Religiously Literate Religiously Literate

With so many religions in the world it can be hard to keep up with  what everyone believes. Religiously Literate is here to help! Join Jay and Ryan on this episode as we learn about the last of the Abrahamic faiths, Christianity.

In this episode we give a general overview of Christianity, including the history, beliefs, and practices shared by many Christians regardless of denomination.



SHOW NOTES:

Key Terms:

Apostolic succession: the belief that bishops and priests represent an uninterrupted lineage dating back to the apostles of Jesus
"The Word": This refers to a whole lot of different things that include, but are not always, readings directly from the Bible. Includes scriptural readings, hymns, prayers, and sermons/homilies given by clergy members and primarily serves as a mechanism for teaching about Jesus’ life and Christian beliefs.
Baptism: This is the primary means through which someone becomes incorporated into the “Body of Christ” or Christian community and is meant to be a celebratory public recognition of belief in and commitment to Jesus Christ as the Son of God (can also be baptized in recognition of the whole Trinity).
Communion: The sharing of bread and wine or grape juice among Christians. Meant to be a recognition of Jesus’ sacrifice through his death on the cross and resurrection.
Christmas: Annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Typically celebrated on December 25th, but varies by tradition.
Lent: 40-day period of Christian fasting preceding Easter. Commemorating Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert.
Epiphany: Festival commemorating the arrival of the three Magi (wise men) after the birth of Jesus.
Advent: Roughly month-long period preceding Christmas celebrated as a time of anticipation leading up to the birth of Christ.
Fat (Shrove) Tuesday: Final day commemorating the period between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday.
Palm Sunday: Festival commemorating the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem before his death. Celebrated the Sunday before Easter.
Easter: Holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ash Wednesday: Day of prayer and fasting commemorating the beginning of Lent.
Maundy Thursday: The day during Holy Week commemorating the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.
Good Friday: Holiday commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
Pentecost: Festival that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and followers of Jesus Christ.
Ascension: Holiday commemorating the departure of Christ from earth after his resurrection.
Glossolalia: Speaking in tongues
Trinity Sunday: First Sunday after Pentecost celebrating the Christian belief in the Trinity
Trinity: The Trinity is the belief in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit
Synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke (meaning they “see each other,” from the Greek synopsis)


Timeline of Jesus' life: https://www.everlastingstrength.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Life-of-Jesus-Timeline-Tabloid-11x17.jpg?x57201 

Sources:

McGrath, Alister E. Christianity: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2006.

Vaughn, Lewis. Anthology of World Religions: Sacred Texts and Contemporary Perspectives. (2017)  Oxford University Press: New York.

With so many religions in the world it can be hard to keep up with  what everyone believes. Religiously Literate is here to help! Join Jay  and Ryan on this episode as we learn about one of Japan's major religious traditions.

In this episode, we discuss Shinto, including an overview of history, general beliefs, practices, and its significance with Japanese nationalism.

SHOW NOTES:

Key terms:

Kami: “divine powers of the cosmos in the form of deities, features of nature, and exceptional humans (emperors and ancestors, for example)”
Kojiki: Record of Ancient Matters, central Shinto text
Nihongi (Nihon shoki): Chronicles of Japan, central Shinto text
Izanami and Izanagi: Male and female kami revered for the creation of the Japanese archipelago
Amaterasu: sun goddess, associated with the imperial family and the Shrine at Ise
Jinja: dwelling places of the kami, otherwise known as shrines
Torri: red, arbor-like structures found at Shinto shrines
Shimenawa: rope often made with rice straw, demarcating sacred spaces
Shide: lightning bolt shaped paper often hung on shimenawa
Shrine Shinto: The most prevalent kind, includes practices at shrines to demonstrate “faith” in kami
Lived/Popular/Folk Shinto: Everyday practices of people that reflect faith/belief in kami; includes a lot of regional variation and overlap with bigger Shinto practices
State Shinto: Started in the nineteenth century, declared Shinto as state religion; gave rise to some nationalistic beliefs; established the emperor as a “living kami” and direct descendent of Amaterasu
Matsuri: Shinto festivals

https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/itsukushima-shinto-shrine/6QE34GxKVEkyTQ?sv_lng=132.3184711655607&sv_lat=34.29696387465894&sv_h=324.19&sv_p=5.060000000000002&sv_pid=0PDJMeu0ov36Joqinhu6KA&sv_z=1

Shinto by Helen Hardacre
A new history of Shinto by John Breen and Mark Teeuwen.
Shinto, a short history by Inoue Nobutaka (editor), Itō Satoshi, Endō Jun and Mori Mizue ; translated and adapted by Mark Teeuwen and John Breen.
Vaughn, Lewis. Anthology of World Religions: Sacred Texts and Contemporary Perspectives. (2017)  Oxford University Press: New York.


Music used in this episode includes “City of Jewels” by Destiny & Time as well as Ishikari Lore by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100192)

With so many religions in the world it can be hard to keep up with  what everyone believes. Religiously Literate is here to help! Join Jay  and Ryan on this episode as we learn about one of the most influential regions in world history.

In the final to our first season, we'll travel around Israel talking about 10 religious sites important to many traditions that originate in the Middle East, including some we've covered this season and some that will be covered in seasons to come!

