Final Exam Study Guide

Critical Empathy * Relationship with others lens * Critical: using our faculties like observation, judgement, understanding, and classification (asking critical questions and using proper judgement) * Empathy: the ability to “feel into” another’s religions tradition * Pillars of critical empathy * Mythological: stories and records of the past serve to establish and maintain tradition * Material: physical dimension, manifest not only in the works of people, but in the preservations of artifacts and sacred places * Doctrinal: leaders and scholars have sought to provide a systematic explanation of what adherents are meant to believe * Ethical: religious beliefs underpin a value system defined by laws that promote specific behaviors * Experimental: all religions are responses to certain significant experiences of their founders and followers * Ritual: practices to which a religious tradition adheres and which provide a spiritual awareness * Social: organizational structures that provide for the collective experience of adherents and identify the group within the wider society
Holy Envy * Relationship with self lens * Holy envy: a sentiment felt for one aspect of another tradition that is enviable * I feel holy envy for * Judaism’s sense of community * Buddhism and Hinduism’s emphases on letting go and being more flexible * Islam’s specific methods of praying
Nostra Aetate * Intellectual understanding lens

5 Pillars * Shahada: one God + prophet Muhammad * Prayer: 5x/day, face Mecca * Fasting: Self-discipline, commemorates Hirja * Wealth sharing: 2.5% of all possessions for those who can afford * Pilgrimage (hajj): Allah forgives your sin if you make the journey
Qu'ran & Sunna * Qu’ran * 114 suras (chapters) * Offers complete worldview — way of life, culture, society, governance * Sunna * Teachings of Muhammad (separate from Qu’ran) * Muhammad is human but revered * Hadith: model for being muslim
Life of Muhammad * Born 570 AD, orphaned, married Khadija * 610 AD: Angel Gabriel appeared, told him to “Recite / Proclaim” 3x (night of power & excellence) * Had to flee (hirja) * Made Medina and Mecca holy cities

Brahman / Atman * Brahman: the source/essence of the universe, the grounding of all existence * Can be achieved differently by different people * We shouldn’t hurt other beings because ultimately we’re all one
Samsara & Moksha * Samsara: wheel of rebirth/reincarnation * Death isn’t final, everything is reincarnated * Moksha: infinite release; escape from reincarnation * Many paths to attain (marga)
Dharma & Karma * Dharma: ethical duty * Sacred duty, moral guidance * Love everyone, reject selfishness * Determined by gender, caste, stage of life * Karma: moral law of cause and effect that determines the nature of your reality * Explains “luck” and privilege
Marga (3 types) * Karma marga: doing the right thing because it is the right thing (not for reward, recognition, or success) * Jnana marga: study with many texts and teachers to become detached and see self in third person * Often involves yoga and meditation * Bhakti marga: loving devotion to one’s god or goddess * Focus more on gods/goddesses than needs and desires of self * Worship through prayers, visiting shrines, candles, offerings, incense, rituals, visiting temples

Life of Buddha * Born around 560 BCE, died around 480 BCE * Warrior Class; Feudal Lord (very privileged) * Parents made sure he never encountered any suffering * Encountered suffering during the four passing sights at ~20 * Deprived of senses, then gave into * Created middle way
Concept of self * Must discover self to achieve nirvana * Accept that not everything about self is real
4 Noble Truths * Life is discomfort (dukka) * Suffering is caused by desire (tanha) * Suffering can stop * This can be done through the eightfold path
Nirvana * Enlightenment * Final nirvana happens at bodily death

Chosen People * God sees them as a holy nation, a treasured possession * God will keep his deal with Jewish people if they keep theirs with him
History & State of Israel * Very controversial * Jews emigrated to Israel before WWI * Was part of the Ottoman Empire * The League of Nations in 1922 recognized the need for a Jewish homeland * Many international treaties before and after reaffirmed this * This land was already occupied * Palestinians and Jews both claim the land as their homeland * Very complicated conflict * Many countries declared war on Israel
Holocaust / Sheol * More than exile, inquisition—anything that’s been faced before * Shook the faith of many Jewish people; common questions included