U3 AoS1 - Responding to the Search for Meaning - General PDF

Responding to the search for meaning - general Unit 3 Area of Study 1 AoS1: Responding to the search for meaning In this area of study students are introduced to the nature and purpose of religion in the human search for meaning. This includes a general study of the nature of religion. Students ar...

Responding to the search for meaning - general Unit 3 Area of Study 1 AoS1: Responding to the search for meaning In this area of study students are introduced to the nature and purpose of religion in the human search for meaning. This includes a general study of the nature of religion. Students are introduced to the purpose of religion in societies in which multiple worldviews coexist through the study in detail of a range of beliefs of one religious tradition or religious denomination. Religious beliefs are ideas that answer the big questions of life according to a religious worldview. In this area of study students relate the beliefs to 7 key categories and explore the connection of the beliefs to each other. Outcome 1 On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the nature and purpose of religion and religious beliefs. To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 1. Key knowledge the aspects of religion the nature and purpose of religion in the search for meaning, which includes questions and answers relating to the big questions of life the nature of religious beliefs in general the purpose of religious beliefs in the search for meaning for one religious tradition or religious denomination, a range of religious beliefs related to: ultimate reality the nature and purpose of human life the meaning of suffering death and the afterlife the relationship between ultimate reality and humanity the relationship between humans the relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world the connections between these religious beliefs The aspects of religion All religious traditions have certain common features. For example, all religious traditions have some type of core belief that they are based on. The VCCA Religion and Society Study Design identifies 9 common “aspects” of religion (Unit 1 – prior knowledge). These help us discuss and analyse religious traditions and how they interact with society. We will quickly overview the 9 aspects. We will return to these in AoS2, where we will consider these in more depth in relation to Catholicism.  The 9 aspects of religion The nine aspects of religion 1. Beliefs 6. Spaces, places, times and artefacts 2. Ethics 7. Spiritual experiences 3. Rituals 8. Symbols 4. Sacred stories 9. Texts 5. Social structures REFRESHER: The nine aspects of religion – a vide o series Beliefs It must be stressed that beliefs are the key aspect. All the aspects come from the beliefs of a religious tradition. Beliefs are the foundational understanding about Ultimate Reality. These then lead to the beliefs about relationships between humans and Ultimate Reality, beliefs about relationships between humans and humans, and beliefs about relationships between humans and the world. Texts For the purpose of VCAA, sacred texts are religious writings in which essential parts of a religious tradition are recorded. These can be based on oral and written literature. These contain the beliefs, stories, ethical principles, prayer, history, and so on of the tradition. Types of texts might include, foundational texts (sacred scripture), statements of faith (creeds), commentaries, letters, biographies of religious figures, laws, poetry, prayer books, and so on… Sacred stories Sacred stories are narratives that tell of a connection to Truth, Ultimate Reality (the divine or God). They are often known as myths and convey knowledge to adherents of all ages and levels of education and initiation. Sacred stories are learnt, retold, sung, and danced. For example, rites of initiation, and indigenous smoking ceremonies. Sacred stories can be oral and written. “Every myth is psychologically symbolic. Its narratives and images are to be read, therefore, not literally, but as metaphors” – Joseph Campbell  Spaces, Places, Times and Artefacts Sacred spaces are specific areas (natural and manmade) connected with understandings of Ultimate Reality. These spaces may be involved in rituals or may evoke spiritual experiences. Sacred places are specific locations (countries, cities, buildings, etc.) associated with key sacred stories of a religious tradition. Sacred times are periods of time associated with key sacred stories. These provide rhythmic encounters with Ultimate Reality. Artefacts are physical objects that represent/symbolise an encounter with Ultimate Reality. These may be natural or manmade. Rituals Rituals are a prescribed set of actions that have a symbolic meaning. They facilitate an encounter with Ultimate Reality. Spiritual Experiences Spiritual experiences are encounters with the nature of Ultimate Reality felt as powerful emotions. They are experiences of wonder, mystery, awe, terror, and love. The person who has had a spiritual experience is radically changed by their encounter. These can often lead someone into a religious tradition. Ethics Ethics is the study of decision making about what is “right” and “wrong” in a society. For a religious tradition, these are a codified behaviours on how an adherent should operate in their daily life. They may include direction on diet, calendar, social norms of behaviours, and moral choices. Symbols Symbols are concrete expressions of abstract ideas or realities. Sacred symbols make the transcendent tangible. They can evoke a spiritual experience. They are fundamental to rituals. Social Structures Social structures are the established framework organising social positions and roles for everyone within a society. The provide connection and interaction between members of a society. Within a religious tradition they provide an established model by which the religious tradition is organised. The social structure is a means of identifying set relationships and authority.  