Nature of Religion and Beliefs

Question 1

What are the characteristics of religion

Answer 1

• beliefs and believers
• ethics
• sacred texts
• rituals/ceremonies

Question 2

Define monotheism

Answer 2

believing in one singular divine being which is transcendant

Question 3

Define polytheism

Answer 3

believing in many divine beings or powers which are either transcendant or immanent

Question 4

Define pantheism

Answer 4

the divine being is both outside and inside the physical world

Question 5

Define aminism

Answer 5

believing that spirits occupy specific objects e.g. Aboriginal Australian spiritualities

Question 6

What is a worldview

Answer 6

A framework of beliefs that guide a person’s understanding of the world and their place in it, acknowledging the supernatural dimension

Question 7

What is the supernatural dimension

Answer 7

the existence of forces or being(s) that exceed the limits of the human and materialistic world - consists of divine beings and spirits.

Question 8

What is a transcendant worldview

Answer 8

believing that the divine exists beyond the human world. e.g. Christianity, Islam

Question 9

What is an immanent worldview

Answer 9

believing that the divine exists a part of their world seen within nature and individuals e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism

Question 10

What does it mean if a religion is dynamic?

Answer 10

it refers to one that can continuously adapt and evolve in response to societal changes while still maintaining the core beliefs and ethics.

Question 11

What is religion’s contribution to individuals’ lives

Answer 11

It gives them a sense of belonging and purpose whilst guiding their behaviours and morals. it also brings a sense of community between those who share the same beliefs.

Question 12

What is religion’s contribution to society

Answer 12

It shapes legal systems and ethical norms and traditions. e.g. Christian values have influenced Western Laws in regards to human rights and justice.

Question 13

Define beliefs

Answer 13

beliefs refer to a set of ideas or system of thoughts based on ideas that are central to a religion.

Question 14

Define believers

Answer 14

People who hold beliefs; they can have differences in their beliefs despite being in the same religion due to factors. e.g Sunni and Shia in Islam

Question 15

Define sacred texts

Answer 15

These are texts that have been revealed to humanity by God or an equivalent divine power guiding believers on how to live their lives

Question 16

Do all religions have sacred writings?

Answer 16

No, some religions rely on oral traditions (storytelling) instead of having sacred texts which are passed down e.g. Dreaming Stories

Question 17

Define doctrine

Answer 17

A body of teaching that forms the basis of a belief system.

Question 18

What is one core belief of Buddhism

Answer 18

They believe in reincarnation after death and how one’s actions influence their rebirths.

Question 19

What is one core belief of Christianity

Answer 19

Belief that Jesus is the divine son of God and Messiah

Question 20

What is one core belief of Hinduism

Answer 20

Belief in birth, death and rebirth until release from the cycle - moksha (similar to Buddhism)

Question 21

What is one core belief of Islam

Answer 21

Belief in that Allah is the one and only God

Question 22

What is one core belief of Judaism

Answer 22

Belief in one singular God (similar to Islam)

Question 23

Sacred text of Buddhism

Answer 23

Tripitaka

Question 24

Sacred text of Hinduism

Answer 24

Vedas

Question 25

Rituals/ceremonies of Buddhism

Answer 25

Chanting (public or private) Meditation (private)

Question 26

Rituals/ceremonies of Christianity

Answer 26

Baptism (public) Spiritual disciplines (private)

Question 27

Rituals/ceremonies of Hinduism

Answer 27

Temple worship (public) Puja - prayers & worship at home (private)

Question 28

Rituals/ceremonies of Islam

Answer 28

Eid (public) Daily prayers (private or public)

Question 29

Rituals/ceremonies of Judaism

Answer 29

Bar/Bat Mitzvah- coming of age (public) Daily prayers (private)

Question 30

What is the Dreaming?

Answer 30

It is a belief system of Aboriginal Australian culture that holds their beliefs and practices.

Question 31

What are the purpose of Dreamtime stories

Answer 31

They talk about how the world came into existence which are orally told and past down generations and contains the info needed to live.

Question 32

What do Aboriginal people believe time to be

Answer 32

They believe it is a cycle with no beginning or end.

Question 33

What do dreamtime stories allow Aboriginal people to connect with?

Answer 33

- The land - Their ancestors - Their tradition

Question 34

What is a sacred site?

Answer 34

They are particularly significant landmarks that are either associated with events from Dreamtime stories OR they are spaces where ancestral spirits live.

Question 35

What active behaviours are associated with active sites?

Answer 35

Balance rites and ceremonies.

Question 36

What are balance rites?

Answer 36

They are rituals which aim to bring balance to the land.

Question 37

What do Aboriginal ceremonies focus on?

Answer 37

They worship the totems of particular tribes.

Question 38

What are totems?

Answer 38

They are specific objects in nature that house an ancestral spirit. They are different for each tribe. --> animism

Question 39

What are the rulings for totems with an example.

Answer 39

Example of totem: kangaroo It would be considered forbidden to eat and hunt kangaroo for that specific tribe.

Question 40

What is the purpose of balance rites and ceremonies

Answer 40

To maintain harmony and the correct balance of the land.

Question 41

Purpose of symbolism and art?

Answer 41

It explains spiritual concepts through symbols that refer to the land and the Dreaming.

Question 42

Types of art forms in Aboriginal culture

Answer 42

- songs - dance - drawing - body-painting - rituals

Question 43

What is the relationship between the Dreaming and the land.

Answer 43

Aboriginal people believe that the Dreaming and the land have an inextricable connection and that one cannot exist without the other.

Question 44

How is Aboriginal identity created?

Answer 44

Through the connection of the Dreaming and the land which prescribe all aspects of Aboriginal society.

Question 45

4 aspects of the Dreaming:

Answer 45

- The origins of the universe - Sacred sites - Stories of the Dreaming - Symbolism and art

Question 46

Examples of Dreamtime stories

Answer 46

- The Rainbow Serpent - Tiddalick the Frog

Question 47

What is religion's contribution to culture?

Answer 47

It influences morals and values and cultural aspects such as music, cuisine, art and literature. e.g. In Hinduism people have their cultural cuisine and wear traditional clothes during Diwali.

Question 48

Why might dreamtime stories be different?

Answer 48

they could be different because different tribes hold altered beliefs and values that can lead to them having differed interpretations of the creation of the land.

Question 49

What are the roles of ancestral beings in the Dreaming?

Answer 49

They emerged from the earth or sky and shaped the land and created animals and plants.

Question 50

True or false. Aboriginal people have a universal story that explains the beginning/creation of the world.

Answer 50

False. They believed that the universe had always existed in some form, as mentioned in Dreamtime stories.