Nature of Religion

Belief in the supernatural dimension is central to all world religions Religion by its nature defies precise definition. However, the central commonality to all world religions is the belief in the supernatural dimension.

Thus, it can be said that the most significant element of a religious worldview is this belief in a divine being or power, which is greater than humankind and the natural world. This being or power is believed to be responsible for the creation of the world, for providing a moral framework for human life and being the ultimate destiny of a human person at the end of their mortal life.

Different responses to supernatural dimension

Different religions have their own unique responses to the question of the exact nature of the supernatural dimension. The Semitic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe that the supernatural dimension is a single divine being or power.

This doctrine or belief is known as monotheism. The two Eastern religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, derive from an understanding of a number of divine beings or powers, a belief known as polytheism. Despite these differences, the belief in the existence of beings or powers beyond the realm of the natural world is an important defining element of a religious worldview.

Discuss a transcendent religious worldview, which has a belief in a divine power and/or powers beyond the human

A transcendent worldview is one which has a belief in a divine power or powers beyond the human. The three Semitic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam emphasise the idea of God being revealed to humankind from beyond the human spirit.

For example, Muslims believe that the will of Allah has been revealed to the Prophet Mohammed and is contained in the writings of the Koran. This is a transcendent worldview because the divine being is seen to be separate and outside of the human and revealed to humankind through an intermediary.

Discuss an immanent religious worldview which has a belief in a divine being or powers dwelling within the individual

An immanent worldview holds the belief that supernatural powers or divine beings dwell within the human. For the two Eastern religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, the emphasis is on the finding of truth from within the human spirit.

For example Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path prescribed by the Buddha in order to reach Enlightenment. This is an immanent religious worldview because the divine power is believed to be found within the human and awaits discovery through following the prescribed path.

Define the characters of religion

• Beliefs and believers - Beliefs are the key tenets, doctrines, or values, which underpin the religious practice of a particular religion for the believers • Sacred texts and writings - The most important beliefs of a religion are contained in its sacred texts. Usually these beliefs were in oral circulation before they were written down in the sacred texts.

These sacred texts contain sacred stories, which explain through historical or non-historical means, how people are connected to this supernatural dimension • Ethics - Ethics is the reasoning behind moral decision making.

The ethics and precepts of a religion are the laws which embody the key doctrinal tenets of a religion and allow for the practical application of that religion. In other words, ethics offers a system of standards which regulate moral decision making

• Rituals and ceremonies - Rituals and ceremonies are practical expressions of aspects of a religion. Rituals and ceremonies involve prescribed words and actions along with the use of symbols. Together these reflect an understanding of the sacred dimension. Thus, rituals and ceremonies help to lead to a greater understanding of the ultimate reality

Explore the ways in which these characteristics interact to create a dynamic, living religion

A religion or religious system is a dynamic, living reality. While it can be identified and studied through characteristics such as rituals and sacred texts, it is in essence a living thing, which is given expression through all its characteristics.

As dynamic, living realities, religions help provide meaning for those who follow them. It is not possible for any religion to exist with doctrines, but without ritual. It is practices, such as rituals, which give the doctrinal elements a lived expression. All religions need key tenets or doctrines which act as a general guide and hence unify the different communities which follow this religion.

On the other hand, these key beliefs allow individual groups to re-interpret the universal meaning to make it applicable for their particular community. Sacred texts interact with the key doctrines, as these key doctrines are contained in and expressed through these sacred writings. Furthermore, in order for religion to exist as a dynamic, living entity this doctrinal dimension, as contained in the sacred texts, must also be applicable to the practical demands of daily life.

This is where ethics comes into play, as it is ethics, which embodies the doctrines in the form of laws and precepts thus allowing for the practical application of religion. In other words, ethics, which is a system of specific standards by which moral conduct can be judged, is derived from values, which underpin the religious system.

A central part of religion is response to and interaction with the supernatural or sacred. Through the understanding of the key doctrines and ethics of the religion, as contained in the sacred texts believers are able to give expression to their understanding of the divine. This element is the ritualistic dimension of religion.

The believers of that religion, by partaking in worship, teaching, and prayers give expression to and come to a greater understanding of this ultimate reality. Religion has made significant contributions to the lives of individuals as well as society as a whole. Religion has achieved great feats for humankind, however, religion has also resulted in violence and bloodshed.

Appreciate the contribution of religion to: Individuals

Religion has made significant contributions to the life of individuals in areas such as the personal search of meaning, ethical guidance, sense of belonging and ritual meaning.

Personal search for meaning Personal search for meaning: Human experience is characterised by a search for the understanding of the great questions of life. Those questions include those of origin (where do we come from?), purpose (why are we here?), and destiny (what happens when we die?) People will look towards religion for answers to these enduring questions, especially during times of personal trauma or crisis.

Ethical guidance Ethical guidance: Ethics are concerned with the reasoning behind moral decision-making. Religion has been sought out by people for guidance in the field of ethics, which enables individuals to act in a morally correct manner. Individuals have sought ethical guidance from religions for a broad spectrum of concerns ranging from bioethics and sexual morality to issues of social concern.

