Unit 1 World Religions

Ordination of women

Christianity Branches have different positions. It doesn't happen in the Catholic Christianity Church, but it does happen in the Episcopal Church.

Defend the following thesis. Roman Catholicism differs from Protestant branches of Christianity with respect to: church organization, biblical interpretation, and, the emphasis on practice relative to belief.

Church Organization: Roman Catholics have a magisterium with the Pope as the head of the church while Protestants have bishops but not a hierarchical system like Roman Catholics when it comes to church organization. Biblical Interpretation: Catholics do a literary analysis, put it in a historical context, then they look at the theology while Protestants' principal of "Sola Scriptura" meaning Scripture alone is the source of authoritative teaching so generally they would believe the bible as the word of God. Practice relative to belief: Roman Catholics stress the importance of church sacraments and tradition while Protestants believe that salvation is by the individual's faith alone in Jesus Christ.

What are 3 principal differences between Protestant and Roman Catholic versions of Christianity?

1) Protestant: We can be saved only by believing /vs/ RC: We can be saved by believing and performing good works and through tradition 2) Protestant: Eucharist is metaphorically the body and blood of Christ /vs/ RC: generally believe the Eucharist is literally the body ad blood of Christ. 3) Protestant: Emphasis on Scripture as sole authority but also have bishops but not like the Magisterium /vs/ RC: where empathize on scripture, tradition, and magisterium where there is a Pope

The Great Schism? What is it?

1054: Division of the church in the Eastern and Western parts of the Roman Empire

Similarity Western Christianity & Eastern Christianity

Allows major route for Holy Spirit to continue to guide the church. Also the 7 Sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Holy Orders, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and Penance & Reconciliation

We read how the religious status of LGBTQ+ persons has been the occasion of a dispute for United Methodist churches. What are arguments for and against full acceptance and affirmation? Which of these arguments are grounded in Christian theology, do you think? Explain your thinking.

Arguments for acceptance and affirmation are: /vs/ Arguments against acceptance and affirmation are:

What are 3 statements in the U.S. Constitution about religion?

Article 6 which says no religion test can be used for a Qualification to any office or public trust in the U.S.. Also the 1st amendment which includes the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause.

According to Nostra Aetate, Who did kill Jesus and why?

Believed that Jesus died freely because of the sins of men and out of infinite love so that everyone can reach salvation.

Consider the article on Christian Scientists and the legal disputes that arise. What other rights in society might conflict with a right to religious freedom? How should society go about deciding which constraints on the free exercise of religion should be allowed? Explain.

Conflict with Freedom of Choice: Whether the child should be able to go see a doctor, get a vaccine or take medicine, rather than the parent making that decision due to their belief... what if their parents beliefs aren't their beliefs Perhaps if medical related, take the advice of a doctor before deciding what to do... their not necessarily going to the doctor

First Amendment

Contains Free Exercise Clause and Establishment Clause

Martin Luther

Created the 95 theses which protested against the selling of indulgences which people believed that by giving money to the Church, they could spend less time in Purgatory.

The Religious Literacy Project (RLP) advocates a cultural studies approach to the study of religion. Give examples from Christianity to explain these RLP statements: Religious influences are embedded in cultures (where "culture" is inclusive of political and socio-economic influences).

Day of the Dead. SR Music is traditional /vs/ Crossroad Church which incorporates more Pop elements. Religion and Culture are inseparable.

Nostra Aetate

Declaration On the Relation Of the Church to Non-Christian Religions

The Religious Literacy Project (RLP) advocates a cultural studies approach to the study of religion. Give examples from Christianity to explain these RLP statements: Religions are internally diverse.

Different perspectives on: - Women and Sexuality in religious traditions - Abortion

Reformation

Division between Roman and Protestant Churches which began in the 16th CE with Martin Luther's reforms.

The Religious Literacy Project (RLP) advocates a cultural studies approach to the study of religion. Give examples from Christianity to explain these RLP statements: Religions change over time

For example: The practice of slavery has been justified and vilified by all 3 monotheistic traditions in different historical context

Free exercise clause

Guarantees a person's right to hold whatever religious beliefs they want & freely exercise that belief

Explain the perspective among Roman Catholics towards members of other world religions, according to Nostra Aetate: Hinduism & Buddhism

Hinduism is admired by answering the same questions by more refined concepts & a more developed language. They seek freedom from the anguish of human condition like Christianity. /vs/ Buddies realizes the radical insufficiency of this world where they try to counter the restless of the human heart, similar to Christianity.

Explain the perspective among Roman Catholics towards members of other world religions, according to Nostra Aetate: Judaism

Jewish authorities and their followers pressed for Jesus's death but not all of the Jews believed for Jesus to die. See as they did not deserve to be killed in the Holocaust.

What events happened during and after in the Reformation?

King Henry VIII declared himself the head of the church. Two major effects of the Protestant Reformation is it led to the Catholic Reformation which aimed to clarify Roman Catholic Church doctrine & the 30 Years' War between Catholics and Protestants.

Why and how do Christians engage in performing, interactive, or visual arts? Explain using specific examples.

Lakewood Church: perform non traditional music in a sports arena in both English and Spanish→ shows how they want to welcome worshippers from diverse set of backgrounds New Life Church: demonstrates media art on their webpage like the artwork that says Path with no ordered set of colors but rather squiggled → shows visual approach to share a message with current technology Crossroads Church: perform in concerts and uses their streaming services like Youtube where they upload how they created a nontraditional song for the community → in these videos they're not afraid to talk about day to day lives and the truth whether related to mental health or something else

Why does Nostra Aetate have to point out that Jews are not to be held responsible for killing Jesus?

Many people were holding Jews accountable for killing Jesus.

Explain the perspective among Roman Catholics towards members of other world religions, according to Nostra Aetate: Islam

Muslims adore One God. They see Jesus as a prophet instead of God on Earth which Christians believe. They value the moral life and worship God through prayer.

Establishment clause

Prevents the federal government from establishing/creating an official national church or favoring one set of religious beliefs over another

The Pew Research Center uses a sociological method focusing on demographics to study religion. What are some weaknesses and strengths of this approach? (In other words, what can you find out, and what can you not find out with this approach?)

Strength: - see what percentage of the people who believes in a certain religion have the same believes. For ex: 85% of Catholics believe in Heaven. Also 55% of people who believe in Heaven are women. Or for example, 82% of Buddhist believe Abortion should be legal while 1 % does not know. Weakness: Cannot get personal opinions. Why do you believe this. To what extent do you believe in this.

What led to the schism in the church?

The Eastern Christians refused the authority of the Pope of Rome. Communication difficulties that erupted from the distance between Constantinople & Rome where the Eastern Church used Greek and the Church of Rome used Latin. The western part of the Roman Empire fell while the eastern part survived as the Byzantine Empire.

What are distinctive practices of Eastern Orthodoxy?

The emphasis on icons, the artistic representations of the New Testament & early Christian saints. The tradition's theological focal point is the Incarnation.

Western Christianity /vs/ Eastern Christianity

Western Christianity: - "Word of God became flesh to save people from sin" - Easter - Latin - Rome - Catholic = "universal" /vs/ Eastern Christianity: - "Word of God became flesh so that people could become like God" - Christmas - Greek - Constantinople - Orthodox= "right belief"

Pluralism

a condition or system in which two or more groups coexist.