Sacred Quest – Flashcards

nonreductionalist- role of belief open-minded, emphasis on describing and understanding religious experience from a number of different points of view not arguing for truth value or superiority in any particular religious tradition 1. gather religious data 2. identify observe patterns 3. analyzing patterns 4. generalization

the practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, especially to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it. psychological, economical, or political terms ex: believing in a religion because of political views

whatness, distinctive stuff religion is a type of philosophy

the distinguishing feature of religious thought (or feelings or actions) is identified with certain roles religion plays in the lives of persons and groups. what it does "it is an attempt to explain what cannot otherwise be explained; to achieve power; all other powers have failed us"

religion signifies those ways of viewing the world that refer to a notion of sacred reality made manifest (understood) in human experience in such a way as to produce long-lasting ways of thinking, feeling, and acting with respect to problems of ordering and understand existence

sacred reality is set apart and other than the ordinary

the element of the sacred manifesting itself in various ways: in rituals, persons, and natural phenomena for example. For buddhists, the goal of Nirvana "comes to life" in the life and teaching of the Buddha

religious ways develop over time. Islam has played a large part in the development of a particular type of human culture, so much so that one historian writes of "islamicate" civilization.

the way in which notions of sacred reality are related to problems of suffering, death, ordering of political and economic life, etc.

unbias and open-minded compared to going by a particular tradition with commitment

[****] VISTA

Emotions that come with experiences in religion. "I knew-and was *terrified* to know- that there was one unforgivable sin; the sin of despair." Feeling good emotions from hymns and liking the liturgy of Easter to one of losing a friend.

Morality. What is important and valuable to a religion. "The nuns would warn us about the dangers of mixed marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic." "At Easter high mass I was dizzied by the mucous perfume of white flowers at the celebration of rebirth. At such moments, the Church touched alive some very private sexual excitement; it pronounced my sexuality important."

Involved with solitude, meditation, personal and private internal reflection. Praying in solitude before bed when no one is in the room, not saying it aloud.

Belonging to a community of faith. "The reminder that an individual has the aid of church in his life. I was relieved at the burden of being alone before God through my membership in the church."

The belief, faith, teachings, and understanding in religion. "Around the time I was in fourth grade, moreover, religion classes became increasingly academic. I was introduced to that text familiar to generations of Catholic students, The Baltimore Catechism. It is a text organized by questions about the Catholic faith." CCD, Transubdtiation

The doing of religion consisting of actions like rituals, prayer, mass, sign of cross, confession and baptism. Rodriguez was an altar boy and dedicated his homework with JMJ "Especially after *communion* when I thanked God for coming into my soul"

The idea of God being being far away into another world, surpassing the universe and time, he is part of the *sacred world*. The structure of time is indicated by the important points in the story of the people: the creation of all things, the revelation of the Torah, and finally the redeeming of the world.

The idea of God entering our world, *material world* >>Reincarnation.

Story of ancient Israel originating from him, *Genesis 12*, god says to him: Leave from where you are and leave your family to Israel, which I will show you. I will make it a great nation, bless you, your name will be great, I will bless those who bless you, those who curse you I will curse, through you all the families will be blessed. Moral problems in this story: God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Issac, as his way of testing Abraham's faith. The paradox presented to Abraham is the important thing. He had to choose between his two loves: God and Son. His love of God took his priority over morality.

*Spokesman* for God. Great prophet (one who speaks for God) of Judaism. Appearance of the sacred: angel of the lord appeared as fire and the bush was burning but not consumed. God came to him and Moses was afraid to look at him. Lead people from Egypt to "promised land", Israel. Brings people the Torah or instruction he receives from God. Includes the commandments. Oral Torah to which to interpret these commandments.

Great prophet of Islam Appearance of the sacred: angel came to him in form of a man. The angel said to him, "Recite!" >> "I am not a reciter" >>held him tightly in his arms until he couldn't endure it. >> Repeat. >> Third time: Says long line>> Muhammad was shaken and went home>> Gabriel came to him>> Beginning of the prophecy Justifying war: Said God will give victory to those who fight because they have been wronged. With this in mind, this prophet and his followers were persecuted in Mecca. >> retaliation happened where they started to war against them>> Muslims won. All in all, war is not to be taken lightly and it requires justification. In context, the defense of religion against those (Mecca) who persecute believers (Muslim). Sunni- wars were justified under expansion of islamic territory because other territories were showing recklessness and that's disobedient to God's commands trying to take it out of their territories. Not forcing the religion but to remind people of the standards of good conduct, limit harm done by recklessness. Acknowledge supremacy of Islam. Heart (struggle to become a muslim) >>Tongue>>Sword last resort. Shia- defensive justification 122-123

