relg 110 sg 3-4

The Sacred Re-Valued

1. Who is Mircea Eliade and what did you learn about his life and background?

1. What is something that Eliade did differently from the other theorists we have studied so far?

1. What is a hierophany? And how is it connected to the origin of religions?

1. What is an Axis Mundi? And what does it do?

1. How does Eliade understand the differences between the religions of the world?

1. What does it mean to say that Eliade is anti-reductionist?

1. What does Eliade think is missing from modern society? What are we nostalgic for?

1. What is the phenomenology of religion and how has it shaped the field of Religious Studies?

The Rise of Inclusivistic Religions

1. What is an inclusive religion?

1. What modern and ancient religions qualify as inclusive?

Cao Dai: One Religion Uniting Many Faiths

1. How and where did the Cao Dai faith start?

1. How is the Cao Daith faith syncretistic?

1. What do members of the Cao Dai believe about God?

Module Five Lecture and Readings Packet

1. Guided Lecture Notes:

The Sacred

In regards to the sacred, what connects the religions of the world?

And what distinguishes them from each other (regarding the sacred)?

What are some characteristics of the Abrahamic conception of God?

Could there be a non-religious sacred? What might some examples of that be?

Define the following -theisms:

1. Monotheism

1. Dualism

1. Polytheism

1. Henotheism

1. Pantheism

1. Panentheism

1. Non-theism

1. Atheism

1. Describe the Dao:

1. Describe Brahman:

1. What is comparative theology and how is it different from theology or comparative religion?

1. Who is Francis Clooney and what did he do that was so unique?

1. What is the goal of interfaith or inter-religious dialogue?

Guided Reading Questions

1. How is religious diversity both a benefit and a challenge?

1. Why does Clooney think that comparative theology is so important in our present time?

1. How can studying other religions actually deepen your own faith?

1. How does Alan Watts differentiate the idea of God from the Tao?

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