ETST 012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Frits Staal, Appeasement, Arnold Van Gennep
26 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
ETST 012 Lecture 1: Introduction to Religious Myths and Rituals
Lecture 1.1: Introduction to Religious Myth
●Myths: stories that we tell ourselves about
ourselves
○Does NOT mean untrue
●Myths change over time
○People
change myths over time for social and political purposes
○Myths can be shifted and twisted to suit particular ais (intentionally or
unintentionally)
●Myths: situate us in our local and cosmological context (telescope/microscope)
●Myth and ritual have a reciprocal relationship
○Myths inform rituals
○Rituals re-enact myth
●Religion: the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in
harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto
Lecture 1.2: Examples of Myths
●Examples of some myths:
○Exodus narrative in the Torah
○Passion narrative in the Gospels in the New Testament
○The Mahabharata
○Birth narrative of the Buddha
○Journey to the West
○The myth of Krishna eating dirt in the Bhagavata Purana
●Not all myths that shape individuals and communities are religious
○Civic myths: help people understand themselves and the world they live in
■Examples: Fourth of July, writing of national anthem, etc.
Lecture 1.3: Studying Religious Myths
●Microscopic perspective: the focus is on an individual or a single event
○Allow the individual to empathize with the character in the narrative
○Example: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
●Telescopic perspective: reveals cosmic or metaphysical ideas about the cosmos or aspects
of the unseen order of the universe
○Depict narratives of events and characters that are outside of physical space and
time
○Helps people to see their position in the larger global landscape of humanity and
beyond
○Example: Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia
Lecture 1.4: History, Power, and Conclusion
●Religious myths help shape individual and communal identities
●Myths allow people to balance between micro and macro aspects of life
●Ultimately, myths become rituals
Document Summary
Etst 012 lecture 1: introduction to religious myths and rituals. Myths : stories that we tell ourselves about. Myths can be shifted and twisted to suit particular ais (intentionally or change myths over time for social and political purposes. Myths: situate us in our local and cosmological context (telescope/microscope) Myth and ritual have a reciprocal relationship unintentionally) Religion : the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto. Passion narrative in the gospels in the new testament. The myth of krishna eating dirt in the bhagavata purana. Civic myths : help people understand themselves and the world they live in. Examples: fourth of july, writing of national anthem, etc. Not all myths that shape individuals and communities are religious. Microscopic perspective : the focus is on an individual or a single event. Allow the individual to empathize with the character in the narrative. Example: the tomb of the unknown soldier.
