Exam 1

Question 1

What is Religion

Answer 1

A system of belief that involves worship of a god or gods, prayer, ritual and moral code

Question 2

What are miracles

Answer 2

accounts of supernatural occurrences

Question 3

Miracles in traditional views

Answer 3

No debate as to whether a miracle happened but whether it is good or evil

Question 4

Miracles in modern views

Answer 4

Miracles are direct violation of the laws of science and nature

Question 5

Context in Religion

Answer 5

Changes overtime, directly interpreting 1,000 year old text would cause confusion

Question 6

What are the 3 main questions of Religion

Answer 6

Metaphysics, What is the ultimate reality. Ethics, how should we live in this world. Existential, What is our purpose.

Question 7

What are the core elements of religion

Answer 7

Belief system, community, central myths, ritual, ethics, emotional experience, material expression, sacredness.

Question 8

Core element, Belief System

Answer 8

a systematic worldview or paradigm encapsulating metaphysics, ethics and existential questions.

Question 9

Core Element, Community

Answer 9

Religious beliefs are shared and lived

Question 10

Core Element, Central Myths

Answer 10

Core stories told to reinforce core beliefs

Question 11

Core Element, Ritual

Answer 11

Beliefs confirmed through ceremony

Question 12

Core Element, Ethics

Answer 12

Rules governing behavior

Question 13

Core Element, Emotional Behavior

Answer 13

Faith, spirituality and the Numinous

Question 14

Core Element, Material Expression

Answer 14

Art and architecture

Question 15

Core Element, Sacredness

Answer 15

Duality of the universe (sacred vs profane)

Question 16

What are the 4 Immortality Myths

Answer 16

1. Staying Alive 2. Resurrection 3. Soul Myth 4. Legacy Myth

Question 17

What is the Staying Alive Myth

Answer 17

Legends or stories about individuals who have conquered aging or death

Question 18

What is the Resurrection Myth

Answer 18

Immortality in new spiritual bodies. Modern science promotes this myth with the promise of cryonics and genomic therapies like cloning.

Question 19

What is the Soul Myth

Answer 19

Concept of the duality of human beings. Humans are matter in physical bodies and the soul an immaterial immortal concept.

Question 20

What is a Legacy Myth

Answer 20

Immortality is found through living a good live and leaving a legacy like children or fame.

Question 21

What are the Patterns Among Religion

Answer 21

1. Sacramental Orientation 2. Prophetic Orientation 3. Mystical Orientation

Question 22

What is Sacramental Orientation

Answer 22

Ritual/Ceremony done as a path to salvation or immortality

Question 23

What is Prophetic Orientation

Answer 23

Importance of humans as intermediaries between believers & god/gods. Example, Muhhamed, Moses

Question 24

What is Mystical Orientation

Answer 24

Seeks union with the oneness of reality. Example, vision quest, meditation and speaking tongues.

Question 25

Define Theism

Answer 25

Belief in a personal god/gods

Question 26

Define Monotheism

Answer 26

Belief in one personal god

Question 27

What is Deism

Answer 27

Belief in a non personal god "Watch-maker god"

Question 28

What is Pantheism

Answer 28

Belief in divine immanence (god or gods in all things)

Question 29

What is Panentheism

Answer 29

Belief that Gods nature is both fixed and changing through time

Question 30

What is Polytheism

Answer 30

Belief in multiple coexisting gods

Question 31

What is Atheism

Answer 31

Denial of the sacred & supernatural

Question 32

What is Agnosticism

Answer 32

Suspending judgment regarding the supernatural

Question 33

What is Sigmund Freuds argument?

Answer 33

Religion originated out of a natural neurosis. Uncertainty about the world lead humans to project an all powerful deity i.e. a cosmic father

Question 34

What is William James argument?

Answer 34

Religion developed out of a necessary rational need to explain what science and logic could not

Question 35

What is Carl Jungs argument?

Answer 35

Religion developed out of an attempt at individuation: that religion provides us place in the universe & prepares us for death.

Question 36

How did Rudolf Otto describe religion?

Answer 36

Religion provides us moments of emotional, non rational experiences of true reality and the divine.

Question 37

How did Paul Tillich describe religion?

Answer 37

Claimed that religion developed to allow humans to overcome the 3 universal anxieties.

Question 38

What is the Ontic Anxiety?

Answer 38

Fear or concern of death

Question 39

What is the Existential Anxiety?

Answer 39

What is the ultimate meaning of life?

Question 40

What is the Ethical Anxiety?

Answer 40

Guilt anxiety of our actions/

Question 41

What is Hagiography?

Answer 41

Greek for "Saint Writing" Most religions involve written attempts to inspire devotion rather than objective history

Question 42

What is Structuralism?

Answer 42

Approach that looks for universal themes in all religions

Question 43

What is Post Structuralism?

Answer 43

Approach that looks for individual & cultural variances instead of universal

Question 44

What is Holism?

Answer 44

Concept that all life has religious meaning; no split between the sacred and profane and that everything is interconnected.

Question 45

What is Scared Time & Space

Answer 45

Distinction between lived time (present time) & sacred time (cyclical time)

Question 46

Define Cosmologies

Answer 46

focus on particular geographic locations

Question 47

What are Life Cycle Ceremonies

Answer 47

rituals performed to recognize various stages of life

Question 48

What are Taboos?

Answer 48

Rule that forbids certain behaviors. They regulate social behaviors.

Question 49

What is Shamanism

Answer 49

an intermediary between the sacred and profane

Question 50

What are examples of indigenous syncretism in Western Civilization

Answer 50

1. Halloween 2. Christmas 3. Easter 4. Valentines Day

Question 51

What is Pendulum Thinking

Answer 51

Beliefs are either "primitive" or "superior"

Question 52

Label 3 problems with N American indigenous religions

Answer 52

Syncretism, Pendulum Thinkiing, Fragmentary Knowledge.