1. Why Study World Religions? We in the GTA live in the most Culturally/Religiously diverse place on the Planet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2.  As Humans we are inquisitive (who we are, where we come from, where do we go?)  Early Humanity demonstrated an understanding of Supernatural Forces  Religion: An organized expression of a communities belief in the Sacred.  What are some basic elements of Religion?

3.  Theism: Belief in one personal God  Polytheism: Belief in many personal Gods  Pantheism: God is Nature/Nature is God  Agnosticism: God can neither be proved/disproved  Atheism: Denial of Theism

4.  Sacred Stories (Oral Stories of Primal/Native)  Veda (Hinduism)  Tanak (Judaism)  Tripitaka (Buddhism)  Qur'an (Islam)  Bible (Christianity)  Adi Granth (Sikhism)

5.  Sacred Dance (Native Spirituality)  Sacraments (Christianity)  Mantras (Buddhism)  Thread Ceremony (Hinduism)  Bar/Bat Mitzvah (Judaism)  5 Pillars (Islam)

6.  All the different religions have a story that explains the origins of creation/humanity

7.  Hierarchical/Communal  Tribal Elder  Priest  Rabbi  Guru  Monk  Imam

8.  Torah/Talmud (Judaism)  Canon Law (Christianity)  Sharia (Islam)  Precepts (Buddhism)

9.  Credo (creed: statement of belief)  Nicene Creed (Christianity)  Shahada (Islam)  Shema (Judaism)

10.  Re-incarnation/Heaven/Hell/Heavens.

11.  World was created during the “Dreaming”  Ancestors left behind their power “Totems”  Totems were natural formations (rocks etc)  Taught people language, laws, customs.  People could connect to power “Rituals”  Taboo: participating in a forbidden Ritual.  Rituals: Scarring Back, Circumcision, Knocked out Teeth

12.  West Central Africa  Olurun: Creator (no involvement with us)  Orisa-nla: Created the earth (rules/customs)  Ogun: God of war  Orisa: God  Esu: Trickster Figure, mediates between heaven and earth  Divination: A ritual to determine your path

13.  40,000-60,000 years ago  Lakota as a Model  Sioux: Snake  Wakantanka: Great Mysterious is actually 16 different deities. 4 is perfection  Inktomi (Spider): Trickster Figure  Afterlife: Old Women, Milky Way, 4 Souls  Sun Dance: Axis Mundi  Vision Quest: Sweat Lodge

14.  Test question: Pick 3 religions from the Videos and express your thoughts/opinions on how they express their belief in the sacred 15T 10C