Elements of Religion Flashcards
How many common features do most, if not all religions have?
13
What are the factors that affect Spiritual Development?
Facts, Opinions, Bias, Attitude and Prejudice
What is a Creed?
A system of beliefs that every religion adheres to.
What is a Code?
A system of moral lifestyles that people who adhere to a specific religion follow .
What is a Cult?
Rituals and worship by an individual or group of people.
Why are people religious?
There are three reasons:
- psychological needs
- social needs
- fundamental needs.
Religious Impulse…
Is an urge a human has to believe in something
Individual religions can be sub-divided into not how many groups
6: conservative, orthodox, traditional, middle-or-road (liberal), temporary, reform.
What is faith?
Is a system of religious belief, a belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
Faith has two general implications either exclusive or mutual. What are they?
To trust and to believe
According to Ninian Smart there are 7 Dimensions of Religion. What are these dimensions?
Rituals; Narrative and Mythic; Experiential and Emotional; Social and Institutional; Ethical and Legal; Doctrinal and Philosophical; Material.
The majority of conflicts on this planet have started due to conflicts in religious beliefs. True or False?
True
What are the four rules of religious dialogue
- Respect the Faith and Religions of Others; 2. There is no Neutral Stance; 3. Accept the truth of Other Religions; 4. Accept the Importance of Religion
What is Multiculturalism?
A policy and law that recognizes and supports the diversity of a nation or province’s population, allowing multiple cultures to live side by side without compromising or abandoning their traditions and beliefs.
What is religious pluralism?
The co-existence of many religions in a society.
The search for meaning comes in 4 areas for why people accept Religion. They are:
- The Physical (that which we can see and touch)
- The Communal (relationships with others)
- The Rational (reason)
- Spiritual Experience (religion)
There are three main world views, what are they?
- Cosmocentric (Nature itself is seen as an expression of the sacred - the universe is alive and filled with a spiritual presence.)
- Theocentric (The belief is that God created the universe and is separate from the universe; each person is created in the image of God)
- Secular Humanist (believe that the dignity of the person, human life and happiness are achieved through human reason and effort alone)
What is individualism?
It is the idea that only the “self” matters and one’s personal needs are paramount to all else.
What is Moral Relativism?
It is the idea that there are not any Universal (religious) values. Personal moral view is the only reality.
What is a theist?
A theist is anyone who believes in the existence of at least one god.
What three types of theists exist?
- Monotheists (Belief in one universal God)
- Polytheists (Belief in multiple gods and/or deities)
- Pantheists (Everything is of an all-encompassing presence - God)
What is a deist?
Believes that there is a God and God “set in motion” the creation of the universe, but is not present in this world and does not interfere.
What is agnosticism?
Means “without knowledge”. An agnostic is not sure whether there is a God or not (not enough evidence one way or the other).
What is an atheist?
Atheists believe that there is no such thing as the sacred, or the concept of God.
What is an Antitheist?
This person is actively opposed to religion, not just denying the existence of God; Someone who also believes in the existence of God but chooses to go against this or attack mainstream religions.
What are the 4 types of Religious Belief?
- Mainstream Religions
- Denominations
- Sects
- Cults
How many destructive forces are there in cults?
15
What is fundamentalism?
Rejects secular culture and the idea that religion should evolve in response to modern ways and thinking. Sacred texts should be taken literally word for word.
What are the two reasons religious pluralism exists in Canada today?
- Immigration
2. Canada’s Policy of Multiculturalism (Canadian Charter and Multicultural Act)
What is tolerance?
To be tolerant means to respect the rights and differences of others, but not to be afraid to speak out when the beliefs of another bring about injustice.
What is interaction?
Religions must dialogue with each other, not just live peacefully alongside each other.
What is an ecumenical council?
An Ecumenical Council is a special meeting called by the Pope. When such a meeting is called all the Bishops meet with the Pope in a particular place to discuss important issues that face the Church. This has only happened 21 times in 2000 years of the Catholic Church.
What was Vatican II’s entire mission about when it came to communicating with the other religions?
- They focused on what unites us as religions
2. Respectfully discuss our differences between religions
What 5 proofs did St. Thomas Aquinas have to explain the existence of God (Quinque viae)?
- The argument from Motion
- The argument of Efficient Cause
- The argument of Necessary Being
- The argument of Gradation
- The argument from Design
Science asks _____ while religion asks _____ when it comes to the search for the truth.
Science asks HOW… Religion asks WHY
