Test 1 Notes - World Religions

Worldview: beliefs, way of living, understanding the universe, presuppositions, communities, etc.

-            Worldviews affect behaviors and speech, which ultimately affect the outcome of life

Three Dimensions

1)        Cognitive – determines what is true or false (logical connection)

2)        Affective – determines what is beautiful or ugly (emotional connection)

-            Should be based in the cognitive dimension

3)        Evaluative – determines decisions made that lead to actions

Functions of Worldviews

1)        Lead a person or a group of people into a particular way of life (quiz)

-            Worldviews shape/determine our values, shape the way we view the world, lead a person or group into a particular way of life (quiz)

2)        Provide answers to our four ultimate questions (quiz and exam)

a.        Where do I come from? (origins)

b.       What is right/wrong? Who decides this? (morality)

c.        What is my place in this world? (purpose)

d.       What will happen when I die? (destiny)

3)        Give us emotional security

4)        Help us to integrate our culture

5)        Monitor culture change

Things that affect Worldview

1)        Relationships

2)        Experiences (exam – this one is most important/common)

3)        Power and Social Dynamics in Society (ex. art/music)

4)        Prejudices

5)        Education

Worldviews are like lenses in glasses that affect the way you approach the world

Methods for analyzing Worldviews (don’t have to memorize)

1)        Ethonosemantic analysis – focuses on words people use and the “truth”

a.        I’m heading to the mosque - infer that they are muslim

2)        Sentence completion – focuses on people’s concepts of reality (value or purpose)

a.        I’m heading to the mosque to clean it - may or may not be muslim

3)        Analysis of other signs – food, dress, tradition, etc.

a.        Dressed in a burqa - for sure muslim

4)        Analysis of rituals – “structured dramas” common in a culture

a.        Praying 5 times a day at specific times – for sure muslim

5)        Analysis of folklore and myths

6)        Other methods – literature, narrative analysis, aesthetic culture, etc.

My definition of worldview: A worldview is a set of personal beliefs that shape an individual’s opinions and actions.

3 Central Worldview Beliefs (quiz and exam)

1)        Metaphysics – study of the nature of being or reality

a.        See a tree and wonder, who made the tree, what is it, etc.

b.       Inquires into the ultimate nature of reality

c.        Interchangeable with the word “ontology” meaning “being”

d.       What is the nature of the universe and why is it here?

e.        What is mankind/humanity, and why are we here?

f.          Is reality one or many?

g.        Is physical stuff real?

h.        Is there anything beyond the physical?

i.          Do I have freedom?

j.          Is there such a thing as a soul?

k.        Does God exist? If so, what is God?

2)        Epistemology – theory of knowledge

a.        Concerned with the theory and nature of knowledge

b.       What is knowledge? What do we mean when we say that we know something?

c.        Where do we get knowledge? How do we know if it’s reliable?

d.       What are the limits of knowledge? Are there any in the first place?

e.        How do I know that my beliefs are accurate? Are our perceptions reliable?

f.          Do our ideas correspond to the world around us?

g.        Can we have certainty about anything?

3)        Ethics – beliefs and judgment

a.        Your metaphysics and your metaphysical understanding and your epistemological understanding will have a direct impact on your axiology (important)

b.       Axiology is the study of what is valuable, same thing as ethics or morals

c.        Why should I be moral?

d.       What makes an action morally right or wrong?

e.        What is the purpose of human life?

f.          Are some commands higher than others?

My conclusions on the pillars:

Theology

-            Encounter questions like does god exist, what kind of god exists, is god one or many, etc.

-            What is the purpose of human life as it relates to God? What is the nature of religion? Are religious beliefs of any value to culture and society?

Anthropology

-            Where did man come from? Is man just a physical machine?

-            Other questions like this?

NEW LECTURE (9/6/24)

Biblical Worldview: (definitions) (short-answer for exam)

-            Living under the premise of Genesis 1:1

-            Living in harmony with the biblical principles and teachings

-            Christ-centered living

-            Thinking like Jesus

Central features in BW include:

-            Supreme Being

-            Human Nature

-            Great Controversy

-            Second Coming

American State of Mind:

-            ¾ born-again Christians

-            1/7 rely on bible as moral compass and believe in absolute truth

-            98% teenagers do not have biblical worldview

-            >50% believe bible, koran, Mormon contain same basic truth

-            1/30 adults in the nation have a biblical worldview

-            63% Christian teens don’t believe in Jesus as the son of God

-            Growing majority believe holy spirit is symbolic and not part of the trinity

-            41% are uncertain if Jesus was physically resurrected

-            33% believed that Jesus is not the only way to heaven

-            Only 5% study the Bible daily

-            60% are uncertain, unsettled, or confused about if the Bible can be trusted

-            70% express doubt that what the Bible says about Jesus is true

The Tragedy: Claiming to be a Christian does not make one a Christian. Only embracing a Biblical Worldview makes one a Christian (see above). If you think you are a Christian but have not embraced a Biblical worldview, you will embrace another worldview (extremely important).

