RELIGION AND WORLDVIEW

DEFINITIONSWorldviewEncompassing pictures of reality created by members of societies

Religion “Ideas and practices that postulate reality beyond that which is immediately available to the senses” (Bowen, 2008) Include beliefs that some kind of spiritual or supernatural powers exist

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF RELIGIONSocial functions 1. 2. 3.

How does religion serve social functions Offering rewards for good behavior and punishments for antisocial behavior

Seen in societies with ____________________

EXPRESSIONS OF RELIGION

Kottak discusses 7 expressions of ritual:Spiritual beingsPowers & ForcesMagicUncertainty, Anxiety, SolaceRitual Rite of PassageTotemism

Responsible for all 7 (read the textbook: 278-282)

We will discuss each of these expression in varying degree of detail

SPIRITUAL BEINGS

“Beings” Ability to assume ______Respond to _____________Human origins with living or deceased people

Beings spirit helpers, disease spirits, zoomorphic spirits

SPIRITUAL BEINGSMonotheism _____________________________________

Polytheism ________________________________

Animism ________________________________________; frequently associated with natural objects

SPIRITUAL BEGINS ANIMISM - EXAMPLES

InuitAll things happens through the ______________________

Animals share the same ________________

POWERS & FORCES: MANA

Impersonal superhuman power Sometimes transferable Ex: ______________

Why? ______________

Polynesians: All things believed to be endowed to a greater or lesser degree with sacred supernatural power __________________

Mana - ___________

POWERS & FORCES: MANA

POWERS & FORCES: MANGUPerformance of evil by humans believed to possess an innate, nonhuman power to do evilWhether or not it is ________________________

Ex: Azande Mangu – ___________________________________ Note: mangu is not unique to the Azande

1.2.

MAGICUse of supernatural techniques to accomplish specific ends 1.2.

Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4.

UNCERTAINTY, ANXIETY, SOLACE

Connected to magic & myth

Responsible for reading ‘Understanding Ourselves’ Opening to chapter, page 276Be able to articulate how the Trobriand Islanders use magic when dealing with sailing expeditions

RITUALS

Repetitive social practice composed of a sequence of symbolic activities 1.2.

A.

Organized performance of behaviors intended to influence ________________

RITUALS

Belief that supernatural powers can make natural events occur & intervene in human affairs Behaviors intended to influence spiritual powers

Performed cross-culturally, but for different reasons Ex: ____________________ Marks _______________________________________ Births, initiations, confirmations, weddings, funerals

SUNRISE DANCE

ASSIGNED READING

REVITALIZATION MOVEMENTSAim to create a new way of life to replace current conditions that are _______________

Likely to occur in societies when these conditions coalesce 1. 2. 3.

REVITALIZATION MOVEMENTS ______– prophet who taught that existing world would soon be destroyed & new crust of Earth would formAs new crust formed, buffalo would return Abandon ways of the settler’s to live pure lives – _______________________________________-

_____________ not a component of Ghost Dance Movement was negatively received by settlers & U.S. Army

________________________________ Lakota (Sioux) band, including ♀ and children

REVITALIZATION MOVEMENTS