Great prophet of Buddhism Schism- began search with religious tradition of hinduism and his teaching evolved into a separate religion. When young, sheltered from life's troubling aspects >> experiences old age, disease, and death>> met someone who gave up the world for a world where old age, disease, and death are unknown>> strict rules of fasting for six years in order to achieve self-denial: single sesame seed to eat at meal times>> not the key to awareness: four noble truths is>> gives his life to giving wisdom to those seeking the truth *Mystical sacred appearance* being conscious in the union with the sacred. Having great skills in meditation put himself in trance. Thinks about truth of all things and ultimate goal of existence. Sees all his former lives and sees through the ordinary, historical existence of human beings and understands that it is ultimately not real. Greedy, hatred, and delusions cause people to be blind from birth. Ignorance >> old age and death. Stopping the ignorance>> birth, old age, death, and all kinds of ill. Teaches humanity the way to achieve Nirvana- " the stopping of birth, old age, death, and all kinds of ill"

Also known as the Messiah. He is the son of God, *incarnated in the word of God* Logos. Jesus raises people from the dead is himself raised after being crucified is a sign of God's power over death.

The transformation of bread as a substance to bread as God as known as holy communion. Roots in the Passover meal. Example of a conjoining myth and ritual. Transubdtiation- This is a sacred object. The physicality of the bread is staying the same because it is still looks like bread, but the substance is not the same it is no longer just bread, it has other meaning to it>>body of Christ.

Concept of believing in one God, maker of heaven and earth. God's eternal son came down from heaven and took flesh of the Virgin Mary by the action of the holy spirit and was made man. He rose from the dead to judge the living and dead. "and the son" added to this, which is what separates the Eastern from the Western Orthodox tradition.

To reveal the sacred. Two ways of thinking of these: 1. sacred media: vehicle of sacred appearance- sacred persons, objects, time, and space. 2. Recurrence of certain patterns within the generality of sacred appearances- prophetic, sacramental, and mystical.

This is usually associated with Judaism and Islam by focusing on a person, the prophet, who receives a revelation that deals in various ways with historical events in the life of the community.

This is usually associated with Christianity, Shinto, and other tribal religions who stresses the sacred through material reality (transubdtiation) and the role of priests.

This is usually associated with Buddhism and Hinduism who is in a certain state of being or consciousness in the quest for union with the sacred.

A language to understand the Holy. To show one is a Christian they will wear a cross and if someone wants to show they are a Jew, they would wear the star of David.

1. Connection with the sacred. Enables one to get a glimpse into the realm of the sacred. 2. Helps one understand how the world was created and gives meaning to life. Day and night>> sky and waters>> earth and land>> stars>> birds and fish >> vegetables, animals, and humans >> the order. 3. Gives shape to memory in the way that a Christian is a Christian because of the story of Jesus. 4. Serve as an ethical function

1. They are canonical by serving as a yardstick against which the truth of certain ideas or the rightness of certain practices can be measured or judged. Scripture has a sense of a higher authority because the author is God in the way that a student code of conduct tells you what's right and wrong to do. 2. They evoke the presence of the sacred. Through their use in reading, meditation, and ritual, the sacred is revealed. Torah: how it is read, can't touch it because it makes it less holy. 3. They define a community because they have a symbolic function that testifies who a person and/ or a community is. 4. They preserve the traditions of particular communities by communicating and sustaining the memory by providing a framework.

This is usually fictional and is only there to make a point from the story in order to shock the reader into a new insight. For example, Jesus tells the story of the good samaritan. The good samaritan acts as a good neighbor to a person in need while priest fails to do so. The message to get is it is the acts of a person and not his social status that determines who the true neighbor is.

Just like the second function of Sacred Stories, these give meaning to life by the sacred reality in relation to the human's life. They answer any questions one might have about the creation and meaning of themselves, about the world, and what will happen in the world and to oneself.

To ask favors of sacred. For example, if one's mother is sick, one would ask the sacred to cure her.

Acknowledging the sacred's superiority in the context that you depend on them. An example of this is kneeling down during prayer out of respect.

