CMST 3120 Midterm

Kenneth Burke (Four Takeaways)

1. Can start by probing the process of entitlement (finding the God terms and the functions of those terms) 2. What are the cycle of terms around the God term/Title of Titles 3. Can think about relationship between different realms of language 4. What is ultimately the motivational power of particular words and word clusters within a given tradition?

1. Words about The Word

4 categories: 1. Words for the natural 2. Words for the socio-political 3. Words about words 4. Words for the supernatural - The last category borrows from first three (by definition, the supernatural is unexplainable) (words borrowed for supernatural take on new meaning) - First three categories are empirical - "words" vs. "The Word" - God is closely connected with the verbal

Religion (Merriam-Webster Dictionary--2)

An interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group

Religion (Merriam-Webster Dictionary--1)

An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or group of gods

William James vs. Emile Durkheim

James focused on individual (experiences), Durkheim focused on societal (can't separate religion from community)

Karl Marx: "Religion is ___"

the opium of the people

David Foster Wallace: "Everyone worships. The only choice ___"

we get is what to worship

Islam: Quran Interpretation

- E.g. Surah 4:34/5:33 --> beating of women * Considered to be the very word of God - Islam was birthed out of a Wild West kind of time (Muhammad and his followers were the minority--had to defend themselves?) - Arabic language lends itself to multiple interpretations (a word can mean only one thing) - Only real version of Quran is the Quran in the Arabic language (90% of Muslims do not call Arabic their primary language) - Quran declares Quran itself to be the sole interpreter of the Quran (scripture interprets scripture) - People also turn to HADITH (a collection of Muhammad's sayings for guidance in interpreting the Quran) - "... no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah" (Surah 3:7)

Kenneth Burke (Logology)

- Words about words - Burke is particularly interested in people's relationship to the Word of God (uses theology o better understand the nature of words themselves (the implications of language)) - 6 Analogies 1. Words about The Word 2. Words are to non-verbal nature as Spirit is to Matter 3. Language theory of the negative corresponds to negative theology 4. The process of linguistic entitlement is like the process of naming God 5. Time is to eternity as words are to the meaning of a sentence 6. The relation between the name and the thing is like the relations of the persons in the Trinity

Rhetoric (Quintillian)

"A good man speaking well" (ethical)

Islam: Quran Origin

- Direct revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad and then written down by others - Existed in bits and pieces and then compiled into singular book approx. 30 years after Muhammad's death - ***Direct word of God (unique from some texts in other traditions)

Christian Revivalism: Charles Finney

- "Father of Modern Revivalism" - Divisive figure (praised for impact on revivalism, while others question if he was even a Christian) - Age of 29: dramatic conversion experience - Became one of the leading voices in the Second Great Awakening - Made use of advertising - Anxious bench: a place during revival meetings where a person could come up to the bench and contemplate the state of his or her soul - Prayers: public, women permitted to pray, praying for people by name - Protracted meetings: meetings all throughout the week (many opportunities to hear a message/multiple preachers from different denominations) - Believed that any group, any time or any place, could have a revival as long as they applied the right message in the right way) - Theology: 1. Rejected Calvinism 2. Emphasized human responsibility in salvation (not a matter of "cannot," but "will not") 3. Emphasized the choice in salvation (compared salvation choice to political candidate choice) 4. Emphasized agency of individual (to impact eternal state) - Delivery: exciting, practical, like attorney pleading his case - Incorporated social reform into his preaching (abolitionist) - Unlike Edwards, did not use manuscript (sometimes spoke extemporaneously) - "The Spirit" as a God term (revivals: emphasis on Holy Spirit) * Finney explains what that looks like--reinforces eccentric behavior - Suffering is an affirmation that you're doing things the right way - Hierarchy within Christian circles ("True Christians" have evidence of __) - Higher view of humanity * Pelagian--original sin did not taint humanity (humans without help of Divine have ability to choose good and bad) (different take on human depravity) * Perfectionism--humans can achieve perfection on Earth (different than Burke's circle concept) - Emotion is key*

Second Great Awakening

- 1800s-1830s - Boisterous camp meetings, eccentric behavior - Theological turning point: break from Calvinism of FIrst Great Awakening (supplanted with Arminianism) - Led to growth of many protestant denominations and birth of some new denominations

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Interpretations of Rhetoric

- 1st: rhetoric is empty, bombastic language that has no substance - 2nd: rejection of rhetoric for action is a rhetorical maneuver in and of itself - 3rd: high style, flowery, figurative language (distracting/deceptive)

Islam: Meaning of "Jihad"

- Associations: extremism/violence/"holy war" - Means "struggle in the way of God" (manifests differently from individual to individual--addiction, education, etc.)

