Mishnah

·       A new text conceived as part of the Rabbi’s restructuring of the Jewish tradition and codification of the Jewish legal heritage. Composed of six “orders” being Seeds (agriculture), Festivals, Women, Damages, Holy Things (ritual), and Purifications, it summarized the Pharisaic-rabbinic movement interpretation of traditional law. It is significant as its authority stems from the notion that in addition to the Pentateuch, there was an oral interpretation that was passed down since Moses, which allowed rabbis to assert their own interpretations without compromising the integrity of their source.

Midrash

Known as the body of Bible interpretation, they are are line-by-line interpretations following the sequence of the biblical text, although they may also be ordered by the lectionary cycle (the schedule of biblical readings every week) traditionally used in the synagogue. The early midrashim include three books of legal discussions from the first and second centuries CE, when the Pharisees made imaginative use of exegetic principles to derive rulings about contemporary customs from the written text of the Bible.

·       A religious movement in English and colonial American Protestant churches that stemmed from a desire to purify the Church of England of its Catholic practives that had remained after the accession of Elizabeth. The movement adopted many elements of Calvinist theory such as predestination and its rigorous view of human sinfulness. The significance lies within the fact that it occurred as part of the Reformation movement spearheaded by John Calvin, which built upon the dissent of Protestant founder Martin Luther.

-descent or incarnation of a deity in earthly forms

- vishnu eventually has 10 incarnations in the present cycle of creation - 9 are said to have already happened, his 7th was Rama and according to some narratives the 9th was Budha (in others, Krishna)

-"not doing" as a way of being in the world

- a state of not doing nothing but of acting without INTENTION or Self interest 

-an ideal for both Daoists and Confucians but moreso Daoists

-commonly described as the filial duty of a child to his parents to show love to them through respect and being dutiful

-part of the family responsiblities in the Confucius religion

-functional family is important to the tradition because without a functional family, one cannot perform his duties properly towards society 

energy of the individuals past thoughts and actions, good or bad, it determines rebirth within the wheel of samsara or cycle rebirth that only ends when Paranirvana is achieved

-literally means action

-refers to systems of rewards and punishments attributed to those actions which may require several lifetimes to figure out 

-closely related to Samsara where one is freed from this cycle by attaining the wisdom of a higher knowledge

-title of respect for highly respected buddhist teachers or leading monks in the tibetan school of vajrayana buddhism

- translates literally to precious

-the types of monks that receive this title are often believed to be reincarnated lamas or bodhissatvas

the direction of prayer marked in mosques by a niche inside the wall nearest Mecca

- as islam begins to distinguish itself from judaism, within 2 years of the arrval of Muhammed in Medina the ___ was changed from Jerusalem to the Ka'ba in Mecca

-in islam, a list of authorities who have transmitted a report (hadith) of a statement action, or approbation of Muhammed, one of his companions, or of a later authority

-reliability depends on validity of a habith

- significance lies within the fact that it maintains the legitimacy of the tradition through constant reassurance

-moral code of religious law of a prophetic religion -- most notably ISLAM

-primarily concerned with the relationships among individuals in society and btwn people and God

-authority of _____ stems from its source material being the qu'ran and the sunnah

- strictest interpretation is that it is the indisputible law of god 

-Significant as it serves the basis of conduct in the islamic tradition

"rememberance"

most characteristic sufi practice is a ritual called the ______

public or private devotional practice

-ritual usually held before dawn or evening prayers

-repetition of name of God, Allah, or Shahada "There is no god except god"
-often accompanied by bodily movements

-distinguishes diff. sufi orders from one another

-remembering gods name -- chanted in sufi devotional exercises 

-sacred chart like geometric drawing

-consisting usually of a circle with geometric designs inside

-often made of sand but can be made of glass/paint

-represent the cosmos/eternal universe or Gods, and are used as a focus of meditation and are symbols of ritual and devotion

-used in buddhist/hindu tradition

-known for being created in sand and then swept away after creation in order to represent the impermanence of everything

Transubstantiation

·       A belief in Catholic doctrine that states that the bread and the wine used in the sacrament of the Eucharist become, not merely as by a sign or a figure, but also in reality the body and blood of Christ. This change is achieved by saying the words “this is my body and this is my blood” and is commonly indicated by the ringing of a small bell. It is significant for being one of the aspects of Catholicism to remain unchanged during the Catholic Reformation in response to Luther’s condemnation.

