Unit 6

Question 1

agnosticism

Answer 1

the belief that the existence of God can’t be proven or disproven

Question 2

animism

Answer 2

the belief that objects or natural events have a spiritual and conscious life

Question 3

atheism

Answer 3

the belief that God does not exist

Question 4

autonomous religion

Answer 4

a religion lacking a central authority that functions cooperatively, but informally

Question 5

branch

Answer 5

a large fundamental division within a religion

Question 6

caste

Answer 6

the class in which a Hindu is assigned to based off of religious law

Question 7

congregation

Answer 7

a local assembly of people brought together for religious worship

Question 8

cosmogony

Answer 8

a set of religious beliefs concerning the origin of the universe

Question 9

denomination

Answer 9

a division of a branch uniting local congregations into a single legal body

Question 10

ethnic religion

Answer 10

a religion with a relatively concentrated spatial distribution whose principles differ based on the physical characteristics of the locations it is concentrated

Question 11

fundamentalism

Answer 11

literal interpretation and strict following to every principle of a religion

Question 12

ghetto

Answer 12

in the past, a neighborhood of a city to be inhabited only by Jews. now, a section of a city in which members of a minority group live because of social, legal, or economic reasons

Question 13

hierarchical religion

Answer 13

a religion in which a central authority exercises a large amount of control

Question 14

missionary

Answer 14

an individual who helps to diffuse a universalizing religion

Question 15

monotheism

Answer 15

the belief in the existence of only one God

Question 16

pilgrimage

Answer 16

a journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes

Question 17

polytheism

Answer 17

the belief and worship of more than one god

Question 18

solstice

Answer 18

an astronomical event that happens twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the sun, resulting in the shortest and longest days in the year

Question 19

syncretic

Answer 19

combining several religious traditions

Question 20

universalizing religion

Answer 20

a religion attempting to appeal to all people, not just certain people living in a particular region

Question 21

pagan

Answer 21

one believing in many gods