1. Hecho Religioso y Fe Cristiana
Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca
Facultad de Informática
Año Académico
2º Semestre
Thomas A. Kilbride

2. Defining Religion
The meeting-point of the instinctive human capacities for transcendence, relationality and awareness of the “Beyond”… A provisional definition? Religion is: “The human response – drawing on whole self, rational and non-rational, experiential and imaginative - to the felt existence of something “beyond” oneself, a power or Being which is the source of all existence, which gives shape and meaning to one’s relations with others in the present but which also transcends time and place, offering and enabling a sense of belonging to a community of the past and at the same time open to future generations, learning from the wisdom of the past, celebrating the promise of future well-being and providing a view of present living which shapes and gives direction to one’s life.

3. Describing Religion Phenomenology of Religion
R. Ninian Smart ( )
The Seven Dimensions of Religion
Mythic & Narrative
Doctrinal & Philosophical
Ethical & Legal
Practical & Ritual
Emotional & Experiential
Social & Institutional
Material

4. Describing Religion Phenomenology of Religion
Juan de Sahagún Lucas (UPSA) ( )
Interpretación del Hecho Religioso (1982)
“Rasgos Esenciales de lo Religioso”
Dynamic Character (Carácter dinámico)
Emotional Character (Carácter emocional)
Mystical Character (Carácter místico)
Doctrinal Character (Carácter doctrinal)
Collective/Ecclesial Character (Carácter colectivo-eclesial)
Immanent/Transcendent Character (Carácter inmanente-trascendente)

5. Describing Religion Religions in history Types… By Character
a) Prophetic
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Zoroastrianism
- later religious movements: e.g. Mormonism

6. Describing Religion Religions in history Types… By Character
b) Mystical / Wisdom
- Hinduism
- Jainism
- Taoism
- Buddhism
- Shinto

7. Describing Religion
Religions in history Types… 2) By Approach to the Sacred a) Transcendent Theism Polytheisms Monotheisms b) Cosmocentrism Pantheisms Anthropocentric systems

8. Describing Religion Religions in history 2) By Approach to the Sacred
a) Transcendent Theism
Polytheisms
Ancient & Classical Religions
“Teluric” and “Uranic” systems and elements
Hinduism
Monotheisms
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Zoroastrianism (dualist)
Sikhism

9. Describing Religion Religions in history 2) By Approach to the Sacred
b) Cosmocentrism
Pantheisms
Animism
(Taoism)
Natural religions
Anthropocentric systems
Buddhism

10. Describing Religion Pre-History Burial practices
- rituals concerning death?
- awareness of mourning?
- belief in after-life?
- symbolic communication?
Preservation of animal skulls
- practical?
- ritual? celebration?

11. Describing Religion Pre-History Art / Structures
- magic: “shamanic” figures
- fertility: “venus” figurines
- hunting & nature (blessing & thanksgiving?)
Calendar / Sun & Moon
- practical?
- ritual? celebration?

14. Describing Religion Ancient Near Eastern Religions Polytheistic
(eg El, Ba’al, Asherah, Ea, Tiamat, Marduk, )
Anthropomorphic
Each deity had his/her own “realm”
Mythic
Gilgamesh (Sumeria), Creation myths, “Ennuma Elish” (Babylon)
Local / Tribal
Temple, shrine, warfare…

15. Describing Religion Ancient Near East Religions
“El” or “Enlil”- The Creator, The God Beyond
El Shaddai
El Elyon
El Elohim
“Ba’al” (Babylon: “Marduk”) – God of the Storm, the Cosmos
The God over nature
(sometimes) Originator of humanity