Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Religion Midterm
Intro to Religion Midterm Definitions
124
Religious Studies
Undergraduate 1
03/06/2011

Additional Religious Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
ablutions
Definition
ritual washings in various traditions
Term
adoration
Definition
acknowledgment of the sovereignty of the sacred over the individual
Term
allegory
Definition
a story, usually fictional, that makes an instructive point. Every character and incident in the story stands for or represents a reality outside the story itself.
Term
Amaterasu Omikami
Definition
sun goddess; clan ancestor to the Japanese imperial family
Term
aniconic
Definition
'no images'; referring to traditions that do not encourage visual imagery in religion.
Term
anthropodicy
Definition
questions concerning the justice of human beings
Term
apocalypse
Definition
the cataclysmic end of the present world in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Term
avatar
Definition
the incarnation of a deity (Hinduism)
Term
baptism
Definition
in Christianity, the sacrament employing water for the forgiveness of sins
Term
bar/bat mitzvah
Definition
the ceremony by which a young person becomes a 'son' (bar) or 'daughter' (bat) of the commandments
Term
Bhagavad Gita
Definition
the 'song of the Lord'; one of the scriptures of Hinduism
Term
Bible
Definition
literally 'book'; sacred scripture in Judaism and Christianity
Term
bodhisattva
Definition
in Mahayana Buddhism, one who achieves enlightenment but postpones Nirvana in the interest of bringing truth to the world
Term
Buddha
Definition
the 'enlightened one'; Siddhartha Gautama, founder of Buddhism
Term
Buddhism
Definition
the religious tradition founded on the teaching and example of the Buddha
Term
canon
Definition
originally, 'measuring reed'; the list of authoritative scriptures in a particular tradition
Term
caste
Definition
the system of division of labor in Hinduism; the four castes are Brahmins or priests, Kshtriya or warriors, Vaisya or merchants, and Sudra or laborers. "Outcastes" are those who do not belong to one of the above.
Term
Christ
Definition
the anointed servant of God
Term
Christianity
Definition
the religious tradition founded on the teaching, example, and person of Jesus of Nazareth (the Christ)
Term
Confucianism
Definition
the great religious-political tradition of China founded by Confucius
Term
cosmology
Definition
way of thinking that attempt to relate the various aspects of the universe
Term
cult
Definition
a religious group founded by a charismatic leader that claims it has a new revelation or insight that perfects, changes, or invigorates an older tradition; and that is viewed with extreme suspicion by the older, more established religious traditions
Term
cyclical
Definition
views of time; emphasizes the eternal repetition of time, as in samsara or, in some traditions, in the repetition of the change of seasons
Term
deontological
Definition
from the Greek, 'that which is binding'; refers to an approach to ethics based on duties
Term
dharma
Definition
'law', 'duty', or 'teaching'; in Hinduism especially associated with duties of one's caste; in Buddhism, the teaching of Buddha
Term
disciples
Definition
students, followers of a religious teacher
Term
dualism
Definition
a way of thought, especially with respect to theodicy, that stresses the opposition of good and evil powers in the universe.
Term
Easter
Definition
Christian holiday, in spring, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus
Term
election
Definition
God's choice of certain persons for salvation
Term
ethics
Definition
the study of practical justification or of various answers to questions of the 'good' life
Term
Eucharist
Definition
originally 'giving thanks' (Greek); Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper in Christianity
Term
exegesis
Definition
the process of drawing out or interpreting the meaning of texts
Term
Exodus
Definition
the liberation of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. Also, the second book of the Bible.
Term
function
Definition
referring to definitions of religion that stress the role of religion in human responses to suffering, death, despair, and the like.
