the major religions prof. t. patrick burke. introduction seriousness and frivolity the significance...
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The Major Religions
Prof. T. Patrick Burke
Introduction
Seriousness and Frivolity
The Significance of Religion?The spiritual dimension of human life.SoulMeaningAnalysis and DiagnosisHegel
Introduction, cont’d.
The Families of ReligionsIndian: Hinduism, Buddhism, (Jainism), Sikhism
The SelfChinese: Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese
BuddhismNature
Semitic: Judaism, Christianity, IslamGod and Revelation
Introduction, cont’d.
Places of Worship
Belief and Action
Some CategoriesUniversal and Particular
Mystical and EthicalSelf- and Other-PowerPersonal and Civil
Introduction, cont’d.
Value JudgementsThe Phenomenological ApproachCurrent Debate: Commitment v. AnthropologyOur Approach in this Course
Description, Suspension, DiscussionGender and Class: Equality and the Middle Class.
Introduction, cont’d
Test Questions:Arrange the major religions in their families.What is meant by a “universal” religion?What is meant by a religion of “self-liberation”?What is the “phenomenological” approach?
What are the reasons for and against it?
Part I: Religions of Indian Origin
Hinduism
Buddhism
Jainism (not covered in this course)
Sikhism
Hinduism
The Spirit of HinduismThe story of Narada and Vishnu
The Hindu View of LifeThe presence of the divine
Pre-Vedic Religion: Harappa
Hinduism
Vedic ReligionThe AryansThe Vedas
Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva.The Vedic Gods
Indra, Agni, Varuna, RtaSacrifice (yajna)Brahman, the Power of the Sacrifice
Hinduism
The Upanishads Brahman, the highest Reality
Nirguna BrahmanThe Atman or SelfThe Atman is identical with Brahman
The True Self and the Apparent Self
Hinduism, cont.
MonismReincarnationThe Law of KarmaThe Cycle of Birth and DeathMoksha, LiberationThe Path of Sacred Knowledge,
Meditation and Asceticism
Hinduism, cont.
The Later Upanishads: PersonalizationSaguna Brahman: With AttributesIshvara, the LordMayaYoga
Hinduism, cont.
Classical HinduismThe Epics, Maha-bharata, RamayanaThe PuranasVishnu and Shiva (and Brahma)Shakti: the Goddess
Parvati, Durga, KaliYoni and lingam
Hinduism, cont.
LakshmiSarasvatiGaneshaPolytheism and MonotheismPuja
Darshana
Hinduism, cont.
The Four Varnas, or ClassesThe Aryan or Twice-born, the Sacred ThreadBrahminsKshatriyasVaishyasSudrasOutcastes, Untouchables
Hinduism, cont.
The Many Jatis, or CastesRestrictions on:
FoodMarriageOccupation
Hinduism, cont.
The Four Ends of ManDharma, Caste Duty
Sadharana DharmaArtha, PowerKama, PleasureMoksha, Liberation
Hinduism, cont.
The Four Ashramas, or Stages of LifeBrahmacarin, the celibate studentGrihastha, the householderVanaprastha, the forest-dwellerSannyasin
Sadhus
Hinduism, cont.
Bhakti Hinduism: The life of devotionThe Bhagavad-gitaKarma yoga
“Do the work for the sake of the work…”Bhakti, devotion to the Supreme Lord
Vishnu: Krishna and RamaShiva
Hinduism, cont.
Hindu Ethics:Class and Caste DutiesUniversal Duties
Ahimsa, non-violenceNo doctrine of unjust warBut rules for conduct of war
Hinduism, cont.
Modern DevelopmentsGandhi
Non-violent protest, civil disobedience, political independence (1947)Class and Caste outlawed, but preservedPartition: creation of Pakistan for MuslimsRejection of Capitalism, and Return to it.Hindutva: militant Hindu nationalism
Test, Hinduism
1. Identify: Indra, Agni, Varuna, Rta, Vishnu, Shiva, Sarasvati, Kali.
2. Explain briefly what is meant by: Brahman, Atman, maya, moksha, samsara, yoga.
3. Summarize in one or two sentences the worldview of the Upanishads.
4. What are the Four Ends of Man?5. What are the Four Varnas?
Test, Hinduism, cont.
6. What is the chief message of the Bhagavad-Gita?
Buddhism
The Mustard SeedThe Buddhist View of Life: Transience "Do not cherish the unworthy desire
that the changeable might become unchanging.“
Siddhartha Gautama of the ShakyasThe Four Passing SightsThe Great Going ForthThe Great Awakening
Buddhism, cont.
