WRBS Ponters 1

Terminologies in World Religion and Topic: Historical Events

Materialism

is the philosophical doctrine that physical matter is the only ultimate reality.Holds that everything that exists can be reduced to matter or qualities/outcomes of matter.

Theistic moral systems (moral supernaturalism)

ethical frameworks that claim to successfully explain the existence of objective ethical values and moral laws.

Worldview

is more than culture; it includes perceptions of time, space, happiness, and well-being. the origin of the beliefs, values, and behaviors seen in a culture. a cluster of beliefs an individual holds about key life concepts like God, the cosmos, and humanity (from German weltanschauung). forms a broad, overarching perspective on life and the world, regardless of the truth value of these

beliefs.

Spirituality

is an integrative view of life involving a search for life’s meaning and ultimate value. contrasts with an instrumentalist or materialistic approach to life.

Philosophy

is considered the mother of all branches of knowledge and involves systematic

examination of principles and assumptions in any field of inquiry, including religion.

Seekers

people looking for a spiritual home who contemplate recovering earlier religious identities. embrace the “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) label and seek a new religious identity or alternative spiritual group to commit to.

Belief systems

convictions often in the form of supernatural or religious beliefs, but may also include scientific

views or philosophical beliefs relating to daily life.

Religious scriptures

sacred texts central to a religion’s faith. used to evoke connection with the divine, convey spiritual truths, promote mystical experiences,

foster communal identity, and guide spiritual practice.

Ritual

sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed in a designated place and

set order. prescribed by community or religious traditions.

Kathenotheists

polytheists who worship different gods or goddesses at different times.

Monotheism

from Greek monos (single) and theos (god). Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, religions developed in opposition to polytheism.

Spiritual dimension (spirit)

a unifying force that integrates and transcends other dimensions within individuals. related to God-consciousness or supreme values.

Naturalism worldview

finds roots in empiricism (knowledge from experience) and positivism (denial of metaphysical

concepts). proposes morality limited to non-spiritual contexts, denying any supernatural purpose for

humankind.

Religion

organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews relating humanity to an order of

existence. includes holy scriptures, narratives, or sacred accounts explaining the origin and meaning of life

and the universe.

Theology

science of God or religion, dealing with existence, character, attributes, laws, doctrines, and

duties related to God.

Augustine (5th century)

defined theology as a rational discussion about the deity.

Philosophy of religion

the philosophical study of main themes and concepts in religions. may include inquiry into the religious significance of historical events, cosmos, laws of nature,

and conscious life.

Mosque

place of worship for Muslims. feature architectural elements like domes, minarets, and prayer halls and serve as centers for prayer (salat), information, education, social welfare, and dispute resolution.

Monism

philosophical and metaphysical stance proposing the ultimate unity of all things, viewing differences as apparent or partial aspects of a unified whole. says that there are no fundamental divisions in nature and a unified set of laws underlies all

existence.

Evolutionists

claim all life’s existence is explained by natural selection, described as a blind, unconscious, purposeless automatic process.

Self-immolation

killing oneself as sacrifice, originally by fire but also by other means.

Thich Quang Duc (1963)

Vietnamese Buddhist monk who self-immolated in Saigon protesting religious discrimination.

Under Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime

minority Catholics favored, Buddhists oppressed and prohibited from public worship.

Buddhist protests

included monks shot for flying Buddhist flags; government blamed

communists.

Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation

sparked protests, symbolized compassion (heart remained

intact), contributed to regime overthrow.

Sati

Hindu practice where widow burns herself on husband’s funeral pyre.

Origin

(Widow Burning (Sati) in India) about 700 years ago among Rajput women avoiding capture after battle defeats.

Inquisition

church courts starting in 1184 to suppress heresy like Cathars and Waldensians.

Strappado

torture method suspending accused by arms tied behind back causing joint pain.

Godhra train burning

fire on Sabarmati Express killed 59 Hindu pilgrims

including many women and children.

Babri Masjid site dispute

contested religious site in Ayodhya, destroyed by Hindu activists in

1992, intensifying tensions.