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Basic Characteristics of Religion - St. Mary's College of ...

Basic Characteristics of ReligionElements of ReligionSoteriological (having to do with salvation): Post-archaic reli-gions are schemes of salvation, concerned with the source,nature, and appropriate methods of removal of some evil be-lieved to afflict humans. Most religions are equally concernedwith the achievement of blessedness, release, or fulfillment thattranscends evil, in either this world or the next, or possiblyboth. Salvation is one of the Basic concerns of (the rationalization of Religion ): Theology dealswith the nature of supreme being, or whatever functions in thereligion as the source of supreme validity. Gods are objects ofreligious devotion and practice, and only secondarily are re-garded as conceptions or hypothetical entities to be treated withspeculative interest. To understand a particular religious outlookcalls for knowledge and appreciation of the way its adherentsrelate belief and practice to supremely important beings. To dealproperly with theology, one must look at the manner in whichadherents understand their relation to the objects of devotion,and at the systems of thought in which this relationship is (nature and possibilities of human being): This aspect of Religion is intertwined with the soteriological as-pect, since in many religious systems (Christianity, Hinduism,and Buddhism, for example), images of human nature define theproblem of evil and the ways adherents try to escape from or

Anthony Wallace — "Religion is a set of rituals, rationalized by myth, which mobilizes supernatural powers for the purpose of achieving or preventing transformations of state in man and nature." This functional definition focuses on the use of religion to stabilize or change society, and on the use of religion to magically control nature.

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Transcription of Basic Characteristics of Religion - St. Mary's College of ...

1 Basic Characteristics of ReligionElements of ReligionSoteriological (having to do with salvation): Post-archaic reli-gions are schemes of salvation, concerned with the source,nature, and appropriate methods of removal of some evil be-lieved to afflict humans. Most religions are equally concernedwith the achievement of blessedness, release, or fulfillment thattranscends evil, in either this world or the next, or possiblyboth. Salvation is one of the Basic concerns of (the rationalization of Religion ): Theology dealswith the nature of supreme being, or whatever functions in thereligion as the source of supreme validity. Gods are objects ofreligious devotion and practice, and only secondarily are re-garded as conceptions or hypothetical entities to be treated withspeculative interest. To understand a particular religious outlookcalls for knowledge and appreciation of the way its adherentsrelate belief and practice to supremely important beings. To dealproperly with theology, one must look at the manner in whichadherents understand their relation to the objects of devotion,and at the systems of thought in which this relationship is (nature and possibilities of human being): This aspect of Religion is intertwined with the soteriological as-pect, since in many religious systems (Christianity, Hinduism,and Buddhism, for example), images of human nature define theproblem of evil and the ways adherents try to escape from orthodox Christianity, sin is characteristic of human nature.

2 This belief sets the stage for salvation by divine grace throughGod forgiving sin. In Buddhism, suffering is deeply embeddedin the human psyche, and this belief sets the stage for salvationthrough intellectual growth. So for each Religion , the problemof evil, the conceptions of human nature, and the methods ofsalvation are (How do we know?): Epistemology refers gener-ally to the problem of knowledge. In a religious context, thismeans how adherents believe themselves able to communicatewith their deities, and how the deities make known their will tohumans. The problem of knowledge is related to the nature of truth asconceived by adherents. Religious knowledge must be recon-ciled with profane knowledge. This gives rise to a religiousdoctrine of truth that settles such conflicts by granting religiousknowledge a superior epistemological status over profane knowl-edge. Religious knowledge comes to adherents through variouscombinations of revelation, prayer, vision, sacred literature, andcommunication with other (relations between humans): Religion defines appropriateforms of conduct between people.

3 Ethics are institutionalized asinformal norms, or formal codes and laws. From the point ofview of many social scientists, the ethical function is Religion 'smost important contribution to Practices (symbolic behavior): Religion confers meaningon acts. Ritual is the means by which Religion is publiclyembodied. Ritual involves:1) social organization of the religious community2) the functions of types of religious personnel set apart forvarious religious duties3) the modes of behavior by which adherents approach thesacred dimension4) the devices used to guarantee proper group and individualconductRitual acts are often themselves regarded as sacred, or at least asnecessary steps to the goal of salvation. This leads to a con-sideration of:1) the place of symbols in the religion2) characteristic gestures, forms of speech, and movement3) the effects of religious belief on art and architectureTemporal (having to do with the meaning of time): Religiousmyths provide an imaginary time scale of important events,including the origins, repetitions, and endings of religiouslysignificant eras.