Theravada Buddhism The Four Noble Truths Dukkha: Suffering Tanha: Craving Nirvana: Extinction Marga: The Path
Buddhism, cont.
The Eightfold Path Right Understanding Right Thought Right Speech, Conduct, Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration
Buddhism, cont.
The Ten Precepts Five and FiveMonks and LaityThe Three JewelsBuddhist Theory Impermanence, Anicca No Self, Anatta
Buddhism, cont.
The Five Aggregates Matter Sensations Perception Mental Formations Consciousness
Buddhism, cont.
The Doctrine of Dependent Origination
Rebirth
The Many Buddhas
Buddhism, cont.
Mahayana Buddhism The Bodhisattva Nirvana and Samsara The Eternal Buddha Emptiness, Sunyata Grace v. Merit Meditation
Buddhism, cont.
Devotional Buddhism Some Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara,
Maitreya The Threefold Body of the Buddha The historical Buddha Faith The Sangha Festivals
Buddhism, cont.
Buddhist Ethics Compassion for suffering Care for life, including commerce Rejection of justice, just war. Modern Developments Little affected by science,
democracy, capitalism Neo-Buddhism
Religions of Chinese Origin
Harmony with Nature Human Nature: Confucianism Cosmic Nature: Taoism
Buddha Nature and Cosmic Nature: Chinese Buddhism
Traditional Chinese Religion
Spirit: Sacrifice offered to spirits of ancestorsby the son.
Civil religion, for the good of the community. rather than personal.
A function of the head of the community: father, king (son of ancestors).
Nearest thing to a priesthood: the ju, the learned.
Traditional Chinese Religion
Shang Dynasty, 1500-1100 BC.Aristocracy and peasantry.AncestorsSpirits: kuei and shen.Gods: the T’u Ti
the celestial administration;once human beings.
Traditional Chinese Religion
Shang dynasty cont.Ti.Divination.Ritual, Li.Power, Te.
Traditional Chinese Religion
Chou Dynasty, 1100-500 BC.Shang Ti, the high God.Heaven, T’ien.The Mandate of Heaven, T’ien Ming.Virtue, Te.Filial piety, Hsiao.The Son of Heaven, T’ien Tzu.
Traditional Chinese Religion
Period of the Warring States, 500-221 BC.CalamitiesShang Ti, replaced by Heaven, T’ien.The Five Classics:
ChangesHistoryPoetryRitualSpring and Autumn Annals.
Confucianism
Confucius and the TigerThe Confucian View of Life: Human-
heartedness.K’ung Fu Tzu, 552-479 BC.
Poor but well educated.Teachings compiled by his followers.Response to barbarization: virtue, character.Religious ethics.
Confucianism, cont.
The Four Books:Analects The Doctrine of the MeanThe Great LearningMencius
HeavenThe Goodness of Human Nature
Confucianism, cont.
Tao, the WayChun-tzu, the Noble ManRen, Human-heartednessI, JusticeHsiao and T’i, Filial Piety and Brotherly
LoveThe Five RelationshipsLi, the Rules of Good Behavior
Confucianism, cont.
Shu, Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Chung, ConscientiousnessTe, the Power of VirtueHo, harmonyThe MeanThe Rectification of NamesTheory of Government: the Person of the
Ruler
Confucianism, cont.
The Destiny of ManYang and YinModern Developments:
Banned under Communism on MainlandMaintained in Taiwan, Hong Kong, SingaporeCan it foster democracy?Can it foster free markets?
Taoism
The Spirit of Taoism: Who knows what is ‘good’?
Harmony with Cosmic Nature.Lao Tzu and Chuang TzuTao, the Way of NatureWu, Non-being, EmptinessSpontaneityImpartial, not humane
Taoism, cont.
The Relativity of ValuesOur ordinary values are conventional, and relative to their opposites. Beauty implies ugliness.The cosmos does not share our human values.
Wu Wei: Inactive Action.The Man of TaoGovernment should be minimal.Taoism and the arts.
Taoism, cont.
Other forms of Taoism:In addition to Philosophical Taoism, there is also Popular Taoism,which aims to produce health, wealth and long life through rituals.
Chinese Buddhism
The Spirit of Chinese BuddhismParadox
The Chinese Buddhist View of Life:Personal ReligionA Fusion of Indian Buddhism and TaoismThe place of the Tao is taken by the Buddha- nature.
