Ninian Smart's 6 Dimensions of a Religion - 1.6

Name the 6 dimensions

Religious Experience
The Myth
Rituals
Community
Code
Creed

Religious Experience

All religions begin with an experience of the divine. The "divine" is that which gives meaning to our existence. Someone has an experience of a greater reality which transforms that person and our understanding of reality. This person is the founder.

Christianity Example?
The disciples meet and follow Jesus.

The Myth

The encounter with the divine is remembered and retold, first in story form and then in writing. An attempt is made to communicate the experience. Sacred books (scriptures) tell the story of the founder's religious experience.

Christianity Example?
The disciples tell others about Jesus. These stories later become written down in the "gospels" or Bible.

Sacred Rituals/Symbols

Attempts are made to recreate the encounter with the divine using ceremonies and celebrations.

Christianity Example?
For Catholics, the Mass is an attempt to recreate the experience of Jesus giving himself for us at the Last Supper and on the cross

Community

People come together who share a common vision of the world based on their understanding of the divine. In most religions, branches or splits occur in the community as a result of a variation in experience, beliefs or world view.

Christianity Example?
The Catholic Church is made up of local church communities.

Morality (Code)

Members of the community share a common set of values which are rooted in the experience of the divine. These values determine right and wrong.

Christianity Example?
Ten Commandments

Creed (Beliefs)

The community shares a common vision of what the world could be like based on the encounter with the divine.

Christianity Example?
The Christian vision of the Kingdom of God; The Trinity

What are Divine, Human, Demonic, Heirophanies, and Theophanies forms of religious experience?

Divine Human

God founders

gods mystics

Spirits prophets

angels

avatars

Demonic Heirophanies

satan Encounters with

devils the sacred

evil spirits

Theophanies

Encounter with

God

What are myths?

Stories which explain sacred realities: hero, creation, divine, natural

What are scriptures?

Sacred Writings containing myths, history, law, wisdom, teachings, prophecy