REL 137g 1st Edition Lecture 15 Current Lecture Sufism Theology to apprehend the nature of God Law to determine what to do and what not to do Sufism is simply another articulation of Islam like law or theology Each are distinct but are not mutually exclusive Sufism Someone who practices is called a sufi It is an orientation not a distinct sect A sufi can be a rationalist or a traditionalist a Sunni or a Shiite Can have strong philosophical beliefs or can be anti falsafah Can be a part of any of the schools of law or theology As an orientation Seeks to prioritize certain values and concerns as being essential and primary to any meaningful religious commitment With those values come certain practices that seek to institutionalize these values so that they can be passed on to posterity Sees experience and pre rational subjective knowledge as both superior to and more valuable than rational knowledge The essence of religion is more effectively engaged and apprehended by experiential knowledge as opposed to merely rational or conceptual knowledge Example you must do the thing that scares you shitless and then you get the courage It is only through experience that you get courage An actual experience of God is superior to any rational or conceptual knowledge That kind of knowledge is limited Sufis are not anti reason It s just that to use reason to measure everything with God has its faults It can be treacherous It can be turned against us make things seem okay that are actually not good Reason comes from motives and desires which can be bad It can limit or restrict religious imagination 2 distinct but overlapping tendencies Mysticism Metaphysical embrace of God Controversial because it can lead to pantheism The boundary between the creator and creation is blurred All is God It is possible to become one with God Spiritual refinement discipline Civilizational mixing contributed to the institutionalization of Sufism More of a transliteration than a translation Sufi means woolen cloak Because the early practioners wore coarse woolen cloaks as a way to renounce material objects and ego A symbol that one had entered upon this path A carry over from the Christian community
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