What is Religion

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What is Religion

• Tuesday, September 1, 2009

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• Learning Outcomes
• The student will be able to state what religion
  means to them and compare their definition with
  that of another
• The student will be able to state the 7 basic
  elements making up religions and give an example
  for each dimension from the religion with which
  they are most familiar.
• Agenda
• Opener in notebook
• Partner discussion compare your definition of
  religion with theirs. Are there other things
  that should be included in the definition?
• Small group discussion
• Presentation on 7 dimensions
• Summarizer give example from religion with
  which they are most familiar

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Opener

• In your notebook, reflect on the following Read
  paragraph 1 under the Nature of a Religious
  Tradition on page 13 of the textbook. Huston
  Smith, renowned author and lecturer on World
  Religions says that authentic religion is about
  the soft voice of intimate religion, mysterious
  and loving that flows through all the worlds
  faiths. Do you agree with the book? With Smith?
  In what way?
• What do you think Religion is? Describe it.

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With a partner from the opposite side of the room

• State your definition of religion
• Compare the two. Where do you agree? Disagree?
• Is there anything that should be added or changed
  with your definition?

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In groups of Four

• Review definitions of religion. Is there
  anything you would like to add or change to your
  definition?
• What areas of life do religions deal with?
  Truth?
• Can a person be spiritual without practicing a
  religion? In what way?
• Are religions important?

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Seven Dimensions of Religion
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Experiential

• Have you ever had an experience in which you
  realized that there was more to life than meets
  the eye a sacred moment ?
• Experiential begins with the religious
  experiences of the individual e.g. the Buddha
• Theistic God experienced as a holy presence
• Non-theistic mysticism become one with the
  divine
• Faith generally belongs to the category of
  Religious Experience

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Mythic

• Sources of sacred truth - take the form of sacred
  stories
• They do not necessarily conflict with history and
  science, nor are they necessarily false or
  irrational
• Express Sacred Truth

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vtcxgzMwcqN8
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Doctrinal

• The belief aspect of a religion creeds,
  doctrines or teachings of the religion
• come from experiential
• come from myths
• What is the difference between the beliefs of a
  religion and faith?

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Ethical

• How we are to act while living in the world e.g.
  the Golden Rule

11
Ritual

• Worship, taking a variety of forms and occupying
  much of an individuals religious life
• many reenact a sacred story or myth e.g.
• Hajj
• Eucharist
• Seder
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vawl1KCo_oZ0

12
Social

• communal aspect of religion
• Belonging to a group such as a tribe, parish or
  congregation
• hierarchy of leadership
• Embodiment of spiritual
• perfection

13
Material

• Sacred architecture
• structures of worship,
• art within them,
• sacred books of scripture
• sacred entities (mountains, cities, rivers etc.)
• Golden Temple of Amritsar, India sacred to Sikhs

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Summarizer

• Identify the examples of the 7 dimensions from
  the religion with which you are most familiar
• Experiential - Ritual
• Mythic - Social
• Doctrinal - Material
• Ethical