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Class March 1
Material from Why Religion Matters
Philosophy of Religion
Psychology of Religion
Bring: Candle, matches, ceremonial bowl, Reading: Ps. 91
First Hour
1. Ritual/Picture
2. TA, Steven Miller on Psychology and Religion
Psychology and Religion
1. Mention to the class basic concepts from chapter 7.
-def. of psychology in text
-Freud and religion is an escape (crutch) from reality? (How does the class feel)?
-the criticisms of Freud’s theory will be explained in detail in a moment
Part I: Rhetoric question "What does religion psychologically do?"
1. Helps people to cope, but how?
-SRGD pg 112 (…many examples also exist of situations in which religion helped illustrious as well as nameless individuals to become stronger in the face of adversity).[psychological integrity] This is not any particular assistance in which an addition presence or power is present, this may just be the faith of the person involved.
-To clarify this point, psychology and religion have two different functions in relation to how coping works.
-1st psychology is the attempt to gain control that which over items the individual has not controlled in the past or does not realize control does exist (examples for both)
-2nd Religion is the acceptance of things they can’t control
- So, with the two disciplines together, what does it do?
Answer: pg 9 on Psychology and coping 2nd paragraph about bridging the two disciplines together. "It bridges deep psychological tradition of helping people take control of what they can in times of stress with a rich religious tradition of helping people accept their limitations and look beyond themselves for assistance in troubling times (Explain with MSM)
-Man’s Search for Meaning - Logo therapy, why do people choose to die?
~Helps us to understand the Power of Love
-The text seems not only to discuss stages of faith, but also stages (some are prerequisites and others are actual stages) of obtaining love. Obviously, from MSM, love seems to be an extraordinary factor in coping.
- First step is Mutuality, in essence, this is when the individual has become aware of and to some extent dependent upon powerful others. (When do you think this first happened to you?).
-Once the individual has obtained this property, the next item to obtain is values (alongside the acquisition of moral judgment). The text states that as this cognitive growth occurs, greater understanding of morals and values, Love will abound to all forms of life. Does the class agree?
-The last step is religious conversion; this is defined as when love has flowed into the person, the morals gained/learned have developed (maybe or maybe not) into a religion.
Part II: Mature Religions: 6 steps to the creation of a mature religion and how a particular religion (Mormonism) fits or does not fit into these particular categories.
- 1st Quick outline of Mormon history and fundamental beliefs.
-Joseph Smith Story
-The Mormon perception of Jesus Christ and the Trinity (Use
River of Jordan event to clarify).
-Acceptance of Mormonism through Missionaries and baptism.
-sacrament, fasting, tithe, and Priesthood (really basic).
-Now onto the 6 steps and specific examples!
-Differentiated: This is when one perceives the strengths and weakness of any particular person, place or thing (example from Mormonism). (Promise given to the Mormons by the Leadership in the Official Declaration)
-Dynamic: This is when the superficial aspects of religion (powers, satisfaction of the emotional kind, is replaced with to the meaning of life, which is in constant growth. (List of reason’s for man to be here according to Marvelous Work and a Wonder).
-Consistent Morality: Basically put, this is the explanation of life and how to live that life. (D&C section 88).
-Comprehensive: Religion’s attempt to cover all bases (Death and the three kingdoms of glory D&C section 76).
-Integral: Religion cannot ignore the modern world because knowledge is altered by technology, science and the like. Harmony must exist in religion and therefore acceptance of such information is vital. (Mormon‘s take on evolution).
-Heuristic: A held belief until either enough scrutiny is done to confirm the "truth" of that religion, or until another religion is discovered by that scrutiny. (My personal adventure and current beliefs).
For the Curious at Heart
For those of you who wish to do further research into Mormonism, here are the suggested readings. I know that while you are in college you have forgotten how to read for enjoyment and self edification purposes (Core Humanity classes I think are the main cause). Here they are as follows with a small paragraph upon each.
Book of Mormon: The concepts I have explained in class are here but in slight more detail. The basic plot is that a Prophet in Jerusalem has been commanded to flee for his life and take his family to a promise land (Central and Northern America). His sons Nephi and Jacob are "good" and the other two sons Laman and Lemeul are bad. Due to the behaviors of each pair, God splits them into two different nations. From there, wars and Gods church is established. The read is EASY to understand and quick, for the few hard concepts, here is the remedy.
Doctrine and Covenants (D&C): This is the rule book for the Mormons. It discusses everything from how church is to be conducted to who is going where after death. The read is written in somewhat modern language (compared to the King James Version of the Bible). There are 138 sections so don’t feel the rush to
finish this.
Pearl of Great Price: This is a twist on the Old Testament. There is a section on Abraham that changes the view compared to regular Christian and Jewish views. There is also a section on Moses and his encounter with God on Mount Sinai. There are also multiple versions of how the world was created. Open your mind on this one!
A Marvelous Work and a Wonder: After you have grasped a good portion of the D&C, read this book. It will enlighten your understanding of what you have just read seven fold. I would recommend this book to any Mormon and anyone intrigued about the belief system. It will discuss many hot topics.
Principles of the Gospel:
This is a hard to find book. I inherited it by chance. Great book for beginners.