A Jewish prayer that praises God with acceptance of his will if taking away a loved one, for example. A way of guiding the world towards being how it's supposed to be. It helps the soul in it's journey upward. This is recited at funerals. Can only be said by a male?

There are three phases 1. Separation stage 2. Liminal-Entrance- stage 3. Coming back in a new fashion For example, when a young person undergoes the ceremony of a Bar Mitzvah, they leave their childhood, *enter* into a ceremonial period and reenter into their community by now as an adult.

They are great festivities that go with the change in seasons in the same way the earth is transformed in different seasons. For example, Easter is a Christian feast day celebrating the resurrection of Christ, though, others celebrate it in non-Christian ways. All in all, the rituals that come with Easter reflect that spring is a period of fertility, rebirth, and the awakening of Easter after it's winter death.

This meal honors the memory of the meal eaten by the Jews before they were enslaved and reached the promised land and *continues the past into the present.* Also known as the seder and is orchestrated by the head of the household. This is the conjoining of ritual and myth.

A high point of the Passover meal where the youngest person present asks why the meal is eaten and this is the response in a reading about the great events from Exodus.

*This is a birth ritual* It is a way that a child becomes a member of the Christian church.

*This is a birth ritual* A male child becomes a member of the Jewish people and serves as a biblical agreement between God and the Jews coming from a passage in the bible.

Comes from the idea of the law of prayer is the law of belief. This is a central ritual in Judaism where they dedicate Sunday to not doing work in a family context in the home where they eat the meal where the table symbolizes the altar and the man the priest. The lord did not do work and rested on the seventh day so it is blessed.

The mountain where Moses received the Torah

An Orthodox Jewish school for the religious and nonreligious education of children of elementary school age.

How to declare a reform movement in which is considered unorthodox/illegitimate and may be subject to disciplinary action in some cases that are extreme, military action.

A form of division is a religious community which signifies its emergence as a community separate from its "parent" yet not established enough to become a separate religion.

"Right Belief" Supporting certain standards of belief Rule of faith for Jews is based on Torah. Conflicts between Vatican and others over the correct interpretation of Catholic belief and practice

The observance of certain standards of religious practice "Right practice"

A *low tension* religious community of some social standing that invites all members of a society to take part in its activities A *high tension* community that demands conformity in its members and exclusive in membership

1. It is founded by leader whose powerful personality is the focus of followers whom through the message of the cult is delivered. 2. Claims to have a revelation from God or new insight into the sacred that invigorates, changes, or perfects an older religious tradition 3. Usually viewed with extreme suspicion by more establish communities. Usually said to be heresies

1. Karma- Indian context. Next life/reincarnation even if you didn't experience what they deserved in this life they will in the next life wasn't rewarded in first life appropriately. 2. Consolidation of promise- Second coming 3. Appeal to sovereignty- Book of Job. "Guard your loins". Who are you to ask this of me. 4. Dualism- Evil is a result of a conflict between good and evil powers on equal footing.

Used to make sense why bad things happen to good people. (Four patterns)

*Consequential oriented* Looks at the goal outcome by wanting the best possible outcome rather than settling for the bad.

*Duty approach* Do something no matter the consequence because it's the right thing to do. Hindu Caste System Rights approach Religious law

The greatest happiness of the greatest number of people (teleological)

Right to truth Right of privacy Right not to be injured Right to what is agreed (pay wage) Right to life

How fair is an action Discrimination, favoritism.

The idea that every institution in our lives we are able to depend on to benefit us as all members of same community.

One of this is to be kind of people we have the potential to become by promoting development of character within self and community. If you develop virtues they become part of you and you think morally. For example, a person who develops specific character traits will be naturally disposed to act in ways consistent with moral principles.

1. Specifically distinctive- Different than what normally happens in the world. Moment of confusion>> Recognition as part of sacred world. 2. Beyond control of human beings- Sacred has control whether the human being is willing or not. 3. Specially prominent with respect to human welfare- impact on humans ultimate end- whether good or bad- ultimate destiny. 4. Properly determinative of various aspects of human existence- Ordering of what is good or proper for human beings. comes from sacred world to our world

Jewish reform- became more low tension with dominant culture -mixed seating, rituals with music, english in sermons, offering service on Sundays, sermons were like Christian service rejecting innovation- heresy

When the meaning is taken away from the ritual it is just a repeated action. Reformation critique of ritals changed to superstitions, loses power

In tension with each other In agreement in sync Prayer animates by providing reinforcement to the will to do what is good Meditation for buddhism