REL 2000 : Exam 1 Notes
Document Summary
Introduction to the academic study of religion (pg. Judaism and christianity: exclusively truths, other religions false, no need to understand others, only one god, protestant reformation, reject pope and catholic tradition. Important contribution: philosophy, focus on logic, strengths and weaknesses of theological claims. Internal logic of religious claims: phenomenology, religion as it exists, rigorous descriptions. That which appears : no whys , no change over time, what people believe, what they do. Interpreting & explaining: insider/outsider debate, can an outsider get it , can an insider get past beliefs, middle ground, accurate descriptions of insider"s emotion, explanatory reduction: explanations that may be unrecognizable, some doubt universal reason. Judge rationality of what is true: requires empathy. 18-31: animism, founder of cultural anthropology, born to quaker family, nonreligious, primitive culture. Interest in primitive cultures: most famous/influential books, cultural context, questioning age of earth.