Islam: Surah 5 (example)

- Called tablespread (no specific significance other than diet is touched on) - Opening line is called the Baslama: "the name of God, the most compassionate, the most merciful..." * All but one chapter of the Quran establish authority by giving nod to Divine (9th chapter does not have Baslama) - Word responds to perceived counterarguments - Content provides reasoning for commands - Main ideas: 1. Fear God 2. Will be blessed in different ways depending on how you fear God 3. Problems of disbelief 4. Commands for right living/justice 5. Forgiveness 6. God as severe and merciful 7. Different rules for living/prohibitions - Other religions * Jews are cursed * Jews and Christians are allies of one another, don't be their allies * Difference in covenants * Reference to Jesus as son of Mary * Trinity addressed and denied as problematic --> Quran as corrective to other traditions (set record straight)

Catholicism: Background

- Catholic = "universal" - Catholic Church best seen as collection of local churches that make up universal church * Bonded together through connections with Rome/The Pope - Various layers create different experiences for Catholics (one misperception: all Catholics believe exactly the same thing) - The Papacy = the highest pastoral office (Pope = the pastor of the universal church on Earth)

Contemporary Evangelism: Themes

- Classic protestant theology coming to surface: emphasis on grace, faith (not works), the supremacy of Christ, human depravity - Implications: devotions of entire life (all or nothing reality), negative view of humanity, demand is on human (the pursuit of Christ) (moral agency) vs. God as the pursuer - Evidence: reference to history, philosophy, pop culture, etc. - Stylistic: repetition, storytelling, urgency, intensity

6. The relation between the name and the thing is like the relations of the persons in the Trinity

- Concerns a notable likeness between the design of the Trinity and the form underlying the "linguist situation" - Burke talks about the relationship of the thing and the name for the thing (the thing generates our name for the thing) (e.g. God the Father generates the Son (reciprocal), third part of the Trinity = essence)

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: Metzger and Katz

- Contrast two historical midrash (interpretations)--by doing this, they provide important points about how the Jewish people relate to each other and to others 1. Rhetoric is about creating/re-creating discursive space - Interpretation/debate/discussion are ongoing - Not about shutting off places for discussion--rather, leaving them open 2. G-D is a discursive being - Can be argued with, can be persuaded to have mind changed - Emphasis on activity of arguing as God-like 3. Multiple perspectives - Multiple vantage points, multiple truths--recognizes that perspectives have their limitations

Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

- Delivered almost 100 years after Winthrop's sermon - Jonathan Edwards: preacher, philosopher, America's greatest theologian, child prodigy - First Great Awakening (began in reaction to rapid social change--America's increasing prosperity led people to abandon modest lifestyle, Christian tradition) (Edwards as figurehead of movement) (intense renewal of spiritual affections/growth of Christianity) * Sermons often complex, appeal to pathos, logically structured, people awakened to need for God by realizing the dangers of perishing eternally ("Hell fire rhetoric") - Challenge to dominant theological theory of the time (Calvinism--T.U.L.I.P. acronym) T - total depravity U - unconditional election L - limited atonement I - irresistible grace P - perseverance of the Saints * VERSUS: Arminianism (agree that humans are depraved (sin problem), but differ in their belief in how God remedies the problem (humans determine their own destiny)) - Around 1730 and 1760 - Set up as conventional New England Sermon 1. Text section (historical context, preview of what is to come) * Israelites not living as God's chosen people --> exposed to sudden and unexpected destruction * The mere pleasure of God to keep them from destruction at present moment 2. Doctrine section (spiritual lessons, nuanced) * Vivid imagery 3. Application (connected to specific audience) * How are you going to respond? - Themes: 1. God (angry, powerful, does exercise restraint, better than all earthly kings) 2. God's Wrath (all-consuming, humans cannot withstand it) 3. Hell (endless torment) 4. Humanity (eternity already determined, but the question is: what are you going to do today?)

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

- Elementary Forms - Primitive religion (less complex/less influenced by other traditions) - Emphasis on communal - A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden--beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a church, all those who adhere to them - Two key parts of all religions: 1. Beliefs--sacred (verbal/nonverbal elements that mark off the forbidden from that which ought to be worshipped, created again and again through ppl that set them apart, continue to be sacred as long as people are acting as though they are) and profane (mundane) 2. Rites--our modes of actions/rules of conduct toward sacred objects (don't just explain how we should act, but also maintain that which is sacred) (*rituals) (groups) - Church = order element of religion (structure, organization) (think same way in regard to sacred world) - Religion is social, communal, and fundamental to society (both cosmology and worldview) (informs day-to-day) - All religions true (serve a purpose for those individuals)

