Basic Concepts #1

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analogy

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The direct comparison of the sacred with something that is familiar.

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apocrypha

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Books that are not part of the official canon of scripture but are still considered sacred.

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canon

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An official list of sacred scriptures.

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deity

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A god or divine being.

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exegesis

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The interpretation of a specific passage of scripture.

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fundamentalism

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Orthodox adherence to a particular religion.

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heretic

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A person who publicly asserts controversial positions or disagrees with orthodox forms of worship.

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hermeneutics

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An individual's method of interpretation with regard to scripture.

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liberal

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A persons who adopts a flexible approach or method of interpretation regarding scripture.

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metaphor

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A figure of speech or symbolic expression; the use of something familiar to help people understand something that is unfamiliar.

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mystic

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An individual who uses personal spiritual experiences to interpret scripture.

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oral scripture

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The unwritten sacred stories of the primal religions, passed down orally from generation to generation.

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orthodox

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Term applied to people who try to follow an established religious tradition and read scripture literally.

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religion

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A system of belief that includes sacred stories, doctrines, rituals, ethics, and a moral code and that attempts to connect people to the sacred.

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sacred

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A mysterious, indescribable force that connects us that connects us with something beyond the ordinary world.

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scripture

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The sacred writings of a religion that are considered authoritative because people read them to learn what is right and wrong.

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story

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A method used by religions to teach and communicate truths and to establish a connection with the sacred.

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apologetics

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The use of theology to defend a religion.

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cosmonogony

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A story about the creation of the world.

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cosmological proof

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An argument for god's existence proposed by Thomas Aquinas; the universe must have an origin and everything in the universe can be traced back to that origin.

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creed

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A profession or statement of belief.

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doctrine

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The special teachings of each religion regarding the sacred.

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dogma

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An authoritative opinion based on sacred scriptures or the teachings of a religious group that is considered authoritative.

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ethics

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Moral codes that help an individual distinguish right from wrong.

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faith

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Belief in religious doctrine.

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First Cause

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According to Thomas Aquinas, the force that gave the universe an initial push to set it in motion.

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moral argument

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A proof for the existence of God proposed by Immanuel Kant; because good actions must be rewarded, people must assume the existence of God

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norms

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Standards of behavior for a particular religion.

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ontological proof

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A proof for God's existence proposed by Anselm; a perfect God must possess all qualities of perfection, one of which is existence.

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philosophy

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The study of wisdom and knowledge.

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teleological proof

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A proof for the existence of God proposed by William Paley; likens the universe to a complex watch and God to the watchmaker.

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theodicy

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Theological speculation about the problem of evil.

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theologians

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Religious scholars.

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agnosticism

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The belief that we do not have sufficient proof either to doubt or to affirm God's existence.

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angel

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A lesser spiritual being created by God.

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animism

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The belief that the entire world is alive with spirits.

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atheism

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The belief that there is no supernatural power in existence.

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belief

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The acceptance of factual statements.

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deism

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The belief that God is distant and not actively involved in the world.

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dualism

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The concept used by monotheistic religions to explain evil; states Satan is a fallen angel who now tempts humans and brings evil to the earth.

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henotheism

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The practice of worshiping only the gods that a person believes to be the most important.

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humanism

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The belief that people are basically good and can save themselves.

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immanence

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The concept in pantheistic religions that the deity

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materialism

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The belief that nothing exists apart from matter.

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monism

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The belief that there is one unified sacred reality beyond the many forms of gods and goddesses, and that all reality is the same.

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monotheism

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The belief in the existence of a single god.

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non-theism

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The belief in a spiritual reality but not the existence of a personal god or gods.

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omnipotent

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Having total power over the universe.

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pantheism

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The view that everything God.

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pantheon

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A hierarchy, or ranking, of deities in polytheistic religions.

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polytheism

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Belief in more than one god.

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Satan

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A fallen angel believed by the monotheistic religions to be responsible for all evil.

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skeptic

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A person who chooses not to practice or believe in a religion and who doubts religious truth.

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theism

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The belief that God is a personal, loving deity who responds to prayer.

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theistic

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A term describing religions that believe in one or more gods.

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transcendent

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Beyond this world; existing before creation.

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myth

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A sacred story that a religion tells about its past.

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profane

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The opposite of the sacred, or representative of the ordinary.

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rites of passage

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Rituals that sometimes accompany significant events in the life cycle.

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ritual

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An action that reenacts a sacred story of religion.