What is religion ?

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 What is religion?
The word religion
derives from the
Latin verb to tie,
with re-ligare
meaning to tie back

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Definitions of religion
The words religion and religious can
indicate:
the recognition of an unseen higher power
the reverence for a higher power
a commitment to a system of faith or worship

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 What does
religion
mean to
you?

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Definitions of religion

Religion is a world view, a set of beliefs

which shape the way a society sees the world.

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Transcendence
This concept refers to an existence beyond the
world.
This idea is present in Judaism, Christianity
and Islam.

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Immanence
The belief that God is
present or manifest in the
phenomena of the natural
world
Linked to Hinduism and
Buddhism

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Characteristics of religion
As described by Ninian Smart:
practical ritual dimension worship,
prayers
experiential dimension
narrative and mythical dimension stories,
texts

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Characteristics of religion
Doctrinal and philosophical dimension
beliefs
Ethical and legal dimension laws, ethics
Social and institutional dimension the
group, society
Material dimension art, architecture, etc.

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 Characteristics of religion
Choose a religious
tradition and consider
how these
characteristics apply.

Cambridge University Press Hartney, Noble 2012

 The BIG Questions
What is religion and what are the basic features
of religions?
How do world religions illustrate globalization
and localization?
What are some important aspects of religious
change in contemporary times?
 This is us
Studying Religion
academic versus theological perspective
the academic perspective does not make value
judgments about the validity of a religion
description of characteristics

analysis of relationship between characteristics and

cultural context
 Defining Religion
Durkheim (1915)
a unified set of beliefs and practices relative to sacred
things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden, -
beliefs and practices which unite [into] one single moral
community, all those who adhere to them
Geertz (1985)
(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish
powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and
motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a
general order of existence and (4) clothing these
conceptions with such an aura of factuality that (5) the
moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic
 Defining Religion

Tylor (1871)
religion is the belief in spirits

a comprehensive definition
the beliefs and behaviors related to supernatural
beings and/or forces
some religions don't believe in deities

some religions believe in many

 Separating Religion
how do cultures separate religion
from other cultural aspects?
small-scale societies are generally
less specialized, including the realm
of religion
more complex, specialized societies
tend to have categories that separate
religion from other aspects of society
(ex: economics, politics)
however, we oftentimes see a

relationship between religion and

these other aspects
ex: Proposition 8 involved aspects

of politics and religion

 Magic and Religion
Frazer (1890)
a system of supernatural beliefs that involves the
manipulation of supernatural forces for the purpose
of intervening in a wide range of human activities
and natural events
two general principals:
the law of similarity/imitative magic suggests that if

a person or thing is similar to the actual person or

thing you are seeking to modify, then the actions
you do to it will transfer to the actual thing (voodoo
doll)
the law of contagion/contagious magic suggests

that performing magic on things that were once in

contact with the actual person you are seeking to
 Magic and Religion
in some cultures magic is inseparable
from religious beliefs, while in others it is
seen as a completely separate practice
both are nonrational (faith)
magic is often aimed at specific
issues/problems, while religion is more
concerned with bigger picture
magic can fit into a religious system, utilize

personal agency and power; ex: prayer

difference in size of groups
religions can include billions of people,

while magic is usually personal or small-

scale, however, voodoo ceremonies can
blur this line
 Magic and Religion
similarities and differences (continued):
religious practices are often done at
specific, predetermined times (Ramadan),
while magic is usually performed when the
need arises (hardship)
some magic rituals, however, need to be

performed during specific seasons, on

specific days, and at specific times
(solstice)
religions usually have more formalized
positions of leadership, while magic can
often be performed by the general
population
again, voodoo blurs these lines with their

special priests and priestesses

 Magic and Religion
in Western society we often view magic as
inherently evil, however, in those groups that
practice magic, it is neither inherently good nor evil
if used for positive purposes then it is good and if used
for negative ones then it is bad
anthropologists and other scholars have used two
terms to separate the use of magic in non-Western
cultures
witchcraft is an inborn, involuntary, and often
unconscious capacity to cause harm to other people
sorcery is the performance of certain magical rites for
the purpose of harming other people
 Theories on the Origin and
Function of Religion
early evolutionists (Tylor 1871)
suggested our earliest human ancestors
needed to explain the difference
between the living and the dead
argued that animism was the original and
most primary form of religion
the belief that people have souls or spirits

in addition to physical, visible bodies

after animism, people began to personify
the soul as human-like deities in the form of
polytheism
polytheism then evolved into the higher
form of monotheism
 Theories on the Origin and
Function of Religion
Robert Marett (1914) disagreed, arguing
that our ancestors were not that
sophisticated to make this distinction
argued that animatism was the original
form
the belief in a generalized, impersonal

