Transcript St Mary Star of the Sea College Wollongong Studies of Religion I

St Mary Star of the Sea
College
Wollongong
Studies of Religion I
Gerry Sozio
Definitions
Religion – a form of belief and practise that comes from
and leads to human experience of God or the
ultimate reality.
Transcendent – outside the created world; not limited by
space, time or physical conditions.
Immanent – indwelling, spreading through.
Animism – the belief that natural objects, phenomena
and the universe are filled with good and evil spirits.
Semitic Faiths – transcendent religious
worldviews
 The great monotheistic faiths of the world
 Judaism
 Christianity
 Islam
 Semite family of Religions – all Semitic faiths all
worship the God of Abraham as the one and only
God of the Universe.
Glossary
 Divine: Of or pertaining to a god, especially
the Supreme Being. From the latin divinas –
of the gods or superhuman.
 Immanent Dimension – A world view that
recognises a divine being or powers as a
constant reality – an active and continuing
presence among believers in this world.
 Transcendental Dimension – The belief in a
divine being or powers whose existence
‘goes beyond’ human limitations, it is often
opposed to the term ‘immanent’.
Definition of Religion?
 Belief in, worship of, or obedience to a
supernatural power or powers considered to
be divine or to have control of human destiny
(Collins)
 In the heart of religion, the quest of the ages,
is the outreach of humanity, the social being,
for the values of the satisfying life. (A E
Haydon)
 The prophet Muhammad was asked, ‘What is
religion?’ And he replied that religion is the
way we conduct ourselves towards others.
 In general, religion is a way of relating a
mastery as a sacred or divine reality than as
useless or meaningless. (M Barnes)
 One may clarify the term religion by defining it
as a system of beliefs and practices that are
relative to superhumans beings. (Harper
Collins Dictionary)
 ...the state of being grasped by an ultimate
concern. (P Tillich)
In all countless definitions provided by scholars, the
only common agreement seems to be about
‘something beyond the ordinary’
RELIGION HAS A
TRANSCENDENT DIMENSION
and that religion helps in some way to map a course
through life’s obstacles and limitations of human
existence.
The Latin Word …
 The Latin word religio translates as ‘religion’.

Relegare: to gather up, or turn to constantly

Religiare: to bind together
Religion has a supernatural dimension
 This dimension implies a foundation on some
sort of divine revelation or revealed faith.
 This revelation exceeds the power and
capacity of human nature and any created
natural religion.
 Cannot be explained according to natural
laws or occurences.
 The dimensions exceeds the ordinary limits of
human existence and is sometimes described
as abnormal, even miraculous.
Religion had a Transcendent
Dimension
 Religion has a Transcendent dimension.
 It points us towards the divine world and
beyond earthly materials.
 The word transcendent comes from the Latin
word transcendere meaning to ‘climbover’ or
‘surpass’
 The transcendent dimensions of religion
enables humans to surpass the limits of their
creaturely existence and earthly concerns to
focus on heavenly or spiritual concerns.
 In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, God is
said to transcend (rise above) the world, that
is, God is predominantly beyond the world.
 This is an idea common to monotheism (the
worship of only one God).
 Judaism, Christianity and Islam focus on the
transcendent religious worldview and are
called Semetic religions.
 They go back to Abraham, and believe in one
God who created the universe.
 They also believe that God made himself
known to us by sending us prophets
(messengers) – the prophets showed and
taught the will of God to the world.
 Buddhism and Hinduism focus on the
immanent religious worldview – they have an
Indian background.
 Buddhist and Hindus rely on their inner-self
and their experience for religious truth – they
do not rely on books or people that have to
be followed.
 They are immanent worldviews that
recognise a divine being or power as a
constant reality.
Two types of Religious Views
 The first view is a world view that holds
beliefs in a divine power and/or powers
beyond beyond the human dimension.
 This corresponds to the world views held by
Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
 The followers of these religious traditions
believe in the One God who exists beyond
the human and yet guides humanity
throughout its everyday existence.
 The second view maintains a belief in a
divine being or powers dwelling within the
individual. Such a world view is characteristic
of Buddhism and Hinduism.
 In the case of Buddhism, for example, it is
important not to look for a Buddhist
equivalent of ‘God’ but for an ultimate goal or
principle, such as nirvana or dhamma that
gives Buddhist lives a sense of ultimate
meaning.
Activities
 Define ‘religion’ (Group)
 Discuss your understanding of the term ‘world view’
(Group)
 Why do we have Religion? (Group)
 Construct a fifty word letter to the editor of a
newspaper on why religion should be discussed
 Discuss detailed examples of two world views:


One that holds a belief in a divine power and/or powers
beyond the human (transcendent)
One that maintains a belief in a divine being or powers
dwelling within the individual (immanent)