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Religion 1000 terms for Exam1
LSU world religion with Monica Reed
26
Religious Studies
Undergraduate 1
02/14/2013

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Term

    Animism 

Definition

·        

o   The belief that all nature is alive and filled with unseen spirits that may worshiped or placated. They see a soul or a self existing in trees, stones, rivers, and heavenly bodies

Term
Magic
Definition

o   Attempts to influence the action of nature through special practices, dances, rituals, and incantation. They believe that if they perform their rituals properly, they will cause nature to react favorably toward them

Term

·       Divination

Definition

o   Prediction of the future through various magical means (e.g. Tarot cards, I Ching, reading of tea leaves)

Term

·       Taboo (Tabu)

Definition

o   Action that must be avoided lest it release harmful effects on a person or his or her group (e.g. walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, marrying in violation of cultural rules)

Term
totemism
Definition

o   From the Ojibwa ototeman; it involves the recognition of a relationship between a certain type of animal (the totem) and a group of people. The totem becomes sacred to the group and may not be killed by its members under certain ritual conditions


Term
ancestor veneration
Definition

o   Veneration of deceased members of the family. It frequently involves upkeep and care of graves, memorization of the names from past generations, and prayers and sacrifices in honor of the dead

Term
Mythology
Definition

o   Religious narratives common to most all traditions

Term
Right of Passage
Definition

o   Also known as the “High God” in Native American traditions; a divine or spiritual power that is revealed in humans, nature, and the spirit world

Term
Mother Earth
Definition

o   The female earth spirit and personification of nature in Native American religions

Term
Sun Dance
Definition

o   Summer celebration performed by Native Americans of the Great Plains

Term
Vision quest
Definition

o   Exercises undertaken by Native Americans seeking contact with the spirit world

Term
Native American Church
Definition

o   Religious movement combining elements of Christianity and Native American religions

Term
High God
Definition

o   Certain basic religions maintain that one Supreme God created the world and then withdrew from active participation. Although this god is often recognized and given token worship, the bulk of active worship is given to lesser deities, who participate more fully in the activities of the world

Term
Yoruba
Definition

o   West African ethnic group whose religion strongly influenced the development of African American religions

Term
Nuer
Definition

o   East African ethnic group with a particularly strong belief in the High God

Term
Jok
Definition

o   Name for dangerous spirits among the Acholi of Uganda

Term
Ajwaka
Definition

o   African religious functionary whose primary purpose is to heal by driving out evil spirits believed to cause sickness

Term
Voodoo
Definition

o   African American religion combining African and Christian elements

Term
Ahimsa
Definition

o   Noninjury of living beings. This term, found in many Indian religions, was introduced by the Jains. Adherents make every effort to care for all forms of life and seek to avoid injuring or killing any creature

Term
Aryan
Definition

o   Sanskrit word that means “the noble one”; applied to migrants who moved into the Indus valley from Persia in the second millennium B.C.E.

Term
Vedas
Definition

o   Basically, a collection of hymns to the Aryan Gods. The term also applies to the entire collection of Indian sacred literature, including the Vedas, the Brahamanas, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads


Term
Varnas
Definition

o   The four major divisions of the Indian caste system


Term
Upanishads
Definition

o   Philosophical materials in the Vedic literature


Term
Dharma
Definition

o   Duties incumbent on a person in traditional Hindu life, based on caste and station in life. In Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha

Term
Bhakti
Definition

o   Devotions to the gods of Hinduism

Term
Trimurti
Definition

o   The three most important Hindu gods: Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahna                  

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