power found in all objects on earth over

which people have some measure of
power

another way to categorize the function

of religion is in terms of the social and
the psychological
 The Social Functions of Religion
social control
positive and negative sanctions to encourage socially
acceptable behavior
religions as ethical systems with rules, rewards, and
punishments
ex: the Ten Commandments

conflict resolution
resolve tension during stressful times
marginalized people often use religion to negotiate

status by forming own power structure

intensifying group solidarity
bring people together, reinforces bonds
religious institutions as meeting places
 The Psychological Functions
of Religion
cognitive
provides an intellectual
framework for explaining parts of
our world that we do not
understand
origin and creation myths

emotional
helps reduce anxiety by
proscribing straightforward ways
of coping
rituals, praying, meditating
 Theorists and Theories
Marx: religion is the opiate of the
masses
functions as superficial comfort for the
poor, obfuscating class inequality
Durkheim (1915): religion functions
to maintain social cohesion through
the use of rituals and symbols
Malinowski: rituals reduce anxiety
and uncertainty (see Gmelch 2009)
Freud: religion expresses people's
unconscious thoughts, wishes, and
worries
 Religion
as our definition suggested,
religion is composed of
both beliefs and behavior
beliefs involve the thoughts,
ideas, and ideologies that
people in various religions
espouse
behavior includes practices,
rituals, and ceremonies that
people from various religions
perform
 Religious Beliefs
religious beliefs:
inform patterns of religious behavior
are shared by practitioners of a given religion
are passed on from generation to generation
how are religious beliefs expressed?
myths and doctrines
 Religious Beliefs
myth a narrative with a plot about
supernatural forces or beings
must be understood academically
myth doesn't imply falsity, but suggests

that the symbolic truths are the most

important aspect of the story
ex: creation myths, like that found in

Genesis
doctrine direct and formalized
statements about religious beliefs
associated with large, institutionalized
religions
written, often found in holy texts or official
decrees
 Religious Beliefs
religions have beliefs about sacred
spaces also
sacred versus profane space
different interpretations depending on

religious tradition
natural or man-made, transient or
permanent
examples:
Devil's Tower is sacred to the Lakota

peoples, as are many natural landmarks

(rivers, mountains, deserts)
churches, monoliths (Stonehenge),

tombs, locations connected to religious

leaders
any place where a ritual takes place can
 Religious Practices
one of the most apparent religious
practices is that of the ritual
a patterned behavior that is focused on
the supernatural realm
the enactment of religious beliefs
rituals can also be secular, that is,
not necessarily connected to
religious beliefs
sometimes mixed, sometimes modeled
after religious rituals
can be periodic (performed at
predetermined times, ex: Christmas)
or nonperiodic (performed in
response to an event, ex: funerals)
 Religious Practices
rituals of conversion
normal social roles and order are temporarily
reversed
social norms are relaxed, like in the various

celebrations of Carnival throughout the world

functionalists would suggest this is a way to relieve
social tension
sacrifice
the offering of something to a supernatural force(s)
can simply be the offering of food
ex: Dia de los Muertos and the offering of sugar

skulls, pan de muerto, and beverages (like tequila

or mezcal)
also includes killing of animals (including humans)
 Religious Practices
pilgrimages
travel to a sacred place or places for
purposes of religious devotion or ritual
often involves hardship
the more difficult, the more merit the

pilgrim obtains
removes a person from everyday life
Turner's phases can also be applied here
examples include:
Varanasi, India for Hindus

Bodh Gaya in India for Buddhists

Jerusalem, Israel for Abrahamic religions

Lourdes, France for Christians

Mecca, Saudi Arabia for Muslis Hajj1 Hajj 2

Belief Systems
 What you will learn today

What are the characteristics of major religions?

How are they similar and different?

How have major religions affected culture?

How have belief systems spread over large areas?

 Animism
Animism is the belief that all
living and nonliving things in
nature have a spirit.

Animism was the belief system

of many early civilizations.

Animism in early civilizations

was often combined with
ancestor worship.
Animism dates back to earliest
humans and still exists. It can
be practiced by anyone who
believes in spirituality, but
does not proscribe to an
organized religion. Animist
gods and beliefs often explain
natural earthly things. The
presence of holy men or
women, visions, trances,
dancing, sacred items and
places are often characteristic
of animist societies. Animism
exists in traditional African,
Asian, American and
Aboriginal cultures.
Hinduism
Hinduism has no single
founder, but originated
from the mixing of
Harappan and Aryan
cultures in ancient India
around 1500 BCE.

