RELS 108 1nd Edition Exam 1 Study Guide Lectures 1 10 Lecture 1 August 28 Homo Religiosus Mircea Eliade o Sacred Dimension Displayed in persons objects landscapes and also in nature This was the predominant mode of indigenous ancient cultures Calls them Homo Religiosus or the creatures who are religious Says all the great textual traditions many stemming from oral traditions came out of this perspective these creatures who are religious prior to the rise of techno industrial civilization This was the predominant mode of feeling thought that dominated the modes of these cultures Says this can be discovered in through the writings practices rituals which they developed these people 5 Approaches in the Study of Religion o The Study of Sacred Texts Formally called Hermeneutics The art of interpreting a spiritual texts Introduced via philosophy particularly through Aristotle Early usage of Hermeneutics places it in the boundaries of the sacred One would hear perceive the divine message revelation it would be up to the hermeneutic to interpret this message revelation What is this message saying o The Historical Method Refers to the emergence of religious behavior in pre history before written texts Attempts to get at the origin s of the tradition in question Attempts to go as far back as possible to try to discover how the religion in question may have developed Who founded this religion What can be said about their lifetime etc o The Comparative Approach Focuses on various types of religious behaviors such as ritual prayer and meditation Compare and contrast religions the elements that characterize those faiths May look within the religion itself or may take a broader approach How does Catholic prayer compare to Protestant How are the elements of Hinduism and Islam different the same o Philosophical Approach Attempts to evaluate arguments for and against religious faith Not all philosophies are necessarily religions o Socio Historical Approach Traces the development of religious ideas or institutions over time 2 What is Phenomenology o Logus Study Phenomena That which appears o Founded in early 20th century o Attempts to bracket the idea that the subject the perceiving self is wholly distinct from the object o Experience centric Deals sympathetically with the faith in question Calls us to enter into the faith itself or the person who is living that faith see it through their perspective rather than seeing it as a social scientist would o Phenomenology resists reductionism Resists saying that this faith can be explained through psychology or this idea can be explained away by some scientific theory o Sui Generis Of its own kind class Rudolf Otto says religious phenomena are of their own kind class o What are the Four Stages of Phenomenology 1 Gathering Religious Data Want to learn about Islam go observe practitioners performing salat Want to learn more about Buddhism go to see monks meditate Observe behavior From that encounter will gather religious data 2 Search for Patterns Sacred place sacred time sacred persons Discussions of morality What it means to be good lead a good life 3 Analysis of the Structure of These Patterns Distinguishes between the context of religious behavior and its universal meaning 4 The Suggestion of Generalizations Attempts to make a coherent or unified theory regarding religious behavior Comparing Eastern and Western Worldviews o On what there is What reality consists of Eastern Monism One Reality Everything is one No distinction between material nonmaterial nonmaterial being spiritual Divine is present in material reality as well All beings have value All forms of life have value This is because that life may have been reincarnated EX Jane Religion sweep in front of them as they walk Don t want to breathe in microorganisms or step on bugs because that would be killing Western Dualism Material vs Non Material Reality Separation between material nonmaterial Sharp distinction between human being the rest of the natural animal world The human in western religions is elevated within a hierarchy o On Divine Nature Nature of God or sacred being Eastern Immanence The Divine is contained within material reality contained within this one reality Western Transcendence Standing over or above Father imagery The Divine is essentially separate from us A separate being o On Creation and Change Eastern No beginning no end The universe is infinite View of time is called cyclical based on cycles with no beginning and no end Change is natural not positive but not negative neutral Western Eschatological Outlook Beginning middle end The universe came into being at a specific point throughout course of history will eventually come to an end View of time called linear Change is seen as negative o Karma Eastern Karma means action Karma refers to the universal law of cause and effect Western do not have the idea of karma Not stressed This human world is not the arena of which our moral destiny is played out Emphasize instead a reward punishment system after death o On Human Nature Eastern The individual self is an illusion Individual self subjectivity is illusory Don t talk about sin rather about ignorance called avidya Don t realize their one ness with the world The good life consists of following one s dharma or duty Western The individual is real and remains the individual throughout eternity Talk about sin Inherited this condition called sin The good life consists of obeying God and the rules commandments o On Enlightenment Salvation Soteriology Eastern Stress enlightenment aka awakening Enlightenment is found within the individual Reincarnation Transmigration of the soul Western Salvation is found in and through God One life to live Lecture 2 September 2 Spirituality and Human Thought Dimension of feeling human interaction morality ethical thinking Includes all yet transcends all How to think about Spirituality o 2 types of thought Calculative Thought Type of thought that helps us get through the entire day Allows us to function Includes reason rationality Meditative Thought Contemplation In order to have a spiritual life we must be able to quiet ourselves recollect The best way to do this is to take a walk through the woods without aim goal The act of walking is a perfect way to get in meditative mode of thinking The mind eventually becomes still No longer centered around an object Allows coming going no identification spacious What is Belief What is Faith Faith o Comes from