Bioethics for example, involves the study of the moral implications of new biological discoveries in the fields of genetic engineering and drug research. Concerning sexual morality, religion is a prominent voice on the appropriateness of matters such as homosexuality and extramarital sexual activities. Religion also offers guidance in social concerns. Social concerns relate to matters such as the unequal distribution of wealth and resources, and the impact of pollution on the environment.

Sense of belonging Sense of belonging: One of the strongest desires that exist in human experience is the need to feel a sense of belonging. The nature of religion makes it well suited to providing this sense of community. This is because religions have the capacity to bring together people of similar ideals and values and to provide an opportunity for people to express these values in a supportive environment.

Ritual meaning Ritual meaning: Some sort of ritual action or event usually marks important stages in human experience. These stages include the birth of a child, the coming of age, a graduation, a marriage etc. Such events are often ritualised in religious traditions where ceremonies take place to mark these important events. People place great importance on these events and the rituals which accompany them. Accordingly, such rituals are important elements in the contribution of religion to individuals.

Appreciate the contribution of religion to: Society

Interaction between culture and religion There is a close reciprocal relationship between the areas of religion and culture. Religion is profoundly influenced by its cultural context because religion cannot be expressed other than through a particular cultural setting and context.

For example, the fact that Theravadan Sangha in Thailand, do not allow women to become abbesses is a reflection of how men have been culturally conditioned to accept restricted roles for women in this form of Buddhism. Conversely, religion has a strong formative influence on culture given the dynamic ever changing nature of culture.

Religion as a conservative influence on society Religion is most often seen to exert a conservative influence on society in areas regarding sexual morality and bioethics. The recent contributions of religious groups to social debates on issues ranging from stem cell research to euthanasia and homosexual relationships is evidence of this conservatism. Religion is often seen to be quite clearly trying to prevent society from moving away from traditional values.

Religion as a progressive influence on society Religion can also act as a progressive influence on society. Religion, with its emphasis on human dignity, can be readily seen as proactive in areas such as the advocacy of refugee and Indigenous rights, protection of the environment, and opposition to military action. This is because religion has sought to instil a sense of justice in prominent social debates as a way of attempting to change community views to embrace a new approach.

Glossary

|Ethics |Reasoning behind moral decision-making. | |Immanent worldview |Belief that supernatural powers or beings dwell within the individual. | |Monotheism |Belief that there is only one god. | |Polytheism |Belief that there is more than one god. | |Supernatural dimension |Belief in a divine being or power greater than humankind and the natural world. | |Transcendent worldview |Belief in divine power/s or being/s beyond the human. | Students learn about:

• religion as a world view that: o acknowledges the supernatural dimension o has a belief in a diving being or powers beyond the human and/or dwelling within the individual

• Construct a simulation where students imagine encountering a significant experience e.g. birth or death for the first time in conscious human history. Use the reflection on the simulation to track the thought processes of the earliest human beings and their encounter key religious questions

• Introduce the idea of supernatural through film clips of superheroes and characters from movies such Star Wars, Spiderman and Harry Potter • Use a brainstorm activity to identify characteristics associated with the supernatural • Research and record definitions of key terms such as supernatural, transcendent and immanent • Begin a glossary of key terms

• Have students create a piece of art work depicting the difference between immanence and transcendence • Set a writing task expressing the relationship between immanence, transcendence and some of the major world religions Students learn about:

• characteristics of religion: o beliefs and believers o sacred texts and writings o ethics o rituals and ceremonies

• Use a group work activity to develop definitions of religion • Allow student to critique the definitions developed by their peers • Allow students to compare their own definitions with published definitions of religion

• Discuss the difficulties involved in "defining" religion. Consider the alternative approach of "describing" religion • Brainstorm a list of "necessary" components or characteristics of religion • Examine Ninian Smart's "Dimensions" of religion

• Compare Smart's list with the list in the syllabus requirement above • Set a writing task which identifies the similarities and differences between Smart's dimensions and the syllabus list • In groups, research the characteristics as they are expressed in each of the 5 world religions. This can be done either with one religion per group or one characteristic per group

• Have groups present their findings to the rest of the class • Discuss the relationship between the characteristics within one religion e.g. Christianity to show how they interact to create a dynamic, living religion • Set a writing task where students discuss the relationship between the characteristics of a second religious tradition Students learn about:

• the contribution of religion

• Use a media survey to identify the way in which religions contribute to the community. Ensure that students find examples that represent a range of contributions, positive and negative • Research historical examples of religious contributions to society

• Discuss areas where religious traditions are presently contributing to important issues in society e.g. ecology, human rights, bioethics

• Undertake a case study of an individual for whom religion has been an important contributing factor in their life. This may be an opportunity to study the life of a significant individual within a chosen religious tradition or an individual who has particular significance to the history and ethos of the school All knowledge and understanding

The Dreaming is a term used to describe a central concept, which underpins all beliefs and practices in Aboriginal communities. The Dreaming represents all knowledge and understanding in Aboriginal societies and determines all relationships and responsibilities for Aboriginal people.