Hindus believe in one

unifying spirit, Brahman.
Brahman can manifest
in many, polytheistic,
forms or in one,
monotheistic.
Hinduism is based on
the concept of
reincarnation (Spirits
return to earth many
times in different forms
trying to become one A person moves closer
with Brahman). The to Brahman by obeying
soul moves up or down the law of karma. Karma
a hierarchy depending is the sum of all your
on their behavior in life. deeds, good and bad.
Good deeds involve
following your dharma,
or duties dependent on
your position, gender
and occupation.
The caste system (outlawed since 1948) was an
important part of Hinduism. Castes are social classes
into which a person is born and lives their entire life. If
a person has a good karma they may be reincarnated
into a higher caste.

This life Next life

Good Karma Higher caste

Born into
A caste
Bad Karma Lower caste
The caste system separated Indian society
into distinct social classes in which everyone
knew their place and believed that if they
followed the dharma of their caste, they
would be reincarnated into a better caste.

Brahmin

Kshatriya

Vaisya

Sudra

Untouchables
Over the centuries Hindu
beliefs were recorded
into a number of sacred
texts including the Vedas
and the Upanishads.

The Ramayana is a
Hindu creation story.
Buddhism
 Buddhism was
founded by
Siddhartha Gautama
in northern India
around 560 BCE.
Gautama was born
into a wealthy Hindu
family, but renounced
his wealth to seek
spiritual
enlightenment.
~Buddhism spread
through cultural
diffusion to
eastern Asia,
including China,
Thailand, Korea
and Japan.
~In other areas,
Buddhism was
adapted and took
on new forms.
Buddhism is based on the Four Noble Truths.

1. All life is 3. The way to

suffering. eliminate suffering
is to eliminate
desire.

2. Suffering is
caused by desire for 4. Following the
things that are Eightfold path will
illusions. help people to
overcome desire.
(see next page)
Buddhism has much in common with Hinduism,
but important differences.

Buddhism like But not

Hinduism:
Caste system
Reincarnation
Hindu gods
Karma
Hindu
Dharma priesthood
Buddha did not record his teachings, but after he
died, his followers collected them into the
Tripitaka.
Todays Tibetan
Buddhists are
led by the Dalai
Lama, who
advocates for
freedom from
China. (a cool guy)
Judaism
Judaism originated in the Middle East
around 1000 BCE. According to Jewish
tradition, God chose the Hebrews and
helped them to escape slavery in Egypt.
Judaism was one of the first monotheistic
religions.
 Basic Beliefs of
Judaism
~The Torah is a
sacred scripture
recording laws and
events in Jewish
history.
~The Old Testament
of the Bible includes
the Torah.
~God gave
Hebrews the 10
Commandments
through Moses.
~The Ten
Commandments
describe how
people should
behave toward God
and one another.
God made a covenant, Judaism had a great
or promise to Abraham influence on the later
to be the God of the development of
Hebrews. Christianity and Islam.
Jews were discriminated against in the Roman Empire
and eventually kicked out of their homeland, Israel, in
what is known as the Diaspora.
Christianity
Christianity originated from Judaism
about 30 CE.
Christians believe that Jesus was a
Messiah, or savior
Sent by God to bring eternal life to
anyone who would follow him. Jesus
accepted the Ten Commandments and
also preached equality of man before
God. The sacred text of Christianity is
the Bible. Although the Romans
originally felt threatened by the
Christians, and therefore allowed
Jesus to be crucified, Christianity
eventually became the official religion
of the Roman Empire.
Islam
Islam originated in
Muslim
the Middle East
worshippers
around 622 CE
follow
with the Prophet,
scriptures
Muhammad.
called the
Muhammad was
Quran, or
born in Mecca and
Koran. The
traveled to Medina
collection of
in a journey called
Islamic laws is
the hijra, that
also known as
became the
the Sharia.
founding of Islam.
 Five Pillars of Islam

1. Faith in one God, Allahmonotheism

2. Five times daily prayer toward Mecca
3. Help for the poor
4. Fasting during the holy month of
Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage to holy city of Mecca
Spread of Islam--In the 150 years following the death
of Muhammad, Islam spread through trade, missionaries
and conquest into Asia and Africa.
Questions:
1. What is religion? (please create a definition)
2. How are the ways of studying religion different?
3. What do all these belief systems have in common?
4. How is religion separate from culture?
5. What is the difference between religion and magic?
6. How are religious beliefs expressed? Explain both in
your own words?
7. What are rituals and their type? How does this differ
between sacrifice?
8. Which three all originated in the Middle East?
9. Which two originated in India?
10. Which religion gave rise to the caste system?
11. How do religions spread?
12. What is the similarity between the Five Pillars of
Islam and the Ten Commandments?
13. How are Hinduism and Buddhism alike and
different?
 How much have you learned?

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