Rituals Social Spiritual TheStructures Experiences Cartwheel Sacred Texts Beliefs Stories Spaces, Symbols Places, Times, and Artefacts Ethics NOTE: for each of the 9 aspects (12 if you count spaces, places, times and aspects as separate) you need to be able to define the nature and purpose in a general sense (meaning without reference to a specific religious tradition). Nature – “What it is”; the definition Purpose – “What it does”; its role for the religion and/or its role for the adherent of the religion A “safe” way to talk about “purpose” is to say: “These provide …” of the aspect purpose t For example: spec a Beliefs are the foundational understandings about Ultimate Reality. These n provide explanation about the nature of at ultimate reality and the relationship an adherent may have with this. u re of t he as pe As you tighten your expression you would simply write “explain”. ct The following examples are by no means exhaustive… Beliefs provide a metanarrative that helps explain existential questions, such as “What is the purpose of life?” and “What is the meaning of suffering?” Texts provide authoritative documents including sacred stories and histories, ethical precepts and exposition of key beliefs. Sacred stories connect adherents to the history of their tradition, often detailing key teachings on belief and ethics. Ethics provide structured guidelines for moral behaviours. Rituals provide a set of actions or words performed in a regular way that connect the adherent with Ultimate Reality, evoke spiritual experiences, provide communion among the community of the tradition, and invoke understanding of the story of the tradition. Symbols express abstract ideas through tangible realities. Social structures provide ordered frameworks for the transmission of teachings and the practice of religious acts. Spiritual experiences evoke connections, through intimate emotions and feelings, with Ultimate Reality. Sacred places provide tangible connections with the history and geography of sacred stories. Sacred spaces provide symbolic loci (“a particular position or place where something occurs or is situated”) that operate to evoke a spiritual experience. These may facilitate rituals or include symbolic elements that communicate ideas relevant to the tradition and in particular an understanding of Ultimate Reality. Sacred times provide regular and rhythmic periods of connection between the adherent and their sacred history. Sacred artifacts provide physical objects that can have symbolic import. These are often integral with rituals or the practice of spiritual exercises. Artifacts can also express elements of sacred stories (for example: sacred art). The term “provides” is helpful because it alerts us to the “do-ing” (verb) nature of this action. In the assessments the phrase that is often used is “engender and nurture”. engendered: to make people have a particular feeling or make a situation start to exist. Her latest book has engendered a lot of controversy. The vice-president's speech did not engender confidence in his judgment. nurture: to develop something to it fruition. As a record company executive, his job is to nurture young talent. Look Providesat the following words you might use. The key is always to use the most precise Facilitates word. Connects Orders Evokes (always implies that it operates to bring forth an emotion) Communicates Invokes (has the sense of how it operates to bring something to mind) Expresses Place, times, spaces, artefacts Symbol s Glossary – developing language you should be using foundational abstract metanarrative Ultimate Reality / ultimate reality transcendent Loci evoke immanent engender prescribed tangible nurture facilitate adherent concrete codified  The nature and purpose of religion The nature of religion Religion is “a community organised around beliefs related to Ultimate Reality and the consequent beliefs, practices, principles and codes for behaviour.”​ The term religious tradition is used to refer to a specific religion, both past and present, such as Catholicism. A religious tradition is “a community of initiated members who may have faith in a set of beliefs, who adhere to moral codes, perform rituals, tell and hear stories, experience spirituality through symbolism, spaces, places, times and sacred artifacts.”​ NOTE: the phrase “religious tradition or denomination” is found in exams/SACs and is a prompt to speak about a specific religious tradition like Catholicism.