Ten Religious Sites to Visit in Israel

1. The Dome of the Rock
2. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
3. The Wailing Wall
4. The Church of the Nativity
5. The Dead Sea
6. Masada
7.  Cave of the Patriarchs
8. Bahji
9. Capernaum
10. Jericho

Map of Religious Sites in Jerusalem https://www.planetware.com/i/map/ISR/old-city-jerusalem-map.jpg
Map of Religious Sites in Israel https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/915kkTT7QEL.jpg 

With so many religions in the world it can be hard to keep up with  what everyone believes. Religiously Literate is here to help! Join Jay  and Ryan on this episode as we learn about one of the most influential religions in world history.

In this episode, we discuss Judaism, including an overview of history, general beliefs, rituals, and holidays.

SHOW NOTES: 

Key terms:

Rabbi: Jewish clerical leader
Mohel: Jew trained to carry out circumcision of Jewish boys
Tanakh: Hebrew Bible composed of three parts (Torah, Ketuvim, and Nevi'im)
Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Ketuvim (The Prophets): Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Nevi'im (The Writings): Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, I Chronicles, II Chronicles
Mishnah: interpretations and applications of the laws
Talmud: authoritative writings that consist of the Mishnah and the Gemara
Mitzvot: Commandments followed by Jews
Bar/Bat Mitzvah: coming of age ceremony for Jewish boys/girls
Chuppah: wedding canopy
Ketubah: Jewish wedding contract
Shiva: week long mourning period for Jewish first-degree relatives
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement
Hanukah: Festival of Lights
Passover: Jewish holiday commemorating the exodus from Egypt
Seder: ritualized meal on Passover that helps explain the Exodus story
Aggadah: text recited with the seder to explain the Exodus story
Kosher: "fit to eat," also refers to Jewish dietary laws

Bar Mitzvah video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsS0K8FjKLA


Temple that may have held he Ark of the Covenant discovered: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7810225/Biblical-home-Ark-Covenant-discovered-Israel.html

Cohn-Sherbok, Lavinia, and Dan Cohn-Sherbok. Judaism: A Short History. Reissued. Oxford: Oneworld, 1999.
Vaughn, Lewis. Anthology of World Religions: Sacred Texts and Contemporary Perspectives. (2017)  Oxford University Press: New York.



Music used in this episode includes “City of Jewels” by Destiny & Time as well as from https://filmmusic.io, "Lachaim" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

SHOW NOTES:

Key terms:

Bahá’í: follower of the Bahá’í faith, a follower of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh

Bahá’u’lláh: founder of the Bahá’í faith

Kitab i Aqdas (The Most Holy Book): scripture written by Bahá’u’lláh

The Tablet of Carmel: scripture written by Bahá’u’lláh

Kitab i ‘Ahd (The Book of the Covenant): Last Will and Testament of Bahá’u’lláh


World Religions and Spirituality Project: The Baha’i Faith https://wrldrels.org/2016/10/08/bahai-faith/

Baha’i history map: https://external-preview.redd.it/QPApxEl2MqTcvbgyPQVuACn4qrKVHyvkGVqdfjCMHvg.jpg?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=5bb991d79d027a8a87fd1dd25e32a8cc6eb67ba7

Baha’i Obligatory Prayers: https://www.bahai.org/documents/bahaullah/obligatory-prayers

Baha’i Obligatory prayers: https://www.bahai.org/documents/bahaullah/obligatory-prayers

Baha’i World Centre and Garden video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxesOz6rRlw

Roots of the Baha’i Faith (two parts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmAC7PYiK_k&vl=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHrBlTL5tf8

Administrative structure diagram: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/Present-bahai-administration.jpg

Calligraphy of the Greatest Name: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Greatest_Name.svg/150px-Greatest_Name.svg.png

Baha’i Ringstone symbol: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Bahai_Ringstone_Symbol.pdf/page1-220px-Bahai_Ringstone_Symbol.pdf.jpg

Keene, James J. "Baha'i World Faith: Redefinition of Religion." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 6, no. 2 (1967): 221-35. doi:10.2307/1384048.

Smith, Peter. An Introduction to the Bahai Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Warburg, Margit. Bahaʼi. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2003.

Worthington, Frances. 2012. Bahá'í Basics : A Guide to the Beliefs, Practices, and History of the Bahá'í Faith. Wilmette, IL: Baha'i Publishing.

Music used in this episode includes “City of Jewels” by Destiny & Time 

With so many religions in the world it can be hard to keep up with what everyone believes. Religiously Literate is here to help! Join Jay and Ryan on this episode as they discuss a topic that some consider a religion and other do not.

In this episode, we discuss Buddhism, including an overview of the Buddha's life, the Buddhist creation story, and beliefs, as well as Buddhism's connections to Hinduism 

Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReigiousLitPod and Twitter: @ReligiousLitPod

SHOW NOTES:

A Day in a Buddhist Temple vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRdrTOaMP3w

Top Ten Buddhist Temples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mPjLi3zCuY

Goonasekera, Sunil. “Buddhism in South Asia: Practicing Tradition Today.” In South Asian Religions: Tradition and Today, edited by Karen Pechilis and Selva J. Raj, 143–60. London ; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2013.

Keown, Damien. Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Fully updated new edition. Very Short Introductions 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Music used in this episode includes “City of Jewels” by Destiny & Time as well as Zen Temple Bell, recorded by Mike Koenig and obtained from http://soundbible.com/1477-Zen-Temple-Bell.html