REL 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Mircea Eliade, Taoism
Document Summary
Religions have different cosmogonic myths (myths of origin). First scholar to study myths was mircea eliade. Argued that human cultures have split the world into two spheres. Two spheres=sacred (supernatural, extraordinary) and profane (everyday world) In latin, religion means to tie back and to tie again (ties people back to a greater reality and ties people together in community). In 18th century europe, christianity was dominant during the enlightenment. Religion was the basic foundation of life in the 16th century. Symbolic/foundational stories about origins and destiny of human beings and their world. Express religious beliefs of a group; every religion has myths. In christianity, the first chapters of the book of genesis constitute as a myth of origins (cosmogonic). Eschatological myths deal with the end of times. Religions of south asia and the myth of liberation: Life is seen as suffering since it ends in old age, sickness, and death.
