Chapter 6 Flashcards
Religion
What is Animism?
Traditional ethnic religions that believe inanimate objects are animated with discrete spirits and conscious life.
Animism is often associated with indigenous and tribal belief systems.
Define Autonomous religion.
A religion that does not have a central authority but shares ideas and cooperates informally.
Examples include many forms of Protestantism.
What is a Branch in the context of religion?
A large and fundamental division within a religion.
For example, Christianity has branches such as Catholicism and Protestantism.
What does Caste refer to in Hinduism?
The class or distinct hereditary order into which a Hindu was assigned according to religious law.
Castes have traditionally influenced social status and occupation.
What is Cosmogony?
A set of religious beliefs concerning the origin of the universe.
Different religions have various cosmogonies that explain how the world came into being.
Define Denomination in religious terms.
A division of a branch that unites a number of local congregations in a single legal and administrative body.
Examples include Baptist and Methodist denominations within Christianity.
What characterizes an Ethnic religion?
A religion with a relatively concentrated spatial distribution whose principles are likely to be based on the physical characteristics of the particular location in which its adherents are concentrated.
Examples include Hinduism and Shinto.
What is Fundamentalism?
A literal interpretation and a strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or sect).
Fundamentalism can be found in various religions, including Christianity and Islam.
What does Ghetto historically refer to?
A neighborhood in a city set up by law to be inhabited only by Jews; now denotes a section of a city in which members of any minority group live because of social, legal, or economic pressure.
The term has evolved to encompass various forms of social segregation.
Define Hierarchical religion.
A religion in which a central authority exercises a high degree of control.
The Roman Catholic Church is a prominent example of a hierarchical religion.
What is a Missionary?
An individual who helps to diffuse a universalizing religion.
Missionaries often engage in outreach and education to spread their faith.
What does Monotheism mean?
Belief that there is only one God.
Major monotheistic religions include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Who is considered a Pagan?
A follower of a polytheistic religion in ancient times.
Paganism often refers to various pre-Christian religions in Europe.
What is a Pilgrimage?
A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes.
Examples include the Hajj to Mecca in Islam and the Camino de Santiago in Christianity.
Define Polytheism.
Belief in or worship of a collection of gods.
Ancient Greek and Roman religions are examples of polytheistic belief systems.
What is a Sect?
A relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination.
Sects often form around specific interpretations or practices of a religion.
What is a Solstice?
Astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun.
Solstices are often celebrated in various cultures with religious ceremonies.
What is a Universalizing religion?
A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular location.
Examples include Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.
Define religion.
The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
Religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices.
What are evangelical religions?
Religion in which an effort is made to spread a certain belief.
The term derives from the Greek word euangelion meaning ‘gospel’ or ‘good news.’
What does secularism mean?
The principle of separation of the state from religious institutions.
Secularism aims to prevent religious discrimination in governance.
What is a syncretic religion?
Religious syncretism is the blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from other traditions.
Examples include Vodou and certain forms of folk Christianity.
What is Zionism?
A movement for the re-establishment and development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel.
Originally established as a political organization, Zionism has cultural and religious implications.
