Unit 2 - Module 1 Flashcards
How does religion relate to meaning and purpose?
Each religion offers a way if life that seeks to provide people meaning and purpose in life.
When an individual accepts a religion it can influence and shape their identity and development — throughout their life
How each person responds to what is offered by religion varies and is influenced by their encounter and interact with religion in general religion as well as with particular religions.
What are some factors which influences a persons intercation with religion/s. (In both good and bad ways)
- context of a persons life
- experiences in life; events held by religion (good or bad Eg 9/11)
- the world/community they live in
- others
- good example in family, upbringing and childhood
- lifestyle/ culture/ customs oriented
- Spiritual experience
- experiences that they have had from religious people or religious charities
- Convincing explanations, reasons or evidence in favor of religion
- personal experiences with religion; how un/supportive a religion or religious community during a particular time period
- reputation/name - ‘for a name’, class, to belong to a community
- attraction from other; the support of the religious community
- dictatorship of religion
- inspiring/ negatively influencing individuals
Bad
- Finally, that attitude of sinful man which makes him hide from God out of fear and flee his call.
What are some Responses to Religion
People respond to religions in different and complex ways and how they respond will vary throughout life = response is ever changing
Can respond to religion in two ways
- Positive;
Accept the religion fully into ones life
Or believe in spirituality of religion and identity that is a ‘truth’ in religion/s
- Negative
Reject the religion fully and not accept any fruits/communities from the religion
How (what practices, rituals, community ect) does religion influence people in their life
- Through teachings and beliefs; particular beliefs, Knowledge gathered and teachings of the religion influences an individual.
- it educates the person about the religions morals, principles of life, how to achieve true happiness and about right and wrong in the world
- teaches and promotes particular lifestyles, behaviour and perspective of thinking - The religious community; the teachings, custom, traditions and lifestyle of the religious community can influence people
- Leadership and significant individuals; their actions, explanations about particular answers to questions and their articulation of their understandings of the particular religion.
- Customs and traditions; periods, events, celebration, history of the religion and rituals can influence an individual
- their understandings of the events and symbols
- the schedule and timing of each expression of faith and practice within the religion
In what types of ways can a religion influence a person?
Religion is only one of the many factors influencing the development of a person; through the very NATURE of the religion; beliefs, practices and celebrations that central to the religion
INFLUENCE means it can have a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE impact on persons
- can UN/MOTIVATE (cause of a particular action)
- provides Guidance/Knowledge/ Teaching/Wisdom
- endorse a new PERSPECTIVE (new or many = can be for good or for bad); Eg can understand good and evil in world, understand viewpoints of others and why they think this way
What is an example of a person in the Catholic Church influenced positively by religion
The better known examples can be found in the lives of SAINTS
How can religion ‘shape’ an individual’s life
Shape refers to Forming, Adding, Changed = what they have become
religion can shape their
- attitudes, values and beliefs
- invites particular moments/Circumstances/ events = shapes a successful life
- Identity/ personality and lifestyle
- how to find Meaning and purpose or redefines their meaning and purpose
What are some reasons to follow Christianity?
- Believing Christianity is the truth- deliberate and conscious effort
- Believing Christianity is all about love, God and other people. Gives them guidance- living a good life- purpose (what motivated them/drives them to live a certain way)
- Family, childhood, part of a community- valuable friendships, gives meaning, value to their lives (Daily life meaningful)
What is the Catholic P.O.V
Life is unpredictable as it is without a proper structure; it is a game of chance
However Catholics believe that God and God through religion reaches to his people with intention from the moment of creation and not reliant by chance
Catholic teaching belief is that All people are called to a ‘relationship with God’
Fundamental to Catholic teaching is the belief that all people are called into a deeply personal relationship with God, how a person responds to this call is a free choice.
This message in simple terms is the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST - the gospel message
Proclaiming and sharing this message is the mission of all who follow Jesus, the church
Past of Summary of St Augustine of Hippo
St. Augustine is probably the most famous saint with a sinful past, which is rather surprising since his own mother (St. Monica) was a devout Christian.
