REL110 UNIT 1A

Introduction to Religion

  • Overview of the origin of religion in Study Unit 1.

  • Themes include:

    • Definition of religion

    • Development of religion

    • Theories on the origin of religion

    • Major world religions

Distinction Between Religion and Faith

  • Religion: System within which faith operates; unbiased and descriptive.

  • Faith: Personal conviction associated with specific religious beliefs.

Terminology of Religion

  • Origin of "religion" from Latin:

    • Religio: General term for religion.

    • Re-ligare: "to connect."

    • Religere: "to follow closely."

    • Relegere: "to engage again."

Definition and Interpretation of Religion

  • Refers to both passive connection to gods and active worship.

  • E.B. Tylor's definition limited to "Belief in spiritual beings."

Development of Religion

  • Humans (~200,000 years ago) show evidence of religious activity.

  • Earliest signs: Graves from Homo neanderthalensis indicate respect for death.

  • Evidence of organized religion arises in Upper Paleolithic period (~40,000 years ago):

    • Clay figures, cave paintings, totemistic rituals.

Neolithic and Bronze Ages

  • Developments in deity representation exist; examples of the mother goddess appear.

  • Transition from nomadic to settled agricultural life leads to rich religious practices.

  • Cult centers with stone constructions mark religious significance.

Agricultural Shift and Its Impact on Religion

  • Move from hunter-gatherer to agricultural life around 10,000 BCE.

  • Cultures become fixed and develop art, agriculture, and religion.

  • Sumer recognized as a key area in the origin of civilizations around 4000 BCE.

Theories of Religion's Origin

  • Religion likely developed with structured societies post-agriculture.

  • The connection between settled life and organized religious practices noted.

  • Various scholarly theories exist on how religion influenced civilization and vice versa.

Study Unit Outcomes

  • Understand the word 'religion' and its Latin roots.

  • Identify characteristics of prehistoric religious forms.

  • Compare theories on the origin of religion: sociological, psychological, philosophical, and biological.

  • Name major world religions.