Meditational and Devotional
Chinese Buddhism
Meditational: Ch’an (Zen in Japan)Meditation is the path to enlightenment.The Buddha and the LotusBodhidharma
Seeking the Buddha in One’s Own HeartA Special Transmission outside the
ScripturesNo Dependence on Words or Letters
Chinese Buddhism
Meditation: Overcoming the sense of individual identity distinct from the world.Seeing our innermost nature as the Buddha- nature.
Sudden vs. Gradual EnlightenmentLin Chi
Shock therapy, kung an (koan).Tsao Tung Reason and argument
Chinese Buddhism
Enlightenment not our doing.No objective change.
Spontaneity and the arts.
Devotional Chinese BuddhismFar greater numbersThe Pure LandKuan Yin
Religions of Semitic Origin
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
God Personal, all-powerful, -knowing, -good.
CreationRevelation, in writingJudgement
Israelite Religion
Spirit: David, Uriah, NathanOrigins: Unification of hill tribes.
Captivity in Egypt? Exodus? Torah in Babylon
Ethical MonotheismCivil religion, for this worldThe Law
Israelite Religion
God and CreationInitial henotheismPluralistic, not monistic
Salvific HistoryBeginning, middle, end
The CovenantThe Law of Moses
Israelite Religion
The TorahSacrifice, purificationCivil law
PriestsProphets
Sin and punishmentJeremiah: individual instead of collective responsibility
Israelite Religion
538 B.C.: Incorporation into the Persian EmpireZoroastrianism
Battle between Good and EvilJudgement, Paradise and hell, AngelsThe Messiah to comeDiaspora
Israelite Religion
The Synagogue SystemStudy, prayerThe Oral Torah
Israelite Religion
Religious DiversitySadducees, traditional pre-Persian beliefs
civil religion, sacrificesPharisees, Persian: personal religionScribes of both (> Rabbis)Essenes, monasticImminent MessianismZealots
Rabbinic Judaism
The Story of Rabbi EisikThe Revolts of 70, 135 AD.
Diaspora, Roman CitizenshipElimination of Diversity
Christianization of the Roman EmpireConstantine, Theodosius
Changed political circumstances of the Jewish people
The Oral Law, Fences, > Talmud Mishnah + Gemara
Enlargement of Torah
Rabbinic Judaism
Transformation of Jewish religionEnd of sacrificesEnd of special law enforcementFestivals now religiousTemple replaced by Synagogue and Family
ContinuitiesPharisaic conception of universal GodTraditional Faith
Rabbinic Judaism
An Ethnic ReligionThe Holy Days
SabbathRosh HashanahYom KippurSukkotHanukaPurimPassover (Pesach)Pentecost (Shavuot)
Rabbinic Judaism
Rites of PassageCircumcision Bar MitzvahShiva and Sheloshim
KashrutTallit, Tefillin, Mezuzah, KippahThe Divine Name: Yahweh and Adonai
Rabbinic Judaism
KabbalahHasidismBranches of Modern Judaism
OrthodoxReformedConservativeReconstructionist
Rabbinic Judaism
Ashkenazim and SephardimThe HolocaustThe Land of Israel
Conflict with PalestiniansJewish Ethics
Orthodox: HalakhahOthers: Socialist, “Liberal”Neo-conservatives
Islam
600, 622 A.D.The Spirit of Islam: Voice of the MuezzinLanguages: Urdu, from India, and
ArabicView of Life: God, Submission, SalvationBefore Islam: polytheism, spirits, jinn
Allah the high but not only God Christianity, Judaismhanifs
Islam
Mohammed 570-632MeccaTravel to DamascusRevelations (see Hadith)KoranHegira, 622Medina
Islam
The Return to Mecca, 630The Death of Mohammed, 632Expansion of Islam into Persian,
Roman EmpiresThe Status of Mohammed: Seal of the
ProphetsSunna (custom) and Hadith (report)
Islam
Doctrines of Islam:One God: There is no God but AllahAngels, jinnCorrection of text: not precisely “fallen” Prophets and Scriptures
Islam views itself as the original religionResurrection and JudgementPredestination
Islam
Shari’ah: the LawThe Five Pillars of Islam
Shahadah: confession of FaithSalat: public prayerZakat: almsgivingSawm: fastingHajj: pilgrimage to Mecca
Islam
Jihad, internal and externalPolytheists: conversion or deathPeople of the Book, tolerated: Jews,
Christians, Hindus, Zoroastrians.Ritual ImpurityCircumcisionThe Organization of Islam: Ulama
Islam
Islam and Society: union of religion and politics
Sunni and Shiite: the problem of the succession, and so of authority. Abu Bakr v. Ali
Shiite Islam: the redemptive sacrifice of Husayn, 10th of Muharramsaviorism, philosophy
SufismIslamic Ethics
Christianity
An Incident in the TempleThe Christian View of Life
Two RootsJewish MonotheismThe Graeco-Roman world
The Humanity of GodGod as Father
Christianity
The Jewish Community in Jesus’ TimePharisees
Universal GodFuture LifeOral Law
SadduceesGod of the Jewish PeopleProsperity of the Jewish People in
this life.
