Rel 133
Elements of Religious Traditions
Over the years individuals have been studying the different religions of the world only to find there are many obstacles in this area. Webster dictionary defined religion as “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Traditions or rituals play a critical role in individual and institutional religion and can strength the bond between the individual and the sacred.
Why study religion? The study of religions of the world can bring enlightenment and understanding of other religions (Molloy, 2010). It is important to understand the complications associated with studying regions of the world. Religious traditions are passed on from generations through spoken stories and experience. A good example of an oral story is some of the ritual dances and ritual clothing Native American partake in during ceremonies. As scholars study these oral traditions many details could be over looked due to a language barrier. Many written religious documents are written in spiritual language called Hagiography (Molloy, 2010). This is a spiritual language with the purpose of creating devotion to a high entity. This language can be challenging to translate and put in a document with the purpose of educating.
Religious traditions are used to created devotion, bring communities together, and give hope during trying times. Many traditions include myths, stories, doctrines, and texts (Molloy, 2010). Myths tell the story of a religion. In Christianity the death and resurrection of Jesus is a myth that expresses the beliefs of Christianity. It is important to understand that the use of the word myth does not make the story untrue as in other areas but it simply states that the stories are specialized for a specific religion (Molloy, 2010).
Religious traditions bring some order in a world of chaos. Many individuals follow a religion to help during times of hardship and religious traditions help bring calm or
Over the years individuals have been studying the different religions of the world only to find there are many obstacles in this area. Webster dictionary defined religion as “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Traditions or rituals play a critical role in individual and institutional religion and can strength the bond between the individual and the sacred.
Why study religion? The study of religions of the world can bring enlightenment and understanding of other religions (Molloy, 2010). It is important to understand the complications associated with studying regions of the world. Religious traditions are passed on from generations through spoken stories and experience. A good example of an oral story is some of the ritual dances and ritual clothing Native American partake in during ceremonies. As scholars study these oral traditions many details could be over looked due to a language barrier. Many written religious documents are written in spiritual language called Hagiography (Molloy, 2010). This is a spiritual language with the purpose of creating devotion to a high entity. This language can be challenging to translate and put in a document with the purpose of educating.
Religious traditions are used to created devotion, bring communities together, and give hope during trying times. Many traditions include myths, stories, doctrines, and texts (Molloy, 2010). Myths tell the story of a religion. In Christianity the death and resurrection of Jesus is a myth that expresses the beliefs of Christianity. It is important to understand that the use of the word myth does not make the story untrue as in other areas but it simply states that the stories are specialized for a specific religion (Molloy, 2010).
Religious traditions bring some order in a world of chaos. Many individuals follow a religion to help during times of hardship and religious traditions help bring calm or