Study of Religion

Smart’s 7 Dimensions

A framework to assist understanding

Mythological = StoryStories are fundamental to every day lifeStories are fundamental to religion‘Myth’= a story which interprets reality in a chosen wayTo the people who hold them - myths are always trueShared stories are what hold people togetherThe key to identity of a religion lies in stories the group holds in commonA ritual only makes sense to those who know the story behind it

Ritual = Symbolic Action

A ritual only makes sense to those who know the story behind it

The myth – ritual dynamic is crucial to understanding and assessing the identity of a religion

Doctrinal = teachings/beliefs

Beliefs come after and out of stories and rituals

Doctrines (or formal beliefs) of any group are those which must be believed in order to belong

Beliefs concern God/s, spirit forces, nature of the world, meaning and purpose of life, how we should live

Ethical = personal behaviour

Practical ethics and day to day moral decision making are tied to what is believed through mythology and taught through doctrine

Social = community organisationA religion’s claims about the nature of the invisible world and how one’s life aught to be lived leads to Social organisation and structure

Community customs and institutions reflect understandings and beliefs of the religion. They may include:

Places of worship

Special people who conduct ceremonies

Times when the whole community celebrate together

Material = concrete objects and symbols

Most religious groups reflect their beliefs through the material dimension of buildings, art works, icons, music, sacred places, artifacts

Experiential = experience of the invisible world

The experiential dimension is concerned with ways individuals seek a personal experience of God or to experience the peace and insight of higher levels of consciousness

In summaryMYTH = STORY

RITUAL = SYMBOLIC ACTION

DOCTRINE = TEACHING / BELIEF

ETHICS = PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR

SOCIAL = COMMUNITY CUSTOMS/INSTITUTIONS

MATERIAL = CONCRETE WORKS/OBJECTS

EXPERIENTIAL = INNER EXPERIENCE OF GOD

A definition?

The human response to whatever the mystery of life is for a particular person or group