1. Humanities
Mid-Term Review
February 6, 2013

2. Study Questions Phenomenology Formation of Judaism’s Belief & Practice
Prothero’s Thesis
Compare & Contrast (2 of following: Hinduism/Buddhism/Confucianism/Daoi sm)

3. What I Look For... Your Grasp of Material
Your Imaginative Response to Material
Your Clear Expression of Ideas, Religious Points of View

4. What’s Awkward Too many quotes from the books
“In my opinion...” (Chit-Chat Tone)
Generalized B.S.

5. Phenomenology
Distinct from the Essentialist, the Functionalist and the Proponent of Family Resemblance Theory-- Phenomena!
Descriptive of objects, rituals, teachings, behavior...
Question of Ontological Truth is set aside

6. Friedrich Schleiermacher
“The essence of religion consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence.”

7. Rudolf Otto
“It is the emotion of a creature, submerged and overwhelmed by its own nothingness in contrast to that which is supreme, above all creatures...”

8. Morality
Holy
Numinous

9. So-Called Civilization

10. Oral Tradition
This
Not This

11. Activities of Ancients
Hunting & Gathering
Farming (Agriculture)
Male & Female
Calendar/Seasons
More Leisure
“Civilization”
Writing (Scribal Tradition)
For Posterity
~3,200 BCE in Mesopotamia
~2,200 BCE in Indus Valley
~ 600 BCE in MesoAmerica
Orality
Generation to Generation
Face to Face

12. Geo-Political Perfect Storm Egypt... Babylon...Persia
Jeremiah 1:14
14:11-16
29:4-7
Around 581 BCE,
Jeremiah Writes About Invasion of Babylon
Jeremiah Tells Exiles to Settle There
Later he is taken to Egypt (contrary to G.)
Writes to those in Exile in Babylon
King Cyrus of Persia Liberates Jerusalem ~ 536 BCE
Jeremiah 42
Jeremiah 50:9
Ezra 1:1

13. Assyrian/Babylonian Literature
Enuma Elish: Creation Story ~2000 BCE
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Flood Story ~2500 BCE

14. Polytheism

15. Imposition of Monotheism
Pharoah Amenophis IV
BCE
Aten, the Sun God

16. The Temples Give Way
Become The Backdrop To Religious Conversation

17. Ancient Rome
The communal religion was related to the basic agricultural economy, and so was dependent upon the Etruscans and others, for Rome developed too late to foster more than the mythology of her own creation. This religion was primarily that of the state, with the city personified as the chief deity. The Romans were aware of the need to accept some foreign gods, especially Greek, into their state-cult, and they modified these deities to fit their functional need (p. 84).

18. Late Antiquity
“If we compare ourselves with other peoples, we appear equal or even inferior, except that of religion, meaning the worship of the gods, in which we are far superior” (Cicero, as quoted on p. 83).

19. Judaism Judaism Does Really Begin At The Beginning
Defining Event is Historical “Exile”
Covenant Relationship with Yahweh
Formation of Distinct People Group
Gift of the Law & Promise of Land

20. Event! Exile/Return Exodus Assyria/Babylon/Persia/Greece/Rome
BCE
2000 BCE
1000 BCE
Exile/Return
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Joseph
Exodus
Creation Stories
Nationhood
Assyria/Babylon/Persia/Greece/Rome

21. Asking Why? Israel = One Who Wrestles with God Rich Oral Traditioning
Tanakh (24 Texts) & Talmud (Commentary)
Schools of Hillel & Shammai...

22. Sabbath & Holidays Sabbath Passover Sukkoth Purim Hanukkah
Rosh Hashanah

23. What’s his point?

24. It is possible to climb life’s mountain from any side, but when the top is reached the trails converge... At the base, in the foothills of theology, ritual, and organizational structure, the religions are distinct. Differences in culture, history, geography, and collective temperament all make for diverse starting points... But...

25. Prothero’s Approach
Problem
Solution
Technique
Exemplar

26. The Ways of... Submission Salvation Propriety Devotion Awakening
Connection
Exile & Return
Flourishing
The Ways of...

27. Hinduism (With No Founder) Grows Out of the Indus River Valley

28. Hinduism Multiplicity of Gods & Goddesses
Three Primary: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
Assorted Avatars & Incarnations
Escape Samsara (Cycle) By Achieving Moksha (Release)

29. Brahma
creator
Vishnu
sustainer
Shiva
destroyer

30. Buddhism ~ Awakening 8 Fold Path Includes Right Understanding
Thought, Action, Speech,
Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration

31. Siddhartha Gautama Born in Southern Nepal 6th Century BCE
Meditation in Bodhgaya, Northern India
Four Noble Truths

32. 4 Noble Truths Life is Suffering Suffering has an Origin
Suffering can be eliminated
The Path is the 8-fold Path

33. Confucius: BCE

34. Confucianism Non-Theistic Wisdom Tradition
Aphorisms, Etiquette and Ritual...
The Honoring of Ancestors
Maintenance of “Status Quo”
Web of Social Relationships

35. Ren is Inward Li is Outward
Which Comes First?

36. The Dao has created things to change spontaneously and without warning
The Dao has created things to change spontaneously and without warning. But the stuff of society--etiquette and ritual, language and thought--molds us, constrains us, freezes us. We build barriers... that chop what was once a unified cosmos... restricting the free movement of the Dao (p )

37. Compare with Confucianism
Ren: Human Heartedness
Li: Ritual & Etiquette
Qi or Chi (Energy)
Jing (Sexual Essence)
Shen (Spirit)

38. I am a natural rather than a social being.

39. Remember: You Are Responsible For Material In Books and In-Class Discussions.

40. For Friday Bring Exam Booklets (Blank) Textbooks Notes/Outlines
You May Not Pre-Write Your Essay Responses