An Overview of Religion: Prehistoric Societies to Asian Religions, Study notes of World Religions

Download An Overview of Religion: Prehistoric Societies to Asian Religions and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! Ludwig, Chapter 2 Outline  Religion as an universal human institution  “Religion” (as in the human ability to think in the abstract, make complex symbols) in prehistoric societies: (Shanidar Flower Burial in Iraq, 60K years ago; Cave art, associated with hunting societies, going back 35K years  The Neolithic age, early ‘civilizations’ (Indus Valley, South Asia, 5K BCE; Mayas and Aztecs of Mesoamerica, Incas of South America (11-14 centuires, CE); the development of sedentary, complex, unequal societies where religious ritual was used to reinforce the power of the ruling classes  Indigenous religions today among non-literate peoples (Onge of Andaman Islands)  Early theories on origin of religion: 1) Edward B. Tylor (1832-1917), proposed evolutionary theory, in ‘stages’ of animism, polytheism and monotheism; 2) Sigmund Freud, in Totem and Taboo (1913) proposed psychosexual theory of origins of religion; 3) Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) offered sociological explanation, that ‘religion’ was born of a ‘moral community’ Ch.1, Outline  Religions originating on Indian subcontinent: Hinduism (1500 BCE), Buddhism (6 BCE), Sikhism (1500s CE)  Chinese religions: Confucianism (6 BCE), Daoism (6 BCE) [also schools of Buddhism, like Pure Land, 9 CE]  Japan: Shinto (about 5K years old, codified 8 CE); Zen Buddhism  Broad similarities, differences between these Asian religions  Differences between monotheism, polytheism, monism  An ‘Outsider/Insider’ approach to understanding Asian religions  An ‘insider’ approach: religion as a ‘system of symbols’ (ideas, actions, words, objects) making a logical yet flexible whole that is ‘believeable’ even though it changes over time  World religions offer some version of an ‘Ultimate Reality’ (eg. Nirvana or release in Buddhism, Moksha or freedom in Hinduism)  World religions offer ‘praxis’ or ‘path to transformation’—how to get to Ultimate Reality  Questions that the religions above answer, differently: the afterlife; the problem of suffering/evil  The expression of the religious imagination: through art, mythology, the calendar year and its rituals, life stage rituals (eg. birth, marriage, death)  Religion find expression through medicinal systems, martial arts Suchitra Samanta Page 1 11/28/2020