Study Guide for Test 1 Intro to World Religions Spring 2014 Introductory Lecture on the Study of Religion 1 Since the conversion of Emperor Constantine religion in the West has been primarily caught up with Christianity What were some of the turning points that began to shatter the hegemony of Christianity within the study of religion The Renaissance the birth of science The Enlightenment Developments such as the rise of historical biblical criticism in the 19th century 2 What is the most significant feature of Ludwig Feuerbach s thought for the study of religion Essence of Christianity Core of central Christian belief Projection outward of human beings ideas o Figments of human imagination 3 What is the most significant feature of Karl Marx s thought for the study of religion Took the idea of alientation from Feuerbach Known for economics Looking for core of why religions exist Religion is the opiate of the masses Known for reduction of religion to economics o Ones religion is simply a projection of underlying economic structures 4 What is the most significant feature of William Robertson Smith s thought for the study of religion Influenced by historical criticism myth and ritual school Chicken and egg argument Ritual came first myths came second Rituals bonded the community together Concentrated on the old testament Jewish Core of religion provides reinforces social bonds 5 What is the most significant feature of mile Durkheim s thought for the study of religion Tried to find earliest form of religion o Totamism totem poles of the aborigines Core of religion is power that society has over you Suicide rates are higher in countries that dominate protestants and lower in catholic communities 6 What is the most significant feature of Max Weber s thought for the study of religion Counter argument to Carl Marx Material factors vs idealism John Calvin Predestination Economic ideas give rise to the religious structure Religions are systems of meaning and influence how you behave 7 What is the most significant feature of Rudolf Otto s thought for the study of religion Religion is ones encounter with the one divine holy Non reducible unexplainable 8 What is the most significant feature of Sigmund Freud s thought for the study of religion Originates from peoples infantile need for a father figure Religious belief is product of guilt people feel from societies rules results in neurosis Id animal instincts basic needs Superego wants to follow societies rules 9 What is the most significant feature of Max M ller s thought for the study of religion Ideologist India Translator of Sanskrit Claimed the origin of religious belief is in nature worship 10 What is the most significant feature of James Frazer s thought for the study of religion Origin of religion is nature worship evolution idea of religion Myth religion science 11 What is the most significant feature of Richard Dawkins s and Daniel Dennett s thought for the study of religion Trying to find origin care of religious belief Religion is a byproduct of something that has evolutionary value o Physical stance o Design stance o Intentional stance Hinduism 1 Who were the Dravidians Be able to say a little about them and their civilization The original inhabitants along the Indus valley Religion consisted of fertility rituals temple rites maybe animal sacrifice and ritual bathing 2 Who were the Aryans Approximately when did they enter the Indus valley of present day India Be able to say a little about them and their civilization Nomadic group that migrated to the Indus valley somewhere between 1500BCE and 1000 BCE Their religion seems to have consisted of worship of nature gods and sacrifice them 3 What two factors make the study of the early roots of Hinduism more difficult Understanding the origins of Hinduism is complicated given the lack of precise scholarly knowledge concerning this period of Indian history and the myriad views of actual Hindus o The 19th century work of Indologists and their study of Sanskrit o The impact this work had on the rise of Hindu Nationalism both then and 4 What are the two main types of Hindu sacred literature What is the difference between them Be able to give examples of each type of Hindu sacred literature and give a brief description of each example Shruti these scriptures are eternal having no human authorship 1200 BCE 3000 now BCE o Vedas origin of universe gods and goddesses o Brahmanas They are commentaries on the four Vedas detailing the proper performance of rituals o Aranyakas Secretive taught in wilderness o Upanishads relationship between self and reality Smriti in this type of literature human authorship is acknowledged by Hindus These are commentaries of the Shruti literature 500 BCE 900 BCE o Epics o Sutras means thread discussions of darma and yoga kama o Puranas myths 5 What is the oldest piece of Hindu sacred literature and approximately when was it written Rig Veda 1200 BCE 6 What are the main differences between the Vedas and the Upanishads Hint I am looking for the differences in the topics each contains different subject matter The Vedas origins of the universe gods and goddesses sacrificing to the gods The Upanishads nature of reality and self 7 What are the primary concepts found in the Upanishads Karma Samsara Moksha Brahman Atman 8 What is karma 9 What is samsara 10 What is moksha in Hinduism and Buddhism the sum of a person s actions in this and previous states of existence viewed as deciding their fate in future existences the cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound Liberation from reincarnation 11 What is Brahman What is the difference between nirguna Brahman and saguna Brahman Brahman ultimate reality The term Saguna means with attributes The term Saguna Brahman implies that God has a name and form and other attributes Nirguna means without attributes The term Nirguna Brahman implies that God as the Absolute has no name and form or attributes Nirvikalpa Samadhi reveals the Nirguna nature of the Self 12 What is Atman Your soul 13 What are the four primary castes in Hinduism What is the significance of being one of the twice born castes Brahman teachers priestly elite responsible for conducting sacrifices Kshatriya leaders nobility rules kings Vaishya Merchants Shudra Servants If twice born you are allowed to learn the Vedas but not in Shudra 14 What are the four stages of life ashrama for the twice born castes Student Vedic learning from 8 12
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