Unit 3 Outcome 2 Maintaining Continuity Of Religious Beliefs Flashcards
Why is it important for a religious tradition to maintain continuity?
It is important because it allows the tradition to stay relevant and prevents it from dying off in modern society. Also allows the tradition to maintain its integrity.
Define maintaining continuity of belief.
Keeping a belief stable and continued. Keeping the belief alive, relevant, healthy.
What are some internal factors that promote action towards maintenance and continuity?
Publications from within the traditions. Councils or meetings.
What are some external factors that promote action towards maintenance and continuity?
Scientific discoveries, technological advancements, other religious organisations, natural disasters. The discoveries of scientists like Galileo or Newton who challenged the notion that the universe was created by ‘God’ when they came with scientific explanations. The belief was always maintained, but the reformulation of its ethical expression occurred after the environmental crisis (from dominion theology to stewardship theology).
Explain the process of maintaining continuity of belief.
Keeping foundation of a belief strong, the reaffirming and adapting the understanding and reapplication of belief through reinterpretation and reformulation of expression.
What are four ways of achieving the process of maintaining continuity of belief.
Reaffirmation
Reformulation
Reapplication
Reinterpretation
Identify and explain the foundational belief in God the creator of heaven and earth
GOFISH
God is good
Out of nothing
Freely given to us
Image of God we are created in
Source and Sustaining power of all that exists
Humans, special trust and responsibility.
“Maker of heaven an earth, and all things visible and invisible” -nicene creed
Explain how the belief of God as creator has been maintained and continued.
What has been reaffirmed and strengthened: GOFISH
What has been renewed/reformulated: human understanding of the belief, including how we perceive creation, how we interpret or relationship with the natural world and human responsibilities towards creation
Reason for maintaining the belief of God as creator.
Environmental Crisis
Internal factors that promote action to maintain continuity of belief.
Thomas Berry- cultural historian, environmental ethicist, theologian, scholar of world religions.
Promotes through lectures and writings, “The survival of humans is linked to the survival of the ecosystem”
External factors that promote actions to maintain continuity of belief.
Rachel Carson- writer, scientist and ecologist. Silent springs, her book published. She alerted the world to how harmful the use of pesticides are, called for a change in the way humankind viewed the natural world.
How has the foundation of the belief that God as creator been reaffirmed?
Ritual: Eucharist
Sacred Text: Genesis creation stories
Religious Experiences: collective thoughts as shown through church documents and statements.
How have understandings of creation changed?
Old ways of understanding creation vs new ways: old being that God created in seven days, new more along the lines of assisted the creation through formulating events.
Evaluate the RCT’s response to the environmental crisis? ***
The church has done little in mainstream society however they have set up organisations such as earth care and also have published writings devoted to the issue and many popes have made statements and
