Primal Religious Tradition Review Questions

1. Forms of religions are considered primal because they existed prior to the universal or formal religions such as Christianity or Hinduism. The primal religions exhibits the basic feature found in all religions and some characteristics of primal religions originated first, they are usually traditions of non-literate people, they tend to be used by small groups of people, and they are very diverse because not all primal religions will be the same.

 

 

 

2. During the period of dreaming the Ancestors created landscapes, various forms of life, and the first humans. They organized humans into tribes and gave them each specific languages, social rules, and customs.

 

3. The spiritual essence of the Ancestors remains in the various symbols they left behind.

 

4. A totem is a natural entity that symbolizes an individual or group and has special significance to the religious life of a group or individual. Taboo is the prohibition of certain behaviors or objects for fear of dangerous contact with spiritual powers.

 

 

5. For Aborigines, ritual is essential if life is to have meaning because it is only through ritual that Dreaming can be accessed and experienced.

 

6. The rituals originated from the Ancestors who created the world during dreaming and each ritual is a reenactment of a myth of the certain actions an Ancestor did during Dreaming.

 

 

7. Initiation rituals awaken young people to the spiritual identity and redefine their social identify in a tribe.

 

 

8. Two acts of the Dieri initiation ritual that symbolize death are the initiates two lower middle teeth were knocked out and buried in the ground, and the initiate is circumcised.

 

 

9. The Yoruba live in the western regions of Africa including Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.

 

10. The city of Ife has always been the center of Yoruba religion because the Yoruba believe that the god Orish-nla first began to create the world in Ife.

 

11. Yoruba cosmological view of the world depicts reality being divided into two separate worlds which were heaven and earth. Human beings are descended from gods and earth is also populated by deviant forms of human beings call witches and sorcerers who can cause chaos. The purpose of this religion is to maintain balance between the gods and humans and also to keep the sorcerers and witches from doing evil deeds.

 

12. Olorun is the supreme god of Yoruba religion and is the primary original source of power in the universe.

 

 

13. Orishas are lesser deities than the supreme Olorun however they can harm or help human beings depending on how a ritual is carried out. Orishas function as a mediator between Olorun and human beings.

 

14. One Orisha is Orish-nla and Yoruba believe that he created the earth. Another one is Ogun, the god of war and iron who was once a human but then died and became a god.

 

15. A trickster figure is a type of supernatural being who tends to disrupt the normal course of life.

 

 

 

16. Family ancestors gained supernatural status by earning a good reputation and living to an old age. They are worshipped by their own families. Deified ancestors were important human figures in Yoruba society who are now worshiped in large numbers.

 

 

 

17. The role of ritual practitioners is to mediate between the gods and ancestors in heaven, and human beings on earth.

 

 

18. Divination is the use of various techniques for gaining knowledge about an individual’s future or about the cause of a problem. Divination is important because knowledge of one’s future is essential for determining how to proceed in one’s life.

 

 

19. According to scholar’s human being came to North America either 20,000 or 30,000 years ago by migrating from Asia to the Bering Strait. They gradually spread out and inhibited both North and South America.

 

 

20. The religion of the plains Indians is of vital interest among native peoples because their religion represents Native American religion in general.

 

 

21. Wakan Tanka is the Lakota name for supreme reality and means most sacred. Wakan Tanka represents sixteen separate deities.

 

 

22. Inktomi is means spider and is the Lakota trickster figure taught the first human beings their ways and customs.

 

 

23. The Lakota believe that when someone dies one of their four souls goes on a journey along the spirit path of the Milky Way. The soul is judged and either becomes an ancestor or a ghost on earth. The remaining parts of the soul are reborn into new bodies.

 

 

24. The primary goal of a vision quest is for an individual to gain spiritual power to ensure greater success in hunting and warfare.

 

 

 

25. A sweat lodge is a dark hut made of saplings and covered in animal skins. The Lakota built it to represent the universe and they believe the sweating leads to purification.

