REL Unit 3B

Divine Omnipotence and Human Freedom

Tension between God's power and human free will, especially in monotheistic faiths.

Time and History

Linear (Western/Biblical) vs. cyclic (Hinduism) perspectives.

Life and Death

Seen as interconnected; death often marks transformation rather than an end.

Heaven an Earth

Spatial metaphors for spiritual and earthly realities.

Myth and Rite

Stories and rituals that give meaning and structure to beliefs.

Public Worship and Ethics

Religion's role in moral and communal life.

Cult

A small religious group which has separated themselves from larger culture.

Denomination

A group that can be differentiated within a larger religious context.

Founder Faiths

These faiths can be traced to their origins and founders.

Magic

The flip side of dynamism - a gigted human that is provided with powers or forces and can mipulate them fo their own purposes or for others.

Pantheon

The gods and/or goddesses of a particular religion or faith.

Revelation

A specific form of communication between deity and human beings.

Sacred

A generic term for that which is interpreted as having great significance.

Sect

Usually refers to a small group within a larger religious movement. This happens when the group either refines it's sense of distinctiveness or breaks away from the larger group.

Spirituality

The locus od religious experience and the presence of religious sentiment in one's everyday life.

Totemism

The belief that there is a deep relationship between a person, animal/s and/or plants.