The book starts off with the basics (tithe, baptism, etc.) and advances to
eternal marriage and the like with excellent flow and easy to read. I think they
should give this book out.
The Philosophy of Religion
- Authors definition of religion:
- "Religion is an explanation of the ultimate meaning of life, based on a notion of the transcendent, and how to live accordingly; it normally contains Creed, Code, Cult and Community-structure.
Example:
Christian—One view
The ultimate meaning of life: To accept Christ as savior from sin and grow in the image of Christ while alive, accomplishing that which we are destined to do; to live with God in eternity after death.
Philosophy: Ultimate meaning of life—
The ancients (Greeks): What is human goodness? What is personal excellence or virtue? In the answer to that lies the meaning of life, that is, the whole point to living.
John Paul Sartre [existentialist philosopher]: Meaning, in other words, is not something that belongs to life as such; it is something that we give it, through our own free will.
Christian notion of the transcendent: God in three aspects—Father, Son and Holy Spirit; for some, angels & demons. God loves humankind and has made God’s self known in Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to be God-with-us, to speak to our hearts what is true and to help us become the person God created us to be.
Philosophy: Notion of the transcendent—
*Metaphysics, a branch of philosophy—What can be said about reality, seen and unseen?
Christian view on how to live accordingly: The Christian scriptures [Love God with all your heart, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.] and the Jewish Scriptures [The Decalogue—10 Commandments]; various "laws" set forth by the Church [must be baptized, women may/may not lead]—the community-structure; (religious literature—Thomas Merton’s journals, biographies—Billy Graham, disciplers—Christian mentors, preachers.…)
Philosophy: Ethics—How to live as a reasonable human being.
How to live accordingly: Aristotle
Ethics, as viewed by Aristotle, is an attempt to find out our chief end or highest good: an end which he maintains is really final. Though many ends of life are only means to further ends, our aspirations and desires must have some final object or pursuit. Such a chief end is universally called happiness…. true happiness lies in the active life of a rational being or in a perfect realization and outworking of the true soul and self, continued throughout a lifetime.
The origins of philosophy can be found in early musings about religious insights.
- Much of this wisdom was in the form of proverbs and practical understandings.
Proverbs 3, Hebrew scriptures: Further Benefits of Wisdom
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
- Besides proverbial and practical teachings, a second type of wisdom was called, "speculative."
- Great thinkers after 1000 B.C.E.
- Distinguishes between a rational and a mystical orientation
- Rational: using reason to penetrate the problems of life & universe
- Mystical: Intuitive wrestling with the secrets of the universe
- Both philosophy & religion deal with the "whole."—meaning
of life issues
- They differ in their ultimate goal: Philosophy: seeks understanding;
religion seeks salvation or liberation.
- They differ as to approach: Philosophy questions various affirmations;
religion affirms faith experience.
- Winston L. King, professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University:
- Philosophy can remind religion to differentiate between notions in order to avoid superstition and credulity (unexamined belief).
- Religion can remind philosophy to speculate not merely for speculation’s sake but to achieve a higher quality of living and being.
THE DISCIPLINE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Five Tasks
- Clarify the central concepts of religion
- Examine the internal consistency of religious concerts
- Scrutinize the philosophical presupposition of faith statements
- Explore the relationship between religion and other areas of life
- Examine the philosophical presuppositions and consistencies of statements made by apologists or assailants of religion.
The Need to Renew Religions Power Over Time
- Reason is the means that people use to pass on their religious tradition.
- Over time, these formulations loose the power to connect to later generations
- For religions to maintain their power, new formulations must be made at a deeper level.
The problem of truth—relationality vs. rationalism
*Paul Knitter, Theology Professor, promotes religious dialogue among the world’s religions
- The either-or way of looking at truth is incomplete. "Either it is true or false."
- What is true will reveal itself by its ability to relate to other expressions of truth and to grow through these relationships.
Example: Traditional: God created the world and all its beings in seven days.
Modern: Carbon dating indicates the world is millions of years old>if God created the world, it took more than seven days for all we see to exist. The Scripture is metaphorical, not literal.
Problem: Stage 3 Faith usually refuses to let understanding of scripture grow with scientific discovery.
Can absolute truth [statements about reality] be defined?
- Eighteenth Century and before—"Yes" (assumed)
- Currently—Not absolute, dynamic and dialogic
- *Historicism—Truth is colored by the circumstances of the times
- *Sociology of Knowledge—Geography, culture and social standing color the truth
- *Limits of language—How can one accurately describe the transcendent (the unlimited) with limited human language?
- *Hermeneutics—All truth is "interpreted" truth by the observer
- *Dialogue—The persons in dialogue use their own terms
- Western medicine: the body is a machine, replace worn parts>organ transplant
- Eastern medicine: the body is a finely balanced harmony, pressure in one place has an opposite effect in another place>Acupuncture
Relationality versus Relativism
- Although truth appears to be relative, it is incorrect to clam that every statement of truth about the meaning of things is completely relative or totally subjective.
- A variety of viewpoints can get at the essence of things
- Must attempt to be as accurate and fair as possible.
- Critique our view by those of others--dialogue
TONIGHT'S FILM
Houston Smith and his Personal Philosophy
Summarizes some aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and more.
V06220 at the UNR Library