3B Flashcards
(13 cards)
Divine Omnipotence and Human Freedom
In monotheistic religions, tension arises between God’s absolute power and human free will. If God predestines all events, human accountability and sin seem meaningless. Conversely, overstating human freedom risks diminishing divine sovereignty. Religious thinking often accepts these paradoxes using symbolic, rather than logical, reasoning.
Time and History
Western (especially Biblical) tradition holds a linear view of time: beginning, middle, and end. In contrast, Eastern religions like Hinduism view time cyclically, with ongoing cycles of creation, death, and rebirth. These perspectives shape religious expectations and beliefs about destiny.
Life and Death
Though opposites, life and death are deeply interconnected in religious thought. Death gives meaning to life and often symbolizes transformation or renewal. Myths such as those of Hades and Osiris reflect this duality. Most religions reject the idea of death as final, offering beliefs in reincarnation, resurrection, or spiritual continuation.
Heaven and Earth
Heaven and Earth are powerful dual symbols. Heaven often houses divine beings, while Earth is the human domain. Myths across cultures describe heaven and earth as parents or partners giving birth to the world. Earth is sometimes personified (e.g., Gaia), and Heaven is often multilayered, reflecting moral or spiritual hierarchies.
Cult
A cult refers to a small, separate religious group, often countercultural or withdrawn from mainstream society. It usually demands strong personal commitment and may engage in nontraditional practices.
Denomination
A division within a larger religion, marked by distinctive doctrines or practices. In Christianity, for example, Protestantism includes denominations like Methodism and Baptism.
Founder Faiths
Religions traceable to specific individuals and origins, such as Jesus (Christianity), Muhammad (Islam), Buddha (Buddhism), or Zoroaster (Zoroastrianism).
Magic
The manipulation of unseen powers or forces for human benefit, often parallelling dynamism. Practitioners claim to influence reality through special knowledge or rituals.
Pantheon
The collective group of deities in a religious tradition, often with roles and relationships (e.g., the Greek or Roman gods).
Sacred vs. Profane
Sacred refers to what is set apart as holy or spiritually significant. Profane denotes the ordinary or secular realm, outside of religious significance.
Sect
A smaller religious group that emerges from a larger tradition, often emphasizing reform or stricter adherence to perceived truths.
Spirituality
A personal or internalized experience of the sacred, often contrasted with institutional religion. Spirituality is flexible and experiential.
Totemism
A belief in a mystical bond between a group of people and a particular animal, plant, or natural object, often representing kinship or ancestral spirits.
