Studies of Religion NOTES

NATURE OF RELIGION AND BELIEFS

The Nature of Religion

Define the supernatural dimension

DEFINITION: Belief in a divine being or power greater than humankind and the natural world. Different religions have their own unique responses to the question of the exact nature of the

supernatural dimension. The Semitic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe that the supernatural dimension is a

single divine being or power. This doctrine or belief is known as monotheism. The two Eastern religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, derive from an understanding of a number of

divine beings or powers, a belief known as polytheism.

Discuss a transcendent religious worldview which has a belief in a divine power and/or powers beyond the human

A transcendent worldview is one which has a belief in a divine power or powers beyond the human.

The three Semitic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam emphasise the idea of God being revealed to humankind from beyond the human spirit.

For example, Muslims believe that the will of Allah has been revealed to the Prophet Mohammed and is contained in the writings of the Koran. This is a transcendent worldview because the divine being is seen to be separate and outside of the human and revealed to humankind through an intermediary.

Discuss an immanent religious worldview which has a belief in a divine being or powers dwelling within the individual

An immanent worldview holds the belief that supernatural powers or divine beings dwell within the human.

For the two Eastern religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, the emphasis is on the finding of truth from within the human spirit.

For example Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path prescribed by the Buddha in order to reach Enlightenment. This is an immanent religious worldview because the divine power is believed to be found within the human and awaits discovery through following the prescribed path.

Define the characteristics of religion (beliefs, believers, sacred texts and writings, ethics and rituals and ceremonies)

Beliefs and believers:

It is the belief in a deity or in a power beyond the individual that often defines a religion. A religion may have the belief of one God (monotheistic), more than one God (polytheistic), spirits, angels demons, ancestors (Aboriginals in particular) and many other beliefs. Beliefs are often about how earth and humans came into being and there purpose of life and about the relationship that us as humans share with the world and higher beings, which depends on whether the religion has a transcendence or immanent view.

Sacred texts and writings

Essential in establishing a religion These texts are believed to have been written by the deity or one that was inspired by the deity of

that religion, hence why it is considered to be sacred.

Jananee Sundarakumar | Studies of Religion | Preliminary Course

Three main types of sacred stories are; myths, about the creation of the universe, Legends about sacred and important figures and Parables that have layers of meaning that we try to base our lives upon its teachings.

Ethics

Are the codes that followers of that religion live by and conduct what is morally correct in society hence, which is why it changes with every religion.

These morals are often originated from sacred texts, ancestors and so on. Rituals are ceremonies that have significant religious meaning to a religious belief. They are

events that are often recurring and are a prescribed pattern of religious conducts.

Explore the ways in which these characteristics (beliefs, believers, sacred texts and writings, ethics and rituals and ceremonies) interact to create a dynamic, living religion

Dynamic Religion is one with energy, ambition, new ideas and practical achievements. It also needs to be able to evolve to the social norms of the time, constantly refreshing itself. A living religion is one that is practical and immersed in everyday human existence.

Religions need to constantly adapt their believers and beliefs, sacred texts and writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies to the modern day. When all these characteristics are interacting creatively, they nurture a dynamic, living religion with remains relevant in the social and cultural landscape.

Appreciate the contribution of religion to: individuals and society and culture

Individuals

Religion enters the minds and hearts of the individual, giving them moral guidelines to live their everyday life while giving them an ultimate purpose in life, beyond the material to the spiritual and divine.

Society and Culture

Religion influences the society in which it actively engages with. The characteristics of religions also influence the morals and ethics behind law.

Historically, religion has contributed to art, literature, language and food.

Australian Aboriginal Beliefs and Spiritualties- The Dreaming

Out the nature of the Breaming in relation to: origins of the universe, sacred sites, stories of the Dreaming and symbolism and art.

Origins of the universe There is no sense of a creator or creation, the Ancestral Beings travelled and created the plants,

animals and then they became the landforms and sacred sites. There is no issue over whether there was a great creator of the Ancestors but rather that they all simply existed.

