Ch. 15 Religion Flashcards
religion
a set of beliefs based on a unique vision of how he world ought to be, often revealed through insights into a supernatural power and lived out in community
matyr
a person who sacrifices his or her life for the sake of religion
saint
an individual who is considered exceptionally close to God and is exalted after death
sacred
anything that is considered holy
profane
anything that is considered not holy
ritual
an act or series of acts regularly repeated over years or generations that embody the beliefs of a group of people and create a sense of continuity and belonging
rite of passage
a category of ritual that enacts a change of status from one life stage to another, either for an individual or a group
liminality
one stage in a rite of passage during which a ritual participant experiences a period of outsiderhood, set apart from normal society, that is key to achieving a new perspective on the past, future, and current community
communitas
a sense of camaraderie, a common vision of what constitutes a good life, and a commitment to take social action to move toward achieving this vision that is shaped by the common experience of rites of passage
cultural materialism
a theory that argues that material conditions, including technology, determine patterns of social organization,including religious principles
shaman
a part-time religious practitioner with special abilities to connect individuals with supernatural powers or beings
magic
the use of spells, incantations, words and actions in an attempt to compel supernatural forces to act in certain ways, whether for good or for evil
imitative magic
a ritual performance that achieves efficacy by imitating the desired magical result
contagious magic
ritual words or performances that achieve efficacy as certain materials that come into contact with one person carry a magical connection that allows power to be transferred from person to person
symbol
anything that signifies something else
