What is Religion?

Study Guide for Quiz #3

Fall 1997

Categories of religion

Polytheism
Greek religion, Mesopotamian religion
Nature mythology
Monolatry / henotheism
Perhaps Christianity, ancient Israeli religion
Monotheism
Mature Judaism
Greek philosophical religion
Monism / dualism
Transcendentalism
Atheism
vs. agnosticism
as religion

History of religions

Evolutionary theory of religion (Teleistic)
Animism*Polytheism*Monolatry* Monotheism [*monism or atheism]
Supporting evidence:
Emergence of monotheism in Greece
Familiar animals in Mesopotamia, India may reflect animistic origins
Islamic origins
Teleistic model for history

Hegel
Thesis vs. antithesis * synthesis
Marx
Darwin
Archaistic theory of religion
monotheism*monolatry*polytheism* animism*transcendentalism & atheism
supporting evidence:
otiose God * mediators * gods * spirits, etc.
Catholicism (saints, angels, etc.), Canaanite Religion, Islamic folk belief
increasing multiplication of divinities in Roman polytheism
primitive high/sky god (Wilhelm Schmidt)
myths of god replacement (Zeus, Marduk)
archaistic model for history
Goddess theory
Marija Gimbutas
primitive g/Goddess worship
patriarchy

Sacrifice

offering / gift
atonement
propitiation
spiritualization of sacrifice
contrition / repentance
giving of self / time / money
beginnings of asceticism

Statues and images

as symbol for meditation

Protestant and official Catholic Christianity
as location for the sacred (point of connection with divine)
Orthodox and popular Catholic Christianity

as magically connected with the god/goddess
most ancient Near Eastern traditions
as actually being the god/goddess represented
some forms of modern Hinduism
target of biblical criticism