Download Primal Religious Traditions

An antropological Study
• Cultural or Social Anthropology: The comparative
study of human societies and cultures and their
development
• Humanities: The study of literature, history, art,
music and philosophy concerned with human
culture
• Sociology: The study of the development,
structure, and functioning of human society
Religion:
Latin religio(n-) ‘obligation, bond, reverence,’
perhaps based on Latin religare ‘to bind.’
Theo (-Theistic): Greek Theos, God,
•Monotheistic( from mono-one, belief in one god
•Polytheistic (from poly-many, belief in many
gods)
•Pantheistic (from Pan-all, doctrine that identifies
God with the universe, or regards the universe as
a manifestation of God
•Atheistic (from a-absence of, disbelief in
existence of god
Philosophy:
The study of KNOWLEDGE, REALITY, and EXISTENCE
Ideology:
A system of ideas and ideals that forms the basis of
a belief system (related to a group)
Numinous:
Having a strong religious or spiritual quality;
suggesting the presence of a divine being or
divinity.
Esoteric:
Greek: (esoterikos, esotero, eso, es)“within” or “into”
Understood by only a small number of specialized knowledge or
interest
Mysticism:
A belief that unition with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute
may be attained through contemplation and self surrender
Gnostic: (A-)
Greek Gnostikos ‘to know’ relating to Gnosis: esoteric or mystical
knowledge.
•Also relating to a Pre-Christian belief system and religious movement
that teaches Gnosis is the way to salvation of the soul from the
material world
• To break down stereotypes and
prevent ignorance
• To yield a deeper understanding of :
• human beliefs and practices
• Human behavior and
• Social development and
evolution
• Literature, Art, and culture
• Humanity
Animism (Latin anima ‘life, soul’)
• The belief in a supernatural power that organizes
and animates the material universe.
• Animistic religions maintain deep respect or
reverence for the natural world
•Animals may be seen as relatives or ancestors, and
living things may be viewed as sources of blessing or
harm
•Primal and Traditional Religions often do not
depend on scriptures or written teachings as do
most other religions.
•Most traditional religions are Orally transmitted
and passed down from generation to generation
•Tribal religions are often symbolically linked
through evidence of an animistic belief system
Matriarcy: a society in which females have central roles of
political leadership, moral authority, and control of property.
• Matriarchal religions are centered around Goddess
worship, fertility rites and sacred traits attributed to nature
cycles
Patriarchy: a social system in which the male is primary
authority figure central to social organization, where fathers
hold authority over women, children and property.
• Patriarchal religions are monotheistic. The Abrahamic
religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism)
“Venus” of Willendorf – Artifact of Ancient
Oral Religion
•Discovered in Austria, thought
to come from fertility rituals
dating from 30,000 -25,000
BCE
•Evidence of ancient
matriarchal societies
• Stories have sacred origins
• In many primitive cultures, animals and humans are
believed to have descended from gods or divine actions
• Stories from many primal cultures mention a high deity
with several immortal manifestations in the form of
offspring or ancient ancestors
•Primal religions are often viewed as polytheistic
•Dependant on archeological and anthropological
discoveries
•Ethnocentricism: evaluating other peoples and cultures
according to the standards of one's own culture
•The assumption that tribal cultures are inferior or savage
has created bias in historical records
• Artifacts of oral religions may be impermanent
(dance, songs, masks, etc.) and difficult to interpret
• Mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, etc., may be viewed
as being sacred spaces
•Sacred spaces may also be constructed
Stonehenge, pyramids, Easter Island, temples,
mosques
•Sacred times often coincide with rhythms of nature
constellations, lunar cycle, equinox, eclipses, etc
• Ceremonies often are the means of re-telling sacred stories
• May include means of enhancing religious experience, such as
fasting, ingesting mind-altering substances, etc.
• Ceremonies typically mark rites of passage related to the life-cycle
• Birth
• Puberty
• Marriage
• Death
• Sacrifices often help protect people from dangerous spirits or
forces
• A religious specialist who is believed to travel between or
have connection with human and spirit worlds
•provides guidance and wisdom to leaders.
•Believed to hold the powers of spirit control, divination,
healing, and communicating with the gods.
•Recognized within certain tribal societies as specially gifted
with an ability to communicate with the sacred.
• Preside over ceremonies and other sacred rites.
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How does religion define culture?
How are different religions classified?
How do religions evolve over time?
What is considered sacred in a given religion?
What is the purpose of religion?
How do religions impact social and political
structures?
7. How do different religions interact?