Augustine rejected his Christian upbringing to live a life of hedonism and constant partying.
He once famously prayed, “Grant me chastity, but not just yet!”
He fathered a son with his young mistress, whom he abandoned at the prospect of marrying an heiress.
Yet his holy and devout mother never gave up, constantly following him and urging him to repent
Factors which caused him to convert
- Inner stirring within him; Augustine converted to Catholicism. As he later told it, his conversion was prompted by hearing a child’s voice say “take up and read” and a the ‘spirit within him awoke’
- The influence of his mother, persistently calling him to repent and believe, prayed for him and for he goodness within him to be awakened.
How did religion influence Saint Augustine of hippo?
The community of believers and his mother; showed him a new and good perspective of the world and that there is so much more to life than celebrations. The believing people around him showcased their lifestyle of peace, chastity and devotion to God, and was so from that he was influenced and educated on how to convert from his sinful ways and become a ‘decent’ human being and a child of God. Through the adoption of this new lifestyle he was able to learn about Chasity, patience, the truth about God’s love and gained understanding about his Meaning and Purpose.
- The teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church; the bible and fundamental church principle and teachings of the Catholic Church guided and educated him and his spirit about God, God’s love and how to become a child of God. By understanding, being supported by and educated through the church teachings, he changed his attitudes and values in life and became a completely different person. He was influenced to change his ‘partying’ nature and identity to the complete opposite person of amity, Chasity and wisdom.
Motivation; the bible and the life of Jesus influenced his negative perspective and sinful attitudes to change to a much more positive influence. The life of Jesus influenced him to become motivated to a live a good life and grow closer to God.
How did religion shape St Augustine of Hippo?
Through religion influencing him to become a much more motivated, chaste, knowledgeable and compassionate individual, his entire life flipped upside down and he was reformed into a different identity and being in life.
The motivation encouraged him to learn more about God and to teach his understanding about God to others, evangelise them and help them experience the true inner happiness. This reshaped his life of being a sinful and wrongful man to a teacher, Philosopher and a father of the Catholic Church. His future was shaped to become blissful and welcoming to a successful individual .Then and now he is viewed a respected individual and a pivotal person in Catholic history.
His acquired knowledge and gifts and fruits within his personality enabled him to shape his life into a pivotal character in history. The influence of these gained perspective and qualities within him reshaped his skills sets and made him capable of understanding about God, how to articulate the word of God to others and to help others with this faith. He wrote the ‘confessions’ making him become a father of the religion, and shaping his identity to be a reputable theologian.
The influence of religion and the understanding of Fruits of religion enabled him to regain his conscience, and gain understanding on how to achieve true happiness. This new direct way of achieving true happiness enabled though his reshaped meaning; ‘live life with a strong and beautiful relationship with god and his people’ and his purpose ‘keep a vocation of evangelising, educating and sharing his knowledge about god’
This reshaped him from being a wrongful man to welcoming and honest man with a strong bond with God.
Why does influence relate to Place?
The greater the place (role) of religion in society means the greater the influence of religion.
What are the roles of Religion? ( You can relate this to how this influences others)
Religious – supporing people in their religious way of life through prayer, worship, experience of God, teaching, guidance, community support, etc. In Australia the followers of diferent religions play a variety of roles in business, educaion, health and other public spheres.
Social – providing a service or support to people or groups within society. In Australia, hospitals, schools and wel- fare services are provided by religious groups and individuals.
Political – promoing, explaining, and supporing the beliefs and values of a religion within society. In Australia, religious leaders and members of a paricular religion will someimes actively paricipate in poliical debates. Their paricipaion may be because they wish to promote or defend im- portant religious beliefs or pracices, the rights of people that belong to the religion, or the rights of others in society.
- a group of people ‘lobbying’ the views and beliefs of others, which are being ignored and need to be met by society.
Cultural – using art, music, literature to give expression to how people ind meaning and purpose in their life. In Australia religions have contributed to society through law, architecture, music, language, ritual, drama and art as well as the more general Christian ethic which has shaped the culture of a society.
