World Religion Reviewer PDF Midterms Review

Polytheistic - is a term for a belief system World Religion based on the belief in multiple deities. Atheists - someone who does not Reviewer believe in any god or gods, or wh...

Polytheistic - is a term for a belief system World Religion based on the belief in multiple deities. Atheists - someone who does not Reviewer believe in any god or gods, or who believes that no god or gods exist Agnostics - a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (such as God) is Module 1 - Lesson 1: What is unknown and probably unknowable TYPES OF RELIGION Religion? ➔ Christianity ➔ Judaism Religion - a set of organized beliefs, ➔ Islam practices, and systems that most often ➔ Hinduism relate to the belief and worship of a ➔ Buddhism controlling force, such as a personal ➔ Shintoism god or another supernatural being. ➔ Taoism ➔ Latin word "religio", which refers ➔ Confucianism to socially acceptable cultic duties that people did for the Module 1 - Lesson 2: Elements, gods PERSPECTIVES OF RENOWNED FIGURES Characteristics, and Sigmund Freud - described religion as a Dimensions of Religion form of wish fulfillment. E.B. Tylor - defined religion as a belief in Belief System - Many beliefs that fit supernatural beings. together in a system to make sense of Emile Durkheim - defined it as a unified the universe and our place in it. belief system and practices relative to Community - The belief system is shared, sacred things - beliefs and practices - and its ideals are practiced by a group. which unite in one single community Central Beliefs/Myths - Stories that help called the church. explain the beliefs of a group; these are Karl Marx - wrote that religion is “the told over and over again and opiate of the masses” sometimes performed by members of BELIEF SYSTEMS the group. They may or may not be Monotheistic - is a term for a belief factual. system based on the belief in a single deity. Rituals - Beliefs are explained, taught, ➔ He or she observes the rites and and made real through ceremonies. practices, such as regularly Ethics - Rules about how to behave; attending church services on a these rules are often thought to have Sunday for Christians, observing come from a deity or supernatural the Sabbath for Jews, and fasting place, but they might also be seen as during Ramadan for Muslims​ guidelines created by the group over ➔ It uses blame and shame (as a time. form of punishment).​ Characteristics Emotional Experiences - Most religions share emotions such as Spirituality - about a person's beliefs, awe, mystery, guilt, joy, devotion, values, and behavior, while religiousness conversion, inner peace, etc. is about the person's involvement with a Material Expression - Religions use religious tradition and institution. things to perform rituals or to express or represent beliefs, such as: statues, Perspective paintings, music, flowers, incense, ➔ 65% of Americans label clothes, architecture, and specific themselves "religious and spiritual" sacred locations. ➔ 15 to 20% of Americans call Sacredness - Religions see some things themselves "spiritual but not as sacred and some not sacred (or religious" profane). Some objects, actions, people ➔ 5 to 10% of Americans say they and places may share in the sacredness are "religious but not spiritual" or express it. How Are Religion and Spirituality Alike? Module 1 - Lesson 3: Religion Spirituality and religion are similar in several respects. and Spirituality Religion ➔ First, the sacred lies at the core of ➔ Represents a set of pre-defined both religion and spirituality. beliefs.​ ➔ Second, both spirituality and ➔ Committed to following the religion are dynamic, searching guidelines set by his or her religion​ processes. ➔ Believes that we have to leave ➔ Third, both spirituality and religion our present living for a better are multi-dimensional and future.​ multi-level processes.  ➔ Fourth, both spirituality and ➔ Catholic worship practices religion have the potential for ➔ Ownership and administration of both good and bad. property ➔ Finally, both spirituality and ➔ Administration of justice in church religion matter because they are courts concerned about issues of great value. Material Buildings ➔ Cathedral - St. Paul Module 2 - CHRISTIANITY Cathedral ➔ Chapel - Sistine Chapel Central Beliefs ➔ Parish Church - Barasoain ➔ Christians are monotheistic. Church ➔ He created the heavens and the Material earth. ➔ Crucifix/Rosary ➔ Holy Trinity - The Father, the Son, ➔ Bible and the Holy Spirit ➔ Holy Water and Oil Community ➔ Incense Three Main Divisions of Christianity: ➔ Paintings, Statues, and ➔ Roman Catholic - Rome, Italy ➔ icons ➔ Orthodox Church - JUDAISM Constantinople ( Istanbul) Central Beliefs ➔ Protestantism - Led by Martin ➔a monotheistic religion Luther where people believe in Christian Rituals one God, who is the ➔ Baptism All-knowing, All-Powerful, ➔ Eucharist - Holy Communion and creator of the ➔ Reconciliation universe. ➔ Prayers ➔ The Jewish people follow ➔ Weekly Observance the stories and teaching Law and Ethics starting from ➔ The rights and duties of the clergy ➔ the 5 books of the Old ➔ and laity Testament Genesis, ➔ Organizational structure Exodus, Leviticus, ➔ Teaching and missionary activities  ➔ Numbers, and Emotional Experiences Deuteronomy. ➔ Emotions are seen as a positive Community part of life where the powerful ➔ Overtime, the religion was stories from the Bible that God divided into several seeks heartfelt devotion. It might denominations such as: also lead to extremism so it - Orthodox Judaism should be guided, balanced and - Conservative Judaism controlled to have the best - Reformed Judaism effect of humanity. Central Myths ➔ Yom Kippur as an example, ➔ The beliefs that became the where the Jews atone for their foundation of Judaism centered sins by extreme fasting, prayer, around the story in Exodus, as the and seeking for forgiveness. It is Jewish people traveled from to reflect on their daily life of Egypt to the promised land actions and sins. called Canaan. This event was Material Expressions called The Passover Until they ➔ TORAH - The compilation of the received the laws on how to first five books of the Hebrew worship God by means of Moses, Bible, namely the books of where he received the 10 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Commandments as he found his Numbers and Deuteronomy. way at the top of Mount Sinai. ➔ KIPPAH - Means 'dome' in Rituals Hebrew. To acknowledge that ➔ Sabbath - Rest day/ Worship day there is someone above you in ➔ Bar Mitzvah - coming of age for the natural order. boys ➔ MENORAH - A multibranched ➔ Tefillah - Daily prayer candelabra, used in the religious ➔ Pesach - Passover rituals of Judaism. It symbolizes ➔ Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New the creation in seven days, Year ➔ SYNAGOGUE - A Jewish house of ➔ Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement worship. It is used for Jewish Ethics prayer, study, assembly, and ➔ The Jews follow the 10 reading of the Torah. Commandments which was given ➔ STAR OF DAVID - It symbolizes the to them at Mount Sinai. relationship between God and The 10 Commandments  people or the seven virtues - They believe that the (kindness, severity, harmony, leadership should be done perseverance, splendor, by elections and not foundation, and royalty). passed down through Muhammad’s bloodline. Sacredness - While the Shi’a, follow the - They also include the leadership of Ali Ibn Abi maintenance of their covenant Talib, Muhammad’s with God, Celebrating the Jewish cousin. They believe that holidays, and following the the leadership must religion’s teachings and rituals. remain in his family, who ISLAM are designated by a Central Beliefs divine designation or ➔ A strictly monotheistic religion, appointment. where the followers are called Muslims. The teachings were based on the words of Central Myths Muhammad, who they believe as ➔ Stories about the establishment of the last messenger of God. Islam revolve around the life of ➔ Tawhid or the oneness of God is Muhammad, as they believe as their central belief. A belief that the last messenger of Allah. Allah caused all things to exist. ➔ He was accompanied by angel Community Jibril, also known as Gabriel ➔ Islam spread their beliefs through before his ascension to heaven. different channels. Some are As he ascended to heaven, he through expeditions and battles met the other prophets like with other nations. Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishaq (Isaac), ➔ Denominations Yaqub (Jacob), Dawub (David), - Sunni, which means “the Musa (Moses), and Isa (Jesus). followers of sunna”, or way Rituals of Mohammad. They ➔ A prayer by Muslims, which was follow the first caliph done 5 times within a day. The named Abu Bakr, a friend time of prayer is important as it of Muhammad. follows certain times of the day:  - Fajr (dawn) 2. Religious duty - promoting - Dhuhr (midday) and following the faith. - Asr (afternoon) 3. Defensive warfare - - Maghrib (sunset) protecting the - Isha (nights) 4. Muslims community from ➔ Ramadan Is the ninth month of religious aggression. the Islamic calendar , observed ➔ 5 Pillars of Islam - Muslims must by Muslims around the world, and follow the 5 Pillars of Islam, which the dates change each year. This consist of: includes fasting for 29- 30 days. It 1. Shahada (Profession of helps them acknowledge Allah faith) - There is god other as the source of all sustenance. that Allah, and ➔ Eid al-Adha - The feast of Muhammad is the last sacrifice. Celebrated 2 months messenger. after Eid al-Fitr, towards the end 2. Salat (Prayer) - Muslims of Hajj. Performing ritual sacrifices pray facing mecca where of animals such as goats, sheep, the Kaaba is located. cows, or camels. 3. Zakat (Alms) - donating a Ethics fixed portion of their ➔ Sharia Law - Often understood as income to the community. the way or path to live according 4. Sawm (Fasting) - done to God’s will. It addresses matters during the hours of on how to live by God’s rule, and Ramadan. criminal acts. "Hadd" offences, 5. Hajj (Pilgrimage) - Every which are serious crimes with set Muslim whose health and penalties, and "Tazir" crimes, finances permit it must where the punishment is left to make at least one visit to the discretion of the judge. the holy city of Mecca. ➔ Jihad - An Arabic term for ➔ Halal - which means “allowed” or “struggle”. One other definition “lawful”. One example is to eat means “to war with non-Muslims” specially prepared meat. or “holy war”. It includes the ➔ Haram - which means following: “forbidden” or “unlawful”. One 1. Personal struggle - effort to example is to not eat, drink live a good life. unlawful meat such as pork and  alcohol. Or unlawful deeds such Sacredness as gambling and dishonest ➔ Salat Mat - A mat used to cover behavior. the ground in Salat as they pray ➔ Dress Code - Men and women facing the Kaaba in Mecca. are prescribed to wear or dress ➔ Qur’an - Sacred text of Islam modestly. A little more prohibition where they believe contains the on women where they must wear words of Muhammad that came clothing which covers their body directly from God. from head to toe. An example is ➔ Mosque - Usually functions as a wearing a hijab or burqa. place for congregational prayer, as well as an educational center. Emotional Experiences A sacred place for worship. ➔ Muslims can have their emotional ➔ Madrasah - Used to study Islamic experiences like seeing theology. A sacred center for Muhammad in their dreams and religious, intellectual and moral giving them advice on how to development in Islam. live life, curing their illness or ➔ Turbah - Meaning dirt as it Distress. represents earth. Identified as a ➔ Divine presence can also be material used by Allah to create experienced in religious places mankind. like in Mecca, where the Kaaba ➔ Misbaha - A prayer bead is often is located used in Salat as part of their Material Expressions prayer. Typically consists of 99 ➔ Salat mats - used for their prayer beads, representing the 99 ➔ Qur’an -the sacred text of Islam names of Allah. ➔ Mosque - sacred temple ➔ Madrasah - institution of higher HINDUISM ➔ education in Islamic influences. Central Beliefs ➔ Turbah - small piece of clay ➔ Considered as the oldest religion. which Recognized as a henotheistic ➔ is used during salat. religion, adherence to one ➔ Misbaha - Islamic prayer beads. particular god out of several, especially by a family, tribe, or other group. It became familiar  as a designator of religious ideas that Hinduism started somewhere and practices between 2300 B.C to 1500 B.C distinctive to India. Its many during the Indus Valley sacred texts in Sanskrit and Civilization. Although, most Vernacular languages served as Hindus believe that their religion a vehicle for spreading the was there from the start as it is religion to other parts of the timeless. By these beliefs, world, though ritual and the visual traditions, and myths, Hinduism is and performing arts also played shared wholly to others in their a significant role in its community. transmission. ➔ Vaishnavism - worship the ➔ Dharma: Represents duty, Supreme as Lord Vishnu and His righteousness, and ethical living. incarnations rich in saints, ➔ Karma: The law of cause and temples, and scriptures mainly effect where every action has dualistic and deeply devotional consequences. ➔ Saivism - worship the Supreme ➔ Moksha: Their salvation. It