mrs. lord · people throughout the ages have turned to religion one aspect of the religious impulse...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Grade 11 World ReligionsMrs. Lord
IcebreakerYour job is to take a few minutes to come up with something unique about yourself on an index card. The challenge is that nobody else in the group can say the same thing. For example, saying “I am smart” won’t cut it for this game, because chances are that someone else will also say “I am smart.”
The trick to this game is to be as specific as possible. The more specific you are in the language used to describe yourself, the easier time you will have being unique.
Lessons LearnedWhen we talk about religion, or religious groups we often use general, blanket non-specific statements to describe people and their beliefs.
We often make claims about Christians, Jews, Muslims etc. that fall easily into stereotypes.
Our job in this course is to study groups of religions, but also not lose sight of the fact that the people who practice them are unique individuals.
What is Religion? What Is It For? Why Does it Exist?
● Ligion is related to the Latin word legare which means “to bind” or “to connect”
Re-ligion then, refers somehow to the process of re-binding or re-connecting
● There is an assumption that an unconnecting must have happened, and that as a consequence, re-connecting is necessary.
Universality of ReligionThe universality of religion suggests that the need to repair some kind of basic brokenness is present among all peoples; a striving for a sense of wholeness or completeness.
What Mysteries are Examined by Religion?
● Who am I?
● What is right and wrong?
● Why am I here?
● Is there an afterlife?
● How did we come to be?● How do I fit in?
● Do our lives have meaning?
● What do I believe?
● Who/What is God?
● How do I relate to others?
Why Do We Study Religion?
● To examine the big questions in life
● To understand that religion is at the core of the human experience
● To discover/know what your own personal religious beliefs are
● To recognize the value of religion
Why Do We Study Religion?
● To understand the relationship between faith and culture
● To identify the values that contribute to the moral decisions that we make
● To develop a more spiritual perspective on life
● To understand the meaning and value of human freedom
The Common Features of Religion
● People throughout the ages have turned to Religion
● One aspect of the religious impulse is to recoil from something (i.e. fear) and
another is a search or quest for something better, unattainable
● We have both physical needs and needs beyond the material world - reality
beyond our five senses
● Many factors may lead is to religion
Why is Religion Practiced?
FEAR
Why is Religion Practiced?
WONDER
Why is Religion Practiced?
QUESTIONING
Why is Religion Practiced?
IDENTITY
Why is Religion Practiced?
INTUITION
Why is Religion Practiced?
Understanding Religion and CultureReligion and Ethnicity
● Religion is concerned with beliefs, rituals, and practices● Ethnicity refers to a person’s origins, race or culture but not necessarily to
their religion
Understanding Religion and CultureReligion and Popular Culture
● Easy to confuse the beliefs and practices of a religion with what we see in pop culture
● Pop culture is infused with stereotypical images, often negative in tone and inaccurate
● Through pop culture, the essential beliefs and practices of a religious faith can be lost or altered - e.g. Christmas time times to centre around the hype of the season and tends to lose it’s sacre value.
Searching for Answers...Popular music sometimes deals with concerns and issues that many people face,
including those relating to personal spirituality or ethics. Read/pay attention to
lyrics of the popular song I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by U2, and
answer the following questions:
1. What appears to be the central message of the song?
2. In your view, what is the overall tone of the song?
3. Do you think that many people feel that they “still haven’t found what [they’re]
looking for”?
4. Have you found what you’re looking for? Explain.
Searching for Answers...Popular music sometimes deals with concerns and issues that many people face,
including those relating to personal spirituality or ethics. Read/pay attention to
lyrics of the popular song I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by U2, and
answer the following questions:
1. What appears to be the central message of the song?
2. In your view, what is the overall tone of the song?
3. Do you think that many people feel that they “still haven’t found what [they’re]
looking for”?
4. Have you found what you’re looking for? Explain.
Searching for AnswersPopular music sometimes deals with the human search for meaning, purpose, and an ethical way of living. Consider the following lyrics….
I have climbed highest mountain I believe in the kingdom comeI have run through the fields Then all the colours will bleed into oneOnly to be with you Well yes I’m still running
I have run You broke the bonds and youI have crawled Loosed the chainsI have scaled these city walls Carried the crossThese city walls Of my shameOnly to be with you You know I believed itBut I still haven’t found what I’m looking for But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
U2 employs Christian language of breaking bonds, the kingdom of God and the cross of Jesus Christ to describe the search for meaning and purpose.
Chapter 1: World Religions and Religious Pluralism Song Assignment
Task:
1. Find an example of a popular song or poem that deals with religious themes which address the question of life’s meaning or the human search for God. Write or copy the lyrics.
2. In a brief paragraph, offer a thoughtful interpretation of the song and evaluate the song’s questions and answers. How does it describe the human person? What are its answers to the search?
3. In a second paragraph, describe how the song reflects or differs from your own approach to life.