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Religion as an inst

Date post: 19-Nov-2014
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Page 1: Religion as an inst
Page 2: Religion as an inst

Christian Creation Story

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.“ So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. Taken from the King James Bible

Page 3: Religion as an inst

Christian Creation StoryIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.“ So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. Taken from the King James Bible

Page 4: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

“religare” tie/bind back

“to bind together”

(a “ligament” binds bones together)

Page 5: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

Bind us together in a community with other people (horizontal relationship)

Bind us to something bigger than ourselves, to our origins, the ultimate reality behind our existence (e.g., God) (vertical relationship)

Page 6: Religion as an inst

Religion As Relationship:

communion

“with union”

(Yoga = "union, to join" [Yoke])

linking two as one

Page 7: Religion as an inst

Religion As Relationship:

The Vertical relationship: Relationship with Ultimate Reality/"God" - source and origin, something bigger than the immediate, present self

The Horizontal relationship: relationship with other selves, other people (moral and social aspects of religion), sometimes extended to include other aspects of our environment, a relationship with the non-human aspects of nature.

Page 8: Religion as an inst

Religion As Relationship:

Ultimate Reality

Environment

Other Other Self

Page 9: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

The service or worship of God or the supernatural - Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary

A specific system of faith and worship - Oxford English Dictionary

A set of symbolic forms and acts which relate man to the ultimate condition of his existence - Robert Bellah

Page 10: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

The service or worship of God or the supernatural - Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary

A specific system of faith and worship - Oxford English Dictionary

A set of symbolic forms and acts which relate man to the ultimate condition of his existence - Robert Bellah

Page 11: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

Beliefs, attitudes, emotions, behavior, etc., constituting man’s relationship with the powers and principles of the universe - Reader’s Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary

Belief in and/or worship of God or gods - World Book Dictionary

Page 12: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

[the seeking] of divine truth, exploring who we are, why we’re here, and how we should live - Joel Beversluis, ed., Sourcebook of the world’s Religions

belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto - William James

Page 13: Religion as an inst

is . . . .

Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe; a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship - YourDictionary.com

Page 14: Religion as an inst

Who wants to know ? ? ?

• The common folk (you and me)

• Philosophers

• Sociologists

• Theologians

• Anthropologists

• Psychologists

• Historians

• Critics

Everyone’s got an agenda and a limited perspective that will influence how they perceive religion

Page 15: Religion as an inst

Ways of Understanding Religion

a.

Substantive or essentials• definitions characterize religion by

some basic essence which is common to all religious systems, but not to any non-religious systems. They say what religion is (noun)

• “Belief in invisible superhuman power together with feelings and practices that flow from such a belief

Page 16: Religion as an inst

Ways of Understanding Religion

b. Functionalist• definitions focus on the way religion

operates or functions in human life. They say what religion does (verb)

• “Belief in invisible superhuman power together with feelings and practices that flow from such a belief

Page 17: Religion as an inst

Why do people turn to religion?Religion as a response to “the human condition”.• The pursuit of happiness

vs.• The human condition

– Alienation of self and other vs. the need for a meaningful and harmonious relationship between self and other.

– The insufficiency of human existence vs. the quest for fulfillment.

– Guilt, meaninglessness, and death vs. the search for righteousness, meaning, and immortality.

• The promise of religion:

transcendence of the human condition.

Page 18: Religion as an inst

Image Sources:• Slide 5:

http://mech.ioe.edu.np/pragati/Gautama%20Siddhattha%20Buddha_files/buddhadream.jpg

• Slide 7: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4018250989_cdecfe78ee.jpg

• Slide 9: http://www.irfwp.org/content/archives/indra.jpg , http://www.chennaimuseum.org/draft/gallery/03/01/012/images/vayu.jpg , http://www.eprarthana.com/images/gallery/others/agni.jpg

• Slide 11: http://www.dhikrullah.com/lectures/images/lectures/qadhi/angels.jpg

• Slide 13: http://www.ucdesigners.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/stockxpertcom_id21589-world1-1024x794.jpg

• Slide 15: http://www.majikalwishes.com/picts/religions_earth.jpg


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