Atman

- loosely translated, this means "soul" or "individual soul."

-refers to the essence of each individual living thing - its soul or primary living energy. Each living thing - people, animals, plants - have an ______ that forms each thing's eternal essence. The ______is not the body; the body is not eternal. The body houses the _____ until the body dies. _______ is immortal and eternal.

Ren

·       the Confucian virtue denoting the good feeling a virtuous human experiences when being altruistic. It is exemplified by a normal adult’s protective feelings for children.

It is considered the outward expression of Confucian ideals.

---- relies heavily on the relationships between two people, but at the same time encompasses much more than that. It represents an inner development towards an altruistic goal, while simultaneously realizing that one is never alone, and that everyone has these relationships to fall back on, being a member of a family, the state, and the world.

-·       the Shinto spirits that are worshipped. They can be anything in nature from animals to spirits of the dead.

--- Many are ancient ancestors of clans who became_____’s upon their death and absorbed the values and Virtues of _____ in life. They are not separate from nature, but exist within nature both in negative and positive aspects.

 significant because they are the example that every human being should follow or strive to be.

Adi Granth:

·       Literally, ‘original book’. The Sikh scared text  first compiled by guru Arjan in 1604 and invested with supreme authority

 It is a compilation of divinely inspired hymns (nearly 6000) by six Gurus, fifteen poet-saints, and fifteen Sikh bards.

--is the central object of worship in all Sikh temples and is accorded the reverence paid a living Guru.

Jnana

·       Hindu term for knowledge.

It is one of the three methods of reaching liberation and is explained in the Bhagavad Gita by Krishna.

The __________ path to liberation involves scriptural knowledge, and true knowledge of insight into the universe.

High enough levels of knowledge are believed to destroy one’s past karma and lead to moksha.

Tefillin

·       small, black leather boxes that contain scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers.

Their significance lies within the fact that they are meant to fulfill the commandment in Deuteronomy 6 to bind the words of the Torah “upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes.”

Tanakh

·       is significant for containing the history and laws of the Jewish people. it is also believed to be the inspired word of God.

The fiftieth day after Easter, which celebrates the allowance of the Apostles to speak in diverse languages by the Holy Spirit recounted in Acts 2. The day marks the shift of Christianity into a missionary movement for all people and it is significant for that reason

term meaning dispersal, and used to describe the expansion of the Jewish world outside of Israel during the Hellenistic period.

The significance of the concept lies within the fact that it was the impetus for Judaism’ evolution into a more philosophical realm. As a consequence of the ________, many narratives were infused with elements of Greek philosophy resulting in an emphasis on allegorical messages over literal interpretation. 

Glossolalia

·       Understood by protestant Christians to be speaking in tongues, is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning, in some cases as part of religious practice. This is a manifestation of the intensity of feeling associated with receiving the gift of holiness.

Significant for being a defining feature of the Charismatic movements, most notably those of the Holiness Churches in America that emphasized the experience of receiving holiness.

Nicene Creed

·       It is a collection of statements that are relative to the Christian faith named after the Council of Nicea in 325.

In relation to the Apostles Creed, it too is a declaration of faith; however, it is more specific about the Holy Spirit and mentions it alongside God the father and Christ the son, reinforcing the idea of a trinity, a problematic concept for its recognition of a plurality of divine persons, something that contradicts the monotheistic origin of Judaism.

In essence, it is significant for this recognition of the trinity as well as for being a declaration of faith, which contrasts the more liberal lifestyle orientation of Eastern religions.

Khalsa:

Literally “pure” or “crown estate”; an order of Sikhs bound by common identity and discipline

·      this order was initially created on Baisakhi Day March 30 1699, with Guru Gobind Singh baptizing 5 Sikhs and then in turn asking the five ______'s to baptize him. Following this the Guru personally baptized thousands of men and women into the_______ order. The ______ baptism ceremony is undertaken as part of ones own personal spiritual evolution when the initiate is ready to fully live up to the high expectations of Guru Gobind Singh. All Sikhs are expected to be _____ or be working towards that objective.  To this day, the-_____initiation ceremony follows the pattern established in 1699: initiates drink a sweet ‘nectar’ (amrit sanskar) that as been stirred with a two-edged sword and sanctified by the recitation of five liturgical prayers