4 The end of time is an especially significant erafor religions that posit a progressive history of religious mean-ing, such as Christianity. Other religions, such as Hinduism,see time as cyclical, a process of birth, growth, decay, and death,beginning again with birth, ad the level of the individual, the meaning of time relates to thebirth, growth, decaying, death, and possibilities of an afterlifefor (having to do with the meaning of the universe): Cosmology refers to theories and visions of the creation, nature,meaning, and form of the universe, and the place of humanity init. A "cosmos" is a portrayal of the universe as a meaningfulstructure. Science studies a meaningless "universe." Religionportrays our existence as unfolding within a meaningful universecalled a "cosmos." Cosmologies link human nature and thestructure of society to an imaginary structure of the universe inorder to endow human existence and society with of Religious Behavior1) addressing the sacred2) music3) poetry4) physiological alteration through drugs, deprivation, self-mortification, and isolation5) exhortation addressing others as a representative of adivine being6) recitation of the code the use of sacred, written andoral statements to state doctrine7) sympathetic ritual imitation of sacred beings andevents8) wielding sacred power (mana) touching objectscontaining sacred power, including laying on of hands9) taboos rules specifying avoidance of contact andaction to prevent activating unwanted manifestations ofsacred power10) feasts sacred meals211) sacrifice ritual killing, often as part of a feast12) congregation meetings, processions, and other formsof coming together13) symbolism using objects symbolizing the sacred14)

5 Inspiration the pursuit of visions and revelation15) extension and modification of the code16) extended consequences the results of applyingreligious values outside of the context of specificallyritual occasionsDefinitions of ReligionJoachim Wach Religion is 3 things: a belief system, aritual worship system, and a moral system of socialrelationships. This is a substantive definition of Religion . Mod-ern people think first of belief, but the social sciences argue thatritual and social relations are the central aspects of Religion . TheLatin roots of the term Religion are religare (to bind together),and religere (to execute painstakingly or to rehearse). mile Durkheim " Religion is a unified system of beliefsand practices relative to sacred things which unite into onesingle moral community called a church, all those who adhere tothem." This is a functional definition, focused on the moralunification function of Freud Religion is a collective neurosis.

6 Karl Marx Religion is the opiate of the masses. Robert Bellah " Religion is a set of symbolic forms and actswhich relate man to the ultimate conditions of his existence, , death, meaninglessness, egocentrism, and emotional needswhich are not rational." Emotional needs of individuals are themain focus of this individualistic, functional Geertz "A Religion is a system of symbols whichacts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moodsand motivations in members, formulating conceptions of ageneral order of existence and clothing these conceptions withsuch an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seemuniquely realistic." This functional definition focuses onmotivation and Wallace " Religion is a set of rituals, rationalizedby myth, which mobilizes supernatural powers for the purposeof achieving or preventing transformations of state in man andnature." This functional definition focuses on the use of religionto stabilize or change society, and on the use of Religion tomagically control Raney " Religion is a system of practices, symbols, andinteractive and imaginary social relations concerned withestablishing and maintaining a form of consciousness in whichreality is constructed and perceived in relation to functions of religionPositive Functions1) Close the gap between hope and reality ( , the final victoryover death, evil, etc.

7 , is in heaven).2) Make virtue out of social necessity (encouraging and requiringthe individual to sacrifice for others, ego surrender where thefunctioning of society conflicts with the functioning of theindividual).3) Support and console individuals and ) Enhance social stability through projecting sacredness uponsocial norms, and through the creation of authoritative sources ofopinion regarding moral matters--the "priestly function" ) Promote social change when Religion is in conflict with theprevailing order of society, through social criticism and prophe-cy--the "prophetic function" of ) Provide a source of personal identity in pluralistic societiesafflicted with ) Facilitate personal growth and maturation, as they are concep-tualized by the ) Adjust individuals to the life cycle of changing social ) Rationalize social, political, and economic inequality, reduc-ing conflict in stratified Functions1) Excessive guilt and repression causing individuals to sufferemotionally for failure to live up to religious ) Authoritarianism supporting oppressive authority in )

8 Self-mortification inducing people to endure physical suffer-ing unnecessarily or to cause themselves to suffer deliberately forreligious ) Ethnocentrism causing people to have narrow, culturallycentered perceptions of other groups, arming them with absoluteconvictions that can justify repression and violence toward ) Promotes intergroup conflict by causing individuals to feelurgent about exporting their Religion , and to feel offended by thereligions of other ) Rationalizes social, political, and economic inequality, pre-venting social change necessary to reduce social conflict.


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