Class 4 - Religion, Magic and Worldview Flashcards
Define supernatural.
Supernatural refers to the realm beyond people’s normal experience.
Define religion.
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.
What are “ultimate problems”?
Ultimate problems include life’s meaning, death, evil, and transcendent values.
What are transcendent values?
Transcendent values are values that override people’s individual goals and desires.
What is a “personified supernatural force”?
Personified supernatural force is supernatural power that resides in supernatural beings, such as deities, ghosts, and other kinds of spirits.
What are “other-than-human persons”?
Other-than-human persons are non-human entities that are thought to have person-like qualities including a soul and consciousness.
Define mana.
Mana is impersonal force that is freefloating and capable of inhabiting many different things.
Define magic.
Magic refers to the strategies that people use to control supernatural force to gain a desired end.
Define sorcery.
Sorcery is the malevolent use of magic.
Define witchcraft.
Witchcraft labels the activities of people who possess, often without knowing it, supernatural power that is used for evil purposes.
Define prayer.
A prayer is a petition directed at a supernatural being.
Define sacrifice.
Sacrifice refers to the act of giving up something valuable to influence supernatural beings.
Define spirit possession.
Spirit possession occurs when a supernatural being enters an individual and controls that person’s behavior.
Define divination.
Divination is the use of supernatural force associated with material objects to provide answers to particular questions.
What is a shaman?
Shamans are religious specialists who are believed to control supernatural power.
Define priest.
Priests are religious specialists who mediate between people and the supernatural.
Define worldview.
Worldview refers to a system of concepts and often unstated assumptions about life. It often contains a cosmology and mythology.
Define cosmology.
Cosmology refers to the cultural views about the nature of the world.
Define mythology.
Mythology refers to the cultural views about how the world came to be the way it is.
What are revitalization movements?
Revitalization movements refer, in the words of A. F. C. Wallace, to “deliberate, organized, conscious efforts by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture.”
Define ritual.
Rituals are “patterned, repetitive, and symbolic enactments of a cultural belief or value.”
What is a rite of passage?
A Rite of Passage is a ritual that marks the transformation of a person from one social status to another.
Define pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage is a journey that has a purpose and involves a destination that has special meaning.
