Download An Outline of World Religions: Belief Systems, Origins, and Functions - Prof. Suchitra Sam and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! Ludwig, Chapter 2 Outline Religion as an universal human institution (‘Religio” is Latin for “bond,” a community of believers Religion’s basic components, universally: belief in larger power, myths/sacred stories, ritual, and social ethics Religion’s universal functions: cohesive role in society; asks and attempts answers to afterlife, ‘the problem of evil and suffering” “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, 5 BCE; Mayas and Aztecs of Mesoamerica, Incas of South America (11-14 centuries, 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 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 11/30/2020