African American Tradition: History

- Emerged in time of slavery - Slaves exposed to Christianity by white revivalists of Great Awakening - Spiritual equality before God in a time of earthly inequality seemed compelling to many - First Af American leaders converts from Great Awakening (George Leile: a former slave, helped found the first black church in America--Savannah, GA 1773) - Early black church meetings secretive (many slave owners disallowed such gatherings) - Most blacks could not read or write (oral tradition very important) - Talk about one's own conversion experience, how God has been present in one's life, provided comfort during difficult days - The origin of call-and-response tradition (say and repeat, helped people remember since they could not read text) - Singing and teaching of hymns - 2nd Great Awakening had white and black preachers advocating for abolition (proponents of slavery also made biblical arguments) - Prior to Civil War, 1/2 million black Christians in the south (in the beginning, many were Baptist/Methodist (because of their emphasis on conversion/the spiritual experience) (less liturgical (order of worship)) - Eventually, blacks would start their own denominations

Puritanism

- Emerged out of Protestant Reformation - Theology emphasized God's majesty, righteousness, and sovereignty * High view of God, low view of humanity * Humans are utterly depraved sinners incapable of doing anything to earn the approval of God * God graciously predestined individuals for salvation (some) (Calvinist) - Persecution in 1620s--many wanted to get out, including Winthrop (a lawyer) * Received permission to immigrate to America (1629), Winthrop elected governor in a new community in America - On journey in 1630: Model of Christian Charity (a lait sermon that addressed the dual concerns of moving to a new, potentially hostile and unwelcoming terrain and the idea that they were doing so to fulfill a mission) (a spiritual model for things they might encounter--practical, societal issues) * Divided into 3 sections: 1. God's dealings with humanity 2. The explosion on the topic of love and community 3. Application

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: Bernard-Donals

- Exilic Rhetorical Stance: specifically Jewish * Recognizes that by taking a position in a debate also means that you're not taking another person's position * Entails that a person understands that one's place in community is temporary at best/"one is never quite at home in one's place of residence" * Jewish stance because Jewish people always have a feeling of exile ~ Potential risk of taking a position: the emphasis "As a Jew" is on division--establishes us vs. them (based on "recognition of the other") * Identity language is unhelpful/unproductive * Focus on language called "Singular Plurality"--always in relationship with other people (not as members of particular groups, but rather what is between you and that other person in that particular situation) ~ Speaking as vs. speaking to

African American Tradition: Mozella Mitchel

- Female figure (women have played an important role in black church--often lay roles, but sometimes pastors (team approach to ministry)) - Excerpt: God is Providence/care of the soul (needs--fundamental (food))

Religious Music: Colonial Era

- First book printed in America: Bay Psalm Book (1640) - Emphasis on acapella music - Church of Christ = no music * For Puritans--high view of God, low view of humanity (informed way they approached music) --> use Psalms found in scripture (only singing words inspired by Divine) - By 1700s: some Puritan churches started to sing hymns * Isaac Watts/Charles Westley (~9,000 hymns) - Incorporation of hymns took off during 1st Great Awakening * Preachers/itinerant revivalists (like Edwards) supported practice * Hymns = theologically rich ~ Song of adoration/praise ~ Written typically apart from music (emphasis on lyrics) ~ God-centered (looking upward rather than looking inward) ~ Poetic in style ~ Absence of chorus (cover more ground, narrative can be built) (vehicular--music as a memory device) ~ Words of beauty, reverence

William James (1842-1910)

- Founder of pragmatism (practical consequences of determining truth, meanings, and values) - Varieties of Religious Experience: collection of lectures that he delivered in Scotland (1901-1902) (2nd best nonfiction book of 20th cent.) - Religion is the feelings, acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine ** Focus on individual (what each person experiences relative to the divine) - What determines reality? things are real insofar as we act as though they are real (reality of the unseen) - Fleshes out case with testimonies, quotations, experiences (more convincing than results established by mere logic)

American Civil Religion: Defined

- See American experience in light of universal realities - All societies come to some sort of religious self-understanding - Argues that there are certain common religious elements that the majority of Americans share * Public dimension of this = America's civil religion - Genuinely American/genuinely new (own prophets, martyrs, sacred events, sacred places, solemn rituals, symbols) - Bellah: the idea of CR is not something that he came up with (other people have developed this concept--one being Rousseau: a belief in the existence of God, a belief in an afterlife, a belief that if you do good, that would bring positive consequences (bad = repercussions), and that religious intolerance is not to be tolerated)

Anti-Catholicism

- From America's founding to middle of 20th century--anti-Catholic sentiment - Protestant majority, Catholics as outsiders - Belief: Catholics, as connected to Rome, have divided loyalty (a Catholic = a threat to American ideals--Church of Rome as secret society/demonic conspiracy) - Thomas Nast cartoon (anti-Catholic) - 1960 Presidential Campaign (JFK as puppet to Pope) (addressed concerns in Greater Houston Ministerial Association Speech) - Anti-Catholic rhetoric still exists today (YouTube videos--paranoia (us vs. them), fascination with details, attempt to use language/scripture to justify one's position) - Pope Francis * Priest --> Bishop --> Cardinal --> Pope (2013) * Hard on life in US: issues of wealth, poverty, and social justice - "Pope of People" (rejection of luxury/extra security), first pope of Americas (Argentina) - "Evangeli Goddium"--apostolic exhortation (encourages people to take course of action but does not represent official doctrine of church) * Considered radical (written in accessible language) * Foregrounds message in JOY of Gospel (joy as a God term) * Threats to joy = consumerism - Quotes from Address to Joint Session of Congress (vision = a society of radical inclusion that emphasizes human dignity, a world wherein we can become fully human (money serves, promotion of poor)) --> comes from Pope (still has significant influence) - Issue of climate change (hurts poor) - Pope's reality is centered on human dignity (counter to individualism (anti-American), communal focus (Durkheim), similar to Winthrop's "city on a hill"/Keller's argument for community)

