This document provides an overview and introduction to the academic study of religion. It discusses how the study of religion focuses on understanding religious beliefs, practices, and their meaning without judgement. It emphasizes religious diversity in the US and the importance of respecting differing beliefs. The study of religion helps make sense of human experiences and influences various cultural aspects of society.

1. Preface and Intro

2. The Acedemic Study of Religion
in the Humanities
 Offers a unique opportunity to learn about American communities of faith &
practice in an atmosphere free of both judgement& partisan advocacy
 Focuses on what each group does and believes and on what these practices
and beliefs mean to those who believe in them
 Does not:
 evaluate whether those practices/ beliefs are right/wrong
 Judge/ advocate
 Present religion as preferable to non-religion
 Favor secularity over religiousness
 Attempt to make converts to/ from any particular community of faith

3. Preface
 Religious beliefs/ practices are presented impartially in this
book, but it’s not value free
 Religion is an important part of humanity’s story
 Nothing in the entire spectrum of religiousness can be
completely strange to us because we are all human
 Freedom of religion is guaranteed in our constitution
 With the religious diversity that exists in the U.S., respect for
those beliefs & practices that differ from our own is very
important

4. Preface
 There is a vast distinction between religion as it is
described in the books and as people actually live it
 -Many Religions break their own rules
 -We chose from our religions teachings the things that
are personally meaningful to us & feel free to leave the
rest alone

5. Preface
 This book continues the emphasis on religious diversity
in the U.S. & less emphasis on the majority
 Attention is also given to responding to the religious
diversity that surrounds us
 Religious diversity make the U.S. an ideal place to
learn about religion, not only in books, but as it is
embodied in the people who we come into contact with
every day

6. This edition of the book
 First introduces students to the dicipline of religious
studies then describes issues and concerns that cut
across a variety of communities of faith
 Part 2 then describes specific Christian communities of
faith, recognizing that Christians make up the majority of
religious people here
 Part 3 describes the ever widening diversity that
characterizes religion in the U.S.
 Is not a book about the religious history of the U.S.
 Focuses on the diversity of what people believe and
practice today

7. Religion
 Helps to make life meaningful and good for many america
 Is a rewarding subject to study
 Is about people because religion is about people
 About something transcends people, such as God or
another high reality: but, always always about people, what
people believe, and how they respond to those beliefs
 This is a book about us, all of us because even if we are not
personally religious, our lives are influenced by the
religiousness around us

8. Intro Religious America: Diversity
&Freedoom
 Religious diversity in the U.S. & throughout the world is
increasing
 The development & growth of this diversity is an important
social phenomenon & one that extends for beyond the
confines of religion
 Particular feature of religious diversity: most-not-all religions
make claims to absolute truth
 The existence of wide-ranging diversity coupled with
absolute truth claims poses a particularly interesting
challenge for thoughtful, reflective response.

9. 5 Responses to Religious
Diversity
 Exclusivism: you only agree with one religion
 Relativism: all perspectives are limited
 Inclusivism there is one true religion but some others
ay agree
 Synthesis: all relgions are the same
 The affirmation of religious diversity: all religions are
true

10. Tolerance
 Tolerance: the willingness to grant basic civil liberties to
members of a faith other than one’s own
 Encompasses willingness to grant freedom to gather
for religious meetings/ speak publicly in the hope of
winning over other people to one’s viewpoint; avoiding
religious discrimination
 A person who is tolerant may disagree/ think
someone’s position is wrong, but is still willing to see
the other person’s point

11. Chapter 1: Why study
religion?
 Study our own religion to understand ourselves better
 Study religion of others to understand others & prejudices
 Has an important roll in history
 Significant impact on contemporary events
 Impact on cultural forms such as: literature, art, & music
 Discipline of religious studies helps to stabalize the public
rolled religion

12. What is the Difference between
the study of theology & the study
of religion
 Theology is a study by members of a community of
faith learning or studying the practices & beliefs of their
own religion
 Religion promotes an awareness of the diversity of
religious beliefs, practices, & experiences people have

13. 4 Dimensions of Religion
• Belief: ideas of a religion
• Lifestyle: conduct; standards; ethics
• Ritual Activities: ceremonial actions-
prayer, chanting, meditating, lighting candles
• Social Institutions: like-minded people join together for
instruction

14. What is Popular Religion?
 Different from institutional religion
 Occurs outside the formal boundaries of religious
institutions

15. Chapter 2

16. Influencing factors that shaped
religious freedom in the U.S.
 European settlers fleeing established religion in their
homeland
 Experience with power/ privelege of churches led to
problems
 Several views of Religion

17. 3 places freedom of religion is
in the Constitution
 Article 6: prohibits religious requirements for holding
public office
 1st amendment: no law to establish religion; no law to
prohibit free exercise of religion
 14th amendment: no state laws for privelege of or
exemption for religion

18. 4 things in civil religion
 Belief in God
 Belief in America’s role in God’s plans for the world
 Commonly accepted standards of morality & civic virtue
 Routinely observed holidays

19. six ways that our culture was
affected by 9/11
 Omniscience
 Omnipotence
 Inpregnability& inviolability
 Devine election
 Supreme Goodness
 Salvic Mission

20. Religion leads to conflict in 4
ways:
 With itself when some of its members violate its own
highest standards
 Within communities of faith when different factions
disagree sharply about what is right
 Individuals/ society as a whole when it leads to
violence, terrorism, addiction or other disfunctional
behaviors
 Expressing religion in inappropriate ways

21. Common factors contributing
to religious violence
 Dualistic worldview
 Divine or cosmic warfare

22. Jihad
 The Greater Jihad: daily struggle of individual muslims
to submit their wills to Allah (God)
 The Lesser Jihad: related to doing better for the faith