RELIGION AND RITUALS ANTHRO I PROFESSOR MS JONA

RELIGION AND RITUALS ANTHRO I PROFESSOR: MS. JONA VICTORIANO, M. A.

DEFINITION OF RELIGION It is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces or beings. Bellows College 2

Religion provides shape and meaning to one’s perception of our universe. PURPOSES OF RELIGION Religion provides meaning to inexplicable event. Religion provides a sense of order to a chaotic existence. Bellows College 3

Individualistic- it is also known as “vision quest” which is intended for spiritual and life direction. It is a personal and spiritual quest in going alone in the wilderness often in conjunction with a period of fasting. CATEGORIES OF RELIGION Shamanistic- a shaman is a part-time religious practitioner and a part-time spiritual healer which serves as a mediator between the divine and the mortal world. Variations of this category are faith healers (quack doctor), palm readers, tarot card readers, etc. Communal- it refers to the elaborate set of beliefs and practices practiced by a group of people arranged in clans by lineage. In this category, people take on roles based on knowledge and ancestral worship. Ecclesiastical- it is more dominant in agricultural societies and is centrally organized and hierarchical in structure, paralleling the organization of the society. 4 Bellows College

5 COMMON CONCEPTS OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS • Animatism- is the belief in ONE supernatural power that is potentially everywhere, unseen, and impersonal. • Animism- is the belief that inanimate objects is animated by supernatural power. • Dualism- also called “Bitheism” is the belief on two supernatural god-like divinity, and is usually in opposition with one another. • Euhemerism- is the belief that a once mortal being can transform into a supernatural being through the constant re-telling of his story which results to distortion of details. • Totemism- is a form of ancestral worship where a family have a close relationship with an object they believe has a supernatural power. Bellows College

Priest- is a religious leader who is part of an organized religion. Other religion call them rabbis, pastors, ministers, imams, and many more. Their main role are keepers of the sacred texts and laws. FORMS OF RELIGIOUS SPECIALISTS Shaman- is both a religious leader and a spiritual healer. They serve as mediators between the mortal world and the spiritual world. Prophet- are mortal beings who receives divine revelations about the restructuring of the religion or the whole society. Bellows College 6

RITUAL Is a set of actions performed mainly for their symbolic value. 7 Bellows College

PURPOSES OF RITUAL It is part of their religious obligation/ideal. It is a way to strengthen a religious group’s bond. It is one of the ways on which we show respect or submission towards our god. 8 Bellows College

SACRIFICE Bellows College 9