Catholicism: Distinctive Beliefs

- Human nature (the created order is fallen but good (because God created it)) * Humans can collaborate with God to help redeem the world in a way that makes goodness primary (contrasts with human depravity, where there is no redeeming part of humanity) - Salvation (the notion that salvation is collaborative) (one of the key debates between Protestants and Catholics--grace alone vs. grace and works) * Salvation hinges on God and people working together (joint) * God extends grace into world, but must have living faith (unique emphasis on works) - Authority--3 sources: scripture, the church, and tradition * Another significant difference between Protestantism/Catholicism * 3 sources a manifestation of God's word/authority (co-equal) - Mary ("something about Mary") * Catholics accused of worshipping mary/notion of saints as being problematic 1. Immaculate conception (the belief that Mary was born without being tainted by original sin) 2. The assumption (the belief that at the end of Mary's life, she was taken up body and soul into heaven) 3. The belief that Mary is the mother of all Christians (as mother of Son of God, also mother to all Christians) 4. The belief that as the mother of the Son of God, she shares in the redemptive work of Jesus (seves as mediator between God and heaven) --> other distinctive beliefs: purgatory, etc.

5. Time is to eternity as words are to the meaning of a sentence

- If we look at a sentence, the words in that sentence represent a temporal order (the full sentence read together = the essence (more than individual words))

4. The process of linguistic entitlement is like the process of naming God

- Involves the linguistic drive towards a Title of Titles - Logology could properly be called central (and all other studies "radiate" from it)

American Civil Religion: Inaugurals

- Key moments for continuing concept of civil religion - Examples: Andrew Jackson's first and second inaugurals - Good: civilizing - BadL a cloak for petty interests and ugly passions, excludes atheists/polytheists/Jehovah's Witnesses - Jimmy Carter's presidency * More sectarian in language * Turning point in American civil religious history * Seen this trend going forward with presidents and presidential hopefuls

American Civil Religion: Evidence

- Memorial Day/Thanksgiving/Fourth of July--religious holidays - How people respond to potential threats to civil religion - Speeches from presidents (namely inaugurals--vision casting movements for presidents often give nods to the Divine) - Currency ("in God we trust") - Pledge of Allegiance ("under God")

Religious Music: Praise and Worship

- Movement can be traced to 1960s - During this time, organs/pianos/choirs replaced with music that sounded like that of secular culture (overall more contemporary tone) - Tied to MUSIC* * Music has place of prominence (how the song builds with the music, drives emotional response from the audience) ~ Written to be sung together, led by a band * Concert-like feel * Incorporation of lights, fog, etc. * Shorter shelf-life than most hymns (in connection to cultural trends) * More of an inward focus (looking at pronouns--"I, me") * More repetitive than hymns * Emphasis on own identities (discovery of self as important in this time) --> Critics: "you're sacrificing substance for that which is popular"

Religious Music

- Music as a universal language (a part of most religions) - Religious music can... 1. Communicate a group's theology 2. Philosophy of ministry 3. Unify people within a tradition 4. Attract people to tradition - For the nonreligious--music is like a religious experience (Jimi Hendrix, Maren Morris)

Islam: Quran Format

- Nonlinear--more like a web/net rather than narrative - Divided into 114 chapters (Surahs), consists of verses (Ayaats) - Chapters vary in length

American Civil Religion: God of Civil Religion

- Nonsectarian ("unitarian"), distinctly pro-America - Political Pulpit (Roderick Heart): 5 common ways we see the God of civil religion described-- 1. God as the inscrutable potentate (powerful, protective God that intervenes in affairs of American people, sometimes in mysterious ways) 2. God as the witnessing author (language of Almighty Creator, author of life) (God seen as watchful) 3. God as wise and just (reservoir of knowledge who administers justice) 4. God the philanthropist (gives gift to the deserving/America is favored (gifts material, emotional, etc.)) 5. God is the object of affection (God deserves but doesn't necessarily demand love and obedience)

3. Language theory of the negative corresponds to negative theology

- Whatever correspondence there is between a word and the thing it names, the word is not the thing - E.g. the word "tree" is not a tree - Paradox of the negative (discusses the realm of non-verbal in terms of what it is not) (e.g. you cannot think about "nothing" outside of the realm of "something")

