World Religions

Studying the World’s Religions

The Nature of Religious Tradition

• Religious Questions are inevitable– Self-conscious– Self-reflection– Spiritual

Primary Religious Questions

• What is the Human Condition?• What is Spiritual Perfection?• What is Our Destiny?• What is the Nature of the World?• What is Ultimate Reality, and How is it

Revealed?

What is the Human Condition?

• What is our essential nature?– Are we merely humans or more?

• Usually set forth from human origins• Suffering

What is Spiritual Perfection?

• Almost every religion describes what is needed to achieve

• Three questions about the way a religions defines perfection:– What is ethical?– How do we transcend the human condition?– How to we attain salvation?

What is Our Destiny?

• Where are we going?– Reward– Condemnation

• Determined by degree of achieved perfection• More complex if religion believes in multiple

lifetimes

What is the Nature of the World?

• Origins• Cosmology– Understanding of nature and the universe

What is Ultimate Reality and How Is It Revealed?

• Theistic– Belief in God or multiple gods– Teach theology or divine doctrine– Range of basic perspectives• Monotheism• Polytheism• Pantheism

Seven Dimensions of Religion

• Experiential• Mythic• Doctrinal• Ethical• Ritual• Social• Material

Experiential

• Religions begin with religious experiences• Examples:– Buddha– Muhammad

Mythic

• Myths convey important truths• Passed through generations by oral traditions

Doctrinal

• Most basic aspect is belief

• Creeds, doctrines or other teachings

Ethical

• How do we act or should act while living in the world?

Ritual

• Worship• Familiar to us• Example-– Pilgrimage to Mecca

Social

• Involve communities• Belonging• Levels of Membership

Material

• Sacred architecture• Icons

Challenges to Studying the World’s Religions

• Two Approaches:– Approach as a comparative methodology– Religions should be approached with empathy