However, it is difficult to accurately describe this concept because there are over nine hundred language groups across Australia and no two-language groups are entirely identical in belief. However, significant commonalities exist between groups especially those, which are geographically close to each other

Origins of the universe The Dreaming includes explanations of the origins of the universe, that is, how the world came into being through the actions of their ancestral spirit beings, the creation of the physical world and the animals and plants, which inhabit this world. The Dreaming, however, is not regarded as myth by the Aboriginal people. The Dreaming is a metatemporal concept, which incorporates the past, present and future reality as a complete and present reality.

Sacred sites The Dreaming is inextricably connected to the land, as the land is the physical medium through which the Dreaming is lived and communicated. Whilst all land is important to all Aboriginal people, particular sites, known as sacred sites, have a special significance for particular Aboriginal groups as they are connected with different events in the Dreaming.

Thus, particular groups of Aboriginal people have special responsibilities to care for and to learn from these sites, for example by carrying out prescribed rituals such as balance rites.

Telling and learning Dreaming is life long process For Aboriginal communities the telling and learning of the Dreaming stories is a life long process. This process is revealed through many aspects of Aboriginal societies such as kinship, song, dance, art, ritual, and story.

Symbolism in art, for example, explains the creation of the natural world and the laws, which stem from this. This is an important way of teaching Aboriginal children about right and wrong behaviour in society. However, symbolism in art cannot be taken at face value for Aboriginal art is esoteric, and has multiple layers of meaning.

There are approximately nine hundred Aboriginal nations within Australia and subsequently there is an enormous diversity in the way the Dreaming is expressed. Each Aboriginal nation has its own dialect, and since language is esoteric, each nation's understanding of Aboriginal spirituality will vary. In other words, language is critical for the Dreaming to be learnt and understood authentically.

Another significant reason for the diverse expression of Aboriginal spirituality is that each Aboriginal nation has its own boundaries and subsequently different Dreaming stories, which are applicable to those boundaries.

This also means that groups, which are geographically close to each other, will share some common elements. Overall, however, the belief in notion of the Dreaming is the overriding commonality, which binds different Aboriginal nations together. Importance of the land for Aboriginal spirituality

The Dreaming is inextricably linked to the land because the land contains the Dreaming and is the medium through which the Dreaming is lived and communicated. That is, the land is where the Dreaming and its stories take place, and subsequently forms the resting place for their ancestral spirit beings.

These sites are regarded as being of sacred significance and carry with them ritual responsibilities for the Aboriginal community. Thus, the identity of an Aboriginal person can be said to be inextricably linked with the land. Hence, a critical part of learning about the Dreaming includes knowing the features of the land, which they regard as a mother, in intricate detail.

Sacred sites Whilst traditionally, all Aborigines regard all land as important, particular sites hold a particular significance for some groups of Aboriginal people. These sites are known as sacred sites, and contain certain aspects of the Dreaming, which are believed to have taken place there. Subsequently, ceremonial responsibilities such as balance rites are attached to these sacred sites because Aboriginal people see themselves as related to and a part of this natural world.

Balance rites are special ceremonies to increase the reproduction of a particular animal, which is the representation of an ancestral spirit being from the Dreaming. This belief that an animal or a feature of the natural world is an embodiment of the individual in his or her primordial state, is known as totemism. Subsequently, the loss of land, which results in the inability to fulfil ritual responsibilities, is an insurmountable obstacle to effectively live the Dreaming.

Students learn about:

• nature of the Dreaming

• Explore examples of Dreaming stories. If possible use those of the Aboriginal group of the local area • View the video Land, Kinship and Culture and make use of the accompanying study guide • Allow students to develop an appreciation of the Dreaming in the lives of a particular Aboriginal community.

This can be done through contact with Aborigines from the local area, through cultural exchange programs, through invitations to guest speakers and/or use of multi media resources such as Lore of the Land or Moorditj • Develop a definition of the dreaming incorporating key elements such as creation, sacred sites, stories, symbolism and art

Students learn about: • nature of the Dreaming

• Use a map of Aboriginal Australia to identify the diversity of Aboriginal groups throughout Australia • Identify which groups lie in proximity to each other and which are more geographically remote from each other • Discuss issues of different terrain, different local flora and fauna etc to highlight some sources of diversity in stories, ceremonies etc Students learn about:

• the inextricable connection of the Dreaming, the land and identity

• Explore examples of Dreaming stories. If possible use those of the Aboriginal group of the local area. Identify how these stories are connected to the land and in particular sacred sited • View the video Land, Kinship and Culture and make use of the accompanying study guide • Allow students to develop an appreciation of importance of the land in the lives of a particular Aboriginal community.

This can be done through contact with Aborigines from the local area, through cultural exchange programs, through invitations to guest speakers and/or use of multi media resources such as Lore of the Land or Moorditj • Set a writing task highlighting the land based nature of Aboriginal beliefs and spiritualities