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: Aune

- Notes that Jewish scriptures admit multiple interpretations - Jews are in the position of arguing ("Two Jews, three opinions") - Arguing over interpretation - Arguing considered a sacred activity - Marks an important difference between how Jews and Christians approach the law in scripture - Jewish position "exact opposite of Paul's--spirit killeth, but letter giveth life" - Letter of law (emphasis on actual words) vs. spirit of law (heart) - Jews consider letter of law as open to interpretation - Southern Baptist rhetoric: deductive (drawing major premise from specific scripture)/formalistic (application doesn't require consideration of particular instances--can be applied across the board)/ close of further argument * Aune argues that this approach is BAD for democracy (dangerous to label opponents as not just wrong, but mistaking what God wants for humanity) - Jewish rhetoric values free speech and debate (SB rhetoric does not) * Religious texts can certainly enter public square but should not be used to shut off debate/silence rhetoric

African American Tradition: Jeremiah Wright

- Obama's pastor (Trinity United Church of Christ) - Controversial (communicated "America got what it deserved" for 9/11 attacks) - Excerpt: story of Sampson (God is source of power)/personal peity (love is a covenant, not a contract), care of the soul (don't give your heart to anyone but God), and church maintenance (God first)

Puritanism: Model of Christian Charity (John Winthrop)

- Opening: God is holy, wise, determined conditions for humankind, his sovereignty (predestination), God is in control * Three reasons he demonstrates this: 1. To show the glory of Gods wisdom, power, and greatness 2. To show the works of the Spirit 3. To show that people need each other - Challenges the perception of stiff Puritans--a counternarrative/glimpse in depths of what Puritans value in relationship * Two rules for living with one another: 1. Justice 2. Mercy (all moral law rooted in love, Jesus commands people to love each other) (love is an ACTION/CHOICE, not a feeling) - Demanding call * Definition of love: the bond of perfection * Informed by Scripture (a God term) * Love is incredibly powerful/defines true Christians (are of one body) (examples: mother-child relationship, Christian community, Ruth-Naomi relationship, Jesus-Father relationship) - Community is important - Call for community also has evangelistic implications - Ultimately, this love will bring satisfaction to your souls (address longings as a human) - "City upon a hill" - not to passage in gospel of Matthew (Winthrop's application: be a good witness to people watching)

Kenneth Burke (Human Motivation)

- Order (desired, but ultimately leads to guilt) - Guilt (we cannot keep commands/achieve order) (purged through mortification (self-sacrifice) or victimage) - Victimage (process of scapegoating/symbolically take away sins of people) - Redemption (ultimately this never happens--cyclical reading of Genesis)

Religious Music: Christian Rap

- Origins in 1980s but didn't become mainstream until 2000s - Purposes: 1. Can be hype/anthem songs (artists talking about difference between Christian life and death offered by world) 2. Can teach theology (discourse about God) 3. Engagement with social issues

Contemporary Evangelism: Tim Keller

- Pastor and theologian of Redeemer Presbyterian Church - Diverse church (40% Asian-American) - Several campuses throughout NYC (led some to call him most successful evangelical in NYC) - Prophesorial style and apologetics (rational basis for Christianity) * The Reason for God (book)

Clifford Geertz

- Power of sacred symbols (set-apartness aspect) - Tells us how the sacred comes back to the individual by placing an emphasis on the active part of the sacred (religion acts as a coercive force--forces or encourages behavior) - Ethos (the time, character, and quality of their life, its moral and aesthetic style and mood) (collective) and World-View (a picture of the way things in sheer actuality are) (individualized/subjective) --> These two concepts are mutually reinforcing and connected BY religion - Sacred symbols help us live realistically/make sense of world around us/demands for living in accordance of divine structure of universe - "Normative" component: the idea that religious symbols help us understand what is commonsensical/natural - An ethics is also involved

Kenneth Burke (on Genesis)

- Principle of "Firsts" (offers principles for governance/insight into ideal natural order) - Power of Language (in divine sense, creation is spoken into being/in human realm, ability to use language has certain implications for relationship with divine) - Logology on Genesis (God-terms imply their opposites/God-terms entail cycle of other terms/symbol systems/power of the critic)

Protestantism (history)

- Protestant Reformation (16th century): response to perceived corruption in Roman Catholic Church (specifically over church's authority/practices--namely, practice of indulgences) * Martin Luther: 95 Theses on Wittenburg church door (excommunicated, spent rest of life in castle translating Bible from Latin to German) - Emphasized that all Christians are equal before God and that people did not have to rely on earthly mediator (pope/priest) to access the Divine --> "Priesthood of all believers" (only mediator between Father God and people is Jesus) - Negative effects (criticism): 1. Spirit of challenging authority to violently revolting against established order 2. Luther's own shortcomings (anti-Semitic works) 3. Emphasis on individualism led to infighting within Christianity - A drastic shift (inside and outside religion)

Islam: Quran as rhetoric

- Quran directed toward a people who need reasons for their actions and are capable of altering their actions through rational choice - Quran structured in the form of ARGUMENTS - Emphasis on wholeness of one's life - Includes rhetorical figures like analogies, reads like prose or poetry - Use of word "we" (not to suggest that this is Muhammad or the angels speaking with God) (we instead of I as form of reverence--more majestic)

Religious Music: Relationship X Secular

- Religious groups including secular songs (put songs in religious settings--provide new meanings) - Hoobostank, Mumford and Sons, Chance the Rapper * Who secular artists use religious songs--civil religion? profession of own beliefs?

