Global Religions Mid term ST 2110

What duties did the sixth vestals (Roman priestesses) preform for the survival of the city?

They preformed three functions considered essential to the city's survival: preparing the objects used in the public sacrifices, guarding Rome's symbolic storehouse, and above all preserving the sacred fire. They kept keys to the temple, groomed cult statues, led prayers, and even took part in sacrifices.

what does the term "mystery religion" refer to?

a sixth pattern that emerges in the history of religious, refers to a type of Greek and roman tradition in which the core teachings and rituals were kept secret from outsiders and were revealed only to those who were prepared to undergo initiation

scholars estimate that by the time the trans-Atlantic slave trade ended, the population of africa had been reduce by how much?

by half

What is a cargo cult?

cargo cults Religious movements, mainly in Melanesia, inspired by the shipments of goods arriving for foreigners and founded on the belief that one day the spirits would send similar shipments to the Indigenous people, initiating a new age of peace and social harmony.

What is a mohel?

circumciser

Which terms refers to those who place total authority in their scripture and read it as literal truth?

fundamentalist

Generally speaking, how are indigenous doctrines , ideas, and philosophy transmitted?

stories

what is syncretism?

syncretism The combination of elements from two or more religious traditions. Too often the term is used negatively to suggest that the "purity" of a particular religion has been compromised or contaminated.

What is the difference between mythic narratives and historical narratives?

the difference is the kind of questions we ask about the past and the symbolic register we talk about it

What is the difference between the terms indigenous religions, primitive religions, and savage religions?

these all describe the same basic concept, but show shifting in priorities, framework, and ethics in scholarship.

what do various ancient hunting rituals show about the beliefs of people in those societies?

traditional hunting societies have typically sought to ensure that animals they kill for food are treated with proper respect, lest other members of those species be frightened away or refuse to le themselves be caught.

Who is the author of the Iliad and what is the general content and purpose of this epic?

Homer is the author and it describes the events of serval days towards the end of the 10 year war between the Greeks and the Trojans, which has pitted not only humans but also gods against one another

How would you characterize Martin Luthers fundamental critique of the church that became a key piece of reformation theology?

Humans are justified only by faith. Which itself is a gift from gods grace there are no works we can do to earn that justification. If a person has faith then he or she is assured of salvation.

What is Kabbalah?

The medieval Jewish mystical tradition. Central text is a commentary on scripture called Zohar, which is thought to have been written by Moses of Leon. But is attributed to Rabbi Simon bar Yohai a famous second-century rabbit mystic and wondered-worker.

What is the doctrine of the trinity?

The one god exist in three persons, as the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus the second of the trinity is truly god and truly man.

what purpose of the potlatch, which is practiced by many people's of the Pacific Northwest?

The potlatch is practiced by many peoples of the Pacific Northwest, including the Haida, Kwakwaka'wakw, Salish, Tlingit, and Tsimshian. A way of demonstrating hospitality and redistributing wealth, it takes the form of a feast at which the hosting family presents the guests with gifts A potlatch is typically held to mark important moments, such as marriage, childbirth, or death, and may include music, theater, and ceremonial dancing. It may also serve to indicate social status: families demonstrate their wealth and importance by giving away (or even destroying) more resources than other families. Recognizing the potlatch as a central element of many Native cultures, Christian missionaries thought that banning it would facilitate assimilation. Their governments agreed: the potlatch was made illegal in Canada in 1884, and in the United States a few years later.

Where were some of the historical factors leading to the end of paganism?

The power of the Roman state

What does the Jewish festival of Hanukkah commemorate?

The rededication of the temple by the Maccabees Return of the temple top the Jews by Judah the Maccabee and this brothers.

What is the significance of baptism within Christian tradition?

The ritual of initiation into the Christian faith one of the key sacraments

What does the word sabbath mean in Jerusalem?

The seventh day of the week observed since ancient times as a day of rest from ordinary activity. From Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown.

Where did the word shaman and the related concept of shamanism come from?

The word "shaman" comes from a specific Central Asian culture, but it has become the generic term for a person who acts as an intermediary between humans and the spirit world. Other terms include "medicine man," "soul doctor," and "witch doctor."

our modern concept of religion is the product of what two historical phenomena?

1. the enlightenment in which Europeans claimed a distinction between "reason" and "superstition" 2. religion was regulated to the realm of private belief. Reason belongs to public realm.

What are the main reasons people study religion, as discussed in the textbook?

