Introduction%20to%20SCTR%2019%20Prof.%20Felix%20Just,%20S.J.

1
Introduction to SCTR 19 Prof. Felix Just, S.J.

• Religion Religious Studies

2
What Is Religion?

• Theological Beliefs?
• Spiritual Practices?
• Ethical Injunctions?
• Communal or Individual?
• Believing in God (or gods)?

3
Defining Religion

• Quality of Definitions (cf. Kessler, pp. 17-20)
• Usefulness (applicable to reality)
• Precision (not too broad, nor too narrow)
• Lack of Bias (as much as possible)
• Types of Definitions
• Essential Defs. (Theoretical, Deductive)
• Descriptive Defs. (Experiential, Inductive)
• Dictionary Definitions
• Dictionary.com
• Thesaurus.com

4
What are Religious Studies?

• Insider Perspectives
• by adherents, believers, members
• Outsider Perspectives
• by scholars, observers, adherents of other
  religions
• Qualities necessary for academic study
• Openness Honesty
• Critical Intelligence Tolerance
• Careful Reading Listening

5
Asking Questions /Seeking Understanding

• Religion
• lt Latin religio ("fidelity") religare ("to bind
  fast, adhere to")
• "adherence to someone (a god) or something (a
  belief)"
• Theology
• lt Greek theos ("God") logos ("word, sentence,
  speech")
• "study of God talking about God" related
  topics
• Philosophy
• lt Greek philos ("friend lover") sophia
  ("wisdom")
• love of wisdom or quest for knowledge and truth

6
Studying God Religion through the Centuries

• Ancient World no specialized theologians
• Greece Philosophers
• Israel Prophets Priests
• Other Cultures Magi, Physicians, Kings, etc.
• Medieval Universities
• Four Main Disciplines Philosophy, Theology,
  Medicine, Law
• Modern Universities
• Liberal Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences,
  Natural Sciences, Engineering, Art, Business,
  Education, Religious Studies, etc.
• Post-Modern World
• More interdisciplinary Religion and XYZ

7
Religious Questions vs. Religious Studies
Questions

• Questions Religions seek to answer
• God? World? Humans? Life? Death?
• Afterlife? Heaven / Hell? Good vs. Evil?
• Holy / Sacred? Revelation Prayer?
• Questions scholars ask about Religion(s)
• Anthropological, Psychological, Sociological,
  etc.
• Comparative, or about particular religions,
  their
• Foundations, History, Beliefs, Practices,
  Structures

8
Studying World Religions

• History Development
• Historical Foundations Growth
• Branches, Divisions, Demographics
• Beliefs Practices
• Scriptural other Foundational Texts
• Theological Ethical Teachings
• Liturgical Spiritual Practices
• Structures Relationships
• Organization Leadership
• Internal Rules External Relations

9
World Religions

• Main Eastern Religions
• South Asia Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism,
  Jainism
• East Asia Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism,
  Shinto
• Main Western Religions (Religions of the Book?)
• Judaism Christianity Islam
• Local/Tribal Religions
• Animist Practices, Ancestor Worship
• New Religious Movements
• Cults, Sects, Splinter Groups

10
Religion in Bible and Quran

• Judaism
• Shema (Deut 64-9)
• Decalogue (Exod 20 Deut 5)
• Christianity
• Greatest Commandment (Luke 1027 par.)
• Religion in James (126-27)
• Islam
• Fatihah (Quran 11-7)
• Shahada (cf. Quran 3865 3340)

11
Questions for Group Discussion and/or Personal
Reflection

• What is religion? How would you define
  religion?
• In what ways is religion important/influential in
  our world today?
• in our own country? in your own community? in
  your own family?
• What are some of the positive effects or benefits
  of religion?
• In what ways has religion helped people and/or
  improved our world?
• What are some of the negative effects or
  downsides of religion?
• In what ways has religion harmed people and/or
  impaired life?
• In which religion were you raised, if any?
• How well do you understand it? How actively do
  you practice it?
• Have you chosen a different religion?
• What aspects of your former religion did not
  satisfy you?
• What aspects of the new religion most attracted
  you?