Islam and American Politics

- Selections that we make also imply deflections - 2009--mosque in Murfreesboro * Intruder torched equipment * Opposition: "Islam is a political movement disguised as a religion" * State judge ruled in favor of mosque's opponents, lawsuits dismissed in federal courts (expensive legal proceedings) * Counter protests in support of right to exercise religion * Writer covers controversy, reads more about Islam, becomes convinced that Islam is dangerous * Mosque eventually opened in 2012 - 2015: Vanderbilt professor became center of controversy following Tennessean piece (Carol Swain) - Vijay Kumar (anti-Islam perspective) * Ran for Congress in TN's 5th district (political platform based on opposing universal jihad) * Article: Islam is not a religion, it's a political movement (based on world conquest) --> if Islam is not a religion, then it's not protected ~ Erases notion of moderate Islam (just 1 form) ~ Evidence: scripture references, constitutions declaring Islam to be the religion, VA creeper imagery, repetition, images of Bin Laden, appeals to fear - Kieth Ellison (pro-Islam perspective) * Minnesota * 1st Muslim elected to Congress * 2011 testimony before Homeland Security Committee--attempts to change conversation about Muslim Americans (bad individuals, not bad community), points out good things done by Muslims * Offers solution: rather than divisive rhetoric--unifying rhetoric ("Muslim Americans are us") (tries to rid us vs. them dichotomy)

Religious Architecture: Ed Stetzer

- Series of essays on trends observed in religious architecture - Focus: protestant architecture * Conclusions drawn have more widespread applicability - Historically people have found and followed God in sacred spaces and places - "Medium is message"--religious architecture works that way (physical structure can communicate as much as sermon can communicate) - Four specific conclusions: 1. Theological Tradition * Buildings designed to highlight certain aspects of what that group believes about the Divine 2. Philosophy of Ministry * Reflect what is important to that religious group, how they fit into the world/serve community (community space, connection space) 3. Posture of Worship * Physical structure itself can impact the person attending's posture * E.g. Eastern Orthodox Church--contemplative, holy, highly ornamental 4. Cultural Engagement * Third space: where people go when they're not at work or not at home (churches use as places to gather) * E.g. Sojourn Art Gallery, Ebeneezer's Coffee House, Cornerstone playground

Religious Music: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

- Some of these songs are employed by a form of praise and worship - Casting Crowns, Hillsong - Themes: more ambiguous

Religious Architecture: (Jay Donald) Ragsdale

- Structures as Argument - Main takeaway: architecture (namely religious architecture) not only communicates, but communicates rhetorically * Works persuasively in ways that influence behavior - Structures use iconicity, indexicality, and syntactic indeterminacy to persuade visually 1. Iconicity * An image is similar to what it represents * E.g. cross for Christianity (carries with it specific meaning) 2. Indexicality * Images can index a particular point in time/ability to document something that has happened * E.g. indexing event of 9/11 (raising flag) 3. Syntactic Indeterminacy * Juxtaposition of images, implies association (but letting viewer fill in gaps) * E.g. Covergirl ad (if we buy product, we can accomplish Sofía Vergara look) ---> Visuals, through employing 3 concepts, can be translated into discourse (can put into words what is being communicated) - We have other visual elements that are not as easily put into words (shapes, light, color) * In these cases, we rely on what is felt (describing experience) - Studies how religious architecture works across Catholic tradition, Protestant tradition, and Jewish tradition 1. Catholic architecture - Vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, floor plan = cross (geometric precision), portals, statues - Stained glass = storytelling (makes us feel something) (set certain mood through lighting) (places where things can be taught) (people as illiterate--can look at these images and know story) - Awareness of heavenly and earthly authority, function to defend church against heretics (representation of God on earth) - Icons: Mary, building as cross - Indexicality: specific moments throughout Mary's life - Attention directed heavenward, enormity of spaces make us feel small - E.g. Notre Dame de Paris, St. Patrick's 2. Protestant architecture - Thriving community vs. grandiose building - Fear of idolatry (worship visual in a way that's problematic) - Emphasis on functionality - Icons: statues (stained glass windows absent, but do have symbolism) - Spires pointing heavenward, cross as empty (Jesus didn't stay there) - 5 Solas play out - Baptistry in place of prominence - E.g. Burton Memorial, Brentwood Baptist 3. Jewish architecture - Imitation of original temple (informed by a reflection on first temple in Jerusalem--built by Solomon, specifics articulated in 1/2 Kings in Hebrew Bible and elsewhere) - Viewed as temporary replacements--iconic in relation to original temple * Notion of temple important theme within tradition - Specific features: * Syntactic indeterminacy--Beemah elevated, Tora read from Beemah (association of two, located on axis pointing toward Jerusalem) * Two columns (reminiscent of porch on Solomon's first temple) * Orthodox tradition-- Beemah in central location (communicates an aspect of centrality with respect to its importance) (also leads people to look at one another--community focus) * Reformed tradition--Beemah at front (communicates hierarchy)

