Post on 13-Jan-2016
Chapter 15Chapter 15ReligionReligion
Chapter QuestionsChapter Questions What is religion?What is religion? What does religion do in a society?What does religion do in a society? How are religious beliefs and rituals How are religious beliefs and rituals
different in various cultures? different in various cultures? What roles do sacred stories and symbols What roles do sacred stories and symbols
play in relation? play in relation? What are some common key elements in What are some common key elements in
religious rituals?religious rituals? What are the differences between prayer, What are the differences between prayer,
sacrifice and magic? sacrifice and magic? How do priests differ from shamans? How do priests differ from shamans? Under what conditions do religions Under what conditions do religions
change, and when do new religions form? change, and when do new religions form?
A Human UniversalA Human Universal
Defining ReligionDefining Religion Belief in the Belief in the
supernatural.supernatural. Religion origins.Religion origins. No religion is No religion is
more evolved.more evolved.
Origins of Origins of ReligionReligion
Neanderthal graves Neanderthal graves Paleolithic art- 200,000 Paleolithic art- 200,000
to 300,000 years ago.to 300,000 years ago.
Functions of Religion in Functions of Religion in SocietySociety
1.1. Explains aspects of the Explains aspects of the physical and social physical and social environment.environment.
2.2. Helps people Helps people understand the world.understand the world.
3.3. Preserves the social Preserves the social order.order.
4.4. Includes practices aimed Includes practices aimed at ensuring success. at ensuring success.
Religion Preserves Social Religion Preserves Social OrderOrder
Sacred stories and rituals.Sacred stories and rituals. Function of rituals.Function of rituals. Important educational institution.Important educational institution.
Sacred NarrativesSacred Narratives
Stories of historical events, Stories of historical events, heroes, gods, spirits, and heroes, gods, spirits, and the origin of all things.the origin of all things.
Have a sacred power that is Have a sacred power that is evoked by telling them or evoked by telling them or acting them out ritually.acting them out ritually.
Validate or legitimize Validate or legitimize beliefs, values, and beliefs, values, and customs.customs.
RitualRitual
Act involving the manipulation of Act involving the manipulation of religious symbols.religious symbols.
Certain patterns of religious Certain patterns of religious behavior.behavior.
Rite of PassageRite of Passage
Three phases:Three phases: Separation Separation Liminal Liminal Reincorporation Reincorporation
Addressing the Addressing the SupernaturalSupernatural
PrayerPrayer SacrificeSacrifice MagicMagic DivinationDivination
PrayerPrayer
Communication between people and Communication between people and spirits or gods.spirits or gods.
Results- spirit world rather than Results- spirit world rather than human actions. human actions.
A request, a pleading, or a praise.A request, a pleading, or a praise. Healing power?Healing power?
Image of the WitchImage of the Witch
Two Universal constantsTwo Universal constants1.1. Witches represent people’s deepest Witches represent people’s deepest
fears of selves & societyfears of selves & society
2.2. Witches represent a reversal of all Witches represent a reversal of all normal behaviornormal behavior
Witch Craze of EuropeWitch Craze of Europe
Plague swept through Plague swept through Europe, and the medieval Europe, and the medieval social and religious order social and religious order collapsed in war and collapsed in war and chaos.chaos.
People believed witches People believed witches were the cause of their were the cause of their misery.misery.
Thousands of suspected Thousands of suspected witches were put to death.witches were put to death.
Priest & ShamanPriest & Shaman
ShamanShaman Part Time Part Time
PractitionerPractitioner Personal Personal
communication communication with supernatural with supernatural beingbeing
Get powers by Get powers by “divine stroke”“divine stroke”
Present in food-Present in food-gathering culturesgathering cultures
PriestsPriests Full Time Full Time
PractitionerPractitioner Trained specialistTrained specialist Power from Power from
codified ritualscodified rituals Agricultural/Agricultural/
industrial societiesindustrial societies
Religions and ChangeReligions and Change Revitalization movements.Revitalization movements. Result from oppression, cultural loss Result from oppression, cultural loss
and loss of identity.and loss of identity. Examples: Native American Ghost Examples: Native American Ghost
Dance and Native American ChurchDance and Native American Church CultsCults
Religion in the U.S.Religion in the U.S. Roman CatholicismRoman Catholicism is the is the
largest with 24% of the adult largest with 24% of the adult population. population.
Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant and Protestant comprising 220 comprising 220 denominations, represent 36% of denominations, represent 36% of the adult population.the adult population.
Approximately 1.5% of the Approximately 1.5% of the population is population is JewishJewish..
IslamIslam is the fastest-growing is the fastest-growing religion in the U.S. with 1% of the religion in the U.S. with 1% of the adult population.adult population.