Religion Flashcards
religion definition
system of beliefs and practices usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings that functions to provide meaning, peace of mind and a sense of control over the unexplainable parts of life.
problems with “the supernatural”
ethnocentrism, dichotomy(not all societies make supernatural/natural distinction), identity the supernatural (what is supernatural to you is not supernatural to me)
societies don’t have a separate word for religion
in many societies things have a combined religious and social function and anthropologists cant easily separate the two, religious functions double as economic and social functions
Materiality
relationship between things and people, and how it shapes our actions, religious symbols
spirituality
being concerned with the human spirit apart from the physical, spirituality is a definition being spiritual
how we study religion
fuctional vs interpretive
Pioneer of religious studies in anthro.
E.B tylor
animism
belief in spiritual beings
Problem with E.B Tylor intellectual approach
he looked a missionary records, to make his conclusions but these records were biased because writers had religious backgrounds themselves
Animism vs. animatism
Animatism: world is filled with souls or spirits, it can think feel and interact with the rest of the world
Animatism: a type of religious belief in which impersonal spiritual forces exist in the world and affect human behaviour, but separate from human beings
Psychological approach
cognitive (intellectual function): to give explanations for the unexplainable
emotional (psychological function): to give solace about the tragedies in life
sociological approach
outside perspective of the role religion has in greater scope in society: provides for societal needs, sustains the moral and social order, important for conflict resolution, intensifies group solidarity
interpretive approach
sees religion as a set of symbols and stresses the meaning of those symbols as referents and creators of meaningful life
Magic
Nature is understood to be controlled by forces which can be manipulated
Contagious magic
the belief and practice that objects that come in contact with each other have a supernatural connection with each other.
sympathetic or imitative magic
the belief and practice that object objects that have some sort of commonness with each other have a supernatural bond.
witchcraft vs socrecry
witchcraft- people use their inherent powers to harm others,
sorcery- you use other objects to do harm to others
4 typologies of religion
individualists, shamanistic, communal, Ecclesiastical
Individualistic cults
most basic type of religious movement, common in smaller societies, every one has a relationship with a deity
2 types of communal cults
rights of passage- landmarks that guide people through the cycle of life , rights of solidarity
Arnold Gennep 4 steps of right of passage
separation, purification, transition, incorporation
Characteristics of rituals
- involve the supernatural
- formalized and structured pattern of behaviour
- ordinary actions
- belief in action
- symbolic
- functional
- give a sense of solidarity
revitalization movement (ghost dance)
first nations ritual- dance that connected people with their ancestors to help them defeat European colonizism and bring back their traditions
syncretism
blending of religions through globalization
Divination
practice of foreseeing future events or getting hidden knowledge through supernatural means
Shamanistic cults
religious organization in which religious specialists intervene with diets on behalf of their clients
communal cults
religious community in which ordinary people take part in rituals on behalf of the health of the whole community
ecclesiastical cults
complex religious organizations with hierarchy/bureaucracy in which full-time clergy are employed
ritual
Victor Turner- sequence of activities that include actions, objects, that are supposed to influence the magical realm in the interests of the participant
types of rituals
- calendrical rites (seasonal rituals)
- rites of transition/passage (social concerns, life cycle)
- critical/life crisis rites
tasks of a priest, oracle
- healing
- communicating with spiritual realm
- leading rituals
Cargo cults
Melanesian religious organization that believe in a prosperous future/utopia by a sending of goods to them, arose after world war 2
interpretations of cargo cult
irrational thinking
covert form of revolutionary consciousness- resisting against colonialists by wanting to return to traditional ways
- situational analysis: it is a rational assessment of their situation from their perspective
-post modern view: providing what the people want
- creating a new picture of reality
religious nationalism
combining religion with workings of the government
