Rituals Symbols and Purpose.

Rituals Symbols and Purpose

Ceremony dedicated to Confucius
1. What is a ritual? Brainstorm… Ceremony dedicated to Confucius Tibetan Sky Burial

Hindu Ritual - Thaipusam
Hindu Funeral Ceremony

Rituals Watch the following slides and note the common elements considering the question: What is a ritual?

Rituals in World Religions Unit
What rituals are important to Australian society and culture and why? How significant is a particular ritual to adherents of a particular faith? To what extent are differences within particular religious traditions the result of doctrine or practice? How do groups pass on their beliefs and traditions?

Rituals in World Religions
Brainstorm your own definition of ritual. Brainstorm some components of a ritual.

Read the Introduction to ‘Ritual’ on page 26 of your textbook. In pairs write a more informed definition of “ritual”.

Rituals: Use signs, symbols, dramatic actions to invoke feelings of belonging and transition. They enact belief through celebration, sharing, obedience, submission, purification and movement bridging belief and practice.

Rituals communication on 2 levels:
Between people and their god or higher being Between the individual and fellow believers Rituals demonstrate that religion is not just about what adherents believe but about what they do to practice and enhance their belief.

Reading and Notetaking:
Handout - The Variety of Ritual Behaviour: Day-to-Day Rituals ‘Special Occasion’ Rituals Ritual in Society (Answer Questions) Ritual: What’s it all About? What are the five ways a ritual can be described?

Ritual can be described as:
A formal ceremony (shaking hands, marriage) Concerned with personal and social relations (greetings, saluting, waving flags) So a group or society may express and strengthen its beliefs and organization (funeral/burial rituals, ten commandments) An outward behavior which expresses an inner intention (kneeling, praying) May be a re-enactment of a myth (Babylonian Akitu, New Year ritual, re-enacts creation myth)

Questions: When does a repetitive action become a ritual? Give an example of a personal ritual and a public ritual. A character from a P.D James novel lists football, shopping and music as replacing religion in contemporary society. Choose one of these and describe one of its rituals. Consider the different parts or elements of the ritual in your description. Read a description of a religious ritual in your textbooks before you answer this question.

Approaches to Rituals

Secular Ritual Religious Ritual Deeper Meaning of Ritual Symbolic actions and objects

The Need for Ritual Food – ritual killing of animals, hunting
Eg. Ainu (Japan), North American Indian Tribe bear rituals Warmth/Shelter – Bolivian Witches’ Market Companionship – daily social rituals (movies) Communication - Catholic Communion Purification – Hindu Kumb Melha Festival Pacification – Funeral / Burial Hindu Ceremony Maintain Order – Initiation Ceremonies Indigenous Australians

What kinds of rituals? Rites of passage: North American girls’ ‘Coming of Age’ Crisis Celebration Worship

Rites of Passage A ritual marking a time when the status of an individual changes: ritual dramas of birth, initiation, marriage and death: largely individual oriented Non-recurrent. Anticipated. Bar Mitzvah Graduation 21st Birthday

Calendrical Rites Cyclical Organised by community
Turning points of socio-economic seasons Eg. New Year ritual: Group oriented Recurrent – linking people with social world Anticipated with entrances and exits.

Diwali Diwali is certainly one of the biggest, brightest and most important festivals of India. While Diwali is popularly known as the "festival of lights". The celebration of Diwali as the "victory of good over evil" refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance. While the story behind Diwali and the manner of celebration of the festival differ greatly depending on the region, the essence of the festival remains the same - the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness.

Crisis Rites Rituals performed at times of hardship (sickness, drought, flood, social anxiety)

Celebration Celebrates special events and dates (Christmas)

Worship Rituals that worship a God or Gods. Usually involves some kind of prayer.

Lovat Read pg. 27 – Beginning, Middle, End approach - 5 steps

Structure of Ritual: Terence Lovat
Entry: Leave the ordinary world and enter the ritual Preparation: Preparatory rite/activity Climax: Experience of a central highpoint Celebration: Joins in a celebration of the ritual Return: Leaves the ritual and returns to ordinary world

Structure of Haka (during a football match)
The performing of the Haka The crowd and the team celebrate Get into formation Find positions for kick off Walk onto field

Task Think of a secular ritual and a religious ritual.
Complete Lovat’s pyramid for the two rituals

Arnold van Gennep: Read Pg 26 Text
Mainly for rites of passage rituals (a ritual where someone transitions from one stage of life to another) Pre-liminal: Separating from the previous life Liminal: Transitioning from one stage to another Post-liminal: A new status or state of life

Gennep Example for a surgical operation:

Task Break down the crocodile skin ritual into the three phases.
Pre-liminal: Separating from the previous life Liminal: Transitioning from one stage to another Post-liminal: A new status or state of life

Task Break down this transition into the following three phases.
Going from Primary school to High school

Victor Turner Text p.26 3 Meanings:
Exegetical (subjective) – explained by person performing the ritual Operational (objective) – observable by the outsider; purpose of the ritual in society Positional – symbols used & relationships between them.

Liminality: Looks at what different people experience in the liminal phase

Questions: Why do you think there have been attempts throughout history to deny a role for ritual in religion? Why do you think religion invests so much energy into ritual? Define in your own words the following group rituals and give examples: Totemic Calendrical Ceremonial Rites of Passage Crisis Rites

Discussion Questions 15 mins: Australia is a secular society. Hitler replaced one religion (Christianity) with another religion (German Nationalism). Powerful people in Australian society seek to promote consumerism, individualism and capitalism which supplants our established religions. List some reasons why manipulators of ritual promote religious feeling. It is dangerous to study a ritual separate from its religious system.

Rituals Symbols and Purpose.

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Rituals Symbols and Purpose.

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