Living Religions, By Mary Pat Fisher

The indigenous tribes of North America have much in common with the indigenous religions of Africa but there are also many differences in the belief of an afterlife, supreme deity, and the daily practices of each. Today many of these lesser known religions are hardly ever studied but they exist and are still practiced all over North America and Africa. We will discuss how these religions differ in their main beliefs and practices, and we will also discuss how they correlate with one another on smaller aspects.

Religious belief and practices are deeply rooted in traditions and teachings from sacred scriptures and texts. Indigenous religions are specific to a tribe, region, and cultures that have had various influences in their core religion. Religion is a very personal issue for most people and therefore closely guarded. Studying religion is necessary to have an understanding of the connections and foundations that have been built throughout its history.

Having the privilege to serve in the military has allowed this writer the opportunity to be exposed to the pluralistic society in a way which has exposed him to the beauty of the diversity enjoyed in American culture. One aspect of said diversity is the interaction which has taken place amongst the Christian and various world religions who also wear the same uniform in defense of America. It was the pleasure of the writer to attend a local synagogue in which his Jewish brothers and sisters welcomed him with open arms. The local congregation of Jewish believers went out of their way in order to ensure their newest visitor understood the flow of service and the significance of the ritual which took place on the first Shabbat or Sabbath of the month. The following essay will serve to detail the worship experience as well as how it and other beliefs of Judaism compare/contrast with the Christian faith.

Religion manifests itself everywhere around the world. Although all beings are different we come together as one transcendence being the host. Sacred rituals are performed, honoring beliefs in accordance to ones religion. Rituals are performed for a wide array of reasons, some being a sort of rite of passage, healing the sick and even birth or death rituals. Judaism, Santeria, and Christianity all have ceremonies and rituals, some carried out as different as night and day, and some for the same purposes. These religions in depth have more in common than the eye can see, devotion, transcendence and worship to a higher absolute power. All participating in Sacred Ritual.

Often times we are at a loss for words when it comes to talking about the person of the Holy Spirit. Beth Felker Jones in her work entitled “God the Spirit” serves as an introduction to the study of the Holy Spirit in a distinctly Wesleyan and Ecumenical Perspective. Jones is working against the notion that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is often the most neglected of all Christian teachings (1). She recognizes her experience within the Wesleyan tradition as one that shapes her pneumatology and this book. She asserts that one of Wesleyan Christianity’s special gifts is it’s “leaning against any tendency to neglect the Spirit” (4). Even with this framework she aims to place the Wesleyan perspective in a larger ecumenical milieu that shows the continuity of a Wesleyan pneumatology with the Tradition of the Church. Overall, her approach is very accessible, as she assumes very little and writes in such a way that allows her to cover large dogmatic topics clearly and concisely. By merit of simply being an introduction only style book, there is the risk of glossing over topics and not providing enough in depth discussion to fully understand and comprehend the doctrine discussed. A reader should feel confident that Jones has indeed provided us with a solid introduction to Wesleyan pneumatology that has the ability to bear fruit and initiate growth in the life of the believer.

In Kevin Riley’s article “From Tribal to Universal”, him and several other historians argue that religious traditions emerge within and through traditions and beliefs that already exist. These new religions borrow from, adapt, and reject older traditions. Their ideas along with beliefs, can often be traced back and connected to multiple existing systems of belief. The documents collected in “Tribal to Universal Religion” help us understand and analyze the relationships between various religions, some of which did not originate in the same place, and their common ideas. Kevin Riley is surely right about religions borrowing from, adapting, and rejecting older traditions. This idea is clearly seen through the creation of Buddhism and Christianity.

As Tillich clams “Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt”. The twentieth century philosopher and theologian, Paul Tillich argues that religion differentiates from the concept of what theologians and scientist have asserting as true. He says religion gives a key to “ultimate concern” which contributes to holy. However, Rudolph Otto, another German theologians and philosopher of his time, has a different statement about the religion and “God”. He sees religion as a rational essence. Yet both agree that religion is not dogma, on the other hand, is rational, their concept of understanding varies from each other.

