Midterm Flashcards
memorization
Ideology
Beliefs values or ideas that have become naturalized, reified, absolutized, sedimented, and politicized
Theism- monotheism- polytheism- pantheism
polytheism is a theistic belief in many gods
In-group vs out-group representation
in groups are represented heterogeneously (more unique) , out-groups are represented homogeneously (out-groups are all the same, all immigrants, all barbarians, all foreigners large brush)
Truth claims
An exclusive religious truth claims a single religious tradition has a claim to truth and the truth is not found in any other religious tradition
Totemism
Sign of family tribe or kinship, it establishes taboos and hierarchy (all of the above)
Monothetic vs polythetic view of phenomena
Mono- analyzes religion with one limited theory (religion is belief in God and that is what all religion is, Poly- Look at religion from multiple polls (mythological, artistic, philosophical none own what defines religion)
Axial age
coined by German philosopher Carl Jaspers, a pivotal age 3rd-4th centuries
Proselytism
attempt to convert other people to become part of a specific religion (most religions)
7 characteristics of religious founders
they are NOT part of the religious elite
Cosmology vs cosmogony
both involved in myths, cosmogony- a theory or explanation for the beginnings of the universe (how everything began), cosmology- explains the structure of everything (not mutually exclusive)
Roman religion and politics
One in the same thing, you couldn’t be an active citizen in Rome without participating in religious rights and duties.
Max Muller
Known as the founding father of religious studies, and known for his work on the development of ancient languages and their relation to cultures and belief systems and for contributing to the European interest in Arian culture (all of the above)
Emilie Durkheim
Believed that the origin of religion was Totemism
Insider vs outsider understanding of a sacred text
insider- having a divine origin, outsider- manmade, possibly having multiple origins (multiple authors or multiple subtraditions)
The Sramana movement
Birthed both Buddhism and Jainism and primarily focused on asceticism
Inner-worldly vs other-worldly asceticism
other- spiritual goal in another world, inner- spiritual goals in the here and the now
Divination
Practice seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means like cleromancy
Regilare
Latin, to tie or to bind
Historical meaning of religion
Protestant Reformation emphasized sola fide and sola Scriptura, which led to an ever-increasing understanding of religion as privately held beliefs
Hinduism
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Brahman
highest universal principle or ultimate reality that is variously depicted as the highest deity, or identical to the individual self
Atman
known as an individual self or soul
Moksha
Liberation from the cycle of samsara, the ultimate goal of Hinduism
Ahimsa
Noninjury (Also found in Buddhism and Jainism)
The Upanishads vs the Rig Veda
Rig Veda- Focuses on ritual; Upanishads focus on philosophy, the nature of ultimate reality, and the path to moksha (all of the above)
Caste System
Ashrama is not a part of the caste system
Buddism
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Emperor Ashoka
notable because he spread Buddism outside of India for the first time
Samsara
the repeating cycle of birth life and death also known as reincarnation (transmigration of souls)
Sunyata
means emptiness popularized by Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna
Four noble truths
- the sensation of suffering is attainable
The middle way
refers to the mediation between extreme poverty and extreme wealth (Siddartha katana)
Nirvana
the ultimate goal of Theravada Buddhism
bodhisattva
the ultimate goal for Mahayana Buddhism
Arhat
an individual who has obtained enlightenment or nirvana (Theravada)
Confucianism
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Essential texts
Dao de Xing is not an essential text in Confucianism
Ethics as the first philosophy
true
Li
ritual
Meritocracy
you get what you deserve (lasting impact of the civil service examinations (anyone can take the test and become a part of the rolling elite)
Daoism
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Ziran
individuals should return to a primordial state of nature
I-ching
primarily used for divination
wu-wei
Action through non-action
Zhengyi Daoshi vs. Quanzhen Daoshi
Z school can marry and live in their own homes and Q is required to be celibate vegetarian and cloistered (all of the above)
5 SAQ
