Introduction to Religious Studies Prof. Felix Just, S.J. Western Religions Overview

Faith and Belief 4 Nouns: “faith; trust, confidence” –Confidence in someone/something: She has faith in her doctor. –A belief in a supernatural power: Have faith! He lost his faith. –A religious system or institution: The Christian faith. The Jewish faith. 4 Verbs: “to believe; to have faith, to trust” (trans. & intrans.) –To accept something as real or true: I believe this story. –To affirm a statement or assertion: I believe (that) she will come soon. –To grant someone veracity or trust: I believe you; I believe in you. –To assert the value of something: I believe in democracy. –To have spiritual or religious faith. I believe.

Faith and Believing 4 Word Derivations (from Latin): – fides = “faithfulness, firmness”; fidere = “to trust” Cf. English: fidelity; infidel; confident, etc. – credere = “to believe”; credo = “I believe” Cf. English: credible, credence, incredulous, credit, etc. 4 Scripture Texts on Faith/Believing: – Judaism: Gen 15:5-6; Josh 24:14-15 – Christianity: Heb 11:1; John 3:16 – Islam: Qur’an 10:99-100; 8:2-4

Types of Belief in God(s) – lots of “isms” 4 Theism, Atheism 4 Agnosticism, Gnosticism 4 Deism, Pantheism 4 Polytheism, Paganism/Heathenism 4 Henotheism, Monotheism 4 Trinitarianism (vs.Tri-Theism) 4 Others? 4 Hint: Learn these in pairs or groups of similar terms.

Types of Belief in God (I) 4 Theism –Belief in the existence of a God or any gods –The generic term, of which other –isms are subcategories 4 Atheism –The opposite: Belief that God and/or gods do “ not exist ” 4 Agnosticism –“ Not knowing ” whether God exists; overall non-belief 4 Gnosticism –A religious system that believes salvation comes through “knowledge” (Gk. gnosis ) of one’s divine origin and destiny

Types of Belief in God (II) 4 Deism –Belief that God created the world, but no longer influences it Based on 18 th -century rationalism (e.g. Thomas Jefferson) 4 Pantheism –Belief that divinity is “everywhere” / in “everything” (Gk. pan ) Whole universe is divine; but there is no “God” apart from the world 4 Polytheism –Belief in the existence of “many” (Gk. poly ) gods Egyptians & Mesopotamians: many gods, often in animal form Greek & Romans: large family of gods, on Mount Olympus

4 Monotheism –Belief in the existence of “only one” (Gk. monos ) God What others call “gods” are at most spirits, but not divine –Jews and Muslims believe in one God: God is an indivisible unity; “no associates or partners” –Christians believe in one God, who is a “Trinity” One divine “nature” in three divine “persons” –Father (Creator), Son (Jesus), Holy Spirit “Trinitarianism” = “Trinitarian Monotheism” – not the same as “Tri-theism” (belief in 3 different gods) Types of Belief in God (III)

Types of Belief in God (IV) 4 Henotheism –Allegiance to “one” (Gk. hen ) god over the others All nations have their own “gods”; “Our god is better than your gods” Assumes polytheistic worldview, but monotheistic worship 4 Paganism / Heathenism –All religions outside of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Popular connotation is negative : unbelievers, hedonists, etc. Academic meaning is neutral : all non-monotheistic religions

Identifying God (Titles & Names) : 4 Generic Titles: –God / god, Deity, Divine Power, El, Elohim, Allah, etc. –Father, Mother, Creator, Lord, King, etc. 4 Proper Names: –Jewish: YHWH (Yahweh? Jehovah?); Ya/Ja –Mesopotamian: Asherah, Baal; Ishtar, Marduk, Tiamat, etc. –Egyptian: Aten, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Ra, Seth, Thoth, etc. –Greco-Roman / Olympian: Zeus=Jupiter; Athena=Diana; etc.

Talking about God (Philosophically) : 4 God is Absolute (positive & negative) : –ALL: omnipotent (all powerful) ; omniscient (all knowing) ; omnipresent (everywhere) ; omni-benevolent (all merciful) –NOT: invisible (not seen) ; immutable (unchanging) ; immortal (not dying) ; infinite (not limited) ; etc. 4 Language is Limited (analogies & opposites) : –God is transcendent (beyond) & immanent (internal) –So God-talk is possible, but always analogical / inadequate – Both/And Approach: via positiva & via negativa

Classifying World Religions: 4 Major Categories: –“Eastern” & “Western” & “Local” & New” Religions 4 Best term for Judaism, Christianity, Islam: –"Religions of the Book"? –"Monotheistic Religions"? –"Religions of Abrahamic Origin"? –"Religions of Judaic Origin"? –"Religions of Near Eastern Origin"? –Advantages & Drawbacks of each of these?

The Three Western Religions (and their sub-branches) 4 Judaism (ca. 15 Million) –Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist 4 Christianity (ca. 2.1 Billion) –(Eastern) Orthodox: Greek; Russian; Armenian; etc. –(Roman) Catholic: Latin, Byzantine, and other “rites” –(Western) Protestant: many “churches/denominations” 4 Islam (ca. 1.3 Billion) –Suni; Shi’ite; [ Sufi ]

The Three Western Religions ( religion / members / adj. // Book // founder, leaders ): 4 Judaism / Jews / Jewish – TaNaK (Hebrew Bible, esp. Torah) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) -- 2nd mill. BC/BCE Moses, David, prophets, priests, kings 4 Christianity / Christians / Christian – Bible (Old Testament & New Testament) Christ Jesus -- 1st century AD/CE Peter & Paul, apostles, evangelists, bishops 4 Islam / Moslems / Muslim & Islamic – Qur’an (or Koran) Prophet Muhammad -- 7th century AD/CE Caliphs ("successors"), Imams ("leaders")

Summary / Review 4 Types of Belief in God (“-isms”) –Theism vs. Atheism vs. Agnosticism –Deism vs. Pantheism –Polytheism & Paganism –Henotheism vs. Monotheism (and Trinitarianism) 4 Western / Monotheistic Religions: –Common Core: Faith/Belief in One God! –Differences: Judaism / Christianity / Islam?