Unit 3 AOS 1 Part 1 (10%)

Question 1

Belief Definition

Answer 1

Articles of faith about or related to the Ultimate Reality that are thought by adherents to be true. Beliefs are said to have been revealed by the Ultimate Reality in some way.

Question 2

Religion Definition

Answer 2

A community organised around beliefs related to ultimate reality and the consequent beliefs, practices, principles and codes of behaviour.

Question 3

Society Definition

Answer 3

A group of people living in organised groups who share a geographical location, social institutions and expectations of behaviour

Question 4

Ultimate Reality Definition

Answer 4

A term that denotes the underlying cause of all existence, the foundation of reality, supreme being, or even an ideal state of existence; refers to God/s as the ultimate or sole deity in many religions

Question 5

Religious Tradition Definition

Answer 5

A belief and practice that comes from and leads to, a human recognition of an Ultimate Reality and which is perpetuated, interpreted and communicated by an organised believing community.

Question 6

Theocentric Definition

Answer 6

Having God as the central interest and ultimate concern in the CCT, this means that the beliefs are centered on God and God’s plan for human kind

Question 7

Christocentric Definition

Answer 7

Having the theological point of focus being Jesus Christ’s teachings and practices, for the CCT, this speaks of the role that Jesus played in revealing what God is like and how humans are to live according to God’s plan.

Question 8

Anthropocentric Definition

Answer 8

The belief that considers humans to be the most significant entity of the universe and interprets or regard the world in terms of human values and experiences; human beings are at the centre.

Question 9

Multicultural Definition

Answer 9

Containing several/many diverse cultural and ethnic groups in society

Question 10

Democratic Definition

Answer 10

People have a say in electing governments, and are considered equal in society

Question 11

Pluralist Definition

Answer 11

Religion is but one voice among others in society rather than being the ruling or dominant voice, one of many perspectives and worldviews

Question 12

What are the 9 Aspects

Answer 12

Beliefs
Ethics
Social Structures
Symbols
Spiritual Experiences
Rituals
Spaces, Places, Times and Artefacts
Sacred Stories
Texts

Question 13

Beliefs Definition

Answer 13

Articles of faith about or relating to Ultimate Reality that are thought by adherents to be true. Beliefs are said to have been revealed by the Ultimate Reality in some way.

Question 14

Rituals Definition

Answer 14

Religious ceremonies that consist of a series of actions and words (such as prayers, dances or journeys) that are performed according to a set order.

Question 15

Spiritual Experience Definition

Answer 15

A personal encounter with the divine or the sacred, most often through prayer or meditation

Question 16

Ethics Definition

Answer 16

Ideals from which comes all morality about what adherents ‘ought’ to do and is compiled into specific advice or lists of qualities, values or laws

Question 17

Symbols Definition

Answer 17

Important images or objects that publicly display or help to explain religious truth. They convey meaning beyond the obvious.

Question 18

Sacred Stories Definition

Answer 18

Stories such as the lives of past heroes, parables and folk tales that convey amoral or religious truth

Question 19

Social Structure

Answer 19

The human organisation of a religious tradition to which society should conform, comprising of official and unofficial authority structures, social justice and outreach programs

Question 20

Spaces, Places, Times and Artefacts

Answer 20

The organisation and physical presence of a religious tradition, usually comprising places of worship, calendars of important events and objects of holy significance from the past

Question 21

Text

Answer 21

Compilations of oral and written literature, written with divine authority in which the essential beliefs and history of the religious tradition are recorded

Question 22

The 9 purposes of religion to society

Answer 22

1. a belief in the transcendent authority or ultimate reality that provides the society with common values
2. A metanarrative or truth narrative that provides a way of making sense of ‘the world’, including its origins and end
3. A symbolic understanding of mystery or that which remains inexplicable
4. Rituals and symbols that designate significant moments in the life of the individual or the community
5. Ethical principles and moral values that guide human behaviour
6. objects that are sacred and inspire the community through their beauty, either as ideas or as acts
7. A way of expressing individual or communal emotions
8. A worldview that gives an individuals life meaning and purpose
9. Can help offer society material aid through their welfare organisations- education, hospitals, aged care, food bank etc.