1. the fact that religion exist 2. religion played a crucially important role in human affairs. 3. it is common to study religion for personal reasons.

approximately how many indigenous people does the united nations estimate are in the world?

370 million

approximately what percentage of indigenous people in the world today identify with a colonial religion? and how? And how many with indigenous religion?

70% identify with a colonial religion and 15 or 20% identify with an indigenous religion. the rest declare as nothing.

Which Roman emperor was the first to advance notably favorable policies for Christians?

Constantine

The early councils of the church were convened to deal with a number of different problems and disagreements among Christians, what was the most basic problem they worked on and which kept popping up again and again?

Debate over wether Jesus was of the same substance as god the father or of similar substance.

what does "sacred' mean?

"set aside" a place to worship, conduct rituals, pray, where humans tend to feel they are in the presence of some unusual energy or power.

Wheat is Zionism?

Zionism is a form of Jewish nationalism that sought to create a national homeland for Jews in the wake of increasing anti-semitism in Europe

Before a newly constructed Navajo hogan is occupied, what must be preformed?

a blessingway ritual

What are the Methodist called Methodist?

For their methodical pursuit of holiness. Emphasized engagement with the world as the place where the kingdom of god was to be made real. The notion of progressive sanctification became central to the denomination.

What do the terms Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi refer to?

Mizrahi: Hebrew meaning east. Sephardim: Hebrew for Spain. Ashkenazi Hebrew for Germany.

what does the term religare, to which some scholars trace the root of the word "religion", mean?

From religâre, to bind; from ligâre, to unite in harmony) To re-unite. Root of the term "religion." via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." In that case, the re- would be intensive.

When does the Sabbath begin and end?

From sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday

How did Judaism change after the destruction of the second temple?

Furnished it with many of the gold and silver items that the Babylonians had taken. By the second temple period, Judaism was monotheistic tradition centered on the idea of a single all powerful creator god.

Where were the earliest knows religious sites in the world?

Gobekli

What is hersey?

Going against the teachings of the Catholic Church A believe of practice that is contrary to the accepted orthodoxy

who was Egypt's most widely adored deity?

Hathor

What type of writing is the enuma elish?

An epic

What is the difference between cenobitic and anchorite monasticism

Anchorite refers to hermits, people who devote their lives to silence, prayer and mortification of the flesh. Cenobitic means communal. Things like monasteries and nunneries.

What is the name of the evil spirit created by Ahura Mazda

Angra Mainyu

When did Mesopotamia and Egyptian temples first appear?

Appeared as early as the fifth and fourth millennia BCE

the term terra nullius, which was invoked by European settlers, means what?

"no one's land" Colonists argued variously that Indigenous people were not "really" using the land; that they could not own the land because they did not have any concept of ownership; or that because of their "primitive" nature, they did not count as people and therefore the land on which they lived was technically unoccupied

Zoroaster wrote a collection of poems to the wise lord know by what name?

Ahura Mazda

what is an avatar? what are some examples of an avatar from both the western and eastern religious world?

Avatar: god on earth examples: Amitabha Buddha, Krishna, Jesus Christ

What was the most significant source for our knowledge of Zoroastrianism in the ancient world?

Avesta

In Haiti, the merging of African and Christian traditions gave rise to which new religion?

Christianity and Native American religions. Many relocated Africans continued to worship Yoruba gods under the guise of Christian saints, but in time elements of the two traditions often merged in fact, giving rise to new religions such as Macumba (in Brazil), Voudou (in Haiti), and Santeria (in Cuba).

Where was the most famous site for the rites of the mystery cults in Greece?

Eleusis

why did European refer to indigenous peoples as "primitivity"

Europeans called them "primitive" (from Latin primus, "first") and supposed that for them history had begun only when they encountered "modern" or "civilized" cultures

What is the social gospel movement

Focus on social sin rather than individual sin with particular attention to religious bigotry graft and the corruption of justice as a perversion of gods intention. This way of approaching the relationship of the gospel to the world captured in the magi nation of Christians across theological and denominational lines and inspired a new emphasis on social engagement in a wide range of Christian communities.

In the most important of Egyptian daily rituals, what were the statues offered?

Food which mysteriously nourished the gods even though it was not consumed

Who were the two most important deities in Egypt?

Isis and Hathor

How many religions are there?

It depends upon who is doing the counting and why they are counting.

