Introduction To World Religions Unit Tests

Front 1

Define the word religion.

Back 1

Religion is a system of beliefs and practices that is intended to connect people with the sacred. It uses stories,doctrines,rituals and moral codes to help people make this connection with the supernatural

Front 2

What is the goal of religion?

Back 2

Religion seeks to connect people with the sacred or ultimate. This can be God or some other force. All religions require that people believe certain teachings and follow a particular lifestyle. The goal of this behavior is to help people connect with something that is beyond the world of senses.

Front 3

What is the sacred?

Back 3

The sacred is something that cannot be described. It is what people consider special or ultimate, and they believe it constitutes the most important force in the universe. Religion is largely about what people hold sacred and the way they believe they should guide their lives in order to live in harmony with the ultimate reality, or force, that regulates the universe

Front 4

Define scripture and canon. What is the difference between an open canon and a closed canon?

Back 4

Scriptures are the sacred stories of a religion. They are considered authoritative and are used for determining religious beliefs and practices. A canon is a list of writing that are considered scripture. A canon is not only meant to list scripture; it is also intended to keep other books out of scripture. Religions that have a closed canon of scripture do not believe that scriptures can be written today. Those that have an open canon continue to write new scriptures.

Front 5

What are religious actions?

Back 5

religious actions are things people do to show that they belong to a particular religion. They help people keep in touch with the teachings and practices of their religion in order to connect with the sacred.

Front 6

What is apocrypha? What is its relationship to the canon?

Back 6

The apocrypha is a collection of books that are included in an officially recognized canon of scripture, though they are considered in some sense to be authoratative. Some religions believe that the apocrypha are almost scriptures, as they contain eternal truths but for some reason were not deemed worthy to be included in the canon.

Front 7

What is the purpose of religious language?

Back 7

Religious language communicates specific beliefs about the sacred. Each religion has its own special language that it uses in its riruals. Religious language is a way to separate outsiders from insiders; people who practice a religion learn the meaning of their religious language to show that they have mastered the teachings of their religion

Front 8

Why do religions use metaphor and analogy?

Back 8

Because religion is about the sacred, it deals with something that cannot be described in words. Metaphors are figures of speech and ways to communicate and teach specific truths about the sacred. Analogy compares the sacred with something that is familiar. Neither is to be taken literally. Each teaches a religious belief about what is ultimate or sacred

Front 9

Descibe the differences between liberal and conservative interpretations of scripture.

Back 9

Liberal religions view their scripture as a guide to life. They feel free to change, adapt, or ignore its teachings;scripture is something to be adapted and adjusted to the modern world. Conservatives teach that scripture cannot be altered. They try to live a lifestyle in strict accordance with the teachings of scripture

Front 10

What is the difference between religious doctrine, religious dogma, and religious creeds?

Back 10

Religious doctrine is a statement or teching about the belief of a particular religion. Dogma is explanations or opinions about doctrines that are considered to be authoratative opinion. Creeds are religious dogma put into short and simple statements in order to make dogma easier to learn and understand by people who practice the religion.

Front 11

What is theology? What is apologetics?

Back 11

Theology is the use of philosophy and reason to defend and study religious beliefs and practices. When theologians use theology to defend their beliefs, they are practicing apologetics. The ultimate purpose of apologetics is to convince people that a particular religion is best

Front 12

What are the 4 major theological arguments for the existence of God.

Back 12

cosmological proof
teleological proof
ontological proof
moral argument

Front 13

cosmological proof

Back 13

cosmological proof argues that the motion of the universe is evidence for the existence of God; the universe needed something to set it into motion, and that something was God

Front 14

teleological proof

Back 14

The teological proof, also known as the srgument from design, states that the universe is so complicated that it needed a designer. God is the being who designed and created the universe

Front 15

Ontological proof

Back 15

Ontological proof proposes that perfection demands the existence of something that is perfect. Since perfection must exist, and God is the most perfect of all beings, Gods must exist.

Front 16

moral argument

Back 16

states that God must exist as the basis for morality. People are good (they act in a moral manner) because they expect a reward from God. Since morality exists in this way, the existence of God must therefore be assumed

Front 17

Explain the difference between monotheism, polytheism, and henotheism.