Term
Hades
Definition
classical Greek name for the place of the dead
Term
haggadah
Definition
'narrative'; sacred stories in the Jewish tradition
Term
heresy
Definition
a word used by members of a religious community to indicate an illegitimate idea or movement
Term
hierophany
Definition
the appearance of the sacred in human experience
Term
Hinduism
Definition
the predominant religious tradition in India
Term
Holocaust
Definition
the term used to signify the Nazi destruction of European Jews under the leadership of Adolf Hitler; also called the Shoah
Term
icon
Definition
'image'; in particular, visual images that mediate notions of the sacred to believers
Term
imam
Definition
leader of prayer in Islam; for Shi'i Islam, also a divinely designated leader of the religious community
Term
immanence
Definition
describes those notions of the sacred stress its inherence in the world
Term
incarnation
Definition
the 'becoming flesh' of the sacred, especially in Christianity
Term
Islam
Definition
the religious tradition that begins with the life and work of Muhammad; the 'submission' to the will of God
Term
Jainism
Definition
a small but important religious tradition in India
Term
Jesus
Definition
Jesus of Nazareth, founder of Christianity; according to Christians, the Christ
Term
jnana yoga
Definition
in Hinduism, refers to the discipline of knowledge of the true nature of God and the self
Term
Judaism
Definition
religion of the Jewish people
Term
Ka'ba
Definition
the ancient, cubical structure outside Mecca; holy to Muslims as the place of worship constructed by Abraham and his son Ishmael
Term
Ka'ba
Definition
the ancient, cubical structure outside Mecca; holy to Muslims as the place of worship constructed by Abraham and his son Ishmael
Term
kami
Definition
sacred beings and powers in Shinto
Term
karma
Definition
in Hinduism and Buddhism, the inexorable law of cause and effect
Term
karma yoga
Definition
the discipline focusing on doing one's caste duty in a spirit of detachment
Term
Liminality
Definition
the condition of being in an intermediate state
Term
linear
Definition
views of time; depiction of time as having a beginning, middle, and end
Term
liturgy
Definition
derived from a Greek word meaning 'a public work'; in religion, refers to the form of public worship of a particular group
Term
logos
Definition
Greek, 'word'; signifying absolute reason or mind; according to Christian doctrine, the Christ is the incarnation of the logos
Term
mahdi
Definition
the 'rightly guided one'; the equivalent for Muslims of Messiah
Term
Messiah
Definition
God's anointed or chosen servant; see Judaism; Christ
Term
moksha
Definition
release or liberation from the world, especially in Hinduism
Term
morality
Definition
ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that focus on concern for human welfare
Term
Mormons
Definition
followers of the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith; religious movement begun in the United States during the nineteenth century
Term
Moses
Definition
the great prothet of Judaism
Term
Muhammad
Definition
the great prophet and founder of Islam
Term
Muharram (Shi'i Islam)
Definition
the month of memorial for the martyrdom of Husayn, grandson of the prophet Muhammad
Term
Muslim
Definition
one who practices Islam; thus, one who 'submits' to the will of God
Term
mystical
Definition
aspects of religious traditions that focus on the appearance of the sacred to persons achieving a certain 'enlightened' state of mind
Term
myth
Definition
a narrative that focuses on sacred reality and its relationship to humanity
Term
Nirvana
Definition
the sacred reality in Buddhism; signifies the extinguishing of all desire and release from the cycle of time
Term
orthodoxy
Definition
indicates the standard for 'right belief' set by a particular community
Term
orthopraxis
Definition
similar to orthodoxy, but refers to 'right practice'
Term
parable
Definition
a story, usually fictional, in which the thrust of the story is to make a particular point but in which the characters do not 'stand' for realities outside the story itself
Term
Passover
Definition
Spring holiday and their rituals in Jewish tradition; celebrates the Exodus
Term
penance
Definition
making restitution for ethical impurities in order to be fit to approach the Sacred
Term
petition
Definition
to ask or beg favors of the sacred
Term
pilgrimage
Definition
a sacred journey, usually to view a relic or to worship in a sacred place
Term
practical justification
Definition
the process of giving reasons for the judgments one makes
Term
prayer
Definition
a deliberate attempt on the part of a person to communicate with the sacred; can take different forms
Term
predestination
Definition
