Board Notes for Chapter One

Reasons for Religion

• mortality, social, artistic, natural wonder
• attempt to control nature
• psychological reasons

monotheism, polytheism, animism

religion: "to join again"

characteristics

• belief system
• community
• central myths
• ritual
• ethics
• emotional experiences
• material expression
• sacredness

transcendent, immanent

pantheism, atheism, agnosticism, nontheism

First Pattern: Beliefs and Practices

• Sacramental
• Prophetic
• Mystical

Second Pattern: Views of World and Life

• sacred
• universe
• nature
• time
• human purpose
• words and scripture
• exclusivism and inclusivism

Third Pattern: Male and Female

dualism

different ways to study religion

reasons to study religion