​ The purpose of religion The purpose of religion is the “role” it plays; it is the “thing it does”. When writing about this you should always aim to say which aspect of religion you are referring to and what specifically this does. For example: Beliefs explain / elucidate / reveal / clarify the understanding of Ultimate Reality. What it does – the NOTICE how these are all verbs. purpose Texts consolidate / communicate / transmit …. Rituals facilitate / engage / evoke … Glossary – developing language you should be using foundational adherent evoke Ultimate Reality codified invoke prescribed explain facilitate concrete elucidate abstract clarify transcendent consolidate communicate Immanent tangible engage The purpose of religion  Defining and protecting the sacred Society Justic e The purpose of religious traditions in general One way of clarifying the purpose of religion is to look at what religious traditions provide the societies in which they operate. The purpose of religious traditions – the ‘why’. Why do religious traditions exist? What do they provide? Religious traditions provide belief in a transcendent authority that provides the society (community) with common values. Religious traditions provide a metanarrative, or truth narrative, that presents a way of making sense of the world, including its origin and end. Religious traditions provide a symbolic understanding of “mystery” or that which remains inexplicable. Religious traditions provide consistent rituals and symbols that designate significant moments in the life of the individual or the community (for example marriage and the exchanging of vows and rings). Religious traditions provide ethical principles and moral values that guide human behaviour. Religious traditions provide objects (artifacts) that inspire the community through their beauty, either as ideas or as art. Religious traditions provide a way of expressing individual or communal emotions. Religious traditions provide a world view that gives an individual’s life meaning and purpose. They acknowledge the dynamic interplay between religion and society.  The 7 categories of belief Purpose and the 7 categories of belief The final outcome point in the study design for AoS1 refers to: “…purpose of religious beliefs in the search for meaning for one religious tradition or religious denomination, a range of religious beliefs related to:…” It then sets out 7 categories of religious belief. The “one religious tradition or denomination” that we are using as our case study through Unit 3 and 4 is the Catholic tradition or Catholicism. However, before considering how the 9 aspects and the 7 categories apply to Catholicism, let us consider the 7 categories and how they relate to the search for meaning. The search for meaning It is human nature to question the meaning of our existence and the existence of the world we live in. From the earliest times we have evidence of humans questioning the nature and purpose of existence. This search begins by asking questions. These are known as the “big questions” of life or more technically, existential questions. ​ What is real? Is there a first cause? Is there a God? What am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of our existence? ​ How should we live? ​ Is there anything beyond death? ​ In response to the search for meaning various spiritual, religious, philosophical, scientific and ideological worldviews have developed. ​ Religion has developed answers in the form of truth narratives: various beliefs and other aspects that have offered ways of establishing meaning, not only for human existence but also for all that exists. ​ The beliefs of religion are the ideas held about ultimate reality and the meaning of human existence, such as the purpose of all life and notions of the afterlife. ​ These beliefs, together with their expressions through the aspects, form the distinctive identity of a religious tradition or religious denomination. We can talk of beliefs in terms of 7 categories of religious beliefs. Beliefs about: 1. ultimate reality – NOTE: refer to “ultimate reality” when talking about the concept; refer to “Ultimate Reality” when referring to the object (thing). 2. the nature and purpose of human life 3. the meaning of suffering 4. death and the afterlife 5. the relationship between ultimate reality and humanity 6. the relationship between humans 7. the relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world 8. the connections between these religious beliefs 1. ultimate reality These are all to do with “existential questions”: 2. the nature and purpose of human life Is there a God? What is God like? 3. the meaning of suffering Why am I here? What is my purpose? 4. death and the afterlife If God is “good” why is there suffering and evil in the world? Is there a life after death? If so, what is it like? This is concerned with our relationship with 5. the relationship between ultimate reality and humanity Ultimate Reality Is God personal? How do I obey and worship God? These are concerned is 6. the relationship between humans concerned ethics 7. the relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world How do we treat each other? How do we treat the world? How do we treat ourselves? 8. the connections between these religious beliefs Ultimate reality Ultimate Reality is a term that denotes the underlying cause of all existence, the foundation of reality, the supreme being or even an ideal state of existence. Questions about the nature of ultimate reality are called metaphysical questions. From a religious viewpoint, these might be called theological questions. More broadly, these are also known as existential questions – concerning the nature and purpose of existence. These questions concern the nature of ultimate reality – What is “It”? What is “God”? In the search for meaning, these aim to supply answers to questions such as: What is the nature of existence? What is the source of creation? Does God exist? Is there one absolute God or many? What is God? A creator? A judge? A father? A mother? The nature and purpose of human life Where did I leave my lap