Concept a: the Nature of a Religious Tradition

Only available on StudyMode
  • Download(s) : 59
  • Published : March 6, 2013
Open Document
Text Preview
Concept A: The Nature of a Religious Tradition

1. What issues are addressed when asking about the human condition? The issues that are addressed when asking about the human condition are: Suffering and our Flaws. When addressing this, we ask ourselves: Why do we suffer? Do we deserve to suffer? These are some examples of questions we ask ourselves, but all religions admit that as humans we make mistakes and suffer. When the issue of our flaws we ask ourselves are we born good or evil? are we a little of both? do we deserve to suffer? -Although sinning and being imperfect is part of our nature, religions usually offer a form of overcoming the suffering or a method to ‘cleanse’ of our sins in order to obtain salvation.

2. What is meant by the notion of salvation described as transcendence? Transcendence is meant by the ‘overcoming the limitations of human condition’. This is good because we are now able to surpass our boundaries and have the ability to connect closer to God because we have been able to let go. We are able to live fully with all the joys and sorrows of life, while being able to maintain stability, union and tranquility with God.

3. What do religions determine by answering the ethical question: What is right and wrong? The basic idea or component of ethics in religion is being able to see and understand what is moral or good in consideration of their religion. Basically is how we are to act while living in this world. The rules that the church implies along to it’s followers is usually a guide to them on how to obtain good morals. For example, the Catholic Church uses the 10 commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai, in which it instructs the people how to live a moral life. The Church and the people uses these guidelines like: Honor your Mother and Father; You shall not kill; you shall not steal; etc. These rules benefit the community since they are enforcing rules that help establish peace and harmony, concepts that are essential in a religious setting.

4. Name some ways that religions perceive the nature of the world Religions tend to look at cosmology when connecting God and the Universe. These help answer questions like: Where does the universe come from? Is there more to this world or is all we know all there is? Science and Religion tend to clash together on this particular topic. Science relies on things you can see, things that can be proven. Religion, on the other hand, believes without facts. They don’t need to see it in order to believe. A memory that comes to mind is when Jesus comes back resurrected and he shows his apostles that didn’t believe he rose from the dead his hands, which had the piercing of the nails. Some apostles needed to see it to believe, and others didn’t. In order to ‘blend’ or combine the two topics together so it can be easily understood or comprehended, the churches or religions use nature or the universe to look at the deeper meanings and find easier ways to describe God. In the Catholic sense, the Burning Bush that appeared to Moses represented God, the bush is part of nature, and God is that bush, meaning God IS nature. It is also the element of fire, which brings warmth, comfort. There is also the experience Buddha had when he was under the Bodhi tree. This was a representation of enlightenment, one of their beliefs in the Buddhist Religion. ALL of these ways are methods we have used in order to connect nature to God.

5. Identify the difference between theistic and nontheistic Religions Theistic religions have believe in one or more Gods, Examples of this are Catholics, which believe in one God, Non Theistic religions do not believe in any Gods. An example of this would be Buddhism; which do not believe in any God. They believe in the enlightenment or the eightfold path. which will be the best or closest form of perfection there is.

6. What are two ways through which revelation of the ultimately take place? The teachings of most churches tries to...
tracking img