nature of religion notes 2024 prelim course.docx

Spiritualities

Diverse ways in which individuals or communities engage with the sacred, seeking meaning, purpose, and connection with the divine or transcendent.

Belief

Acceptance or conviction in the truth of a particular concept, doctrine, or worldview, often rooted in faith and central to religious practices.

Adherents

Followers or practitioners of a particular religious or spiritual tradition.

Transcendent

A supreme being that is all-powerful, all-knowing, and exists beyond the limitations of time and space.

Immanent

A deity that is intimately involved with and inherent in the material world, actively participating in the universe's ongoing processes.

Inextricable connection to land

A spiritual belief emphasizing the sacred connection between individuals or communities and the land they inhabit.

Supernatural

Phenomena or entities that exist outside the realm of natural laws or the observable universe, often associated with divine forces.

Traditions

Rituals, customs, and practices passed down through generations within a religious or cultural community.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent deeper meanings or concepts within religious contexts.

Worldview

The overall perspective through which individuals or communities interpret and understand the world, including beliefs about existence and the divine.

Divine

Pertaining to the nature of God or the sacred, often associated with supreme, transcendent, or supernatural powers.

The Dreaming

In Indigenous Australian beliefs, the time of creation when ancestral beings formed the world and established cultural norms.

Spirit Beings

All-powerful transcendental beings who created the earth.

Kinship

The network of obligations and relationships dictated by the Dreaming, influencing treatment of land and behavior.

Totems

Natural objects, plants, or animals inherited by members of a Clan or family as their spiritual emblem.

Nature of Religion

Religion as a worldview that acknowledges the supernatural dimension and belief in divine beings or powers.

Supernatural dimension

The dimension of reality where powers or beings exist beyond human understanding, not explainable by rational thought or science.

Monotheism

The belief and/or worship in only one deity or power.

Polytheism

The belief and/or worship of several powers or deities.

Transcendent worldview

A belief in a higher power or divine being that transcends the material universe.

Immanent worldview

A belief in a divine presence that infiltrates all aspects of creation and is intimately involved in the world.

Characteristics of Religion

Beliefs and believers, sacred texts and writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies.

Beliefs and believers

Acceptance of something that exists, guiding the worldview and practices of adherents.

Sacred texts and writings

Authoritative writings that provide the foundation for beliefs, ethics, and rituals in a religion.

Ethics

A set of moral principles guiding adherents on right and wrong behavior.

Rituals and ceremonies

Actions performed in a particular manner that link adherents to their supreme beings.

Dynamic religion

A religion that embodies core beliefs while adapting to modern contexts.

Contribution of religion

Religion's role in providing meaning, ethical guidance, and a sense of belonging to individuals and society.

The Dreaming

A complex network of knowledge, faith, and practices that dominate all aspects of Aboriginal life.

Sacred sites

Locations of spiritual significance infused with the presence of ancestral beings, serving as ceremonial spaces.

Dreaming stories

Oral histories that convey knowledge about creation, ethics, and cultural practices.

Symbolism and art

Artistic expressions that convey the relationships between Indigenous culture and ancestral beings.

Diversity of the Dreaming

Variations in cultures, languages, and totems among Aboriginal peoples across Australia.

Inextricable connection of the Dreaming, land, and identity

The link between Aboriginal spirituality, the land, and individual identity, emphasizing custodianship and responsibility.