INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONSSTUDENTS NAME:_______________________________

IF THE WORLD WAS A VILLAGE OF 100 PEOPLE

59 would be Asian14 would be American (North, Central and South)14 would be African12 would be European1 would be from the South Pacific

51 would be women, 49 would be men30 would be children, 70 would be adults.70 would be nonwhite, 30 would be white

33 would be Christians21 would be Moslems15 would be Hindus6 would be Buddhists5 would be Animists6 would believe in other religions14 would be without any religion or atheist.

WHO ARE WE? ___________Have An Innate (__________)

Tendency To Make _______ Of ___________ ___________ Is There Which Is _________ Or

______________ To _______________ -_______________ attempt to understand

________________ is also restricted by human ___________________

Humans Seek ______________ Through Four Areas:

The _________________ The Communal The Rational (________________) _______________________ Experience   -Our _______________ means we seek to

_________________ reality our __________ for meaning leads us to encounter _______________.

Two responses are: 1. _______________ 2. _______________

WHAT IS RELIGION?

Religion comes from __________meaning “to

___________”. ___________ yourself to sacred

___________. It is the ________ to the ___________. related to a ___________. employing a set of _____________. Attempts To Answer Questions Like:  _________________________? _________________________? Is there __________________? What is the “_______ __________”? What is _______ and what is _______?

WHY STUDY OTHER RELIGIONS?

________________Is A Part Of All ____________ And ___________, Thus Helps Us ________________ History

Helps Us Understand _____________ Between ______________

Help Us ________________ Our Own Beliefs By ___________ Them ______________ Those Of __________

Helps ___________ ___________ Only _____ Of World Is

__________________

WHY DO PEOPLE TURN TO RELIGION?

_______ _______ _______ Need It During ___________ Times __________ It Gives Life ___________ _____________ _____________

WORLD RELIGIONS: A PRIMER FOR CATHOLICS-

QUESTIONS Questions: 1) What specifically does the Nostra Aetate refer

to? 2) What makes a world religion a world religion? 3) What are the two main places of origins that

most world religions fall into? Which religions fall into each?

4) Which religions are focused on seeking eternal life within a single lifespan? Which religions view the time as being cyclical and allow for many lifespan before achieving liberation?

5) How do 4 of the world religions prioritize proselytizing?

6) Why has the study of world religions been advocated by Pope John Paul XXIII?

WORLDVIEWS WORLDVIEW is a way

of___________, __________, feeling and acting about __________.

______________ Approach Nature is seen as expression of a

_________ _________. People dependant on

____________. __________ cultures and _________

religions are an example. Theocentric Approach _____ centered. ______ is

responsible for what happens, therefore must form _______________ with him.

Moral teachings are __________.

Anthropocentric ___________ _________ centered, where

people are _________ for their _________.

____________ becomes interested in itself.

Can take religious or non-religious form.

Secular Approach Latin for “______” or “_______” Believes in present _______, in

the now. No concern for __________. __________ and ___________ are

believed to provide answers. No need for __________.

GOD VIEWS THEISM Theo = ________ Personal relationship Monotheism = _________ _________ Polytheism = _________ _________ Pantheism = ______________ ATHEISM ___________ ____________ ANTITHEISM ____________ ___________ DEISM ________________, or he doesn’t care

about us. Impersonal ________________ AGNOSTIC ______________ ______________ __________ ___________ if God exists

RELIGIONS AND CULTURE Religion can exist in

contemporary culture in one of three ways.

__________________ Religious worldview agrees with

culture Ie. Middle Ages in Europe ____________________ Religious worldview is at odds

with culture Secular society I.e.. Issue of Gay Marriage,

Abortion) _____________________ Accepts some aspects of culture

and rejects others. I.e.. Bands at Mass, Internet

CATEGORIES OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Fundamentalism vs. Contextualism

MAINSTREAM RELIGION I.e.. ________________

Broken down into subsections:

_________________ I.e.. __________________ ______________ I.e.. _______________ _______________ I.e.. ______________________

CULTS ___________ ___________ who

claims to have superhuman powers, and acts for personal gain (money, fame, sex).

