Terminology

Question 1

animism

Answer 1

the belief that spirits inhabit all objects and have influence on people and natural events

Question 2

atheism

Answer 2

doctrine that there is no evidence for the existence of God; that gods and spirits do not exist; an atheist is a person who holds this view

Question 3

cosmos

Answer 3

the universe viewed as an ordered system

Question 4

deity

Answer 4

god or goddess

Question 5

doctrine

Answer 5

a body of teachings that from the basis of a belief system

Question 6

diaspora

Answer 6

the Jewish community outside Israel

Question 7

ethics

Answer 7

a set of practices based on moral beliefs clarifying what is right and what is wrong

Question 8

evangelical

Answer 8

originally “from the gospels”, from the 18th century it refers to a Protestant movement that believes one soul can be saved only by having faith in the atoning death of Jesus

Question 9

experiential

Answer 9

relating to experience

Question 10

halacha

Answer 10

legal code of Judaism based on the teachings of the Torah and interpretations and applications of Rabbinic authorities over the generations

Question 11

immanence

Answer 11

The idea that gods or spiritual forces in the universe are present in every aspect of life, as compared with the idea of transcendence

Question 12

monotheism

Answer 12

worship of only one god

Question 13

omnipotent

Answer 13

all powerful

Question 14

pantheism

Answer 14

the idea that God is in everything and in the natural world

Question 15

pentecostalism

Answer 15

movement within Christianity that places emphasis on the possibility of direct contact with the Holy Spirit

Question 16

philosophy

Answer 16

the study of the general principles of knowledge

Question 17

religion

Answer 17

action or conduct indicating a belief in, reference for and desire to please a divine ruling power; the exercise or practice of rites or observance implying this

Question 18

rituals

Answer 18

these can be both religious and secular in nature; a patterned series of activities that are capable of being repeated

Question 19

shari’a

Answer 19

legal code of Islam based on the Qu’ran and other Islamic sources

Question 20

Shabbat (sabbath)

Answer 20

important ritual observance for Jews beginning at sunset on Friday and concluding at nightfall on Saturday. It represents the day God rested after He created the world; that is the seventh day of Creation as recorded in Genesis

Question 21

symbology

Answer 21

the study of symbols

Question 22

textual

Answer 22

relating to a text

Question 23

the west

Answer 23

western civilisation refers to cultures of european origin

Question 24

the dreaming

Answer 24

the belief system of the Australian Aboriginal peoples

Question 25

theology

Answer 25

the study of the nature of God and religious doctrine-usually with an emphasis on Christianity

Question 26

totem

Answer 26

objects such as an animal, plant or landmark through which an Australian indigenous person is linked to the ancestral being responsible for his or her existence

Question 27

transcendence

Answer 27

and existence above all apart from the material world

Question 28

liturgy

Answer 28

A collection of rituals forming public worship

Question 29

worldview

Answer 29

a general philosophy or view of life

Question 30

The characteristics of religion

Answer 30

beliefs and believers Sacred text and writings Ethics Rituals and ceremonies

Question 31

imminent religion

Answer 31

A religion that holds that gods, goddesses or divine spirits live within nature and that the universe was created by these spirits and is maintained by their power

Question 32

transcendent religion

Answer 32

religion that holds that there are things that exist beyond the known universe that are not subject to the laws of nature; polytheism and monotheism are the two principal types of transcendent religion

Question 33

agnosticism

Answer 33

doctrine that it is impossible to know whether God, gods or spirits exist; an agnostic is the person who holds this view