Question 23

Theologians Definition

Answer 23

someone who studies God/religion

Question 24

Metanarrative Definition

Answer 24

An overarching story that gives meaning and structure to beliefs and experiences

Question 25

Truth Narrative Definition

Answer 25

An ongoing story unfolding the lessons learned by religions in the search for meaning

Question 26

World View Definition

Answer 26

The way in which an individual, group or society interprets the totality of existence and world history or civilisation

Question 27

Purposes of religion in responding to the needs of people in their search for meaning

Answer 27

1. Helps form an understanding of an individual’s place in the world through metanarratives and worldviews.
2. It helps them to express complex emotions and better understand the world, finding meaning
3. Helps form an identity, individually, communally and globally. It is important for some people to belong to a large group. Better understand themselves, the world and its meaning
4. helps find meaning through the answering of existential questions

Question 28

the role of beliefs in responding to the search for meaning

Answer 28

the beliefs of a religious tradition may give adherents
- an understanding of the universe and the role of humanity
- a greater purpose to their lives beyond the everyday experience
- explanations for life’s harshness and what comes after death/ existential questions
- guidelines for interactions between other humans and the environment
- the ability to realise, feel and perceive the interactions of ultimate reality in their own lives and facilitate a process by which people are able to identify themselves by internalising the beliefs of a religion
- a sense of contentment and joy
- connections between the religious community, society and the environment

Question 29

The relationship between religion and society

Answer 29

• dynamic interplay
• mutually interactive, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively
• contribute to each others characteristics
• religions can provide alternate ways of viewing life as well as moral codes, a vision for society, and social structure of society
• can work cooperatively an against each other/ be diametrically opposed
• religions contribute to social cohesion
• religions contribute to social transformation
• they can both support, challenge and restrict each other
• ideally, respect should be the foundation of the relationship between religion and society

Question 30

Foundational belief

Answer 30

A belief that existed at the beginning of a religious tradition and is essential to the tradition. These beliefs emerged at the inception of the tradition and helped to define the tradition from other groups at the time.

Question 31

Fundamental belief

Answer 31

A belief that upon which other beliefs have been built that, if removed, would cause the collapse of the tradition

Question 32

What is an unbeliever?

Answer 32

someone who denies something positive, in this case, it is a denial of God

Question 33

4 types of unbelief

Answer 33

1. classical atheism- the outright denial of God
2. agnosticism- it is impossible to know about God, whether God is true or not. Simple rejects the claim of religion
3. Positivism- the rejection of all reality that is not scientifically proven
4. Humanism- the belief that humans can control the universe through their own reason and will

Question 34

Traditional arguments for belief

Answer 34

1. Blaise Pascal. Reason and intellect cannot decide the question of whether God exists or not; therefore it would make sense to choose the option that would benefit us most should we be right. e.g. religious belief, not unbelief
2. Cardinal John Newman. The fact that we have a moral code/ethics or something that inherently informs us of what ‘we ought to do’ proves that God exists
3. Bernard Lonergan. Everyone questions existentially, therefore this questioning is part of human nature, the source of this questioning being the Divine. All of us have a part of the divine in us.

Question 35

Why do some people believe when others don’t?

Answer 35

• ## differences in experiences of God. People who have experienced God or have social experiences of God are more likely to believe over those who don’t, as God is a God of experience

Question 36

Mother image

Answer 36

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!”

The image is of God being the mother of humans, showing people God is close with them, cares about them deeply, and will not forget them

Question 37

Father image

Answer 37

Deuteronomy 1:31
“and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

Described God as a father to humans, that cares and provides from them

Question 38

Redeemer Image

Answer 38

Job 19:25
“I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth”

Describes God as the saviour and rescuer of humanity and shows that God will come to the Earth and save humanity

Question 39

4 words describing Australian society

Answer 39

1. Secular- separated from a religious tradition
2. Pluralist- diversity is encouraged and present in society
3. multicultural- containing many diverse ethnic and cultural groups
4. democratic- people have a say in electing governments, and are considered equal in society

Question 40

Shephard

Answer 40

Psalm 23
Image of God guiding and protecting humanity

Question 41

Omnipresent

Answer 41

Present in all places at all times

Question 42

Omnipotent

Answer 42

All powerful

Question 43

Omniscient

Answer 43

All knowing

Question 44

Transcendent

Answer 44

beyond the bounds of creation

Question 45

Immanent

Answer 45

present and ‘pressing’. God is close with creation