Introduction to Techniques and Outcomes in the Study of Religion

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from the lecture on the study of religion, including theories, historical events, and philosophical perspectives.

Reductionism

The idea that the true reality of a thing can only be found by reducing it to something other than that thing.

Scientism

The belief that all truth can be found solely in the empirical sciences.

Theory (Θεωρία)

Literally means 'to look at something', often implying a relationship with the divine in religious contexts.

Bracketing

The act of intentionally looking at things 'as if for the first time' by suspending the natural attitude.

Empathy

The attempt to understand a situation from the perspective of someone different from oneself.

Defamiliarization

Making the familiar seem foreign or strange to see something in a new light.

First Order of Meaning

Immediate meaning created within the act of doing; experienced by the insider.

Second Order of Meaning

Self-reflective meaning that arises from thinking about the act of doing; also from the insider's perspective.

Third Order of Meaning

Academic meaning that attempts objectivity, engaged from the outsider's perspective.

Fourth Order of Meaning

A hybrid perspective that straddles inside and outside, often held by students seeking understanding of religions.

Philosophy (φιλοσοφία)

The love of wisdom, treating religion as one aspect of human life rather than the sole explanatory realm.

Hume's Dialogue

A philosophical exploration that presents three viewpoints on God's existence: theist, a priori knowledge, and skepticism.

Ecstasy

The act of speaking candidly or freely, implying an obligation to speak the truth for the common good.

Mystical Theology

A branch of theology focused on acts and experiences of the soul that cannot be produced by human effort.

Divine Union

The traditional understanding of the union of the soul with God, often differentiated in Teresa's theology.

Important Dates in Early Christianity

Key events in Christian history including Jesus' life, the Council of Nicaea, and the Protestant Schism.