What is Religion?

1. What is Religion?

2. Religion is… • the service or worship of God or the supernatural - Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary • a specific system of faith and worship– Oxford English Dictionary • a set of symbolic forms and acts which relate man to the ultimate condition of his existence– Robert Bellah

3. Religion is… • Beliefs, attitudes, emotions, behavior, etc., constituting man’s relationship with the powers and principles of the universe – Reader’s Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary • Belief in and/or worship of God or gods– World Book Dictionary

4. Religion is… • Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe; a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship– YourDictionary.com

5. Religion is… • [the seeking] of divine truth, exploring who we are, why we’re here, and how we should live - Joel Beversluis, ed., Sourcebook of the world’s Religions • belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto – William James

6. Religion is… • …the seeking oftranscendent meaning that gives our lives value and puts us in touch with the deeper currents of existence... Religion helpspeople to cultivate an appreciation of the holiness of humanity and teaches us to respect the sacredness of life and the world. - Karen Armstrong, Battle for God, pp. 199-201

7. Definitions can be… Biased, revealing a positive or negative judgment or perspective toward religion: “an infantile dependency, a neurosis”(Sigmund Freud) “the opium of the people” (Karl Marx) Both of these statements are criticisms and judgments based on a negative perspective of the value of religion.

8. Definitions can be… Too narrow or limited (exclusive): “a specific system of belief in God, doctrines, etc. God’s relation to humanity and the universe” (Western/Christian bias) • Religion is a lot more than just belief • There are many systems generally considered to be “religions” that do not fit with this definition (they do not believe in or relate to a god or gods) (use more generic language)

9. Definitions can be… Too broad or inclusive: “a system of beliefs and practices directed to the ultimate concern of society” • Are economic or political systems “religions”? • What kind of “ultimate concern”? What kind of beliefs? What kind of practices? • Definitions that are too general (generic) may not be very useful • Definitions should be sufficiently specific

10. Three Dimensions of ReligionIntellectual – Emotional - Physical Religion is a way of thinking about: • Origins (where did we come from?) • Purpose/meaning (why are we here?) • Destiny (where are we going? what happens when we die?) • Who we are (the nature of human beings) • Who/what God is (the nature of Ultimate Reality) The basis for our beliefs & doctrine, expressed through myth, scripture, philosophy, theology

11. Religions share… • Belief in a higher power (be it a person or principle) • Surrender to the supreme power • An ethic of reciprocity (the Golden Rule) • Worship (prayer or other such practices) • Belief in the human spirit (soul) • Belief in other worlds (beyond life in this world, afterlife, reincarnation, etc.) • Paths to God that can effect a positive change in human lives - Pope John Paul II Cultural Center “Gallery of Faith”

12. Seven Dimensions of Religion • Practical/Ritual (religious practice) • Experiential/Emotional • Narrative/Mythic (sacred stories) • Doctrinal/Philosophical (beliefs, theology) • Ethical/Legal (moral code) • Social/Institutional • Material (sacred objects, structures, places) - Ninian Smart

13. Seven Characteristics of Religion

14. Experiential • Have you ever had an experience in which you realized that there was more to life than meets the eye – a sacred moment ? • Experiential begins with the religious experiences of the individual e.g. the Buddha • Theistic – God experienced as a holy presence • Non-theistic – mysticism – become one with the divine • Faith generally belongs to the category of Religious Experience

15. Mythic Stories which explain and inspire • Sources of sacred truth • They do not necessarily conflict with history and science, nor are they necessarily false or irrational • Express Sacred Truth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcxgzMwcqN8 (Egyptian creation story)

16. Doctrinal • The belief aspect of a religion – creeds, doctrines or teachings of the religion • come from experiential • come from myths • What is the difference between the beliefs of a religion and faith?

17. Ethical • Ideas and laws that shape behavior • The “dos” and “don’ts” • How we are to act while living in the world • the “Golden Rule” • Laws of Manu • Ten Commandments • Beatitudes

18. Ritual • Practices such as • Worship, praying • Regular gatherings • Rites of passage • many reenact a sacred story or myth e.g. • Hajj • Eucharist • Seder • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awl1KCo_oZ0(Seder symbols song)

19. Social • communal aspect of religion • Belonging to a group – such as a tribe, parish or congregation • hierarchy of leadership • Embodiment of spiritual perfection

20. Material • Sacred architecture • structures of worship • art within them • sacred books of scripture • sacred places (mountains, cities, rivers etc.) Golden Temple of Amritsar, India – sacred to Sikhs

21. Defining ReligionResources • http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn.htm • http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blrel_def_dict.htm • http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blrel_def_essentialex.htm • http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blrel_def_functionalex.htm • http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/lectures/concepts.html

22. Summariser • In your Google Docs:Identify the examples of the 7 dimensions from the religion with which you are most familiar • Experiential - Ritual • Mythic - Social • Doctrinal - Material • Ethical