An Dang (011902252)
R/ST 302
Professor Pandya
April 29, 2015
Religious Practice And Boundaries
The vastly different traditions of religion forms in the United States show that how diversity of worldwide people merged into one society and formed separate traditions all while dealing boundaries between religions in America. The mystery of religious belief beyond the definition is still and will always be a much-debated topic. Regardless of whether these arguments are ever resolved, it is important to bear in mind about the powers from Albanese‘s theory, which is a system of symbols by means of which people orient themselves in a world with reference to both ordinary and extraordinary powers, meanings, and values (Albanese). She also identified
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Ordinary religion shows people how to live well within boundaries, and concern themselves with living well in this current world, not in another. Ordinary religion promotes cultures, traditions, values, and common social acts. In contrast, extraordinary religion helps people to transcend beyond their ordinary culture and concerns, crosses the borders of life as we used to know it and seeks to new better place. It is also believed that people have chance to contact God through spiritual ceremonies and get helped by supernatural power. For instance, ceremonies and rituals of baptism and circumcision for infants, and conformations for adolescents, marriage, and funerals for the dead. Through these spiritual ceremonies, people are crossing the physical boundaries and reaching something supernatural that they believe will give them power to encounter challenges and difficulties during stages of life. There are three elements in religious belief developing most religions in America, which are fundamental, ritual, and tradition. The first element is the fundamental structures which are defined with a myth, philosophy, or theology and limited by the boundaries that create the basic ways in which people, cultures and communities imagine, define, and accept how things are and what they mean. A second essential element of religion is ritual. Rituals are a representative set of …show more content…
According to Peter Van der Veer’s article on “Syncretism, multiculturalism and tolerance”, “theologian Calixtus of Helmstadt was the first to use syncretism in theological debate to mean the sinking of theological differences, at a church conference in Thorn in 1645” (Veer 197). In other words, he explained syncretism as “an attempt to sink differences and effect union between sects or philosophical schools” or more simply, a “union of different, supposedly equal, theological viewpoints” (196-197). Vietnamese Catholic can be considered as a syncretic system derived from deeply rooted African beliefs and widely spread by colonial French Catholicism. However, when I came to the United States, I’ve learned that Americans usually think that the use of Peyote was wrong and they tried converting Natives to Christianity. However, Natives counter argued that their Peyote represented the version of their savior. This created syncretism between Native American religion and European Christianity religion because Catholics eat the “body of Christ” in the form of bread, and Natives eat peyote, which symbolizes Jesus. Peter Van der Veer concluded in his article of syncretism as “a term which in comparative religion refers to a process of religious amalgamation, of blending heterogeneous beliefs and
...ike the president. In the United States there are three branches of government Judicial, Legislative, and Executive. In the Ancient Roman Government the U.S. branches were one and the same. Another thing that they both have in common is that they both have a senate, and taxes, and mayors, and police. The Romans give us so much and even with the greeks, it seems as if the U.S. government is mostly made up of the Roman government.
Religion is considered as a pervasive force in this world. It shapes people as to how they behave and interact with almost everything present in the society. Influencing behavior, character formations, ideals, policies, standards are just among the dimensions and societal perspectives affected and impacted by religion. Because of these applications and implications in human lives and existence, religion should be understood deeply, particularly, on how it affects the world. Looking at the American perspective of the term "religion," it could be simply
In ancient times, there was a country of stupendous power and might. A nation which amassed a military like no other, grew an economy so strong that it seemed everlasting, and established a government that stood for its people. It appeared that this was the country to set an example for all countries that followed. It was the behemoth of prosperity. It was the great Roman Empire. It seemed as though this country’s reign would never end, but this was far from the truth. For with great prosperity came a dreadful plummet and eventually collapse. This was the unfortunate fate of all powerful nations, including that of, dare it be said, the United States of America. The all powerful and unbeatable nation which reigned its dominant influence over the entire world. Surely, it could never have fallen. However, that statement would be considered nonsensical if directed toward the once almighty and all powerful Roman Empire. Thus, it could not be stated for the “Great Experiment” (USA). Which was why the comparison between the two, very similar, superpowers was logical. Clearly, the Roman Empire which had striking parallels to the United States was a foreshadowing of America’s fate: Inevitable collapse. Both superpowers had vastly similar economics, foreign influence, and government, of which, Rome had experienced an unfortunate decline. Thus, comparisons could be made between how Rome and America rose to power, began to lose their power, and eventually, how Rome fell and how America might have fallen.
