RELS 108 1nd Edition Lecture 6 Outline of Last Lecture II 3 Ways to Talk or Not Talk about the Sacred III Other Ways to Talk about the Sacred IV Allegory Outline of Current Lecture V Language of the Sacred Continued a What is Parable b Oral Spiritual Traditions c Scriptural Spiritual Traditions d What is the function of written scripture e Language of Theology f The Tools of Theology g Visual Language Spirituality Current Lecture What is Parable Meaning illustration or analogy o Fiction o Difference between parable allegory is that parables illustrate moral and ethical truth Said that Jesus used parable to illustrate good ways to live Parables are Normative meaning this is how you ought to live or something like that Most famous are the Parables of Jesus in the New Testament Oral Spiritual Traditions No form of writing Tradition is passed on through stories told orally myths Scriptural Spiritual Traditions Spiritual traditions that have survived throughout the ages Islam Buddhism Christianity etc through the use of written word All the Great World Religions Privileged or normative scriptures are considered Canonical o Matthew Mark Luke and John 4 Gospels o Matthew Mark Luke are Synoptic These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Canon of Buddhism Tripitika o Vinaya Monastic Codes o Sutras Discourses of the Buddha o Abhidharma Higher Dharma Buddhist Psychology 2 Other Canons o Tao Te Ching The Way and its Power Taoism o Koran Islam o The Vedas Hinduism 4 Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda What is the Function of Written Scripture The Yardstick Function o To provide a framework for which certain ideas or the rightness of certain practices can be measured and judged Evoking the presence of the Sacred Divine God Define a Community o EX the Passover Story in Judaism Means of Preservation Language of Theology Language requires a Faith Commitment St Anslem says Theology is faith seeking understanding The Tools of Theology Exegesis to indicate the range of meanings that a text may have History understanding the meaning of faith through its historical development Systematic thought how can the disparate elements of a faith be brought together to form a coherent unity Apologetics answer questions and critiques directed towards the faith by outsiders Critical thought assessment of the faith in its current state Ethics religious behavior over and against religious belief Visual Language of Spirituality Sacred can be conveyed through painting sculpture architecture etc