RLG101H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Essay
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What is ritual: ritual = stuff people do. Not necessarily repeated (e. g. , rite of passage) Many definitions: nye: ritual as (cid:862)(cid:373)ea(cid:374)i(cid:374)gful a(cid:272)tio(cid:374)(cid:863) (p. 133-4) Same action might be meaningful for one person/time/place but not others. Ritual studies: ritual studies challenged academic assumption that religion was only about belief. Actions: crisis in the 1990s (nye p. 148, if so (cid:373)a(cid:374)y thi(cid:374)gs (cid:272)a(cid:374) (cid:271)e (cid:272)alled (cid:862)ritual,(cid:863) is this really a useful term, change in focus: ritual theory used for interpretation, not as description. Ritual theories as tools for critical thinking (interpretation) and not for la(cid:271)elli(cid:374)g as (cid:862)ritual(cid:863) (cid:894)des(cid:272)riptio(cid:374)(cid:895) Old question: (cid:862)is this actio(cid:374) a ritual? (cid:863) New question: (cid:862)what does this actio(cid:374) (cid:373)ea(cid:374)? (cid:863)
