Midterm review Flashcards
What is the definition of religion?
It is the response of men and women to the eternity that has been placed in the human heart (Eccl. 3:11) along with general revelation in creation (Rom 1:19-20).
What is the blind man and the elephant a representation of?
A third person perspective that sees the blind men describing the elephant through their own perception. Represents how each people group are trying to answer similar worldview questions, but giving their own answers.
What is the typical progression of religion?
Animism—>Polytheistic—>Monotheism—>Materialism
How do indigenous tribal religions operate?
Their history, ritual and theology is passed down orally, by tradition rather than being written down.
What are the sources of authority for indigenous religions?
Stories, ceremonies, taboos/traditions
what are indigenous religions sources of intercession?
role of the shaman and charms
What are the sources of purpose for indigenous religions?
visions and dreams
what are indigenous sources of identity?
in totems, and lands
Indigenous faiths response to who are we?
We are product of divine reality, tasked to worship and serve the gods and divine spirits, appeasing the gods through charms, incantations, spells
Indigenous faiths response to where are we?
Physical realm–animals, humans, plants and various other gods, spirits, and beings reside
Earth created through divine activity–realm where they are tasked with worshipping and serving gods.
What is wrong (indigenous)?
The gods are whimsical, they demand satisfaction & service–but not bound by human attempts to please them, their activity is determined by their mood rather than consistency
What is solution (indigenous)?
rehearse traditions, charms and rituals–act as way to appease gods to act favorably
What time is it? (indigenous)
Two types: chronological and sacred time
Chronological–with seasons
Sacred—cyclical reminds worshippers of history and where they come from
Why (indigenous)
humans exist to serve gods and spirits
doing so will result in favorable treatment in this life and the next
What does hinduism refer to?
To the religious traditions practiced in the India during the British colonisation
How did hinduism first start out teaching?
Began as oral set of traditions and mythology
multiple creation stories, gods play different roles–have multiple names in literature
How is hinduism often practiced?
Individual homes often choose a variety of gods/celebrations to worship
Home based worship often surpasses communal worship
What are the different periods of Hinduism?
- Vedic Period (~2000-500 B.C. )
- Intermediate period (500-200 B.C.)
- Classical Period (200 B.C.-1200 A.D)
- Early modern period (1200-1850 A.D)
- Modern Period (1850-today)
What is considered the golden age of Hinduism?
200 B.C.–650 A.D
What does the symbol of Hinduism represent?
the “Aum”–one truest thing about the universe, and is the most primal statement or saying
What is involved with the vedic period?
Oral traditions
- composed of Indo-Aryan religions and traditions
- links to Greek and Roman deities/languages
- northwestern India
- pastoralist culture moved southeast toward Ganges plain
- early written vedic composition
- began to form exegetical schools & brahmana schools formed
What is the hindu trinity and what does each represent?
Brahma: creator
Vishnu: Preserver
Shiva: Destroyer
What are the female consorts of the hindu trinity?
Saraswati: knowledge
Lakshmi: Love
Kali/Parvati: Power
What do Hindus believe as the Atman?
Internal experience of divine reality
What do Hindus believe as the Atman?
Internal experience of divine reality (soul)
When was the concept of samsara introduced?
During the Intermediate period
What is samsara?
The cycle of life, death, and rebirth after death
-affected by one’s karma
What period began to lay foundation for contemporary Hindu practices?
Classical period
What is the concept of dharma?
someone’s assigned ethical duty comes from being born into different caste levels
What is the concept of karma?
This is accrued based on how one acts according to their dharmic duty
What does the Bhagavad Gita teach?
- 3 main concepts for achieving the dissolution of the soul; renunciation, selfless-service, and meditation
- the truly divine human can’t renounce all Earthly possessions, but finds peace in completing highest service to God
- One must balance 3 gunas:
– Rajas (anger, ego)
– Tamas (ignorance, darkness)
– Saatva (harmony, purity)
What are hindu scriptures?
- vedas: source of sacrificial and purification details
- upanishads: ascetic and philosophical reflections came through meditation
- Smitri literature: reality of world exists in its ultimate unit
What is a Hindu instructor?
- Guru: enlightened and skilled teacher
- Yogi–practitioners of Yoga, exhibit psychological or physical control
- Swami: social and spiritual developer(traveling guru)
What is the Brahman? (hinduism)
lived experience of the holiness of all external things coming from a single source
What is the atman? (hinduism)
lived internal experience of holiness within oneself
What is the maya? (hinduism)
Reality of the world exists in its ultimate unity
What is karma? (hinduism)
moral consequences attached to every act–can alter ones reincarnation state
What is the idea of Samsara?
The cycle of life, death, and rebirth
What is the idea of moksha?
Freedom/liberation of samsara
What are the 4 goals of Hinudism?
- karma–pleasure
- artha–economic security and power
- dharma–social and religious duty associated with one’s role/caste
- moksha–freedom or liberation from samsara
What is the significance of the Ganges river in Hinduism?
It is a Tirtha-an intersection between heaven and earth
What is Holi?
A hindu religious tradition/celebration which is a festival of colors
Hindu’s response to who are we
- an Aum–Atman and Brahman
- the individual soul and the supreme soul
Hindu’s response to where are we
- material world
- acts as the theatre of our lives, but attachment to it creates negative karma
Hindu’s response to what is wrong?
Karma deficits accrued through ingesting impure water (papam)
—-this is used to reference worldliness and negligence of one’s dharmic duty
Hindu’s response to what is the solution?
Pursuing positive karma-through rituals, and practices/special grace
–eventual escape from Samsara to enjoy Brahman
Hindu’s response to what time is it?
Time is cyclical while Atman is on Samsara–major sins cause one to conintually have rebirth after death til theyre worked off and moksha achieved.
Hindu’s response to why?
Purusha’s division caused the universe—escape samsara
