Studying Religion : An Introduction Through Cases

by KESSLER

• ISBN13: 9780072986198
• ISBN10: 0072986190
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-22
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

Through the use of thought-provoking case studies, summaries, and review questions, this introductory level text shows students how to engage in the "academic" study of religion and helps instructors address some of the typical problems they encounter when introducing students to the study of religion. Kessler guides students through an unbiased and varied study of religious beliefs and practices such as sacred power, myths and rituals, religious art, the problem of evil, and the relationship between religion and morality. The text also addresses issues of gender and religious institutionalization.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
PART I Preliminaries	1	(44)
Chapter 1 Thinking about Being a Student of Religion	3	(15)
1.1 INSIDER'S AND OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVES	3	(3)
1.2 QUALITIES WORTH HAVING	6	(6)
1.2.1 Openness	6	(1)
1.2.2 Honesty	6	(1)
1.2.3 Critical Intelligence	7	(2)
1.2.4 Careful Observing, Reading, and Listening	9	(1)
1.2.5 Critical Tolerance	10	(2)
1.3 WHY STUDY RELIGION?	12	(2)
1.4 PLAN OF THE BOOK	14	(1)
1.5 REVIEW QUESTIONS	15	(1)
Explorations	15	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	16	(1)
Internet Resources	16	(2)
Chapter 2 On Defining and Studying Religion	18	(27)
2.1 MARKS OF A GOOD DEFINITION	18	(7)
2.1.1 Usefulness	18	(1)
2.1.2 Precision	19	(3)
2.1.3 Freedom from Bias	22	(3)
2.2 TWO DEFINITIONS	25	(2)
2.3 SUPERSTITION, MAGIC, AND RELIGION	27	(3)
2.4 TOWARD A WORKING DEFINITION	30	(1)
2.5 A SIMPLE MAP OF THE FIELD	31	(4)
2.6 GOALS AND METHODS	35	(5)
2.6.1 Description	35	(1)
2.6.2 Interpretation	36	(1)
2.6.3 Explanation	37	(1)
2.6.4 Evaluation	38	(2)
2.7 FIELDWORK	40	(1)
2.8 A CONTROVERSY	41	(1)
2.9 REVIEW QUESTIONS	41	(1)
Explorations	42	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	42	(1)
Internet Resources	43	(2)
PART II Liminaries	45	(272)
Chapter 3 Sacred Power	47	(24)
3.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	47	(6)
3.1.1 Dao (Tao)	47	(3)
3.1.2 Anselm on God	50	(3)
3.2 COMPARISON	53	(1)
3.3 FORMS OF SACRED POWER	54	(10)
3.3.1 Spirits, Ancestors, and Totems	56	(1)
3.3.2 Goddesses and Gods	57	(2)
3.3.3 Monotheism and Deism	59	(2)
3.3.4 Dualism Divine	61	(1)
3.3.5 Pantheism and Monism	62	(2)
3.4 AGNOSTICISM AND ATHEISM	64	(2)
3.5 REVIEW QUESTIONS	66	(1)
3.6 RESEARCH CASE-GANESHA	66	(2)
Questions on the Case of Ganesha	68	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	69	(1)
Internet Resources	70	(1)
Chapter 4 Myth as Sacred Story	71	(24)
4.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	72	(6)
4.1.1 Enuma elish	72	(2)
4.1.2 Moses	74	(4)
4.2 COMPARISON	78	(2)
4.3 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS	80	(3)
4.4 THEORIES OF MYTH	83	(4)
4.5 MYTH AND SCIENCE	87	(3)
4.6 REVIEW QUESTIONS	90	(1)
4.7 RESEARCH CASE-THE PRIMAL MAN	91	(1)
Questions on the Case of the Primal Man	92	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	93	(1)
Internet Resources	93	(2)
Chapter 5 Ritual as Sacred Action	95	(23)
5.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	96	(9)
5.1.1 Akitu Festival	96	(4)
5.1.2 Her Alone They Sing Over (Ishna Ta Awi Cho Lowan)	100	(5)
5.2 COMPARISON	105	(1)
5.3 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS	106	(1)
5.4 SACRIFICE	107	(3)
5.5 MAGIC, PERFORMATIVES, AND RITUAL	110	(1)
5.6 MYTH AND RITUAL	111	(1)
5.7 REVIEW QUESTIONS	112	(1)
5.8 RESEARCH CASE-SEDER	113	(3)
Questions on the Case of the Seder	116	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	116	(1)
Internet Resources	117	(1)
Chapter 6 Sacred Space, Time, and Art	118	(28)
6.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	120	(7)
6.1.1 Mount Kilimanjaro	120	(3)
6.1.2 The Dreamtime	123	(4)
6.2 COMPARISON	127	(1)
6.3 FEATURES OF SACRED SPACE AND TIME	128	(3)
6.4. RELIGION AND ART	131	(8)
6.4.1 Architecture	133	(5)
6.4.2 Music	138	(1)
6.5 REVIEW QUESTIONS	139	(1)
6.6 RESEARCH CASE-THE CATHEDRAL OF ST ANDREW	140	(4)
