INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS

1. INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS STUDENTS NAME:_______________________________

2. IF THE WORLD WAS A VILLAGE OF 100 People • 59 would be Asian14 would be American (North, Central and South)14 would be African12 would be European1 would be from the South Pacific51 would be women, 49 would be men30 would be children, 70 would be adults.70 would be nonwhite, 30 would be white33 would be Christians21 would be Moslems15 would be Hindus6 would be Buddhists5 would be Animists6 would believe in other religions14 would be without any religion or atheist.

3. WHO ARE WE? • ___________Have An Innate (__________) Tendency To Make _______ Of ___________ • ___________ Is There Which Is _________ Or ______________ To _______________ • -_______________ attempt to understand ________________ is also restricted by human ___________________ • Humans Seek ______________ Through Four Areas: • The _________________ • The Communal • The Rational (________________) • _______________________ Experience   • -Our _______________ means we seek to _________________ reality our __________ for meaning leads us to encounter _______________. • Two responses are: • 1. _______________ • 2. _______________

4. What Is Religion? • Religion • comes from __________meaning “to ___________”. • ___________ yourself to sacred ___________. • It is the ________ to the ___________. • related to a ___________. • employing a set of _____________. • Attempts To Answer Questions Like: •  _________________________? • _________________________? • Is there __________________? • What is the “_______ __________”? • What is _______ and what is _______?

5. WHY STUDY OTHER RELIGIONS? • ________________Is A Part Of All ____________ And ___________, Thus Helps Us ________________ History • Helps Us Understand _____________ Between ______________ • Help Us ________________ Our Own Beliefs By ___________ Them ______________ Those Of __________ • Helps ___________ ___________ • Only _____ Of World Is __________________

6. Why do people turn to religion? • _______ • _______ • _______ • Need It During ___________ Times • __________ It • Gives Life ___________ • _____________ • _____________

7. World Religions: a Primer for Catholics- Questions • Questions: • 1) What specifically does the Nostra Aetate refer to? • 2) What makes a world religion a world religion? • 3) What are the two main places of origins that most world religions fall into? Which religions fall into each? • 4) Which religions are focused on seeking eternal life within a single lifespan? Which religions view the time as being cyclical and allow for many lifespan before achieving liberation? • 5) How do 4 of the world religions prioritize proselytizing? • 6) Why has the study of world religions been advocated by Pope John Paul XXIII?

8. Worldviews • WORLDVIEW is a way of___________, __________, feeling and acting about __________. • ______________ Approach • Nature is seen as expression of a _________ _________. • People dependant on ____________. • __________ cultures and _________ religions are an example. • Theocentric Approach • _____ centered. ______ is responsible for what happens, therefore must form _______________ with him. • Moral teachings are __________.

9. Anthropocentric ___________ _________ centered, where people are _________ for their _________. ____________ becomes interested in itself. Can take religious or non-religious form. Secular Approach Latin for “______” or “_______” Believes in present _______, in the now. No concern for __________. __________ and ___________ are believed to provide answers. No need for __________.

10. GOD VIEWS • THEISM • Theo = ________ • Personal relationship • Monotheism = _________ _________ • Polytheism = _________ _________ • Pantheism = ______________ • ATHEISM • ___________ ____________ • ANTITHEISM • ____________ ___________ • DEISM • ________________, or he doesn’t care about us. • Impersonal ________________ • AGNOSTIC • ______________ ______________ • __________ ___________ if God exists

11. RELIGIONS AND CULTURE • Religion can exist in contemporary culture in one of three ways. • __________________ • Religious worldview agrees with culture • Ie. Middle Ages in Europe • ____________________ • Religious worldview is at odds with culture • Secular society • I.e.. Issue of Gay Marriage, Abortion) • _____________________ • Accepts some aspects of culture and rejects others. • I.e.. Bands at Mass, Internet

12. CATEGORIES OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS • Fundamentalism vs. Contextualism • MAINSTREAM RELIGION • I.e.. ________________ • Broken down into subsections: • _________________ • I.e.. __________________ • ______________ • I.e.. _______________ • _______________ • I.e.. ______________________

13. CULTS • ___________ ___________ who claims to have superhuman powers, and acts for personal gain (money, fame, sex). • ___________________ from family and friends, and brainwashing (mind control). • ___________________ – that which law or society does not recognize as acceptable. • ____________________– belief that the end of the world is coming soon.