Common Worldviews: (Remember 7, explain 5-6)

1)        Deism

-            The world is on its own, but made by God (essentially ruled by natural law)

-            Can also be described as theism minus miracles (removing the supernatural)

2)        Naturalism

-            What you see is what it is – reality based

-            Natural causes and laws are sufficient to explain the world and everything

-            Also no space for supernatural whatsoever

-            Two myths that have been disproven:

-            The material world has always existed

-            Natural laws are capable of creating

3)         Nihilism

-            Denial of existence

-            No metaphysics, epistemology, ethics

-            Everything happens by chance, life is pointless

4)        Existentialism

-            Life is pointless and absurd, with meaningless reality

-            You determine and create your own meaning in life

5)        Atheism

-            Atheist: there is no God

-            Agnostic: there is no evidence for a God

6)        Post-Modernism

-            No absolute truth

-            No meta-narrative (no good/evil, no purpose, etc.)

7)        Pantheism

-            The universe and divine are one entity

-            “All is one and one is all, all is God” (must know)

-            Monism: all is one, God and universe and everything

-            Hinduism is founded on Monism and Pantheism

8)        Panentheism

-            The world is an extension of God

-            “All is IN God”

-            The universe is “god,” but the universe is not all there is of “god”

-            The difference of pantheism is that God is bigger than everything in panentheism, while in pantheism god is contained in everything

-            Everything was created “ex deo” (out of God)

9)        New age

-            Religious syncretism (all religions are in one, ex. Jesus, Budda, etc.)

-            Eastern mysticism as the process to attain growth

-            No axiological solid foundation

-            An has an unlimited potential

-            Experiences are outside of the body (spiritual dimension)

10)   Polytheism

-            Many gods with finite or specific attributes (ex. sea, travel, rain, etc.)

-            300 million gods in Hinduism because its pantheistic and polytheism (exam lol)

-            Mormonism is another example (everyone will become a god)

Religare (must know)

1)        Each religion is identified by:

a)        Name

b)       Problem(s)

c)        Solution

d)       Values

e)        Anti-values

f)          Contribution(s)

g)        Response from the biblical worldview

2)        A religion is a system of beliefs and practices that gives purpose to life

3)        Answers a set of questions (don’t need to know)

a.        What is ultimate reality?

b.       What is the nature of the world

c.        What is human nature?

d.       What is the main problem of humanity?

e.        What happens in afterlife?

4)        Each religion is an expression or reaction of human condition

5)        Belief systems determine who you are (have to know)

6)        We are called to witness

Why so many religions?

-            From a Biblical perspective it is because of the fall (exam)

Spiritual Schizophrenia

1)        We are drawn to God

2)        We want to run away from Him

Our religious urge includes rejection, realization, and seeking the transcendental

-            Danger (need to know)

-            Coming out of seeking transcendental brings a danger of pagan religion’s common denominator: Justification by Works (quiz and exam)

Islam is the fastest growing religion, but by 2050-2060 Christianity will still be largest religion (know)

“Nones” = unaffiliated (secular, agnostics, etc.) growing fast in the west and America (know)

Three major reasons the religious profile of the world is rapidly changing: (know at least one)

1)        Differences in fertility rates

2)        Size of youth populations among the world’s major religions

3)        People switching faith

The center of gravity has shifted southward over the past century (exam)

-            Southward regions: Africa, Asia, and Latin America

-            In 1950, most leading Christian countries were Britain, France, Spain, Italy, etc. but none will be by 2050

-            By 2025, Africans and Latin Americans will make up about 60% of Catholics

-            560 million, the largest Christian block in Europe, and 480 million in Latin America, 360 million in Africa, with 313 million in Asia and 260 million in Canada and US (in 2010)

-            640 million in Latin America, 633 million in Africa, 555 million in Europe, 460 million in Asia by 2050

Need to know what we can learn from other religions

-            Islam: has a strong appreciation for greatness of God

-            Judaism: reverence to sacred writings as revelation of God

-            Hinduism: Respect for life (vegetarianism)

-            Buddhism: Emphasis in meditation, compassion, and meaning of current moment

-            Animism: Helps us understand our warfare is not against flesh and blood

-            Atheism: Seeking solutions through rational thought

NEW LECTURE

Hinduism

-            3^rd largest religion (15%) – (need to know)

-            About 1/7 people is Hindu

-            Most Hindus are from India, but the only official Hindu country is Nepal

-            No real origins or beliefs (maybe 1500BC)

-            Origins are not built on the teachings of single founder person (need to know)

-            Hinduism is a melting pot of beliefs and practices from Indus valley and Aryan people

-            Name comes from word that means Indus river dwellers

-            It is a polytheistic religion with about 300 million gods (need to know)

-            Dharma is technically their beliefs

-            No governing system or authority (need to know)

3 Major Divisions of Hinduism (schools)

1)        Advaita (non-dualism)

2)        Dwaita (dualism)

3)        Visista-Advaita (modified dualism) – majority

4 Main Sects

1)        Shaiva

2)        Vaishnava

3)        Shakta

4)        Smarta

3 Religions from Hinduism

1)        Jainism

2)        Buddhism

3)        Sikhism

Major Ideas of Hinduism

1)        Pantheistic and Polytheistic (know)