is the God as Siva, the Compassionate ultimate goal of their cycle of One esteem self-discipline and birth, death, and rebirth philosophy follow a satguru (samsara). ➔ Shaktism - worship the Supreme ➔ Brahman: Their God without form. as the Divine Mother, Shakti or It manifests through various Devi the Divine mother has many deities. forms (some are gente, some are ➔ Major Deities: Includes Brahma fierce) uses chants and rituals to (the creator), Vishnu (the awaken the great power preserver), and Shiva (the ➔ Smartism - worship the Supreme destroyer). in one of six forms: Ganesha, Siva, ➔ Swastika: Represents good Shakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda fortune. they accept all the major Hindu ➔ Om: A sacred sound symbolizing Gods they are known as liberal or the essence of the universe. nonsectarian Community Central Myths ➔ As the world’s oldest religion, its ➔ Bhagavad Gita (The Song of roots date all the way back to God) - a 700-verse poem (18 4,000 years ago. Scholars believe chapters), from the Indian epic  Mahabharata that takes the form energy, that refers to of dialog on a battlefield kindness, love, tolerance, between Prince Ajurna and Lord or any combination of Krishna. It captures the core these for all living things, values and beliefs of Hinduism : including the subjects of teachings on duty, detachment, knowledge and any self-realization, and the paths to viewpoints. spiritual growth. Each sloka - Brahmacharya, one of (verse) is a pearl of wisdom; each Hinduism’s four ashrams, chapter addresses a specialized involves strict adherence yoga that reveals the path of to personal boundaries attaining or realizing the Dharma and the preservation of (Ultimate Truth) - individual one’s vital life force. consciousness - Asteya, meaning Rituals non-stealing, involves ➔ Bhakti (devotion) refraining from taking ➔ Fire Sacrifice - symbolic materials anything that belongs to like ghee and grains are offered others, including in a sacred fire. possessions, rights, or ➔ Pūjā (worship) viewpoints. ➔ Prasāda - is the blessed portion - Aparigraha of a worshiper's offering, received (Non-possessiveness) - after being offered to the deity. warning an individual to Ethics practice simplicity and ➔ Many Indian philosophies are only engage with material based on the 5 Great Vows, also things that are needed to called the 5 Yamas. Since the sustain the demands of Yamas take the place of moral daily life. obligations and social restrictions, Emotional Experiences they must follow these rules. ➔ Bhakti - Devotion to a personal - Satya (Truth) is the god, expressing love, adoration, principle that equates and surrender to form a close God with the soul. bond. - Ahimsa (Non-violence) is a ➔ Yoga - A practice to unite the constructive and dynamic mind with the divine, enhancing  focus and reducing stress while ➔ Cow - Symbolizes non-violence, deepening spiritual connection. purity, and nurturing, and is ➔ Yatra - Pilgrimage as a spiritual associated with Krishna. It is journey, believed to cleanse sins revered and protected. and bring one closer to salvation ➔ Tulsi Plant (Holy Basil) - Revered (moksha). as a goddess, Hindus believe Material Expressions bathing in it cleanses sins, and ➔ Bell - Rung to awaken the god rituals like ash immersion are and start worship. performed here. ➔ food offerings - Fruits offered as a ➔ Lotus Flower - Symbolizes purity sign of devotion and gratitude. and spiritual awakening, ➔ Murti - A statue or image of the associated with deities like god, serving as the focus of Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Brahma. worship. ➔ Incense - Burned to create a BUDDHISM fragrant atmosphere, symbolizing Central Beliefs divine presence. ➔ kumkum powder - Red powder used to mark the forehead, symbolizing respect. Sacredness ➔ VARANASI - Located on the Ganges River, it is believed that dying here grants liberation (moksha) from rebirth. ➔ GANGES RIVER - Revered as a goddess, Hindus believe bathing ➔ The Four Noble Truths is then in it cleanses sins, and rituals like followed by the “EightFold Path” ash immersion are performed to end one’s suffering. here. ➔ Right Understanding (Four Noble ➔ Ayodhya - Ayodhya is Truths) considered sacred by Hindus ➔ Right Intent (mindset compassion because it holds numerous Hindu and kindness) scriptures with great importance. ➔ Right speech (don't tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid gossip) understood how a man should ➔ Right action (help others, live live his life. He was later known as honestly, don't harm Buddha, “The Enlightened One”. living things, take care Rituals of the environment) ➔ Mantra - Reciting the mantras ➔ Right Livelihood (do something helps to replace the endless, useful) internal chatter of the mind with Right Effort (encourage good, calming syllables that purify helpful thoughts, discourage karmic imprints, bring beneficial unwholesome thoughts) energy, concentration, and offer ➔ Right Mindfulness (be aware of protection and blessings. what you feel, think and do) ➔ Sutra Chants - a religious action ➔ Right Concentration (calm mind, recommended for Shin Buddhist practice meditation which leads followers to carry out in their daily to nirvana) lives. Expresses joy to be able to encounter Namo amida butsu Community and the Pure Land teachings through chanting the sutras. ➔ Meditation - the practice of mental concentration leading ultimately through a succession of stages to the final goal of spiritual freedom, nirvana. ➔ Bowing - It may represent the Buddha nature that is our original Central Myths self. In that sense, when you bow ➔ Buddhism was founded by to a Buddha figure you are Siddhartha Gautama, a prince bowing to yourself. from India. He renounced his ➔ Offering - To donate, with a sense luxurious life to gain more of veneration, various things to experience outside of his world. the Buddha and the Buddhist By experiencing life, he then Order. came under a bodhisattva tree Ethics to meditate, He came into realization about the world and  but when someone feels another kind of painful feeling, non-virtuous states diminish in him and virtuous states increase.” (MN 70.7) Material Expressions Emotional Experiences ➔ Buddhism explains that virtuous (positive, constructive, wholesome) emotions lead to happiness in the long term, while non-virtuous (negative, Sacredness destructive, unwholesome) emotions lead to suffering. ➔ Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling, non-virtuous states increase in him and virtuous states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, non-virtuous states diminish in him and virtuous states increase. CONFUCIANISM Here, when someone feels a Central Beliefs certain kind of painful feeling, ➔ Confucianism is an ancient belief non-virtuous states increase in and a him and virtuous states diminish; philosophical and ethical system based on the teachings and analects of Community Confucius. Its focus is on personal ethics, ➔ Confucius’s teaching were moral values, education, and self collected by his disciples and cultivation. spread throughout, sharing his beliefs, philosophy, and ideas, which helped Confucianism known around the world. ➔ 5 Classics Its teachings are based on the five books namely: - Book of Changes - Book of Odes - Book of Documents - Compendia of Rites - Spring and Autumn Annals Central Myths ➔ Lunyu - Also known as The Analects of Confucius. ➔ 4 Books - The Great Learning - Analects - Mencius - The Doctrine of the Mean ➔ Confucianism focuses on having good moral character, which can affect the world around a person through the idea of cosmic harmony. ‘ Rituals Emotional Experiences Material Expressions ➔ Lunyu - Also known as The Analects of Confucius. Considered to be the most reliable source of the doctrine of Confucius. ➔ The four books and five classics - Ethics The basis of the civil examination in imperial China and can be considered the Confucian canon. The Four Books and The Five Classics There are many materials used in Confucianism, but the focus is all about these two important records in Confucianism. Sacredness ➔ The Lunyu, the Four Books and The Five Classics are considered as sacred collection of the teachings of Confucius. One must abide by the teachings to become a Junzi, a moral person. TAOISM Confucianism during the Tang Central Beliefs dynasty, and became a ➔ A religion and a philosophy from semi-official Chinese religion ancient China that has through Song dynasty. Zhang influenced folk and national Daoling, became the first master belief. It emphasizes doing what and founded the first organized is natural or “going with the Taoist school. And throughout flow”. The philosophy grew from history, many denominations of observing the natural world, Taoism rose. Two of them are the explaining the balance such as Northern and Southern Taoism. good and evil, light and ➔ Additional denominations of darkness, and such. Taoism include the following: ➔ The