 

 

26. The vision arrives in the form of an animal, an object, or a force nature. A message is often communicated in these visions and the individual tells the medicine man who then explains the vision.

 

 

27. In the Blackfeet tribe a woman with outstanding moral character presides over the Sun Dance.

 

 

28. An axis mundi is an entity such as a tree or mountain that connects the heavens and earth. The axis mundi in the Sun Dance is the cottonwood tree.

 

 

29. The participants of the Sun Dance believe that their bodies is the only true thing they own so body mutilation is the only suitable sacrifice one can offer to the supreme being

 

 

 

30. The Aztec Traditions defy the description of a primal religion because they were highly developed and populated civilization with a population of about fifteen million. However the Aztecs were like other primal religions because they emphasized the interrelationship between myths and rituals.

 

 

31. The geographical area of Mesopotamia included most of present day Mexico and extended south ward to present day Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

 

 

32.The Aztec god who created and ordered the world was Quetzalcoatl. The ancient city Teotihuacan is said to be the origin of the entire cosmos.

 

 

33. Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl is the god’s earthy devotee and he ruled as a priest-king. Quetzalcoatl is significant to the Aztecs because they believed he presided over the golden age of Aztec cultural brilliance and he provided the Aztecs a perfect role model for their own authority figures.

 

 

34. The Aztecs called their present age the Age of the Fifth Sun and they anticipated that their sun would be destroyed like the other four suns.

 

 

35. The Aztecs understood the special world as having four quadrants extending outward from the center of the universe, which connected the earthly realm to the heavenly and underworld realm.

 

 

 

36. Aztecs regarded each human being as a sort of axis mundi because the head and the heart are regarded as potent for the nourishment for the sun and the cosmos. This potency creates a link between the earthly and heavenly realms.

 

 

 

37. The “Knower of Things” could communicate with the gods and make offerings through language which provided an alternative to sacrifice.

 

 

38. The historical coincidence that contributed to the fall of Tenochtitlan was that in 1519 the Aztec king Quetzalcoatl was supposed to return. The general of the Spanish army Hernan Cortez arrived that same year in a feathered helmet and the Tenochtitlan believed that Cortez was the return of Quetzalcoatl. However they were severely disappointed when Cortex began to conquer them.

 

 

 

39. The day of the dead shows the survival of Aztec religious culture because during this celebration modern day Aztecs set aside time each year to perform similar rituals devoted the same basic principle the ancient Aztecs used to practice.

 

 

 

40. Three themes that are shared by the primal religions studied in this chapter are boundaries between the supernatural and human worlds are thin and easily crossed, religion is encompassing in every aspect the primal religions society, and lastly primal religions are always changing. 

 

 

Yoruba Assignment

Group 1- Yoruba

1.      Where are they located, both in location and the type of geography.

 

The homeland of Yoruba is located in West Africa and expands from a savanna, or grassland, region in the north to a rain forest in the south. Most of the Yoruba are located in Nigeria as well as some that are scattered in Benin and Togo, which are small countries located in west Nigeria. The north and south of the Yoruba compared have different occupations as well as their living conditions.
      

 

            






2.      What is their cosmological view of the world?

 

The cosmological view of the world from the Yoruba is that the cosmos is singular, meaning they believe there is no this world and another world after we are gone. They only see a single world that contains visible and invisible elements.  The visible elements are the living people, plants, animals, rocks, stars, rain, the ocean and everything that can be precieved or seen. Now the invisible elements are the Orisha and Olodumare, which are those who have passed away as well as those waiting to be born. Ocasionally the visble elements or world are called Aiye, or earth, and the invisible world would be called, Orun, which is sky or heaven. The visble and invisible elements are all seen as a single piece and not two separate parts like they have been mistaken for in Western Cultures.

 

3. Explain and describe some of their sacred symbols (at least 3).

            A sacred symbol from the Yoruba is a calabash, which the Yoruba compared their visible and invisible world to. A calabash is a type of gourd, hard shelled fruit that is grown to use as a container. The calabash is suppose to symbolize, from its division, to form two halves containing the visible and invisible portions of the world. The two ways in understanding the calabash is the concept of ashé, or the energy of the universe and by looking at the different types of beings that live in the visible and invisible world as well as the interactions between them.