Back 17

Monotheism is the belief in a single god. Polytheism is the belief in more than one god. Henotheism, the belief that certain gods are more important than others, is a form of polytheism.

Front 18

How do monotheistic and polytheistic religions view the sacred?

Back 18

Monotheistic religions view the sacred (god) as a transcendent, or outside the material world. Polytheistic religions believe that God is close to humans. Polytheistic gods are immanent and exist within the material world.

Front 19

What is the difference between theistic and nontheistic religions?

Back 19

Theistic religions seek to establish a relationship with the sacred. They may be either monotheistic or polytheistic. Nontheistic religions teach taht there is no personal God. Tehy view the sacred as a mysterious impersonal force or power.

Front 20

Why are some people skeptics?

Back 20

Religion is based on faith in a supernatural power whose existence cannot be proven. Skeptics believe that the supernatural does not exist because it cannot be proven. Agnostics, for example, adopt a skeptical attitude but choose to withhold judgment. They act as if the supernatural does not exist, but leave open the possibility that its existence may one day be proven.

Front 21

What problem is common to both religion and skepticism?

Back 21

Verification is a problem common to both religion and skepticism. There is no way to prove or verify that God does or does not exist. To some extent, both positions rely upon faith: religious people and skeptics teach things that they both believe to be true, but neither can prove that its teachings are true.

Front 22

What is the purpose of ritual acts?

Back 22

ritual acts serve to teach, communicate, and demonstrate religious belief. Rituals are actions that teach people the sacred stories of their tradition. People act out rituals as a way to show that they have mastered the teachings of their religion

Front 23

What is myth? Are myths true?

Back 23

Myth is a story about the past that is told because it conveys meaning and values. Religious myths are stories that are told because they are believed to contain religious truths. Though some myths are fictional, and others historically true, myths are always considered theologically true. They teach eternal truths about the sacred and provide the foundation for the beliefs and practices of the world's religions

Front 24

How do clergy and laity differ?

Back 24

The clergy are the religious leaders or specialists. They include priests, shamans, and sometimes prophets or mystics. Clergy are people with advacne knowledge about a particular religious tradition. IN many religions, they conduct or supervise the rituals. Ordinary people are called the laity, or laypeople. They look to the clergy for guidance, and in most religions the clergy teach the laypeople the doctrines and dogmas of the religion

Front 25

What is the difference between a shaman, a prophet,and a mystic?

Back 25

Shamans are people who serve as intermediaries between the worl and the spirits. They are also healers, using their connection with the sacred to heal. A prophet is also a messenger of a deity, but prophets are not healers. Both prophets and shamans may predict the future. Shamans are educated and trained, but prophets frequently have no religious training. The primary function of a prophet is to give inpired teachings; they are called to preach. A mustic is someone with a direct connection to the sacred.Because mysticysm is an individual experience, mystics frequently reject the teachings and authority of clergy such as shamans and prophets. They follow what they have learned from their direct contact with the sacred.

Front 26

Define religious morality nad religious ethics.

Back 26

religious morality refers to a set of codes or laws that are designed to guide behavior in accordance with the sacred. Religious ethics are discussions about the actions that are deemed to be right or wrong. Moral codes are made up of ethical principles about what is right and wrong, and they help people to follow the ethical principles of their religion

Front 27

What is the difference between a religious lifestyle and a secular lifestyle?

Back 27

A religious lifestyle focuses on the sacred. People who are religious have specific moral codes and ethical principles that they follow. Their lives are to be guided by the teachings of a particular religion. Secular people live a lifestyle that is bot based on the teachings os any religion, and they may or may not believe in the supernatural.

Front 28

Why are stories important in Western religions?

Back 28

The western religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are based on historical events. All believe that God established a relationship with humans. Because these religions are based on the teachings of people who were contacted by God in the past, stories are important. The stories of the western religions stress history.

Front 29

How do western religions and eastern religions view time?

Back 29

The western religions stress history and view time in a linear fashion; time has a beginning ans an end. The eastern religions view time like a circle; time has no beginning or end.

Front 30

What is the phenomenological approach to the study of religion?

