1. Maintaining Continuity of Religious Beliefs in general
The reasons for maintaining continuity of religious beliefs
Factors that can promote action to maintain continuity of these beliefs
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs

2. The Latin word religare, which means “to tie, to bind fast”
relegere, which means “to read over again” or “to recover again.”
All aspects of the tradition, its history, the faith of current adherents and the future of the religion are at stake when maintaining continuity of religious belief.

3. The reasons for maintaining continuity of religious beliefs
PAST
tradere – (tradition) – need to deliver or to hand over the wisdom, doctrine, faith of preceding generations
PRESENT
exercises the faith of contemporary believers as a community
an essential source of meaning and conviction.
Each individual adherent is given pause to consider their actions as part of their religious tradition.
FUTURE
Plans for the development of resources, human and physical
The reasons for maintaining continuity of religious beliefs

4. External factors
scrutiny or criticism
shifting values of the multicultural society
Natural and human-made disasters
Internal factors
Internal scrutiny or criticism or dissent
actions of leadership
Factors that can promote action to maintain continuity of these beliefs

5. Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs
There are 4 approaches to maintaining continuity of belief that are used by religious traditions
Reaffirmation
Application to new circumstances
Reinterpretation
Reformulation of religious beliefs
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs

6. Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 1
Reaffirmation of religious beliefs
restatement of the traditional faith
Strengths
Weakness
consistency of the unchanged message
monotony
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 1

7. Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 2
Application of reaffirmed religious beliefs to new circumstances
ground has shifted leading to restatement of the traditional faith
Strengths
Weakness
Consistency and security of the unchanged message
Ancient faith expressions may be losing relevance or appeal
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 2

8. Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 3
Reinterpretation of religious beliefs
creative hermeneutical (meaning making) process
Strengths
Weakness
Ancient beliefs remain but new situation is addressed more fully
The ancient expression of beliefs can be seen to be under threat by new interpretations – too modern
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 3

9. Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 4
Reformulation of religious beliefs
a creative reworking of the key aspects of the tradition
Strengths
Weakness
The tradition remains relevant to the world
The tradition is seen as too flexible, too accomodating
Approaches to maintaining continuity of religious beliefs 4