Sacred sites Sacred sites are the places or land features that are believed had been or had been visited by the

Ancestral Beings. The Dreaming tells of the Ancestral Beings wandering the land, adding to and changing it, giving birth to sacred sites

These land features include waterholes, rivers or seas, rock formations, caves and most of the land. Every landmark in the environment has a story from the dreaming attached to it.

Stories of the Dreaming


These recall the journeys of the Ancestral Beings and their interaction with people and their giving of land to certain tribes.

Storytelling to the aboriginals is at the heart the dreaming. They use storytelling for all sorts of uses, such as educating children about all the ancestral beings

and the supernatural world. They tell stories of how the earth and the land came into shape, how to behave and all the laws of

the dreaming.

Symbolism and art Art and ritual tell stories and preserve the sacred laws handed down. The art of the ceremonies

does not usually last past the ceremony itself but it reminds the people of the way the Ancestors shaped the environment, laid down the law, land and responsibilities which the aboriginal people must live out.

The layers of meaning within the dreaming are full of mythological symbolism; the stories of the dreaming contain deeper meaning to those who are well versed with the land, the people and the tribe.

Discuss the diversity of the Dreaming for Aboriginal peoples

Whilst all Aboriginal people have a core understanding of the Dreaming as a source of spiritual and temporal identity, it is represented and celebrated differently between groups and peoples. (Over 900 aboriginal nations).

The Dreaming is manifested in songs, sacred sites, traditional paintings and particularly rituals. The Dreaming is fully re-created in the present time and space

Each area has a particular plant/ animal which is a totem for that group of Aboriginal people. Because of this, the people have a kinship with that spirit and are the spiritual 'owners' of that area of land. The people are responsible for that area of land and, along with their kinship with the ancestral spirit, their identity is formed.

Therefore, diverse from geographical locations, differing dialects, interpretations in art, song, ritual, different totems and emphasis on different spirits or aspects of the Dreaming.

Example: Kangal people have the barramundi as their totem whilst the Bangariny have the brown shark.

Recognise the importance of the Dreaming for the life of Aboriginal peoples

In Aboriginal spirituality, the supernatural and the natural are not separate but integrated in everyday existence. Therefore, the deepest and highest reality and meaning is already fulfilled in normal life through an affirmation of the dreaming. It is the dreaming that provides this value and purpose in life.

Important in accepting the wholeness of life and creation. The Dreaming is vital to understanding creation, suffering and life and celebrating this reality e.g. allows reverence and respect for death. Leads to a reverence for life.

The Dreaming is life, in all its aspects. Therefore, the Dreaming is not separate or distinct from daily living. Its importance lies in its nature in encompassing every part of reality. There is nothing more or beyond the Dreaming.

Acknowledging and celebrating the Dreaming provides morals and laws. This in turn leads to the preservation and enhancement of life. Creates responsibility.

Investigate the inextricable connection of the Dreaming, the land and identity

The formation of an Aboriginal person’s identity is composed of four fundamental elements; their belief system, spirituality, family and the land. Without any of these elements, Aboriginal life ceases to exist.


The dreaming is the central source of all understanding; it is believed to be the key link in forming an Aboriginal identity. The Dreaming is present in all aspects of life, and therefore, all living things are connected.

The land is considered a living entity. It is the physical link between reality and the spiritual world. As Aboriginal people believe they form part of the land and the land forms part of them, the relationship between humans and the environment is inextricable.

The identity of an Aboriginal person is formed through every aspect of the dreaming represented through the land.

The Dreaming establishes the moral, social and psychological bond and interdependence between humans (identity), ancestral beings (spirituality) and the natural environment (the land).

BUDDHISM

Origins:

Outline the historical and cultural context in which Buddhism began

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Nepal around 560 BCE He was very wealth and he grew up surrounded by the best that money could buy Buddhism begins with Hinduism as it was a Hindu monastery that Gautama fled to when he first

rejected the wealth of his upbringing

Examine the principle event so the Buddha’s life, including the enlightenment

Explain why the Buddha is the model of Buddhist life

Acts as a model of Buddhist life through guiding Buddhists on beliefs, actions and attitudes. The key events in his life explain and demonstrate vital teachings and reveal the Buddhist outlook

and approach to life. When Buddha first ventured from his palace home and experienced suffering (old, sick,

dead, poverty) he came to the realisation that nothing was permanent. An understanding of impermanency (Dukkha) is vital in comprehending the cycle of

samsara and karma- the wheel of life where beings are in a constantly transient state (live, die, reborn)

The ignorance of Siddartha prior to his exposure to suffering is reflective of humanity’s ignorance to the true nature of suffering. He actively sought to remove this suffering and did so through discovering Nirvana.

