalances

gender

gender involves differences shaped by culture rather than biology.

• gender is not a natural or universal phenomenon. it depends on specific cultural circumstances that vary from societies

judith butler- distinctions of gender

• gender is a powerful discourse that shapes how we define and understand our bodies

  • argues against that a person’s gender behaviour comes from their biologal makeup, social > biological

  • she believes culture shapes biology

michel focault- distinctions of gender

discourse constructs our reality, we cannot assert that gender stops at a certain point, leaving behind a ‘basic’ sex or anatomical difference

queer theory

study of gender encompasses not only biological sex

• how people experience and express their gender

• focuses on fluid identity, how traditions can both marginalize and support queer lives

michel focault- ideologies of gender

argues that power functions within all social relationships, not just from the top down (ex. the ruling class)

• implies that power is an integral aspect of gender division

mary daly- ideologies of gender

points out that religion is a fundamental element of patriarchy, often creating significant challenges for women- perspective derives from Marxism

psychoanalytic theory

individuals arent pre-existing souls in bodies but rather develop personhood, often at personal cost, primarily through the repression of conflicting desires

gender and christianity

• feminist thinkers (mary daly) have highlighted how christian traditions have oppressed women and promotes gender differences

• example of book of genesis

• resulted in = new testament includes references to suggest equality

example of book of genesis- gender and christianity

the book of genesis offers two conflicting representations of women

1. as created simultaneously with man

2. as created after and from man

example of the statue of mary- gender and christianity

mary being a prominent figure in Christianity emphasizes women’s devotion to a figure who embodies the contradictory roles of both a mother and a pure, sinless virgin

changes in modern relation of gender and christianity

in recent decades, some Christian churches have undergone changes to include female priests and ministers

• women may reinterpret texts, claim leadership roles, create new forms of religious practice

hegemony

a communicative process where a dominant group maintains its power with its resources

• women have largely internalized male hegemonic culture

agency

the way an individual engages with or acts upon the possibilities available to them is influenced by the cultural and religious context in which they exist

subaltern

refers to groups that are marginalized or excluded

examples of subaltern

• individuals in lower social classes and marginalized groups in imperial colonies who lack access to cultural resources

• focus on male perspective that have made it impossible to uncover the voices of women

gender-critical perspective

examines not only how religion and cultures can oppress women, but also how traditional studies have been conducted in a way that marginalizes women’s experiences

gender-critical approach

one that is inclusive and investigates how religious cultures are constructed and practiced by both women and men

oral traditions

the practice of transmitting religious beliefs, stories, rituals, and teachings through spoken word, rather than written texts, across generations

• trustworthy as opposed to other means of documenting

• strength of the narrative can last generations

legends

oral traditions connected to specific locations. often feature cultural heroes, witches or other phenomena

cultural heroes

vital figure whose existence and actions define societal norms

myths

narratives that depict the earliest times, including tales of creations. myth play a significant role in shaping and preserving traditions

folktales

recognized as fictional accounts that serve to impart moral or social lessons or to entertains (stories that start with “once upon a time”)

memorates

a personal experience involving the supernatural, such as a ghost story or another form of spirit interaction with a human

native cultures- oral traditions

• folktales, memorates, legends- shared by anyone, including children and younger members of the tribe

• myths- only be shared with adults who have reached a specific age and level of experience