In what ways is Darwin's Origin of Species crucial to the development of the academic study? (Module 2 lecture video)

It gave scholars of religion an intellectual framework to understand religion as a historical phenomenon.

Which Christian reformer taught that god predestined some humans for salvation and some for damnation?

Jean Calvin

What is an axis mundi?

a place where heaven and earth meet. or a heaven on earth. a scared place like Jerusalem

what are the TWO key elements that are central to the indigenous cultures?

Location and Kinship

how would you characterize the Manichaean concept of divinity

Manichaean theology taught a dualistic view of good and evil. A key belief in Manichaeism is that the powerful, though not omnipotent good power (God), was opposed by the eternal evil power (devil). Humanity, the world and the soul are seen as the by-product of the battle between God's proxy, Primal Man, and the devil.

what effect has syncretism had on indigenous cultures?

Many Native North American religions have been deeply affected by Christianity; some African rituals have incorporated elements of Islam; the sacred oral stories of Japanese Shinto became written texts under the influence of Chinese Buddhism. However, this does not mean that "real" Indigenous religions have disappeared. It is true that Indigenous religions today are not the same as they were in the past. But the traditions as they exist now are no less authentic than they were. Change and syncretism have affected all religions throughout history. Before we can say much more about what Indigenous religions are, however, we first need to consider what they are not. That means breaking down some common non-Indigenous misconceptions. Indigenous practice has incorporated elements from the colonizing cultures and religions.

Who developed the approach to studying religion based upon a theoretical nine "dimensions" that are found in all religions?

Ninan Smart

How is the Jewish identity of a child determined within the four modern branches of Judaism?

Orthodox and conservative Jews accept a child as Jewish only of the mother is Jewish by either birth or conversion in an orthodox or conservative synagogue. Reform and reconstructionist Jews do not consider the Halahkic rules binding. They Accept a child as Jewish if their parent is Jewish as lions as the child is raised as a Jew and adopts the Jewish identity.

Which Egyptian deity ruled the underworld

Osiris

Totem Poles are products by aboriginal peoples in which region? and how do they care for their totem poles?

Pacific Northwest Coast pose similar challenges of context and symbolism. Just mind your business and let it disintegrate naturally, don't interfere with it's life process.

How are the Ana Baptist different from other Protestant denominations

Practice adult baptism rather than infant

what kinds of rituals are usually associated with indigenous religions?

Pretty much the same kind as every other religious tradition.

Who typically preformed religious rituals in antiquity?

Priest

Ancient Indo-European culture included a social system that divided people in which way?

Priests, warriors, middle class commoners

Which branch of modern Judaism developed first reform or orthodox?

Reform Judaism developed first in Germany. Orthodox Judaism developed in Germany as a response to the reform movement.

what is insider vs. outsider problem in religious studies?

Religious insiders know a great deal about their own religion, but they don't understand other religions.

What is the largest Christian denomination in the world?

Roman Catholic

What is the name of the Jewish new year?

Rosh Hashanah

what is the term for someone who acts as an intermediary between humans and the spirits of the world?

Shaman

What are some of the life-cycle rituals in Judaism?

Sitting Shiva, Preforming a Brit Milan or a simchat bat, obtaining a get, reciting the Kaddish, standing under the chip-an, preparing a ketubah, lighting the candles

Who were the Roman priestesses that were chosen as young girls to serve for 30 years

Six vestals

what did European settlers think of indigenous population they found in areas that were colonized?

Soon after contact with Europeans, many Indigenous people began to incorporate elements of the colonial religion into their own traditions. An important example was the shift that sometimes took place from the more typically Indigenous worldview of complementary dualism (seeing the universe as necessarily including both creative and destructive forces that can work together) to the "Western" worldview of conflict dualism (seeing the universe as divided between good and evil forces that are in constant battle with one another).

What does glossolalia describe?

Speaking in tongues

What's does rabbi mean in Judaism?

Teacher, spiritual and scholarly leader of a Jewish congregation

What does the following statement mean? "the academic study of religion is fundamentally an anthropological enterprise"

That is, it is primarily concerned with studying people. their beliefs, behaviors, and institutions, rather than assessing "the truth" or "truths" of their various beliefs or behaviors.

What are the three sections of the Hebrew bible? (Tanaka)

The Hebrew bible is divided in three sections: the Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim

What was the goal of the 18th century Haskalah movement?

The Jewish enlightenment. A restructuring of Jewish education to devote less time to the Talmud and more to subjects as modern languages, and practice skills which would help Jews integrate into European society.

