Section 4

Question 1

Religion

Answer 1

Common features
• sacred stories
• symbols
• proposed existence of supernatural beings, powers, states, places & qualities
• rituals & means of addressing supernatural
• specific practitioners

Question 2

Animism

Answer 2

People, animals, plants and objects have souls or spirits

- traditional religions

Question 3

Polytheism

Answer 3

Belief in multiple gods

Question 4

Monotheism

Answer 4

Belief in one god
- in addition to supernatural beings, also see notion supernatural states, qualities or powers
Ex: Saintliness in Catholicism

Question 5

Ancestor cults

Answer 5

Ancestors maintain a strong interest (presence) in living beings

Question 6

Myths/Sacred stories

Answer 6

Sacred narratives, explanatory, validate beliefs, values and behaviors, linked to moral and social order, often a highly developed verbal art form

Question 7

Symbols

Answer 7

Words, material objects (masks, paintings, costumes), objects in physical environment (tree, sun, ect.) or through performance, dance & music, some may have supernatural powers (Ex: Mana), can have multiple meanings

Question 8

Individualistic Religions

Answer 8

Individualistic relationship with deity or supernatural. Specializations:
Subsistence pattern: foragers. Ex: crow vision quest, indiv. Establishes a relationship with spirits through visions (via dreams, fasting, showing

Question 9

Shamanistic

Answer 9

Specialization: part time shaman have powers through birth, training, inspiration, use powers to heal, tell fortunes or …. Subsistence pattern: foragers or pastoralists/ horticulturalists

Question 10

Religion

Answer 10

Common features
• sacred stories
• symbols
• proposed existence of supernatural beings, powers, states, places & qualities
• rituals & means of addressing supernatural
• specific practitioners

Question 11

Communal

Answer 11

Specialization: group performs rites, for the community. Subsistence pattern: horticulture/ pastoralists.

Question 12

Ecclesiastical

Answer 12

Specialization: full time, hierarchy, myths & beliefs support supremacy of ruling class (priest often in this class). Few or no women (vs. shamanism). Clear distinction between priests & laypeople

Question 13

Rites of Passage

Answer 13

one or more people are ritually transformed from one kind of social person to another. Ex: initiation into adulthood, marriage, birth, funerals

Question 14

female genital operations

Answer 14

Vary, tool for preserving virginity before marriage, symbolizes role as marriageable

Question 15

Rites of intensification

Answer 15

Rituals that reinforce values & norms. Strengthen group identity. Ex: Totem: object animal or feature of natural world. Associated with kinship group. Rituals celebrate Totem.

Question 16

Ritual

Answer 16

Repetitive social practices, many do not have to do with religion

Question 17

Magic

Answer 17

Rituals that do not have scientifically apparent effects but are believed to influence outcome

Question 18

Religion vs. Magic

Answer 18

1) non-rational (can’t be scientifically verified but a matter of faith)
2) Practice as a way to cope with anxieties, unknown, ect.

Question 19

Witchcraft

Answer 19

performance of evil by humans believed to possess an innate, non-human, witchcraft substance.

Question 20

Social Control (Religion)

Answer 20

• ethical system- rules regarding behavior
• sanctions (positive & negative)
• outside- doesn’t matter if sanctions are enforced

Question 21

Conflict Resolution (Religion)

Answer 21

-alleviate stress & frustrations that to social conflict (prayer) –diffuse anger and hostility
→ good
→ bad – religion is the opiate of the masses (Marx) (Sports) in this view religion preserves economic structures that allow upper classes to exploit the poor

Question 22

Psychological functions of religion

Answer 22

1) Cognitive- helps explain the unexplainable
2) Emotional- coping & controlling tool
• The less control people feel they have the more likely they are to practice a religion
• Emotional strength- prayer
• Gives confidence- baseball football

Question 23

Conversion

Answer 23

adopt a new world view

Question 24

Syncretism

Answer 24

Merging of 2 or more religions

Question 25

Revitalization

Answer 25

Deliberate, organized attempt by some to create a more satisfying culture (syncretism or nativism) Ex: Ghost Dance among Native Americans