CHARACTERISTICS OF RITUALS Religious Studies 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF RITUALS

RITUALS vs. ROUTINES RITUAL Full of deeper meanings Concern the process, not the end result Breaks through the boredom of daily schedule ROUTINE Empty of a deeper meaning Are done to provide a physical result Contributes to the boredom of the daily schedule

JOURNAL QUESTION: Describe the last good Birthday Party that you went to. (Maybe it was your own.) What made it a good party? Why was it memorable?

1. Movements & Meaningful Gestures Rituals involve movements and gestures that convey meaning They have meaning beyond the literal actions Examples:

2. Repeated Actions Rituals are often repeated The RITUAL is repeated, not necessarily the SAME PEOPLE do it every time Examples: Visiting a gravesite Anniversaries

3. Symbolic Celebrations The celebration is symbolic, all of which include the following: MUSIC PHYSICAL SYMBOLS ENVIRONMENT Example: Running water to symbolize rebirth

4. Connected to Important Events Rituals celebrate special occasions Usually connected to our “firsts” Examples: Birthdays Anniversaries

5. Include Significant Words Words usually support the action Too many words detract from the ritual Examples: Toasts Prayers

6. Links to the Past Rituals link people with the past Links to the past remind people of who they are Examples: Fourth of July Thanksgiving

7. Communal Actions They involve a whole group of people at once People celebrate a common identity Example: Mass The Pledge of Allegiance

8. Require Participation The people make the ritual happen Participation increases when understanding is high Example: Doing “The Wave” Singing “Happy Birthday”

JOURNAL QUESTION: Evaluate the school Mass today in light of the 8 Characteristics of a Good Ritual. Specifically, Identify at least two characteristics that it embodied really well Identify one characteristic that could have been addressed to make it even better. Explain.