ANTH 1003 Study Guide - Secret Society, Patrilineality, Vitalism
Document Summary
Religion- a social process that helps to order society a d provide its members with meaning, unity, peace of mind, and the degree of control over events they believe is possible. Sacred narratives- myths that members believe are important; creation and explanation. Propose the existence of beings, powers, states, places, and qualities that cannot be measured scientifically. Rituals and specific means of addressing the supernatural. System of beliefs that deals with fundamental questions in the religious and social order. System of understanding the universe in which people live. Gives people a feeling of control over their destinies. Reinforces or challenges the social order by transmitting cultural values and knowledge. Religion provides a cosmology for interpreting events and experiences otherwise unexplainable. E. g. , the creation of the universe, the origin of society, the relationship of individuals and groups to one another, and the relationship of humankind to nature.