16. ELEMENTS OF RELIGION • ______________ • Story of ___________ life and their interaction with ________. • ______________ • ______________ • Story of religion from ___________ ___________ till ___________ day. • ________________________ • _______________ • _______________ system of the religion. • ___________________________

17. _______________ _________/Morality/___________ ___________________________ ____________________ __________, _____________, symbolic actions. _______________________________ _____________________________ Significant ______________, prophets, religious leaders. _______________________________.

19. Grade 11 – World Religions • THE PERFECT RELIGION ASSIGNMENT • Working in pairs (or on your own if you wish), you are to create a fictitious (not real) “Perfect Religion”. It must contain all the elements of religion we have discussed thus far this semester. The purpose of this assignment is NOT to promote belief in another religion, but to help students become familiar with the basic concepts. • Please include: • The name of your religion – Make it up! • Origin – the sacred story of the founder. How did he/she experience the sacred (God)? Create a story. • History of the early community, leading up to present time. How did the followers originally worship? Did they go to a certain place to do so? How has the religion changed over time? • Teachings of the Religion • Creed – statement of beliefs (i.e. Apostle’s Creed) • Cult – how and where do they worship • Code – what moral code do they follow • Create a symbol – one that is Bright, Colorful, and Attractive. One full page on blank sheet of white paper. • Explain why this is the perfect religion. • Present your religion to the class. • **Please note: All religions are inherently good. Also, you are trying to create the “perfect religion” which, if all in the world followed the rules and traditions, would lead to a “good” society. Therefore a religion such as “lazy-ism” could not possibly work since if all the world were “lazy” nothing would every get accomplished. It is important for you to ask your teacher before proceeding with the assignment if you are unsure.**

20. PRIMITIVE RELIGIONS • Primitive – _______ – – __________ • Originated when ___________ started questioning their reality • Begun Around ______________ thousand years ago • Also referred to as ____________ religions • Three examples of aboriginal religions today: • Deri – ______________ • Yoruba – ____________ • Lakota – ____________________ • Each share similar elements.

21. Common Beliefs of Aboriginal Religions • _________________ • mythical beings who roamed the earth during a mystical period • __________________ • mythical ____________ when ancestors roamed the earth • __________________ Geography • Explanation of earth geography using _________and _____________ • __________________ • Ability to _________________ with the spirit ________________

22. ______________ • Certain roles are seen as __________ __________________________ • ___________________ Figure • _____________ mythical ___________ which acts as a medium between humans and gods.

23. -North American ___________ first migrated across the _____________ land bridge approximately _____________ years ago. • -They formed many groups, tribes and nations. Each tribe had its own set of beliefs and morality. • The _____________________nations form the “typical” ____________________culture. These groups became the model for the ________________ religion (a movement that unites many tribes).

24. ____________ – A plains tribe. Also known as the Western “________” (meaning ____________). • The ____________ led a confederacy of ____________ against Gen. Custer (_________________ massacre in 1876). • __________________ – The Lakota supreme reality meaning, _______________, “Great Mysterious”, “Most Sacred” • The Lakota have _______ separate deities of this Spirit. (______________).

25. Creation Myth – Usually the creation myth/stories involves supernatural beings. One of the more significant is ____________(“spider”), a __________ ___________. This deity ______________ between the ________________and the human world and teachers customs, morals and rituals. The trickster’s mistakes teach his “________________” • Afterlife – Every individual has _____________ which depart and go in different directions. An _______________ judges one soul for entry to the _________________ (ancestor world or ghost). Other souls re-enter world as _______or into ____________.

26. __________________ – This is a rite a passage to mark the transition from childhood to _______________. This ceremony involves ________________ (usually performed in ________________), a confession and, finally, removal from the camp for a time. • The youth prays, fasts and endures the elements for several days while awaiting a ________________. The vision usually appears in the form of a ___________ _________. The ____________ is usually called upon to help interpret the dream or vision.