RELS 108 1nd Edition Lecture 7 Outline of Last Lecture II 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 Outline of Current Lecture III Spirituality and Ritual IV Ritual in Pre Modern Societies V Root of Hinduism VI The Vedas VII What is the Axis Mundi VIII Ritual in Judaism IX Ritual in Christianity X Ritual in Islam Current Lecture Spirituality and Ritual Ritual Latin Ritualis of or pertaining to Rites Ritual Ceremonial act or repeated stylized gesture used for specific occasions Ritual in Pre Modern Societies Ritual brings the mythic stories alive by participation Power and presence of the sacred was brought into being through Ritual Root of Hinduism Vedic Sacrifice Fire basic means by which the rituals were offered in classical Hinduism Fire God Agni The Vedas 1 Rig Veda Hymns to the Gods o Agni is Fire God o Indra is Thunder God o Rig Veda contains Sukhta chants or mantras to the divinities 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 2 Yajur Veda Knowledge of Rites o Includes sacrificial formulas 3 Sama Veda Reworking of the hymns found in the Rig Veda o Contains the first mention of Soma Soma is referred to as amrita or sacred juice 4 Atharva Veda Consists of spells and incantations o Concerned with protection against demons disaster etc o Mainly centered in the material world More concerned with the human and less concerned with the Gods o First mention of soul atman What is the Axis Mundi Cosmic or world axis Church synagogue mosque etc or any ritual center are always considered the axis mundi Ritual societies center around this world center Ritual in Judaism Passover Passover is called a Seder o Seder means an arrangement o Passover commemorates the meal the Jews ate before they left Egypt for the promise land Book of Exodus central to this story Central to Passover is a reading of the Haggadah narrative story about the Exodus events Passover is ritual reenactment of the story for the purpose of continuity between the past and the present Ritual in Christianity Holy Communion Eucharist o Eucharist means giving thanks Reenactment of the life events of Jesus Ritual in Islam Muharram o Reenactment of the events connected to Hussein Ibn Ali o Muharram means forbidden Draws participants into a drama in which Good suffers with Evil