T O K RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES SENSITIVITIES

T. O. K. RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE

EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES: SENSITIVITIES 1. Listen open-mindedly – Listen to others who hold views different than your own with a desire to learn not blocked by eagerness to find fault and refute. 2. Inquire – Unfamiliar perspectives are not always easy to understand at first, especially if they are different from your own. If you are puzzled, activate your curiosity and (tactfully) try to learn more. 3. Try to see from the other point of view – Empathy and imagination help in entering into a different world view. The challenge is to grasp the perspective not as described by an outsider but as held by an insider.

WHAT IS RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE? When we speak of “religious knowledge” we are referring in large part to the bodies of beliefs held by followers of the different religions. Religions draw together certain beliefs…such as…

The origin and purpose of life… Teachings on moral and social conduct… A sense of the sacred and holy… Usually concepts of metaphysical deities…

WHAT DO RELIGIONS DO? Religions interpret for their followers the meaning of life and give guidance on living it well. Religious perspectives have a significant influence on the way societies run in the world today, and how they interact.

AN IMPORTANT FRAME OF REFERENCE… It can be argued that knowledge about religion, and some understanding of the perspectives on the world of major religions, is an essential part of the education for anyone wanting to take part in the communication and knowledge exchange of a diverse world.

CONCEPTS & LANGUAGE

THEISM & MONOTHEISM In your group create a good definition of theism and monotheism…

CONCEPTS AND LANGUAGE… Theism: The field of comparative religion…the belief in the existence of deities. Monotheism: The belief in one God or the oneness of God.

POLYTHEISM & PANTHEISM Next…create definitons for polytheism and pantheism…

CONCEPTS AND LANGUAGE… Polytheism: worship or belief in multiple deities. Pantheism: The belief that the Universe (Nature as the totality of everything) is identical with divinity. Some Asian religions are considered to be pantheistically inclined.

ATHEISM & RELIGIOUS PLURALISM What is atheism and religious pluralism…

CONCEPTS AND LANGUAGE… Atheism: In a broad sense – rejection of belief in the existence of deities. Religious pluralism: The attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems coexisting in society… (goes beyond mere toleration)

AGNOSTICISM & HUMANISM In your group try to defilne agnosticism and humanism…

CONCEPTS AND LANGUAGE… Agnosticism: The view that the truth value of certain claims of divine or supernatural existence is unknown. Humanism: Emphasizes reason, scientific inquiry, & human fulfillment in the natural world.

ACTIVITY: PERSONAL PROFILE… In your T. O. K. Journal create a “Personal Profile”. This is yours and yours alone…it will not be shared unless you wish to share some portions of it. In a separate section include “Personal memories and associations”. These we will discuss as a group.

TIME FOR REFLECTION… Shared Knowledge Zone of exchange Personal knowledge

Knowledge framework Score/applications • • Attempts to explain the meaning or purpose of life. Incorporates a diverse range of systems from polytheism to pantheism • Concepts/language • Difficulties in using human language to describe divine • Importance of analogy and metaphor • Language shifts: oral to written, Latin to vernacular Conventions: authority of scripture in many systems, leaders and authority figure • Key concepts: faith, miracles, gods , revelation. • Methodology Historical development • Debates between literal/ fundamentalist, conservative and liberal approaches • Impact of scientific knowledge • Language developments leading to wider developments • Links to personal knowledge • • Argumentation, use of reason • Interpretation • Use of revelation • Sense perception • Authority • Value on faith Understanding the self-personal views on life after death, personal moral decision-making • Emotional element in religious belief • Attitudes, and behavior towards others • founding figures: Dalai lama Individuals who have changed the course of religious history such as Martin Luther Role of collaboration-community element : Ummah in Islam. Evangelism and religious pluralism

What is the difference between religious feelings, religious beliefs, and religious faith? Is it possible to know god? Are religious beliefs reasonable? Knowledg e Questions Is faith irrational? Where to religious beliefs come from? Can you think of any evidence which would convince you god does not exist? What is the value of thinking about questions to which there are no definite answers? How do we decide between the competing claims of different religious knowledge systems?