-            If Hindus refer to God, they may have Brahman in mind (force that rules the universe, impersonal)

-            Brahma: creator narratives

-            Vishnu: brings stability to your life

-            Shiva: destroyer and death, endings

-            Humans are divine

-            Atman = soul which is good and divine (extension of brahman)

-            The ultimate goal is to rid the body and become one with the brahman

-            Need to overcome:

-            Kama (lust)

-            Krodha (anger)

-            Lobha (greed)

-            Moha (infatuation)

-            Humans are victims of:

-            Avidya (ignorance of self brahman divinity) – (must know)

-            Maya (illusion)

-            Kama (pleasure)

-            Avatars are reincarnations of major deities (ex. Lord Rama, Lord Krishna = Vishnu)

2)        Karma (need to know 4 points)

-            The primary problem of humanity is that people are ignorant of their divine nature

-            Attached themselves to desires and egos

-            This makes humans subject to law of karma

-            The Law of Karma is the moral equivalent to the natural law of cause and effect (know)

3)        Samsara

-            Endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth or reincarnation (know)

-            People reap the consequences of the deeds they committed in previous lifetimes

4)        Moksha

-            Moksha is to the Hindu what salvation is to the Christian

-            Liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (ultimate goal)

-            Merging with the brahman is the ultimate goal, or moksha

-            For Buddhists, Nirvana means ceasing cycles of rebirth (ceasing to exist)

-            In Hinduism, Nirvana refers to self-merging into the Brahman

5)        Darma

-            The order and balance of the universe: duty, order, conduct, morality, justice, etc.

-            Every person can live in harmony with Dharma, and every person’s path is different

Hindu Scriptures

1)        Vedas (exam)

-            Includes 1000 praises for the gods

-            Has any rituals and ceremonies on how to progress faster in escaping the body

-            Also has myths about gods

-            Written between 1500-1000 BC

2)        Upanishads

-            Focuses on Brahman

-            All that is not Brahman is maya

-            Written between 800-300 BC

3)        Bhagavad Gita

-            Rich in folklore, dialogue between Akuna and Krishna

-            Sacred texts are interpreted individually

-            Written in 200 BC

Hindu Worship and Practices (don’t need to know)

1)        Individual focus with annual festivals

-            Worship at home at altar or shrine, or entrance of village, but do not visit temple often

-            Holi (color festival)

-            Diwali (lamps placed everywhere to lead goddess, celebrates good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance)

2)        The “Three Ways”

-            Three ways to obtain moksha

-            Way of works (Vedic Hinduism or Brahmanism)

-            Way of knowledge (Vedantic Hinduism)

-            Way of devotion (devotion to own god in pantheon)

3)        Dietary Practices

-            Encouraged but not required (mostly due to poverty)

4)        The Caste System (need to know)

-            Hierarchy of social system

-            A Hindu is a born Hindu caste, not made into Hindu caste

-            The caste you are born in, you cannot do anything to escape it and must embrace it (due to karma and dharma) – need to know

-            Brahmins are at the top (teachers, intellectuals, priests): comes from the head of brahma’s head and are very rich and high status

-            Kshatriyas are second (warriors and rulers/politicians): comes from brahmans arms

-            Vaishyas are third (businessmen, traders): created from the thighs

-            Shudras are fourth (menial jobs): created from feet (not a terrible position)

-            Untouchables are lowest (technically not a class): individuals in poverty, includes majority of Indians, known as achhoots, Dalits, or untouchables

Missionaries to India:

1)        Thomas (impaled by spear) – first Christian missionary, need to know

2)        Francis Xavier (1506-1552) – Spanish

3)        Roberto de Nobili (1577-1656) – learned local language, converted 100,000 people

4)        William Carey (1761-1834) – first protestant missionary, translated the Bible into 35 dialects, established missionary schools for training in India – need to know

5)        William Ambrose Spicer (1865-1952) – first Adventist missionary – need to know

Hindrances to Presenting the Gospel to Hindus (essay question for test)

1)        Cultural barriers

-            Hinduism is part of Indian culture

-            Embracing Christianity is not necessarily rejecting your culture

-            Christianity is an imperialistic religion to them

-            Southern India has the anti-conversion bill, which makes you pay a fee if caught being converted or baptized

2)        Communal family system

-            No one individual owns property, so family honor, name, and reputation are more important than individual

3)        There are many paths to God

4)        “I must pay for my own karmic debt”

-            Rejects Jesus as substitute for sins

Brief suggestions for evangelism (exam – write about 5 of these for essay)

1)        Offer Jesus forgiveness

2)        Keep God’s personhood in mind (God is personal, Brahman is impersonal)

3)        Listen

4)        Be humble

5)        Emphasize Jesus (ex. share book of John)

6)        Consider terms and definitions

Long term strategies

1)        Friendship evangelism

2)        Three steps strategy

a.        Stage 1: The Christian Acharya (person studies at school with intent to return home)

b.       Stage 2: Developing non-religious contacts (returns home and witnesses)

c.        Stage 3: Introduction of Bible doctrines and the SDA church