Religion Flashcards
Animism
Belief that objects, such as plants and stones or natural events have a discrete spirit and conscious life.
Autonomous Religion
a religion that does not have a central authority but shares ideas and cooperates informally
Branch
A large and fundamental division within a religion
Caste
The class or distinct hereditary order into which Hindu is assigned according to religious law
Cosmogony
A set of religious beliefs concerning the origin of the universe
Denomination
A division of a branch that unites a number of local congregations into a single legal and administrative body.
Ethnic religion
A religion with a relatively concentrated spatial distribution whose principles are likely to be based on the physical characteristics of the particular location in which its adherents are concentrated.
Fundamentalism
Literal interpretation and strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or sect).
Ghetto
During the Middle Ages, a neighborhood set up by law to be inhabited only by Jews; now used to denote a section of a city in which members of any minority group live because of social, legal, or economic pressures
Hierarchical Religion
A religion in which a central authority exercises a high degree of control.
Missionary
An individual who helps to diffuse a universalizing religion.
Monotheism
The doctrine or belief of the existence of only one god.
Pagan
A follower of a polytheistic religion in ancient times.
Pilgrimage
A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes.
Polytheism
Belief in or worship of more than one god.
Sect
A relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination.
Solstice
Time when the Sun is farthest from the equator., Astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun’s apparent position in the sky to reach its most northernmost or southernmost extreme, and resulting in the shortest and longest days of the year.
Universalizing Religion
A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular religion and seeks new followers.