 Another sacred symbol is Yams because they are considered to be an important symbol of thanksgiving by the Yoruba. They offer the yams to divinites before they eat it themselves an example is from the Eje festival, which is an annual event in Itebuu-Manuwa, where the leader of the Yoruba offers yams to Malokum, the god of the sea, as well as to other local spirits and divinities. This is so that those gods can be responsible for making the crops do well on their land.

One last sacred symbol of the Yoruba are twins because they believe that twins contain th power to bring health and happiness to their families. Also twins can unfortunately bring the power of distress and destruction as well. The god that is the protector of twins is Ibeji and the tribe continues to have the highest twin birth rate from the amount of yams consumed. The people of Yoruba treat the birth of twins very different than just a single birth, instead they provide them with special names and the first born twin is considered the younger child and is called Taiwo, “having the first taste of the world.” Taiwo is said to be the younger child because the older sibling gives the order for Taiwo to see what it looks like in the outside world and when the child makes it out and cries it is a sign for the older sibling that it is ok. The older sibling is named Kehinde, “arriving after the other”, and is thought to be more cautious and intelligent. In the Yoruba tradition they believe that twins share one soul and three days after twins are born the parents go to a priest and he drives out any evil spirits. Also the priest then tells the mother how to raise them. Lastly if the priest believes that one of the twins are possessed he can have the power to tell the mother to starve the possessed twin.

4. What are their sacred locations?
         
                A sacred location for the Yoruba’s is the akoko tree, newboldia laevis. These trees are considered sacred trees and a symbolic marker to a sacred spot as well. Another sacred location is Osogbo city, that is located in the heart of Nigeria’s Osun region. This region is host to one of the most widely celebrated events in Western Africa, the Osun-Osogbo Festival. Osogbo city is considered to be known as the City of Peace. This city is a relaxed and blessedly peaceful place and every August, from the Yoruba calendar, the Osun-Osogbo Festival is taken place where it combines the natural beauties of Western Africa and spiritual journeys, prayers, and unity. The festival finishes in an energetic celebration of life on Earth as well as the connection to the divine that is filled with hope and joy. The festival is held in the city because it is a sacred place and just outside or near the city of Osogbo there is the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. Sacred groves are areas of perfect untouched forest reserved for the worship of the gods and they once were dominated the homelands of the Yoruba people.

5. Identify their most important gods (good, bad, and trickster). More than the name of the god is needed here.

The Yoruba most important gods are Ogun which is considered to be the most important. This god is the god of war, of the hunt, and of ironworking, as well as serves as the patron divinity of blacksmiths, warriors, and all those that work with metal in their jobs.  This god is also in charge of deals and contracts. The Yoruba consider Ogun  as fearsome as well as terrible in his revenge. The belief is that if someone breaks a promise or pact in his name then vengeance will follow quickly after.

Another important god is the trickster god, Eshu. Eshu is a god that best illustrates damage. This god does this by disguising himself as a merchant and sells increasingly outstanding gifts to each of a man's two wives. As a result from the fighting for their husband's favor had broken the family apart. Unexpectedly, Eshu also serves as the guardian of houses and villages. When he is praised his followers call him Baba, Father, also he serves as the god of Ifa. This means that he is a complicated and difficult geomantic fortuneteller tool that uses nuts, signs, and increasing squares of the number four in order to be able to predict all aspects of the future. One more god that is important to the Yoruba is the god Olorun. This is the ruler of the sky as well as the father of other Yoruba gods. He is the god of peace, purity, harmony and justice. Olorun has been seen in some cultures to be representing principles of male and female in heaven and earth.

