Religion

Religion Study Notes

1. Aboriginal Spirituality2. Nature of Religion3. Christianity4. Islam

The Dreaming is inextricably connected with the land, as the land is the physical medium through which the Dreaming is lived and communicated. Whilst all land is important, particular sites, known as sacred sites have specific signifcance as they are connected with events in the Dreaming, such as creation and the life of ancestral beings. Thus particular groups have special responsibility to care for, learn from and engage with these sites. 

Sacred Sites

For example, by carrying out prescribed rituals and ceremonies, such as balance rites. Balance rites are to increase the production of a particular animal, whcih is a particular representation of an ancestral being in the Dreaming. The animal or feature of the landscape which is the representation of an embodiment (possess - in a nice way) of a person in their primordial (life before you were born - always existed) state, is know as totemism. Therefore the loss of land and sacred sites effectively ends living of the Dreaming.

Symbolism and Art

For Aboriginal people, the telling and learning of the Dreaming is a life-long process. The process is revealed through many elements of the culture, particularly art and symbolism, song and dance. Symbolism in art explains the creation of the natural world and the laws which stem from this. Aboriginal children are often taught behaviour (ethics - right and wrong) through art. However, symbolism in Aboriginal art is multi-layered and can often be interpreted in many ways

The Dreaming

The Dreaming is a complex conept of fundamental importance to Aboriginal culture and life It is a metatemporal (a concept of time that incorporates the past, presetn or future as a complete and present reality) concept The Dreaming explains orgins, working with nature, humanirt, cycle of life and death, it shapes relationship, responsibilities, ceremony and is inextricably connected to the land It is hard to define because of the great diveristy found within Aboriginal people's beliefs and 'countries' It is a way of life, a sense of being

2. The Nature of Religion

Religion is a 'world view', a set of beliefs which shape the way a society of believers see the worlda. Definitionsb. Religion as a living and dynamic systemc. Characteristics of Religion

a. Definitions

Transcendence: concept refers to the divine as an existence beyond the world. e.g. Judaism, Christianity and IslamImmanence: the belief that God is present of manifest within the phenomena of the natural worldMonotheism: the belief in a single GodPolytheism: the belief in many gods and goddessesAtheism: the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of gods or goddessesthe divine: providence or Godworld view: a general philosophy of view of life

b. Religion as a living and dynamic system

Believers have a sense of the sacred - of something beyond the ordinaryThey respond by action - participating in rituals and ceremoniesThey formulate this response into scared texts, stories and writingsThis response is expressed through a belief system and code of conduct (ethics)This is supported by social and communal structures

c. Characteristics of Religion

Ethics- rules or standards governing human behaviour and actions- right or wrongSacred Texts and Writings- myths: relate to stories about 'beginnings', how the world was created- legends: collection of stories based on sacred or important people from history- parables: fictitious stories told to point out a moral, about ordinary people- e.g. Bible, Torah, Qu'ran

BelieversBeliefs- in an unseen world of the divine- about human nature abd life- about the natural world- about the 'afterlife'Rituals and Ceremonies- rites of passage and intiation rites- rites of worship or devotion- e.g. Baptism, Bar and Bat Mitzvah- each ritual has a structure and symbols