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VCU RELS 108 - Final Exam Study Guide
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RELS 108 1nd EditionExam # 2 Study Guide Lectures: 11-18Lecture 11 (October 7)Problem of Evil Continued.... 4 Classic Approaches- Karma- Consolation of Promise- Appeal to Sovereignty o There is no solution to the problem of evil. We don't know why these things happen.o Ex: The story of Job.- Dualism: Good and Evil are completely set apart. o Ex: Zoroastrianism, Gnosticism.  Gnosticism: Creator God (Demiurge)= Evil. Purpose of life is uncovering Gnosis= Divine Knowledge. Lecture 12 (October 14)Spirituality & Morality/Ethics- What is morality?o From Latin word “Moralis”= “Goodness”- Morality (sacred quest)- ways of thinking, feeling, & acting that address considerations of human welfare- Practical justification: reasons we give for certain actions- Philosophy (3 Branches)1. Metaphysics (aka ontology)  study of being; what it means to be or not to be.2. Epistemology  what does it mean to know something3. Ethics/Morality  the shouldness/oughtness of things; how things should be.- What does it mean to live a good life?o This question makes up value theory- What do people really want? Ataraxia or “inner peace.”Value Theory- 1st branch of ethics is value theory. What does it mean to live well?- 2nd branch of ethics is normative ethics. What should one do to live well?- 3rd branch of ethics is meta-ethics. What is goodness and how can we tell what is good and what is bad?2 Ethical Positions- De-Ontologicalo Judges the morality of actions based on a duty or appeal. The “actions” are adherences to a rule/law/duty/etc.- Teleologicalo Rooted in the principle of utility which states that “actions/behaviors are right in so far as they promote happiness/pleasure, they are wrong if they tend to produce unhappiness or pain.”Practical Justification: 3 Cases1. Hinduism- Caste System; shift in thought from Vedas to Upanishads- 4 stages of life in Hinduism (De-Ontological)1. Student2. Householder3. Hermit/”Forest-Dweller”4. Wandering “Sannyasin” (pursuit of spiritual liberation)2. Islam- The justification and limitation of war: war is not something to be taken lightly, requires reason/justification. - Reason for engaging in warfare= defense of the faith in the face of persecution o Sunni= expansiono Shi’a= against expansion3. Christianity- 2 views for reason of prayer:o De-ontological position= Ken Barth; prayer is a matter of obligation o Teleological= John Calvin; prayer leads to a growing in faith, spiritual awareness, & morality. Lecture 13 (October 21)Perspectives on Liberation/Salvation in the Context of Human SpiritualitySoteriology- Study of salvation/liberation within the field of religious studies. - What do humans want? o Buddhism  Enlightenment Nirvana = "that which saves" us from Samsara (conditioned/worldly existence)  Nirvana is ultimate freedom & liberation o Hinduism  Moksha is "that which saves us" from Samsara Liberation comes from the identification/joining of Atman & Brahmano Christianity  Eternal life through Christ  Christ is "that which saves" "Kenosis"= "self emptying" The emptying of one's personal will or egoo Islam  "That which is saves" which is referred to as "Ifran".  Ifran means "knowing/awareness" Ifran is connected to Islamic MysticismSalvation and Death- Death as End o Modern idea that is rooted in the Doctrine of Eternal Oblivion  Soul dies when body dies, no re-birth Doctrine of Eternal Oblivion comes from "Annihilationism," which is a Christian idea/belief that apart from salvation in Christ, the final punishment is not hell as normally conceived; rather, hell is total non-existence.  Annihilationism- apart from salvation is final non-existenceWays of Conceiving Salvation/Liberation1. Individual Salvation in this World o The Search for Meaningo Desire to be Remembered o Ideal of Completion2. Individual Salvation in Another World o Joining the Spirit Worldo Cosmic Cycling or ExpansionTchich Nhat Hanh about Freedom (YouTube video watched in class).Lecture 14 (October 23)Salvation/Soteriology Continued- Individual salvation in another world: reincarnation and expansion- Plato’s Republic- early Plato speculations regarding the soul- Immortality tied into early works of Plato- Logos= Divine Word/Universal Reason- Salvation in Plato= union with the Logos- Origin of Alexandria- brought up the idea of reincarnation in early Christian thought (5th Ecumenical Counsel)Western Conceptions Regarding the Soul- Augustine of Hippo (St. Augustine)- tackled problem of immortality of soul.o Eternal soul can either live in union with God or in separation. - St. Thomas Aquinaso “Summa Theologica”o The soul is actually a conscious intellect and a willIdea of Judgment- Central to Abrahamic Traditions- Good is rewarded, evil is punished= justiceGroup Salvation in this World- Considered in 3 ways:o Salvation through the peopleo Salvation through the traditiono Salvation In the Kingdom of GodGroup Salvation in Another World- Kingdom of God (in its transcendent aspect) points to the establishment of an eternal blessed community, beyond space and time. - This comes about at the end of history, through the apocalypse in Abrahamic traditions. Paths to Salvation (Eastern and Western)- Hinduism- “Jnana Yoga”- Path of Knowledgeo Karma Yoga “The Path of Action”- Path of Action in Islam= following Shari’a law- Path of Aesthetics- Path of Submissiono Arises due to the sense of absolute dependence- Path of Graceo “Doctrine of Election” by John Calvin. Human beings can do nothing to bring about salvation. Only brought about by will of creator/God. Lecture 15 (November 4)Spiritual Views on "Death"- Thanatology: study of death amongst human beings. Interdisciplinary. - Phenomenon- "Anything that appears to the senses" o Any observable occurrence. o The way the world appears to us through the senses. - Noumenon- A posited object or event that is known without the use of the senses. o Prior to experience. Classical Texts Regarding the Afterlife- Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodal) o Interval between death and rebirth. This interval in Tibet is known as Bardo (in between). The text includes chapters on the signs of death; rituals when death occurs, etc. - Egyptian Book of the Deado Ancient Egyptian funerary texto Original name of text: Book of Coming Forth by Dayo Consists of number of magical spells intended to assist the dead's journey through the "Duat" or Underworld and into


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