African American Tradition: (Cleophus James) LaRue

- The Heart of Black Preaching - LaRue = professor/black/minister - A rich and varied tradition - Characteristics of black preaching 1. Strong Biblical Content (Bible informs message) 2. Creative Language (extended metaphor/figurative speech/rhetorical flair/poetic) 3. Emotional Appeals (pathos) 4. Ministerial Authority (the preacher as a special representative of the Divine) --> These characteristics don't represent the defining feature of black preaching (the interconnectedness between scripture and life experience/the ability to tie God's proactive involvement into the everyday experiences of the black community) - EXAMPLE CLIP: Dewey Smith Jr. (paraclete, parametic, paraphraser, parachute) - Approach a biblical test that requires 2 questions: how do I demonstrate to God's people His mighty and gracious acts on their behalf? How can I use scripture to address their plight in a meaningful manner? - Common tropes in black preaching--Domains of Experience 1. Social Justice (address discrimination, challenges) 2. Personal Piety (most common, deals with issues of morality, faith) 3. Care of the Soul (deals with well-being of individuals) 4. Corporate Concerns considered to be communal/consistent--e.g. "responsible fatherhood") 5. Church Maintenance (discipleship, mission, evangelism)

Contemporary Evangelism: Billy Graham

- The most famous revivalist of 20th century - Popular revivals called "crusades" - More than 200,000,000 people have heard him preach in person (TV and radio broadcasts--2 billion people) - Associated with a variety of social/political leaders (LBJ/MLK) - Crusades = music (sometimes provided by Johnny Cash) followed by preaching - Baptist - "Choices" (1981)

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: G-D

- The power of the word as HOLY, linked to basic structure of the universe - Contain immense power

Kenneth Burke (definition of "man")

- The symbol-using animal (our essence and being is tied to words/no moral disobedience apart from symbols) - Inventor of the negative (power over nature) - Separated from his natural condition by instruments of his own making (our use of symbols is inherently flawed) - Goaded by the spirit of hierarchy (always want to get back to "Eden" condition--the history of humanity is the search for order)

2. Words are to non-verbal nature as Spirit is to Matter

- The word "transcends" the thing it names - Symbolic operations (the process of using symbols exists outside of nature)

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: D'var

- The word for "word" is the same word for "thing" - Blurs distinction between word, object, and action

Contemporary Evangelism: John Piper

- Theologian, author, leader of Desiring God Ministries - Rejects materialism (refused major salaries) - Most influential Christian theologian of last 20 years - Christian Hedonism: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" - Engages the American dream (did not like it) * Self-focus

African American Tradition: Role of Black Church

- Vital aspect of black community ("A place where people could gather in times of oppression") - Leadership role in civil rights movement (MLK Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, Fanny Lou Hamer) - Today: important part of life still in black America (African Americans are more religious than the US population as a whole) - National Baptist Convention in Nashville (largest denomination that is predominately black in the US)

Islam: Key Themes

1. Meaning of Islam = "submission" * About wholeness and unity that one experiences when surrendering to God's law * About a total way of life (can't be compartmentalized) * A Muslim is a person who truly surrenders to God's law 2. God and the Prophets - Do not believe that any human being shares in God's divinity, but do recognize a long line of prophets that bring God's message - Examples: Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus - Last and ultimate prophet = Muhammad (7 CCE) - Muslims believe that Muhammad brought God's final message to humanity (surpasses other Prophets) 3. Centrality of Law - Through human's choice to obey law that they become Muslims, submit to God - Different sources of law--sharia, etc. - Ultimate law: the Quran - Islam law refers to all human behavior (civil law and morality are one) - Some people have labeled Islam to be an ideology or a social project and not just a religion (in the beginning--Islam inseparable from politics) (Muhammad both a religious and political leader--specifically, a military leader) * Various conquests that had an influence on spread of Islam (today: Islam is world's fastest growing religion)