Back 30

The phenomenological approach is also known as the descriptive approach. It seeks to take religion seriously, attemoting to study religion from the inside, without practicing theology. This approach asks people why they are religious and what their behavior means to them and endeavors to describe the beliefs and practices of religious people without rendering any opinions

Front 31

What did Eliade teach about the sacred and the profane?

Back 31

Eliade practiced the phenomenonilogical approach. He believed that the concepts of the sacred and the profane were common to all religions: the sacred is the ultimate or God, while the profane is the ordinary. Eliade thought that all cultures distinguish between sacred and profance spaces, speech, and objects. He thought that all civilizations sought to regulate behavior and belief in accordance with their understanding of the sacred and the profane

Front 32

What is the animistic theory of the origin of religion?

Back 32

The animistic theory about the origin of religion teaches that religion began from animism. It emerged as a way to explain the spirits in nature.

Front 33

Define the magic theory of the origin of religion.

Back 33

The magic theory about the origin of religion teaches that religion grew out of magic. Magic was used to explain the natural world. After magic failed, religion developed. This theory maintains that religion has also failed to explain the material world and that science has thus emerged form religion as a new way to explain the world.

Front 34

Describe some of the common features of the primal religions.

Back 34

They are largely oral and are the religion of the tribe. The primal religions explain the origin of the tribe and its relationship to supernatural powers. Primal religion primarily refers to religions that have traditionally passed ont heir religious beliefs and practices through oral tradition

Front 35

What is the High God?

Back 35

In most primal religions is the deity who created the world. This god is generally considered absent and does not actively participate in the world. Primal religions tend to worship lesser gods they believe are active in the world

Front 36

What is a taboo?

Back 36

is a ritual prohibition, something that people cannot do or must avoid. Taboos prevent people from offending the spirits.

Front 37

What is the function of a trickster?

Back 37

tricksters flout and mock religious conventions, frequently violating religious taboos. They use trickery to obtain what they want. Tricksters remind people of their religious traditions and taboos. Telling stories about tricksters is also a way for people to vicariously violate their taboos.

Front 38

What is the relationship between the High God and the lesser gods in the primal religions?

Back 38

Most primal religions believe that the high God is distant and is no longer involved in the world.They are regularly worshipped whereas the High God is normally not.

Front 39

What is the purpose of creation myths in the Native American religions?

Back 39

Creation myths in the Native american religions teach that everything is sacred; they make no distinction between humans, animals and the sacred. They also explain the origin of the tribe.

Front 40

What is the vision quest?

Back 40

The vision quest is a journey that a Native American undertakes when he or she is young. The young person goes into the wilderness or forest with no food and little clothing. The purpose of this journey is to encounter a guardian spirit, who becomes the person's protector.

Front 41

What is the peyote cult?

Back 41

The peyote cult involves the use of the drug peyote to induce visions or hallucinations

Front 42

What is the ghost dance movement?

Back 42

The ghost dance movement was an effort to unite Native Americans in order to restore their traditional lifestyles and remove the white men from their land

Front 43

What is the purpose of the Hopi creation myth?

Back 43

The Hopi creation myth explains why the Hopi have wandered in the desert. It tells about a time when the deities told the Hopi to wander the earth until they arrived at a special place. The myth also explains many of the Hopi customs and rituals

Front 44

What do the religions of Africa teach about the High God?

Back 44

Most african religions teach that the high god is the creator of the universe. Like the religions of the native american tribes, most african religions believe that the High God is distant. The religions of Africa venerate the lesser spirits of their ancestors.

Front 45

What is ancestor veneration?

Back 45

ancestor veneration is the worship of the spirits of the dead. In the african religions, the ancestors are believed to be involved inthe life of the tribe and can bring good or evil to the tribe

Front 46

What are Santeria and Voodoo?

Back 46

Santeria is a combination of Yuruba religion and catholocism. Voodoo is similar to Santeria. It is a combination of French Catholocism and the religions of many other african tribes.

Front 47

What does the Dogon creation myth teach?

Back 47

The Dogon myth of creation explains the origin of civilization. It says that culture was brought to the earth by twin deities who were created by the High God.