“While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls - the World.” Lord Byron. This essay will discuss the similarities of military, economics and systems of government between the Roman Empire of the 6th century BCE and the United States of America of the 20th century. History has revealed that all superpowers fall eventually, although much time has passed since the glory days of Rome we see in 2015 the largest superpower in charge, the United States. There are many similarities that can be drawn between the American superpower and the Roman Empire such as the same founding of government and both dominated in military, as well as economic similarities. This leads to the conclusion that because the rise to power between the two powers was so similar, the downfall will be equally parallel.
The Roman Republic had an upstanding infrastructure, a stable social system, and a balanced constitution that solidified Rome’s greatness. Regardless of its achievements, however, the Roman Republic owes much of its success to classical Greek cultures. These cultures, in conjunction with the fundamental values of Roman society, certified Rome as one of the most significant powers the world has ever seen.
When one thinks of great powerful empires and nations of any time, they would think of Ancient Rome. So how would future nations take what the almighty Roman empire had to build their own successful country? After all, the Romans did eventually fall. This means that nations would have to mimic but not copy their exact steps and acts. It is an ultimate mystery of picking and choosing. However, many of the things Rome did were very important. In the United States of America, we see some direct connections from Ancient Rome. These connections have to do with anything from politics, social living, geography, government, sport, and many more. All in all, America would not be the same if it were not for Roman connections.
Religion is an institution that can provide stability for societies through various religious concepts, and is substantial for the support of social cohesion and order. Many functionalist theories of religion, for example, claim that religion functions in such a way as to integrate societies (McCauley, 1984). There are many types of religion that people practice world-wide such as Christianity, Catholi...
Religion has a great influence on people, providing faith and direction to each individual while controlling a co...
Greece, originally ruled by an oligarchy ("rule of the few"), operated under the premise that those selected to rule were selected based not upon birth but instead upon wealth. Eventually, however, Greek government became democratic. Rome, on the other hand, was a republic that elected its officials, and common citizens were not allowed as many opportunities as Athenians to participate in matters of the state. While Greece had branches of government to represent citizens, Rome implemented branches of government to represent different components of society. For example, Rome had authorities to supervise public works projects, administer justice, supervise recreational activities and conduct a census (text). Rome, who, like Greece, was a polytheistic society, also appointed a priest for life who was in charge of the entire state's religion.
Smart, Ninian. "Blackboard, Religion 100." 6 March 2014. Seven Dimensions of Religion. Electronic Document. 6 March 2014.
The growth of religious ideas is environed with such intrinsic difficulties that it may never receive a perfectly satisfactory exposition. Religion deals so largely with the imaginative and emotional nature, and consequently with such an certain elements of knowledge, the all primitive religions are grotesque to some extent unintelligible. (1877:5)
Geertz defines religion as ‘(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.’ In this essay, I will focus on the Geertz’s idea, and Asad’s subsequent critique, of symbols. (Geertz, Clifford, and Michael Banton. "Religion as a cultural system." (1966).)
Africa has served as a place of religious encounter and change. Within Africa there is a unique blend of traditional religion and Western religions such as Islam and Christianity. Even in the modern day, neither traditional nor Western religions have eliminated the other. The religions coexist harmoniously within the African mindset. However, the way these religions coexist is not simply in the blending of the two, but rather in a culture of oscillation. Religious authorities create an environment where polyontology, but not syncreticism can thrive.
Most of the people around the world exercise religion. In fact, it plays a significant role in shaping and influencing people's everyday life. It is not surprising why it receives such a major focus in a way that religion has manifested itself in various forms across the history of mankind. Flood (2012) says that religion exists within particular social systems, kinship structures, styles of speaking and acting, cultural memories and kinds of art. For this reason, understanding religion has then becoming crucial and fundamental for the basic understanding for the particular community. Still, it is notoriously a difficult term to define. The meaning of religion is rarely questioned and is often overlooked owing to its nature of ambiguity. As
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs and cultural systems that entail the worship of a supernatural and metaphysical being. “Religion just like other belief systems, when held onto so much, can stop one from making significant progress in life”. Together with religion come traditions that provide the people with ways to tackle life’s complexities. A subscription to the school of thought of great scholars