What is Religion?

That is the question

How do you define it?

• There are many ways to define it– Normative

• Describes what religious adherents ought to do. (love)

– Functional• Describes how religion operates in society or human

lives. (totem)

– Descriptive• Describes how religious adherents behave.

A Working Definition

• Religion is a human phenomenon in which humans seek to understand the nature of the “Ultimate Reality”, act on this understanding and develop the potential for human transformation through this understanding.

Ingredients

• Background

• The Absolute • The World • Humans

– Problems for Humans

– Solution for Humans

• Basic Tenets/Major Features

• Major Figures

• Rituals and Symbols – Holidays– Aesthetic (art, music,

architecture)

The Absolute

• What is the religion’s idea of the Absolute. Is the Absolute a deity or an idea/concept?

The World

• What is the worldview of the religion? How do they view life?

Humans

• What are the problems for humanity?

• What are the solutions for humanity?

Basic Tenets/Major Features

• What are the basic tenets or major features of the religion?

Major Figures

• Who are some of the important figures in the religion?

• What impact did they have on the world?

Rituals, Symbols & Holidays

• What is the art of the religion like?

• What are some of the festivals/holidays?

Sources

• Slides 5, 6 & 7 – 250,000 Designer Clip Art, Global Star Software

• Slide 7 – http://www.model furniture.com/products/wallart/sandpaintings/images/as9001.jpg

http://subway.com/applications/spotlite/docs/nov03/pics/Taboo%20pix.jpgSlide 8 – http://www.healing-touch.co.uk/manjushr.gif

http://persweb.direct.ca/gknight/images/shiva.jpgSlide 9 – http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/images/laotzu.jpghttp://www.therealpresence.org/images/teresa2.jpghttp://www.buddhismus.at/bilder/dalai_lama_gross4.jpg

Sources

Slide 10 – http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/ia/images/islamic-art.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/ia/art/&h=245&w=385&sz=30&tbnid=HNsKzDoPFngJ:&tbnh=75&tbnw=117&start=10&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dislamic%2Bart%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/art/ephemeral/11585.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/art/ephemeral/11585.htm&h=524&w=300&sz=40&tbnid=Ib76OS6asawJ:&tbnh=127&tbnw=73&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dindia%2Bart%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG

http://estabrook.lexingtonma.org/Library/Dec/Kwanzaa.jpeg