philosophy focuses on the - Zhengyi Taoism Tao, which means “the way”. - Shangqing Taoism “Going with the flow”, the - Lingbao Taoism common saying in Taoism, - Lushan Taoism following the “way of the - Quanzhen Taoism universe”. Taoism believes that Central Myths nature itself is divine and that we ➔ The Origin of Lao Tzu - revered as should live in harmony with an enlightened being who nature's cycles and systems. personified the wisdom of the ➔ They also believe in the concept Tao. He is said to have departed of Yin and Yang. Also known as China, riding westward on an ox, Taijitu. The balance between after writing the foundational good and evil, light and Taoist text.​ darkness. Yin, being the dark side, ➔ The Eight Immortals - These are and Yang being the light side. mythical being in Taoism that There is good in evil as there is evil achieved immortality through in goodness. spiritual cultivation, alchemy, and Community being worshiped by others. ➔ 500 B.C. started with Laozi (Lao ➔ Tzu), with his book, Tao Te Ching, Rituals spread the teachings of Taoism ➔ Offering (Jiao) - a purification throughout ancient China. It ritual which is performed to existed along with Buddhism and renovate the bond between a  community—from the village to ➔ Serenity in solitude is a way to the empire—and its gods. connect with the Tao and ➔ Merit (Gongde) - a funerary cultivate one’s inner peace. ceremony performed to ensure Many Taoists find emotional that the deceased is not kept in balance through meditative the netherworld but may ascend practices that allow them to let to Heaven. go of desires and attachments.​ Material Expressions Ethics ➔ Wu-wei - The act of effortless action. A principle in Dao that Taoist believes that it's best to take action without rushing or force against natural order to avoid mistakes. ​ ➔ Ziran - Or naturalness. To be free from desires and selfishness by appreciating simplicity. SHINTOISM ➔ Harmony with Nature - Respect Central Beliefs and preservation of nature. ➔ “The Way of the Gods” Known as the oldest religion of Japan. Emotional Experiences having no known founder, ➔ Aside from practicing Wu-wei, Japanese people became one example of the application aware that it was already there of Yin and Yang is anger. Anger is before they arrived. Its customs a not-so-good emotion. But and traditions are written in the emotions are usually neutral, books called Kojiki (Records of what counts is the action done Ancient Matters) and Nihon Shoki through these emotions. Anger, if (Chronicles of Japan), written in we let it lead us, can provoke us 712 and 720 respectively. to do stupid things. Or, it may Community challenge us to put aside our ➔ Shintoism being the main religion emotion which may lead us to in Japan, was influenced by better situations. other cultures and religions, including  the Chinese philosophies, Rituals Confucianism and Taoism. Aside ➔ There are a lot of rituals done from the Chinese, Shintoism was inside Shintoism. Some shrines also influenced the Buddhism as conduct major festivals(Matsuri) the religion came in 520 CE. it to perform their rituals. developed gradually and the - Spring Festival (Haru gods of Shintoism became the Matsuri, or protectors of Buddhism. Toshigoi-no-Matsuri Prayer ➔ Formation of Sect-Shinto (During for Good Harvest Festival) the latter part of the 19th century, - Autumn Festival (Aki new religious movements Matsuri, or Niiname-sai emerged.) Harvest Festival) - Revival Shintō sects - Annual Festival (Rei-sai) - Confucian sects - Divine Procession - Purification sects (Shinkō-sai). - Mountain worship sects - Faith-healing” sects Central Myths ➔ It is believed that Shintoism started when Amaterasu’s descendants unified the Ethics Japanese people under their watch. Her first descendant Jimmu, became the first emperor. The Three Sacred Treasures, the mirror(wisdom), the sword(virtue), and the jewels(benevolence), was said to be given by Amaterasu to her grandson and became the symbol of Japan even now. Emotional Experiences ➔ It revolves around the respect for the kami, which can be understood as divine spirits or deities residing in natural elements such as mountains, trees, and rivers. Emphasizing the harmony with nature and which is deeply ingrained in Japanese society and culture. ➔ We can see the order of things in Japan as they value their surroundings with great respect. As they also believe that the Kami interact with the physical world. Material Expressions Sacredness