What is the Shema?

The Shema, Hebrew for "hear", is Judaism's most basic theological statement that declares the uniqueness of God. It recited at least 2 times per day, in both morning and evening prayers.

What does the Jewish festival of Passover festival commemorate?

The Torah commanded the ancient Israelites to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Commemorates the liberation of the isreailates from the slavery in Egypt.

What are some of the differences between the academic study of religion and theology?

The academic study of religion is fundamentally an anthropological enterprise. That is, it is primarily concerned with studying people. their beliefs, behaviors, and institutions, rather than assessing "the truth" or "truths" of their various beliefs or behaviors. An anthropological approach to the study of religion is distinguished from a confessional, religious, or theological approach which is generally concerned with determining the nature, will, or wishes of a god or the gods. Traditionally, the term "theology" refers to specifically Christian discourses on God, though the term now generally applies either to any religion's own articulate self-study or to its study of another religion.

what are the purpose of trickster stories?

The concept of the trickster was developed by scholars to categorize a certain type of character that appears in the stories of many cultures, including the Norse (Loki) and the ancient Greeks (Hermes). Tricksters are sometimes referred to as "culture heroes," typically because they are the central figures in many of the community's stories, and also because they often teach important lessons. To point to and get the audience to think about the close relationship between chaos and order; sometimes order can be created from chaos.

What was the Iconoclastic Controversy?

The controversy centers on whether icons should be allowed or not. The Eastern and Western halves of the Church disagreed on the role icons should play in religious life.

What does the term "synoptic gospels" refer to?

The first gospel mark was likely written 30 years after jesuses death and overlapping themes, words, and phrases indicate that it served as the basis for Matthew and Luke. As a consequence, these three books are knows as the synoptic gospels (meant together and seen)

What were the social and political conditions that gave rise to monasticism in early Christianity

The idea living under an ascetic discipline was not unique to Christianity: in Jewish tradition, the Essenes were ascetics with a rigorous communal lifestyle and the therapeutic practiced a severe discipline. Pagan religious traditions had their own version of ascetic displace, with many philosophers embracing solitude and strictly celibate life. As the Roman Empire fragmented, social, political and economic chaos combined with serious epidemics to create a climate of instability that called for anew ways of both surviving and living in the community.

In the Bible, the book of genesis relates how god created the entire universe. its a macro scale look at creation. In many indigenous stories, however, we rarely see this kind of creation story. Rather, we find origin stories for local landmarks, animals, plants, and customs. Why is this?

The indigenous worldview is focused on the immediate web of relationships between a particular group and a particular place. The stories reflect that focus.

What does the ritual of the Eucharist commemorate?

The last mean that Jesus shared with his disciples before his death.

according to the textbook, what is the problem with non-indigenous experts explaining indigenous cultures to general audiences?

The main concern is that even unfounded theories can have significant social and political influence. In this regard, Chippewa author Lenore Keeshig-Tobias points out: "The people who have control of your stories, control of your voice, also have control of your destiny, your culture"

What is the difference between the temple and a contemporary synagogue?

The main difference is ritual authority of each place. The temple was the house where YHWH lived and the object of server also pilgrimages each year. Priests preform the rituals most importantly sacrifices. The synagogue is simply a place where Jews gather every week to hear the recitation of the Torah and to pray collectively. Rabbis lead the reading of the Torah and the prayer service.

Why were some Christians puritans charged with treason in the sixteenth century?

They were never a majority in the English church, but they held considerable economic and political power. They condemned all forms of church ornamentation, the elaborate robes worn by clergy, and the use of organ music while calling for an emphasis on preaching rather than sacraments and strict observance of Sunday as the Sabbath. As well, Puritans insisted on the Calvinist principle of predestination. Their most problematic commitment, however, was their insistence, following Calvin, that the state should be subject to the church. This would eventually lead to charges of treason against the Puritans.

What two terms identify the broad religion associated with religion of antiquity?

Two terms identify this broad region: "Fertile Crescent" for prehistory and "ancient Near East" for the historical era.

Who is Zarathustra? And why is he significant for studying religions of antiquity?

Was the recipient of revelatory visions from Ahura Mazda. Similar to Muhammad and comparable to Homer.

What was the social and political function of king lists in ancient Mesopotamia?

Were associated with agriculture

Can women be ordained as priests or ministers in Christianity

Yes