Dimensions of Religions

Dimensions of Religions

Religion involves some acknowledgement of the supernatural.
Therefore: communism/utilitarianism are NOT religions
Various dimensions of religious beliefs
-Agentic VS. Communal
-Agentic: free agent.
-Connection with God on a personal level
-e.g. Jesus died for MY sins
-Communal
-Connection with God on a community level
-e.g. Covenant made by God with the Israelites
-Catholicism: relatively communal
-Catholics have agentic aspects because of the personal connection with God. However they also have communal aspects---> communion, confession, etc
-Vertical VS Horizontal
-Vertical: Primary obligation to God
-Horizontal: Primary obligation to other people
-10 commandments
-Some vertical: There is only one God, Thou shall not take the lord's name in vain
-Some horizontal: Thou shall not kill, thou shall not bear false witness, etc
-Particularistic VS ecumenical
-Particularistic: There is one true faith and only those in those faiths will ascend to heaven
-Ecumenical: All religions are equally valid
-Priestly VS Prophetic
-Tension between a religious tradition and the dominant religious culture
-Priestly: No particular difficulty between religious and secular authority
-Church and state are on the same side
E.g. Israel: Not a theocracy, however base legitimacy on religion
-Prophetic: Critical of secular authority and culture
-"In the world but not of it"
-Religious based revolutions
-Theodicy: theory of evil
-Provides an answer as to why "bad things happen to good people"
-Original sin of Adam and Eve
-Comfort VS Challenge
-Humans=inherently sinful
-Comfort: Yes, humans are sinful but God loves us and he will help us
-Challenge: We are sinful and that is difficult