___________________ from family and friends, and brainwashing (mind control).

___________________ – that which law or society does not recognize as acceptable.

____________________– belief that the end of the world is coming soon.

ELEMENTS OF RELIGION ______________ Story of ___________ life and their

interaction with ________. ______________

______________ Story of religion from ___________

___________ till ___________ day. ________________________

_______________ _______________ system of the

religion. ___________________________

_______________ _________/Morality/___________ ___________________________

____________________ __________, _____________,

symbolic actions. _______________________________

_____________________________ Significant ______________,

prophets, religious leaders. _______________________________.

Grade 11 – World Religions   THE PERFECT RELIGION ASSIGNMENT   Working in pairs (or on your own if you wish), you are to create a

fictitious (not real) “Perfect Religion”. It must contain all the elements of religion we have discussed thus far this semester. The purpose of this assignment is NOT to promote belief in another religion, but to help students become familiar with the basic concepts.

  Please include:   The name of your religion – Make it up! Origin – the sacred story of the founder. How did he/she

experience the sacred (God)? Create a story. History of the early community, leading up to present time. How

did the followers originally worship? Did they go to a certain place to do so? How has the religion changed over time?

Teachings of the Religion Creed – statement of beliefs (i.e. Apostle’s Creed) Cult – how and where do they worship Code – what moral code do they follow   Create a symbol – one that is Bright, Colorful, and Attractive. One

full page on blank sheet of white paper. Explain why this is the perfect religion. Present your religion to the class.     **Please note: All religions are inherently good. Also, you are

trying to create the “perfect religion” which, if all in the world followed the rules and traditions, would lead to a “good” society. Therefore a religion such as “lazy-ism” could not possibly work since if all the world were “lazy” nothing would every get accomplished. It is important for you to ask your teacher before proceeding with the assignment if you are unsure.**

PRIMITIVE RELIGIONS Primitive – _______ – – __________ Originated when ___________

started questioning their reality Begun Around ______________

thousand years ago Also referred to as ____________

religions Three examples of aboriginal

religions today:

Deri – ______________ Yoruba – ____________ Lakota – ____________________

Each share similar elements.

COMMON BELIEFS OF ABORIGINAL RELIGIONS

_________________ mythical beings who roamed the

earth during a mystical period __________________ mythical ____________ when

ancestors roamed the earth __________________ Geography Explanation of earth geography

using _________and _____________ __________________ Ability to _________________ with

the spirit ________________

______________ Certain roles are seen as

__________ __________________________

___________________ Figure _____________ mythical

___________ which acts as a medium between humans and gods.

-North American ___________ first migrated across the _____________ land bridge approximately _____________ years ago.

-They formed many groups, tribes and nations. Each tribe had its own set of beliefs and morality.

The _____________________nations form the “typical” ____________________culture. These groups became the model for the ________________ religion (a movement that unites many tribes).

____________ – A plains tribe. Also known as the Western “________” (meaning ____________).

The ____________ led a confederacy of ____________ against Gen. Custer (_________________ massacre in 1876).

__________________ – The Lakota supreme reality meaning, _______________, “Great Mysterious”, “Most Sacred”

The Lakota have _______ separate deities of this Spirit. (______________).

Creation Myth – Usually the creation myth/stories involves supernatural beings. One of the more significant is ____________(“spider”), a __________ ___________. This deity ______________ between the ________________and the human world and teachers customs, morals and rituals. The trickster’s mistakes teach his “________________”

Afterlife – Every individual has _____________ which depart and go in different directions. An _______________ judges one soul for entry to the _________________ (ancestor world or ghost). Other souls re-enter world as _______or into ____________.

__________________ – This is a rite a passage to mark the transition from childhood to _______________. This ceremony involves ________________ (usually performed in ________________), a confession and, finally, removal from the camp for a time.

The youth prays, fasts and endures the elements for several days while awaiting a ________________. The vision usually appears in the form of a ___________ _________. The ____________ is usually called upon to help interpret the dream or vision.