Human Geo Chapter 6 Vocab

Question 1

Atheism

Answer 1

The belief that God does not exist. Some people in the unaffiliated group espouse (adopt/support) atheism.

Question 2

Agnosticism

Answer 2

The belief that the existence of God cannot be proved or disproven empirically (by means of observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic). Some people in the unaffiliated group espouse (adopt/support) agnosticism.

Question 3

Universalizing Religion

Answer 3

A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular location. They typically diffuse from one culture to another, and have widespread distributions. Christianity, Islam, & Buddhism are considered universalizing.

Question 4

Ethnic Religion

Answer 4

A religion with a relatively concentrated spatial distribution whose principals are likely to be based on the physical characteristics of the location where its adherents are concentrated. They appeal to one ethnic of cultural group, or the people of a specific location. Most adherents remain embedded in their culture of origin, and are typically people with a shared history, language, & destiny. Ex: Hinduism & Folk religions.

Question 5

Congregation

Answer 5

A local assembly of people brought together for common religious worship.

Question 6

Denomination

Answer 6

A division of a branch that unites a number of local congregations into a single legal and administrating body.

Question 7

Branch

Answer 7

A large and fundamental division within a religion. Christianity has 3 major branches: Roman Catholic (50%), Orthodox (12%), and Protestant. The other 38% are divided between Protestants and others (arguments on the ratio)

Question 8

Syncretic

Answer 8

Combining several religious traditions. Chinese traditional religions are considered to be a combination of Buddhism (a universalizing religion) and Confucianism, Taoism, and other traditional Chinese practices. Most Chinese who consider themselves religious blend together the religious customs of these multiple traditions.

Question 9

Animism

Answer 9

The belief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life. This is what African Traditional Folk Religions (followed by 3% of the continent’s people) are sometimes called.

Question 10

Monotheism

Answer 10

The doctrine of or belief in the existence of only one God. Judaism is the first recorded religion to espouse monotheism, and it is one of the fundamental beliefs of that religion.

Question 11

Polytheism

Answer 11

Belief in or worship or more than one god.

Question 12

Missionary

Answer 12

An individual who helps to diffuse a univeralizing religion. With Christianity, they carried Jesus’ teachings along the Roman Empire’s sea routes and road networks to other people. People in commercial towns and military settlements received the message first from Paul and other missionaries.

Question 13

Ghetto

Answer 13

During the Middle Ages, city neighborhood set up by law to be inhabited only by Jews; now used to denote a section of a city in which members of any minority group live due to social legal, or economic discrimination. Zionism (or Jewish nationalism) was sparked from persecution, leading to migration to Israel in the late 19th and early 20th. During the Holocaust, Israel absorbed several 100 thousand Jewish refugees. Today, not many live in Europe (15%).

Question 14

Pilgrimage

Answer 14

A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes. Pilgrimages are incorporated into the rituals of some religions (like Islam & Buddhism).

Question 15

Utopian Settlement

Answer 15

A community built around an ideal way of life, often based on a religion. Bethlehem, PA, founded in 1741, is an early Christian one. By 1838, there were 130 different utopian settlements. A huge point in utopian movement was the founding of Salt Lake City by Mormons in 1848, it’s layout based on a plan of the city of Zion. Most of these settlements disappeared or declined, due to inhabitants being celibate or moving away for economic reasons. There are now none original members. Religious principles affect the designs of colonial settlements (like the Puritans putting the church at the center).

Question 16

Autonomous Religions

Answer 16

A religion that doesn’t have a central authority but shares ideas and cooperates informally. They are self-sufficient. Some examples are Islam and some Protestant denominations.

Question 17

Hierarchical Religion

Answer 17

A religion in which a central authority exercises a high degree of control. Organizes territory into local administrative units. Mormons and Roman Catholicism are examples.

Question 18

Cosmogony

Answer 18

A set of beliefs concerning the origin of the universe. Islam & Christianity believe God created the universe, and they can best serve Him by making productive use of the natural features He made.
- Chinese traditional religions cosmogony is 2 forces, yin (earth, darkness, female, cold, death) and yang (heaven, light male, heat, life), making up the universe. The two must be balanced.
- Primal-indigenous folk religionists believe the universe powers are mystical, and prayers/sacrifice can satisfy gods/spirits, so they accept environmental hazards as normal & unavoidable.

Question 19

Solar calendar

Answer 19

Relates to the season or apparent position of the sun in relation to the stars. Followed by Christians (12 months, 30-31 days).

Question 20

Lunar calendar

Answer 20

A calendar with months that correspond to cycles of moon phases. Islam uses one, with around 354 days. In a 30 year cycle, 19 years have 354 days and 11 years have 355 days. As a result, Islamic holidays arrive in different seasons from generation to generation.

Question 21

Lunisolar calendar

Answer 21

Has lunar months that are brought into alignment with the solar year through some process. The Jewish calendar is lunisolar, with 354 days, but they add a 13th month every 2-3 years to line up with agricultural and solar calendars..

Question 22

Solstice

Answer 22

An astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of Earth’s axis is most inclined towards or away from the Sun, causing the Sun’s apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme, resulting in the shortest & longest days of the year. Winter Solstice is a major holiday in some pagan religions. Stonehenge is a prominent remnant of a pagan structure aligned so the Sun rises directly between 3 stones on the solstices.

Question 23

Fundamentalism

Answer 23

Literal interpretation and strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or congregation). Its resurgence contributes to more intense religious conflict. It started in the 19th century as a term for some principles held by Protestants in the US, but now refers to groups who mix politics with aspects of their religion and say theirs are the only correct views. These groups sometimes advocate and practice violence to enforce their claims.

Question 24

Caste

Answer 24

The class or distinct hereditary order into which a Hindu is assigned, according to religious law. It originated around 1500 BCE, when the Aryans, invading from the west, divided themselves into 4 castes with social & economic differences: Brahmans (Priests/leaders), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaisyas (merchants), & Shudras (farmers/artisans, low-status). Below them were the Dalits (outcasts or untouchables), who were too dirty for other castes.