top charger? Questions about the nature and purpose of human life are again existential questions, i.e. they are concerned with the nature and purpose of human existence. Where did I come from? What am I? In the search for meaning these aim to supply answers to questions such Why am I here? What is my purpose? The meaning of suffering One of the biggest existential questions concerns the “problem of suffering”. It is a truism that suffering exists. This then raises existential questions: What is the nature of suffering? This sucks! We can say what it is, but what is its origin? Is it caused by nature? Or, is it a result of our choices? Why must I suffer? And it follows that we ask: What is the purpose of suffering? The Problem of Evil & Suffering is one of the key topics of the Philosophy of Religion. Death and the afterlife Beliefs about the nature of death and the afterlife tend to be fundamental in the search for meaning. What is death? Is there an afterlife? And if so, what is it like? Will I see my lived ones in the afterlife? What form will “I” take in the afterlife? How do I get to the afterlife? Does it matter how I behave during my life on earth? NOTE: VCAA often distinguishes between beliefs about death and beliefs about the afterlife The relationship between ultimate reality and humanity Beliefs about the relationship between ultimate reality and humanity form the heart of religious traditions. What am I to God or Ultimate Reality? How is my nature related to the nature of God? Can I communicate with God? How should I worship God? Is God judging me? The relationship between humans Beliefs about the relationship between humans for the basis for how we treat each other and how we behave. This is called ethics. The beliefs arise from questions about our purpose. How should I behave? How should I treat my fellow humans? Why should I “love” my fellow humans? Should I treat all people equally? The relationship between human life and the rest of the natural world Ethical questions are not just about how we should treat each other. They also include how we should treat the world around us. How should I treat the environment? Do animals have rights? Should I be vegetarian? The connections between these religious beliefs As we consider these different categories of beliefs, we should also acknowledge how they are interconnected. For example: The belief that Ultimate Reality is “One” means that all things are interconnected. This will influence ethical beliefs about relationships between humans and humans, and between humans and the rest of the world. The belief that there is an afterlife and that “God is a judge” will influence ethical beliefs about how we behave. The belief that suffering has a purpose, in that it makes us stronger, will influence beliefs about the nature and purpose of human life. A note on writing about these ideas When we write about beliefs we need to be precise and clear. If you are asked about the beliefs that humans have, it is NOT CORRECT to say that: “Humans have beliefs about ultimate reality.” This tells us what category of belief is involved. It DOES NOT tell us what the actual belief is. Instead, you need to say: This the “belief” “Some humans believe that Ultimate Reality is a creator.”  A note on writing about these ideas So, looking back at the examples of connections that we used earlier: The belief that suffering has a purpose, in that it makes us stronger, will influence beliefs about the nature and purpose of human life. This is the belief about the nature and purpose of This is NOT a belief suffering – it is the category of belief A note on writing about these ideas TRY THIS INSTEAD: The belief that suffering has a purpose, in that it makes us stronger, will influence the belief that it is our purpose to develop and grow stronger as humans. CONSOLIDATION You should now have written definitions / explanations (handwrite in your books) for the following: for each of the 9 aspects you should be able to define (nature) and say what the purpose is (aim to be clear if the purpose is for the individual or the wider society). for each of the 7 categories of belief you should be able to say what these beliefs are about and give examples of the types of existential questions that these beliefs are related to. define religion in general – say what is its nature and what is its purpose define existential question define / explain the phrase search for meaning write definitions for all new terms that are mentioned throughout (see glossary slides) write sentences that use these new words (this is important to ensure that we are using these correctly) 2024-25 Summer holiday homework 1. Complete the consolidation definitions and explanation from previous slide (Checkpoint 1 at start of term 1 2025). 2. Write: Unit 3 Holiday homework – Writing task , 2025 (Checkpoint 2; please handwrite on physical handouts) 3. Optional: Read through Unit 3 Area of Study 1 – specific (Catholicism). You don’t have to “do” anything – we will go through this PP at the start of Term 1 2025. However, if you have at least looked over it, this will speed our classes up. Recommended course reading/listening: Our Unit 3 AOS 3 topic is focused on the life of Jan Ruff O’Herne who’s biography is our source text. It is recommended that you have pre-read this text ahead of time in the following ways: Borrowing the text from your local library or the school library Read 50 Years of Solitude (Scans) Listening to a recorded version by Mr O’Brien: Audiobook files Purchasing the text - Booktopia