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: Key Themes

1. Peoplehood/nationhood - Personhood central to Judaism (cultural or religious) - Religion in particular wedded to a specific people across the globe - People > beliefs (for some Jews) 2. Covenant with G-D - Notion that the Jewish people are in a covenant with God (contract between unequal parties, but both parties have obligations) - In return for obedience, God will preserve Jewish people/allow them to prosper (if they are disobedient, there will be consequences) 3. Unfolding of History - Central is the notion of a sacred historical arc (extends from covenant (or back to garden) and culminates in a new homeland/new temple/new Jerusalem) - Judaism is the story of a movement of a people across time and space * Belief that God overtime is continually revealing Himself to the Jewish people (in new ways, specifically to Rabbis)

Rhetoric (James Herrick) (6 parts)

1. Rhetoric is planned 2. Rhetoric is adapted to an audience 3. Rhetoric is shaped by human motives 4. Rhetoric is responsive to a situation 5. Rhetoric is persuasion-seeking 6. Rhetoric is concerned with contingent issues

Catholicism: Key Teachings

1. Sacramentality: "a visible sign of invisible grace" (seeing the Divine in the human world) - Encounter Divine through material reality - 7 Sacraments: marriage, confirmation, confession, communion, baptism, etc. 2. Mediation - Certain practices enable power of God to move through world - Encounters with Divine are a mediated experience (God accomplishes his work through (1) people and (2) actions) (examples: church, priests) 3. Communion: the notion of community (not the sacrament) - Encounters with God in the Catholic tradition are fundamentally communal (no relationship with God outside context of community) (vs. Protestantism--individual experience is important)

Protestantism: Five Solas of the Reformation

1. Sola Scriptura (scripture alone--the Bible is the highest authority) 2. Sola Fide (faith alone--salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone, not through works/sacraments/fasting/etc.) 3. Sola Gratia (grace alone--salvation comes through the grace of God alone) 4. Solus Christus (in Christ alone--Jesus Christ alone is Lord, Savior, and King) 4. Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone--all glory belongs to God, not pope/church/self/etc.) --> ALL responses to perceived problems within church of day

Islam: 5 Pillars

1. Testimony - Bearing witness sincerely to the belief that there is no God but Allah and his prophet is Muhammad 2. Praying 5 times a day toward Mecca - Interesting church-state problems 3. Giving - Paying zakat (charity for poor) 4. Fasting during Ramadan 5. Pilgrimage - To Mecca to visit the Kabba (considered to be the house of God inside most sacred mosque in Muslim tradition (located in Saudi Arabia))

Jewish Rhetorical Tradition: Key Texts

1. Torah - Torah = teaching - Simplest meaning: first 5 books of Bible - Includes other historical books of Bible, includes oral Torah/tradition that has been passed down 2. Mishnah - A series of texts and tradition that set forth the Rabbinic law through statements attributed to early Jewish teachers 3. Talmud (commentary) - Commentaries on the Mishnah and scriptures as well as stories of teachers in Jewish folklore (an ongoing conversation among Jewish teachers) 4. Midrash (interpretation) - A collection of scriptural exegeses by Rabbinic scholars (an explanation of what the scriptures are talking about*) - A compilation of early Jewish texts--sermons, poems, etc. - Entails significant amount of speculation

Laurent Pernot

3 Types of Religious Rhetoric: 1. Discourse About (the gods) - Preaching, naming, hymns (as description) 2. Discourse To (the gods) - Hymns (as worship), prayer (invocation, reasons for request, request), meditation 3. Discourse Of (the gods) - Language of divine directly, prophets - Nature of religious discourse = distinctive subject matter (beyond human realm) (have to rely on metaphor, analogy--must borrow from what we are familiar with to describe divine (nothing like it))

Religion (Oxford English Dictionary--2)

A particular system of faith and worship

Religion (Oxford English Dictionary--3)

A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance

Burke: Terministic Screens (Scientistic)

Considers power of language to define and to describe

Burke: Terministic Screens (Dramatistic)

Emphasizes power of language to act (symbolic action)

American Civil Religion: Sacred Scriptures

Founding documents: constitution, etc.

American Civil Religion: Leaders

Presidents - Serve the priestly role - Providing comfort, guidance - Prophets - Calling out of individuals (America has lost its way, we need to get back on track) --> Bellah compares Washington to Moses (led people out of tyranny)

Burk: Terministic Screens

Reflection, selection, deflection (of reality) - Direct our attention to one thing (e.g. a table) while at the same time deflecting attention away from other things (e.g. anything other than a table) - Words act like filters - All about our choices* - Examples: "baby" vs. "fetus"; "religious freedom" vs. "discrimination"; "illegal alien" vs. immigrant"; "terrorisim" vs. "radical Islam"

Religion (Oxford English Dictionary--1)

The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods

Rhetoric (Aristotle)

The faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion

Rhetoric (Sonja Foss)

The human use of symbols to communicate - Humans are the creators of rhetoric - Symbols as the medium* - Communication = the purpose of rhetoric

Rhetoric (Daniel Bryant)

The process of adjusting ideas to people and people to ideas