100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
logo-home
RST1501 Summary Notes Study Unit 1 R50,00
Add to cart

Summary

RST1501 Summary Notes Study Unit 1

 59 views  0 purchase

Summary Notes on what is religion

Preview 2 out of 10  pages

  • September 13, 2021
  • 10
  • 2021/2022
  • Summary
All documents for this subject (21)
avatar-seller
MissFancyPants97
1.1 What is ‘religion’

Definition 1: Refers to beliefs and practices related to the sacred, which serves to unify its
adherents.

In this definition:

 The ‘sacred’ refers to things, people, places or events ‘set apart’
from the ordinary by a specific group
 ‘beliefs’ include sacred stories (myths) and doctrines
 ‘practices’ include rituals and festivals




 This definition holds the primary function of religion as an institution is to create a collective
identity and to bind adherents together as a unified group.


 Religion may also be used for justifying class, gender and colonial forms of discrimination and
exploitation


 Sacred beliefs, practices and institutions are not innocent and neutral, but embody ethical values,
which are constitutive of contested power relations in society




Definition 2: Religion is a system of ultimate meaning in the sense that it provides an individual
with answers to his/her deepest questions. Central to religion is the sense of a transcendent,
mysterious reality beyond the observable world, in the presence of which and individual
experiences utter awe. An encounter with the holy or sacred thus not only causes the believer to
tremble, but also fascinates him/her profoundly

, Reductionist Essentialist



 Views religions as human constructs, which  Emphasize the substantive content of

should be rationally explained in religious belief in a transcendent

sociological and psychological rather than reality and the profound individual

supernatural terms experience of it, and hold that
sociological and psychological views

 These definitions are also called are reductive when they ignore this

functionalist, since they focus on the absolutely crucial truth of all

functions of religion in society or the religions.

individuals psyche.

The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.

Quick and easy check-out

Quick and easy check-out

You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.

Focus on what matters

Focus on what matters

Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!

Frequently asked questions

What do I get when I buy this document?

You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.

Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?

Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.

Who am I buying this summary from?

Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller MissFancyPants97. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy this summary for R50,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

52355 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now

Start selling
R50,00
  • (0)
Add to cart
Added