Questions on the Case of the Cathedral of St. Andrew	144	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	144	(1)
Internet Resources	145	(1)
Chapter 7 Experiencing the Sacred	146	(34)
7.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	148	(10)
7.1.1 Muhammad	148	(4)
7.1.2 The Buddha	152	(6)
7.2 COMPARISON	158	(2)
7.3 DEBATES ABOUT THE NATURE OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES	160	(4)
7.4 SHAMANIC ECSTASY	164	(1)
7.5 MYSTICAL TECHNIQUES AND STATES	165	(4)
7.5.1 Typologies of Mystical Experiences	165	(1)
7.5.2 Mystical Experience: Pure or Culturally Conditioned?	166	(1)
7.5.3 Mystical Techniques	167	(2)
7.6 PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORIES	169	(4)
7.7 REVIEW QUESTIONS	173	(1)
7.8 RESEARCH CASE-ST. TERESA OF AVILA	173	(5)
Questions on the Case of St. Teresa of Avila	178	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	178	(1)
Internet Resources	179	(1)
Chapter 8 Evil	180	(27)
8.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	183	(4)
8.1.1 Karma	183	(2)
8.1.2 The Mahdi	185	(2)
8.2 COMPARISON	187	(1)
8.3 TYPES OF THEODICIES	188	(6)
8.3.1 Karma Theodicies	188	(2)
8.3.2 Eschatological Theodicies	190	(2)
8.3.3 Theodicies of Participation	192	(2)
8.3.4 Dualistic Theodicies	194	(1)
8.4 THE THEOLOGICAL PROBLEM OF EVIL	194	(5)
8.5 HOW THEODICIES WORK	199	(3)
8.6 REVIEW QUESTIONS	202	(1)
8.7 RESEARCH CASE-MANICHAEISM	202	(2)
Questions on the Case of Manichaeism	204	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	204	(1)
Internet Resources	205	(2)
Chapter 9 Religion and Morality	207	(30)
9.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	209	(9)
9.1.1 Divine Command Theory	209	(4)
9.1.2 Confucian Virtue	213	(5)
9.2 COMPARISON	218	(2)
9.3 IDENTIFYING AND LEGITIMATING MORAL NORMS	220	(2)
9.4 WHAT IS MORALITY?	222	(2)
9.5 RETRIBUTION AND GUILT	224	(6)
9.5.1 Avoidance	228	(1)
9.5.2 Purification	228	(1)
9.5.3 Beyond Morality	229	(1)
9.6 REVIEW QUESTIONS	230	(1)
9.7 RESEARCH CASE-JAIN NONVIOLENCE	230	(5)
Questions on the Case of Jain Nonviolence	235	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	235	(1)
Internet Resources	236	(1)
Chapter 10 Organizing the Sacred	237	(42)
10.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	239	(10)
10.1.1 Tibetan Buddhism	239	(4)
10.1.2 Jonestown	243	(6)
10.2 COMPARISON	249	(5)
10.3 TYPES OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS	254	(1)
10.4 THE DILEMMAS OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION	255	(2)
10.5 TYPES OF AUTHORITY	257	(1)
10.6 SCRIPTURE	258	(4)
10.7 GENDER	262	(6)
10.8 CIVIL RELIGION	268	(2)
10.9 REVIEW QUESTIONS	270	(1)
10.10 RESEARCH CASE-SHINTO	270	(6)
Questions on the Case of Shinto	276	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	276	(1)
Internet Resources	277	(2)
Chapter 11 Human Existence and Destiny	279	(38)
11.1 TWO CASE STUDIES	282	(8)
11.1.1 Sikhism	282	(3)
11.1.2 Christianity	285	(5)
11.2 COMPARISON	290	(1)
11.3 RELIGIONS OF SALVATION AND SOCIETY	291	(3)
11.4 WHAT IS WRONG WITH HUMAN EXISTENCE?	294	(2)
11.5 THREE PATHS TO SALVATION	296	(12)
11.5.1 Merit	296	(4)
11.5.2 Grace through Faith	300	(4)
11.5.3 Worship	304	(4)
11.6 WHERE ARE WE GOING?	308	(4)
11.7 REVIEW QUESTIONS	312	(1)
11.8 RESEARCH CASE-ZEN BUDDHISM	313	(2)
Questions on the Case of Zen Buddhism	315	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	315	(1)
Internet Resources	316	(1)
PART III Postliminaries	317
Chapter 12 Religious Diversity and Truth	319
12.1 WHY CANT WE ALL GET ALONG?	320	(2)
12.2 EXCLUSIVISM, INCLUSIVISM, AND MORE	322	(8)
12.2.1 Exclusivism	323	(2)
12.2.2 Inclusivism	325	(2)
12.2.3 Pluralism	327	(3)
12.3 WHAT IS TRUTH?	330	(5)
12.3.1 The Proposals of D'Costa and Ward	331	(2)
12.3.2 Why Judge at All?	333	(1)
12.3.3 Language Games	334	(1)
12.4 CRITICAL TOLERANCE AND THE PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY	335	(2)
12.4.1 The Blind People and the Elephant	336	(1)
12.4.2 The Elephant Principle	336	(1)
12.5 REVIEW QUESTIONS	337	(1)
12.6 RESEARCH CASE-BAHA'I	338	(5)
Questions on the Case of Baha'i	343	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	344	(1)
Internet Resources	345
Notes	N-1
Glossary	G-1
Credits	C
Index	I-1