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Conceptions of the Divine
Chapter 7
Exploring Religious Meaning
The Challenge of Describing the Ineffable
Experiences and the concepts that result
Rudolf Otto—The Idea of the Holy
Pg. 141, text unit 38
The "mysterium tremendum"
A Jewish Encounter
Pg. 142, text unit 38
What concepts might be stated from this?
Experiences and concepts
Chinese mysteries
Pg. 143, text unit 38
What concepts might be entertained?
A Hindu Expression
Pg. 6, text unit 1
What concepts might be developed?
Religious Texts
Expression of the Divine
Judeo-Christian Scriptures
God is personal in character.
God is continually active and involved in the physical, historical world.
God exhibits personal concern for the world and its creatures
God is more than the universe
Aristotle, Greek Philosopher
Fourth Century B.C.E.
The View of God
The innate tendency to develop
An acorn into an acorn tree
The law of being
The stars and planets move predictably
An ultimate source or cause
Called God, or Unmoved Mover
An object of love and desire
A standard of absolute perfection for all things
God does not create the world, but the world is dependent on God.
The Navajo
Native American Indian Tribe
Southwest U.S.
Navajo Nation
The Divine in Navajo Thought
The stories of the Navajo
Describe experience as well as create experience
A person listens to the stories
Thinks about the stories
Relates the stories to their own lives
This person then perceives the truth
Having learned truth, this person experiences more, and understands the stories better.
The Navajo, the Diné (Din-nay)
Sacred Acts
Breathing
Giving birth
Death
Defecation
The raising and consumption of food
Almost everything else a human being thinks, says or does
Navajo Supernaturals
The "Holy People"
Have creative ability
This can be brought forth through ritual acts
The stories give instruction
Have sensory superiority
See great distances
Have "moving power"
By means of rainbow, thunder, wind, sunrays, etc.
Can harm or help the earth people
Changing Woman
Predominate supernatural
Always relates to the earth people with goodness
The story of Changing Woman
http://firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Changing_Woman-Navajo.html#ChangingWoman1
Changing Woman
.
Christian Conception of the Divine
Jesus as revealer of God, an icon
Father
Friend
A hen with her chicks
Great Physician
Savior
With you always
Triumphant over evil
Good
The Divine in Buddhism
The Void
The very source of life
All inclusive, having no opposite
Filled with life and power
Filled with love of all beings
Patterns—different conceptions of the Divine
Deistic Views
Transcendent-Immanent Views
Pantheistic Views
Patterns—different conceptions of the Divine
Deistic Views
Polytheistic deism
Many divine beings
They belong to the natural order
Example: Navajo religion
Dualistic deism
One divine being
Transcends the natural order as its creator
Separation between the Divine and the natural
Example: Aristotle
Transcendent-Immanent Positions
God is both within and beyond the world
God is the Creator and Source
Fully present and manifest in the created world
Continuously active in the created world
Example: Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Judaism & Islam—Scriptures
Christianity—Scriptures, Jesus the Christ
Pantheistic Positions
Dualistic Pantheism
The Divine is the one and only reality.
Everything is a manifestation of the Divine.
Must live a moral, religious and philosophical disciplined life in order to perceive this.
Example: Hinduism
Materialistic Pantheism
Everything is composed of atoms.
Everything is moving through space.
Only the physical universe is real.
Example: Marxism
Spirit
Western Societies Understanding
Spirit—the vitality empowering and activating all of life; the divine agency that enlivens and empowers life itself
Christianity—The Holy Spirit—the Divine Spirit of Jesus; the whole nature of God: power, purity, invisibility, vitality, freedom, love, etc.
Jewish Concepts of Spirit
Image of breath or wind
Soul or heart of the human being
Individual human spirit responds and interacts with God’s Spirit.
The Prophets—agents of God’s Spirit, spoke for God