the notion that the ultimate destiny of persons has been eternally established by God; associated with election
Term
priest
Definition
religious specialist associated with sacramental elements of religious traditions
Term
profane
Definition
'outside the temple'; that which is ordinary, not sacred
Term
prophetic
Definition
aspects of religious traditions which focus on the appearance of the sacred through words; see revelation
Term
purification
Definition
ritual preparation for an approach to the sacred; may involve fasting or ablutions
Term
Qur'an
Definition
the holy book or sacred scripture in Islam
Term
reincarnation
Definition
the concept that a spirit or soul 'takes on' or moves from one body, one life, to another (Hinduism; Buddhism)
Term
relics
Definition
physical items (bones, teeth, clothing) associated with a holy person and preserved by believers for their connection with the sacred
Term
Sabbath
Definition
from the Hebrew shabbat; the day set apart for rest and remembrance of the sacred through the medium of material reality
Term
revelation
Definition
the disclosure of the sacred truth
Term
ritual
Definition
a ceremonial act or repeated stylized gesture used for specific occasions
Term
sacramental
Definition
elements of religious traditions which focus on the appearance of the sacred through the medium of material reality
Term
sacrifice
Definition
from Latin 'sacrum facere', that is, 'to make holy'; for example, by dedicating something to the sacred
Term
samsara
Definition
the cycle of time (Hinduism, Buddhism) governed by karma
Term
schism
Definition
a split within a religious body
Term
scriptures
Definition
'writings', especially those writing which are considered authoritative or sacred by a particular religious community
Term
sect
Definition
a religious group which demands conformity to certain standards in the behavior of its members, is exclusive in its membership, distinguishes its well-being from that of the larger society, and claims to be the bearer of religious truth
Term
seder
Definition
ritual meal, part of the Passover celebration
Term
shaman
Definition
a person thought to have special, sacred powers, for example, as a medium for spirits or a healer
Term
Shari'a
Definition
Islamic religious law
Term
Sheol
Definition
Hebrew word for the place of the dead
Term
Shi'i Islam
Definition
minority tradition in Islam; prominent in Iran
Term
Shinto
Definition
indigenous religion of Japan
Term
Siddhartha Gautama
Definition
the Buddha
Term
srauta sacrifice
Definition
in Hinduism, great public sacrifice in ancient India
Term
stupa
Definition
burial mound for a holy person; a sacred site in Buddhism
Term
substantive
Definition
in definition of religion, the attempt to identify an essence or core idea which distinguishes religion from other (for example, moral ways of thinking, feeling, and acting)
Term
Sunni Islam
Definition
majority tradition in Islam
Term
Tao
Definition
the 'way' or 'power' of harmony and balance among all things
Term
Taoism
Definition
a system or practice for following the Tao
Term
teleological
Definition
from Greek telos, indicating the goal or end result; in ethics, signifies approaches which focus on the consequences of actions
Term
theodicy
Definition
discussions of divine justice; the attempt to answer questions about the sacred arising from the experience of evil
Term
theology
Definition
believing reflection on the faith of a particular community, with the goal of clarification of the logic and grounds of a notion of the sacred
Term
Torah
Definition
the 'instruction' of God in Judaism; the first five books of the Bible
Term
torii
Definition
gate marking the entry for a sacred place in Shinto
Term
tradition
Definition
from Latin 'tradere', to "hand down"; the collection of symbols, rituals, scriptures, and customs associated with a particular group
Term
transmigration
Definition
the movement of a soul or spirit from one existence to another (see reincarnation)
Term
transcendent
Definition
that which 'goes beyond' or 'stands over,' as in religious traditions which present a notion of the sacred as transcending ordinary experience
Term
transubstantiation
Definition
the Roman Catholic doctrine that the elements of bread and wine are transformed, in the context of the Eucharist, into the body and blood of the Christ
Term
tripitaka
Definition
the 'three baskets'; sacred scriptures in Buddhism
Term
Upanishads
Definition
writings of Hindu sages, approximately 700-200 B.C.E.
Term
Vedas
Definition
ancient scriptures in Hinduism
Term
worship
Definition
to show reverence or devotion for the sacred
Term
Zen
Definition
form of Buddhism, especially important in Japan
Term
Zoroastrianism
Definition
religious tradition originating in the seventh century B.C.E. in Persia; see dualism
Supporting users have an ad free experience!