Indigenous religions exist in every climate around the world and exhibit a wide range of differences in their stories, language, customs, and views of the afterlife. Within indigenous communities, religion, social behavior, art, and music are so intertwined that their religion is a significant part of their culture and virtually inseparable from it. These religions originally developed and thrived in isolation from one another and are some of the earliest examples of religious practice and belief. The modern world; however, has taken its toll on these groups and many of their stories, customs, and beliefs have been lost to, or replaced by, those brought in as a result of popular culture and the missionary work of Christians and Muslims.

Those who are raised within one religious tradition may find it difficult to understand the traditions of another religion. It is not until one is educated in the basics of the other major world religions, that it is possible to see the many similarities between them. Just as there are many similarities between the countries culturally, the major religions share more things than they are different. In viewing Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism with an open mind, it is easy to see the differences, similarities and ideals that make these religions as widespread as they are.

In Mere Christianity, Clive Staples Lewis, known as C.S Lewis known best for his writing, and being a Christian apologist, divides the novel into 4 different section. Each book emphasizes the struggles he has faced and overcome as well as personal life lessons he has learned. The first section, Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe focus on moral law and the law of nature. Christians Believe, second section, corresponds with his life because Lewis has had many interviews defending his faith and studied the Bible thoroughly. In the third book, Christian Behaviour. It talks about all of the different types of morals and behaviors Christians are called to follow because Lewis has studied into Jesus’s teaching he has a deeper understanding of what Jesus has called his followers to be. Lastly, Beyond Personality: or First steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity, is about the first steps and the process of becoming a Christian. Lewis went from an atheist to a highly Christian figure in the church and believer society resulting into a lot of personal knowledge of the topics in his novel. C.S. Lewis’s life influences his writing in Mere Christianity through his ability to portray the foundation of Christianity from the growth made from both his believer and non-believer life, using the amount of studies and research done defending the views of atheists and Christians, his studies in people and Christian behavior, and finally how his intimate growth as a godly person

Throughout the history of the world, many kinds of religions have come and gone. With each religion that has appeared, each one has had a very unique and profound way to express SACRED TIME, SACRED PLACE or other ways to practice rituals. In East Asia countries, places such as India, China and Japan has had rituals within their respective religions that coincide with individual’s belief. From the great nation of India it was the practice of SAMLEKHANA (holy death). In the land of the rising sun, feudal Japan had Seppuku and in the land of Dragons and Emperors, China follow the ritual of Li.

Although religion and ritual may have been relevant in the context of the past, it is acceptable to view them as outdated, and irrelevant in today’s societal context, and hence useless. Religion and ritual have been of significant cultural importance throughout the history of mankind. People, in which these spiritual activities were originated from, invented and relied on religion and ritual as key tools for finding answers to the unknown. Thus, these spiritual activities are the reflections of the historical context, which is vastly different from the context of today’s science and technology driven society. Therefore, although treasured in the past, religion and rituals no longer serve a meaningful purpose anymore, thus may be viewed as anti-modern

Durkheim’s theories on ritual are an integral part of his work on religion, outlined in his book ‘The Elementary Forms of Religious Life’. Rites are defined by Durkheim as ‘determined modes of action’ (Durkheim, 1915, pg. 36). They are ceremonies that are active expressions of particular beliefs or aspects of a religion. It is necessary to consider and assess the theories on religion before examining and assessing those on rites and ritual specifically. Durkheim studied Australian totem tribes in order to uncover the ‘elementary forms of religious life’ and to gain something of an insight into the origins and functions of religion. He believed that religions served a

Islam, Judaism and Christianity are three of the world’s great monotheistic faiths. They share not only many of the same holy sites, such as Jerusalem, and prophets and patriarchs, such as Abraham; but also the many practices and beliefs such as prayer, ablutions, and strong familial ties of the patriarch and others before him. Collectively, scholars refer to these three religions as the Abrahamic faiths, due to the fact that Abraham and his descendants are dynamic protagonists in the founding of these religions.

Rituals through both these religions help the participant gain a sense of closeness to their divine being and aid their faith in ways such meditation, prayer, reflection and celebration.