His decision to leave home and forfeit his worldly pleasures including his riches and comforts demonstrate the ability and need to prevent attachment. (attachment leads to sufferingFour Noble Truths)

After leaving home at 29, he spends 6 years leading the life of an ascetic and undergoing self mortification, he realises this is futile and does not lead to enlightenment.

. Aiding in understanding the third noble truth, Buddha’s experience of enlightenment affirms the ability to stop suffering and break free of the cycle of Samsara.

Buddha acts as role model to all Buddhists regardless of their level of severity. The teachings he demonstrates are universal and may simply be adopted to varying degrees. E.g. giving up attachments, whilst members of the Sangha take this to its furthest interpretation through living in monasteries, giving up all personal possessions and only taking food that is offered by the community, everyday Buddhists can also adopt these values, they avoid obsession and dependence on material objects like wealth. In this way, Buddha acts as a model for all Buddhists.


Describe the early formation for the Sangha within the first five years, including Mahapajapati’s request for a female Sangha

Identify the importance of the first two councils in the development of Buddhism

Outline the unique features of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.

Principle Beliefs:

Define the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha

Describe the significance of the Four Noble Truths

Examine the beliefs of Annica, Dukkha and Anatta

Recognise the connection between Karma and Samsara

Outline the importance of Nirvana in Buddhism

Sacred Texts and Writings

Identify the importance of: Tripitaka, Lotus of the Good Law and the Tibetan book of the Dead

Examine extracts from the Tripitaka, Lotus of the Good Law and the Tibetan book of the Dead which demonstrate the principal beliefs of Buddhism

Core Ethical Teachings:

Outline the principal ethical teachings in Buddhism (The Five Precepts and the Vinaya)

Describe the importance of ethical teachings in the life of adherents (The Five Precepts and the Vinaya)

Personal Devotion in the Home

Outline puja as celebrate in the home.

JUDAISM

Origins:

Outline the life of Abraham

Abraham was the first of the three great patriarchs of the Jewish people, the father of Isaac and the grandfather of Jacob

His original home was in the city of Ur on the Euphrates River where he lived with his wife Sarah and the rest of the family

Abraham’s family then moved to Harran due to the social disorder and war in Ur When Abraham’s father died, he became a nomadic wanderer in the land of Canaan There was a famine so Abraham and his tribal group moved to Egypt where grain was more

readily available but God told Abraham to move back to Canaan where Abraham would build a great nation

Sarah conceived a child called Isaac and when Isaac was a young boy Abraham was told by God to sacrifice him on a mountain

It was a test of Abraham’s trust in God and when he complied, God repeated his promise to Abraham.

Abraham’s absolute faith in God was expressed in the Covenant and the words of the agreement were accompanied by an external sign- the circumcision of all males belonging to Abraham’s clan


This rite is called the berit and is a sign that Abraham is both physical and spiritual ancestor of all Jewish people.

Describe the Covenant with the Patriarchs, including the promises of the a People and a Land

Outline the story of the Exodus and the giving of the Law (Torah)at Sinai, including the Ten Commandments

Outline the unique features of Conservative Judaism, Orthodox Judaism and Progressive Judaism

Principle Beliefs:

Discuss the belief in the one God and the attributes of God

Outline the concept of a divinely inspired moral law

Identify the importance of Covenant for the Jewish people

Sacred Texts and Writing

Identify the importance of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud

Examine extracts from the Hebrew Scripture which demonstrate the principal beliefs of Judaism

Core Ethical Teachings

Outline the principal ethical teachings of Judaism (LOOK AT SYLLABUS)

Describe the importance of ethical teaching sin the life of adherents

Observance

Describe the importance of Shabbat


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