       

6. What are their totems, fetishes, and taboos?

 The Yoruba totems, fetishes and taboos are certain textiles were considered to be fabric totems and were very nicely crafted and in great condition, a shaman would wear a cheetah mask and square hat with diamond design, with two bird figures, that included colors like orange, blue, ivory, and yellow. The Yoruba fetishes were “love lock fetish” where people would place the name of a loved one in the fetish and magic and then release it to the ocean. Fetishes were active a lot in their religion for spiritual purposes. The Yoruba taboos are expressions that can be classified into four different groups: propriety-related taboos, which are meant to neutralize unpleasant things and make them more acceptable. The next is taboos for avoiding threatening consequences; veneration-type taboos, which are meant to tribute particular groups of people, most importantly the king, but also elderly and important people. The last taboo is the fear-centred taboos, which gain from the Yoruba belief in the supernatural forces.

 

                                                                     

 

7. What is the role of the shaman? How do they view magic?

 The role of the shaman for the Yoruba was that he leads all of the people. The shaman was the enlightened one and served as somewhat as priest. He used voodoo for healing the soul and lead people on spiritual journeys that they had taken previously. The Yoruba also had female shamans that were called shamaness. How the Yoruba viewed magic was that When magic was used it was to cure or prevent disease. Magic was considered to be called medicine. Magic was attempts to protect a person from sorcery, improve their financial situation, bringing good luck, and things like that etc. As a result of these attempts they were always referred to as magic.

  

8. Identify and describe at least 2 or 3 rituals.

Two rituals in the Yoruba tradition is the death ritual where the body is mourned over by family and friends with loud cry’s but then after that washed in rum or decorated in aromatic herbs as well as nice clothing. There are proper ceremonies that are held for the deceased as well as certain procedures that must be followed and if not it would be considered disrespectful on the person that has passed. There is also a feast for the person who has passed for a final respect. Another ritual involves a mask that is worn by men in complicated deception performances known as "Gelede." This ritual is taken place each year between the months March and May, at the beginning of a new agricultural season. The main purpose for this performance is to pay praise to the special power of women, both elders and ancestors. They are known lovingly as "our mothers” and women can use a spiritual life force, called  ase, which can either be creative or destructive. When these powers are used in a destructive way the women are considered to be called aje ,witch. If angered, they are believed to have the capability to destroy communities or individuals. The performances provide an opportunity where “our mother” is being treated or pampered so that she may encourage rain and fertile soil instead of destructive power against the Yoruba people.

   

 

 

9. Images that reflect the art of the people, the people themselves, and their geography.

 

          

 Links to websites that were helpful:

http://testaae.greenwood.com/doc_print.aspx?fileID=C9079&chapterID=C9079-137&path=books/greenwood

http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Yoruba.html

http://brockbaker.pbworks.com/w/page/8688074/Yoruba%3A%20Symbols%20and%20Icons

http://suprememastertv.com/services_subt.php?bo_table=download&wr_id=2804&subt_cont=ee&show=ee&eps_no=598&flag_s=&d=down


http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/yorubarel.html

http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/eng_yoruba_pantheon.htm

http://www.cyberrug.com/yoruba_beadwork_5803.htm

http://www.authenticafrica.com/yorlovlocfet.html\

http://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=134933567&DB=p


http://shamanportal.org/shamanism_african.php

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ifa.htm

http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yor/yor10.htm

http://www.randafricanart.com/Yoruba_gelede_mask_birds.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of The World Essay