Christianity
ScribesScholars of the lawof both Pharisees and Sadducees
EssenesA monastic movement, sort ofCommon property
ZealotsPolitical revolutionaries, in Galilee (the north).
Christianity
The Gentile BackgroundThe Roman Empire
Judaea, GalileeRoman Civic Religion
National, polytheisticThe Mystery Religions
Personal, Participation in the life of the God
Christianity
Jesus of Nazareth in historical perspectiveThe Message of Jesus
The law of Moses must be keptBut it must be interiorizedThe law exists for man, not man for the lawThe Oral Law has no validityNo food is uncleanGod is our FatherThe law is kept fully by loving God and our fellow man
Christianity
The Kingdom of God Ag. the Sadducees, there is a future life for soul and bodyOne day Jesus will return.
The Miracles of Jesus
Christianity
The Message of PaulJesus is the Savior of MankindAll men are sinners, and need redemptionThe Gentiles are immoral and do not know GodThe Jews do not keep God’s lawAll men suffer death, the punishment for sin
Christianity
Jesus saves mankind from sin and deathby his death and resurrection
To become a Christian is to participate in Jesus’death and resurrection
Christianity
The Further Development of ChristianityJewish v. Gentile ChristiansDestruction of Jewish Christianity in 70 AD.Some meanings of terms
“Catholic” = the whole church, as contrasted with the local churchOrganization of the Christian Church
Christianity
The Christian BibleThe Hebrew Bible completed c. 100 ADAccepted by Christians as the Old TestamentBooks of New Testament settled c. 180 ADThe Church superior to the Bible
The Sacramental SystemAt first two, then five others“Ex opere operato”
Christianity
The Church as AuthorityThe Apostolic SuccessionCommunion with the Church in Rome312, Constantine, Christianity
permittedTheodosius, other religions banned
Christianity
The Status of JesusDivine or human?Real body? Real death?Doctrines of Incarnation:
Jesus is one person with two naturesand Trinity
God is one nature in three persons
Christianity
Philosophy and TheologyEvilPurgatoryEast v. WestThe Germanic tribes
Christianity
The ReformationMartin Luther, 1517John Calvin (b. 1509)
Salvation by grace aloneNature and reason are corruptGrace only through ChristSalvation by faith alone
Christianity
Certainty of salvationReduction of the sacramental systemThe church not a divine authority
but the BibleVirtue the consequence of being savedElimination of prayers for the dead.
Christianity
The Reformation ChurchesLutheranCalvinist
PresbyterianCongregationalist
Anglican Methodist
Christianity
The Radical ReformationBaptist
Believers only, by immersionSeparation of church and state,
religious libertyMennonite (Brethren)
Sect v. churchBible alonePacifist
Society of Friends
Christianity
EthicsOld Testament: the Ten CommandmentsNew Testament: love and compassionCatholics: Natural Law (Aquinas)Protestants: diverse. Bible alone; or, Natural Law (Hooker, Locke)
Christianity
Modern DevelopmentsLiberal Christianity
Values rather than faithSocial Justice
Equality v. No Harm
Comparative Analysis
Phenomenological: without value judgements, initially
Evaluational: in terms of some criterion, e.g. consequences
What are the interesting points of comparison?
That is, what are the interesting differences and the interesting agreements?
Comparative Analysis
Aspects of Religions:Faith, Belief, World-viewReligious PracticesEthics, Values
Consequences:Social existence, economics, government, family
Comparative Analysis
Example: Compare and contrast Buddhism and Christianity.
Theravada: Interesting Differences:God v. No Self, ImpermanenceMorality v. psychologyJust war v. pacificism
Similarities: Detachment, humility
Comparative Analysis
Mahayana and ChristianityDifferences: God v. Eternal Buddha-nature
Reality of the Phenomenal world
SimilaritiesSaviorist
Comparative Analysis