REL 203 Th 09/30/10

Methodology
•    Scholarly vs. devotional
•    Secular vs. sectarian
•    Historical
•    Anthropological
•    Sociological
•    Comparative
•    Understanding vs. Truth
•    Hermeneutical
•    Hermeneutics = the science of textual interpretation
•    Exegesis vs. isogesis
•    Exegesis = bring the meaning out of the text
•    Isogesis = read meaning into the text

Western vs. Eastern Religion

Western Religion
•    Judaism
•    Christianity
•    Islam
Eastern Religion
•    Hinduism, Sikhism, Bah’ai
•    Buddhism
•    Taoism
•    Confucianism, Shinto

Western Religion
•    God is personal (Father, King, Judge, He)
•    Yahweh
•    Christ, The Holy Spirit
•    Allah
Eastern Religion
•    God is impersonal (Force, Principle, It)
•    The Brahman
•    Dharma
•    The Tao

Western Religion
•    God is personal (Father, King, Judge, He)
•    Yahweh
•    Christ, The Holy Spirit
•    Allah
Eastern Religion
•    God is impersonal (Force, Principle, It)
•    The Brahman
•    Dharma
•    The Tao

Western Religion
•    Monotheism
Eastern Religion
•    Pantheism (all-godism)
•    Monism (one-ism)

Western Religion
•    Worship
•    Prayer
Eastern Religion
•    Harmony or union with the Divine
•    Meditation

Western Religion
•    God is describable, knowable through revelation
•    Focus on scripture, doctrinal beliefs
Eastern Religion
•    God ineffable, knowable through experience
•    Focus on meditation, spiritual experiences

Western Religion
•    Human problem = sin
•    Solution = sacrifice, forgiveness, obedience
Eastern Religion
•    Human problem = ignorance, attachment
•    Solution = enlightenment, detachment

Western Religion
•    Persons are real, important
•    Persons will be judged, forgiven or punished
Eastern Religion
•    Persons are unreal, unimportant
•    The ego is an illusion, false self
•    The Truth Self is God

Western Religion
•    Death and Judgment
•    Heaven or Hell
Eastern Religion
•    Reincarnation
•    Moksha, Union with God
•    Nirvana

Western Religion
•    History is linear
•    It ends in the Apocalypse, Day of Doom, Judgment Day
Eastern Religion
•    History is cyclical
•    No ending, endless repeating

The Fall