- Daniel and other Israelites were taken captive to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in 586 BC. Nebuchadnezzar selected some Israelites, including Daniel, to serve in his court based on their qualifications including skills, knowledge, and ability to learn. - Daniel and the other Israelites underwent education in the language and culture of Babylon but maintained their Jewish faith while immersed in this foreign culture. They were to be indoctrinated into the Babylonian worldview but Daniel remained committed to his own beliefs.

1. INT-244 • World Religions

2. When Daniel took INT-244

3. [In 586 BC] Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into
his hand, with some of the vessels of the house
of God. And he brought them back to Babylon,
to the house of his god, and placed the vessels
in the treasury of his god.
(Dan 1:1–2 ESV)

4. Then Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz,
to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the
royal family and of the nobility, youths without
blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all
w i s d o m , e n d o w e d w i t h k n o w l e d g e ,
understanding learning, and competent to stand
in the king’s palace, and to teach them the
literature and language of the Chaldeans.
(Dan 1:3–4 ESV)

5. Qualifications
Daniel 1:1-4
• Presentable (social skills)
• Skillful with knowledge
• Learned
• Soft skills (decorum)
• Teachable
Nebuchadnezzar

6. Education
Daniel 1:1-4
• Language
• Culture
• Religion of Babylonians
Nebuchadnezzar

7. Daniel’s Faith
Daniel 1:1-4
• Cultural Immersion
• Kept his Faith
Nebuchadnezzar

8. Studying Religion
INT-244 World Religions • Topic 1b

9. Identity, Culture, Worldview, Religion

10. We encounter people not religions

11. We encouter people’s
1. Identity
2. Identity Status
3. Culture
4. Worldview

12. Family
Gender
Toddler
Cultural
Elementary
Racial /
Ethnic
High school
Religious
College +
Vocational
20 - 30
Development of Religious Identity

13. Self-Identity
• Family Identity
• Gender/Sexual Identity
• Ethnic Identity
• Racial Identity
• Religious Identity
• Political Identity
• Vocational Identity

14. 2. Identity Statuses
James Marcia

15. Identity Diffusion Identity Moratorium
Identity Foreclosure Identity Achievement
Low High
Low
High
Crisis
Commitment
Can’t decide
Doesn’t care
Can’t decide
Does care
Been decided
Didn’t care
Did decide
Did care
😐 🤔
☹ 😋

16. b. Identity Moratorium

17. 3. Culture

18. Culture is Learned
• Personality is the hardware
• Culture is the software

19. Cultural Iceberg

20. Behaviors - Habits
Rituals - Ceremonies
Religious Objects
Values
Religious Beliefs
Worldview
Visible
Invisible

21. Values
Religious Beliefs
Worldview
Interpret
Behaviors - Habits
Rituals - Ceremonies
Religious Objects

22. Values
Religious Beliefs
Worldview
Interpret
Making
Meaning
Behaviors - Habits
Rituals - Ceremonies
Religious Objects

23. 4. Worldview

24. Culture is Visible
Worldview invisible

25. Definition of Worldview
Worldview is a foundational set of assumptions to which
one commits that serves as a framework for understanding
and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior.
(Waddel & Jibben, 2021, “What in the World is Worldview?”)

26. Describing Worldview

27. Two ways to describe a worldview
A. Elements (assumptions)
B. Metanarrative (story)
(Waddel & Jibben, 2021, “What in the World is Worldview?”)

28. What’s the meta narrative
What’s the worldview?

29. Two ways to describe a worldview
A. Elements (assumptions)
B. Metanarrative (story)
(Waddel & Jibben, 2021, “What in the World is Worldview?”)

30. Worldview is described as a story
Metanarrative

31. Metanarrative
An overarching account or interpretation of
events and circumstances that provides a
pattern or structure for people’s beliefs and
gives meaning to their experiences.
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/de
fi
nition/english/metanarrative

32. Chapters of the Christian
Worldview Metanarrative

33. Act 1: Creation
God created the world
God created humans in His image

34. Act 2: The Fall
Adam & Eve Rebelled
Sin came into the world
Su
ff
ering came into the world

35. Act 3: Redemption
God sent the Messiah, Jesus
Atoned for our sin
Redeemed men & women

36. Act 4: Restoration
God is restoring us (present)
God is restoring the world (present)
God will restore all creation (future)

37. What is the Metanarrative in Moana?

38. Describing religion

39. Defining Religion

40. A religion is a system of beliefs and practices that by
means of its cultus directs a person toward
transcendence and, thus, provides meaning and
coherence to a person’s life.
(Winfried, 2014, p. 28)

41. What’s the difference between a religion and
(a) ideology
(b) social philosophy

42. Political Systems
Social Systems
The Lost Cause Beliefs
Conspiracy Beliefs
Philosophical Systems

43. Religious Systems
1. Ultimate issues
2. Sacred spaces, rituals, objects, etc…
3. Displaces other religions

44. Components of Religion

45. Components
• Sacred Story (history)
• Sacred Texts
• Sacred Community
• Sacred Spaces
• Sacred Beliefs
• Sacred Rituals
• Sacred Objects
• Sacred People

46. Identify the components of Christianity
• Sacred Story
• Sacred Texts
• Sacred Community
• Sacred Space
• Sacred Beliefs
• Sacred Rituals
• Sacred Objects
• Sacred (holy) People
• Sacred Time(s)

47. Origins of Religion

48. Two Theories
1. Evolution of Religion
2. Original Monotheism

49. 1. Evolution of Religion

50. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces

51. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces
• Animism: spirits in things

52. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces
• Animism: spirits in things
• Polytheism: many gods

53. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces
• Animism: spirits in things
• Polytheism: many gods
• Henotheism: favorite god

54. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces
• Animism: spirits in things
• Polytheism: many gods
• Henotheism: favorite god
• Monotheism: Only 1 God

55. What might be some problems with
The Theory of Evolution of Religion?

56. 1. Evolution of Religion
• Mana: spiritual forces
• Animism: spirits in things
• Polytheism: many gods
• Henotheism: favorite god
• Monotheism: Only 1 God
• Secularism: No God

57. Karl Marx
Religion served a purpose in
the evolution of society

58. Karl Marx
As Society Evolves
Religion became unnecessary

59. Max Weber
The World has become disenchanted

60. Disenchantment
The condition of the world
once science and the
Enlightenment have eroded the sway
of religion and superstition.

61. Is Judaism a
Primitive Religion?
God who demands blood sacri
fi
ces
War God who defeated his enemies
God who demands holiness
God punishes sin

62. Adolf Harnack
German Theologian
In the evolution of religion
Judaism represents Primitive Religion
1851 - 1930

63. Adolf Harnack
Judaism needs to fade away
1851 - 1930

64. Adolf Harnack
What did that mean for the Jews?
1851 - 1930

65. 2. Primitive
Monotheism
Wilhelm Schmidt (1912)
Devolution of religion

66. Wilhelm Schmidt
1868-1954
Austrian Priest, and Linguist

67. Wilhelm Schmidt
1931
Theory of Primitive Monotheism

68. Argument for Primitive Monotheism
1. Ubiquitous story of a Creator God, Creation, and Fall of Humans
2. Tied together parallel stories in most global cultures
3. Evolution of Monotheism has not been observed & documented
4. Devolution of religion is readily observed & documented

69. Ubiquitous story of pre-existent
creator

70. Temple to the
Lord of Heaven

71. Ubiquitous story of a creation
story (and even a flood)

72. How Obatala Created the World

73. Religion is devolving, not evolving

74. Western Religion
Return to Primitive religion