           In Vladimir Soloviev’s story The Antichrist he suggests many things towards religion. The Antichrist is suppose to be a figure like Christ, but instead is evil and corrupt. This Antichrist is contradicted evil and reigns as satins co agent in the apocalypse. Soloviev’s vision of a bright future for humanity was in the new century. He saw that under the direction and motivation towards the progression of a new religion and unity that humanity could enjoy a time where there was success, peace, honesty, and safety. Through his story, Soloviev says that the great crisis, which is the apocalypse, will strike Christianity at the end of the 20th century where he symbolizes the crisis by using the figure of the Antichrist. He suggests that the authenticity of religion is that the antichrist will be a single-minded protector for animal rights, a very good patron, a devoted and active peacekeeper as well as a potential vegan. Soloviev even includes that the antichrist will be sympathetic rather than hostile. He also suggests that the antichrist will appreciate the teachings of Christ, but will refuse to believe in the teaching that Christ is unique, as well as deny that Christ has risen and is alive today. Soloviev is saying that the antichrist will be all these good things rather than what an antichrist which is supposed to be as a partner with satin. He is suggesting that the authenticity of religion is the strength in Christianity as well as the unity of humanity that symbolizes a true religion. The "power of the world" seeks to corrupt it through constant warfare and unresolved peace between nations. Without peace and unity of humanity religion becomes another reason to fight on which one is more authentic. In reality, all religions are the same because they all have a God present that represents or signifies the one true God.




         The dictatorship of relativism is the way where people who strongly dislike Christianity will try and drive Christians from the public square, meaning that they will try and stop them from preaching publically and being open to their religion. This dictatorship, like most, will probably lead to violent persecutions towards those who will not abide by or cooperate to illegal rule. Modern problems of the "dictatorship of relativism" are similar to the story of The Antichrist because modern problems today dictate the appropriate religion as well as certain aspects such as marriage or identity. In Britain they are starting to experience a dictatorship of relativism in the traditional English identity and how now, the Guardians think things are changing. Many of the people are now not identifying themselves as Christians and this has taken a big decline over the last 10 years as well as the number of people that are getting married. Christianity is not on the point of extinction or termination, but just has taken a great fall in the number of Christians. Modern problems of dictatorship of relativism can relate to the story because the story was meant to tell about the twentieth century and how the end of the world was going to happen with all the corrupt powers and dictatorship over people. The story shows that there is no unity of humanity and the constant greed of power between nations that leads to the end of the world. The two relate in the manner of dictatorship of relativism because they both have signs of the suppression of Christianity.

    
 

          Relativism is a theory, particularly in ethics, that starts from truth and moral values that are not complete, but are related to the persons or groups holding them. This can pose many challenges to the modern world because they can be correct or they can be false. These kinds of theories can also prepare people for something that may not be true. For example the Mayans predicted that on December 21, 2012 that the world was going to end, but fortunately they were wrong and we are still here. Today, humanity still lives on and the theory of the Mayans was proved to be false. How this theory affected humanity was that it made people scared and not knowing what would happen with the belief in the possibility that the Mayans were right. Movies were made based on the knowledge from the Mayans to represent the end of the world. It has posed challenges to the modern world in the belief in God and that Jesus will return to judge us as well as the challenge of understanding the truth of the Mayans. The modern world was challenged with the belief in when the end of the world would happen, how to interpret them, and the strength in faith they had for God.



          In order for hope, the modern world has to overcome their challenges, they need to be more faithful and knowledgeable with God. This is because the more in twined and interactive they are with the religion the more of an understanding they will have with God. With their new gained knowledge they will understand that everything happens for a reason, that God has a plan for us and by following his rules we will be fine. The best hope we have in the modern world is the hope in God and that what He wants is the inevitable and cannot be cheated or avoided. In the end, the modern world can not find when or how the world will end with the relativism theories because even if they may be true or false we don’t know. For that reason our faith and strength in God is what is our only hope because he is the one making the decision to end or preserve the world as well as knowing what the future holds.

Mid-Term Vocab

Introductory Unit

Heart-the center of the total personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion
re-a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment

Reality-the state of things as they are or appear to be, rather than as one might wish them to be

4 Truths of the “I”- are the Four Noble Truths, Life means suffering, the origin of suffering is attachment, the cessation of suffering is attainable and the path to the cessation of suffering.


Religious Sense- is the acknowledgement and understanding of what religion is

Ontology-the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of existence or being as such.

Being-conscious, mortal existence; life.

Anointing of the Sick

Suffering- is the state of feeling pain, misery or loss expierenced.

Job-a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price
.
Original Sin-a depravity, or tendency to evil, held to be innate in humankind and transmitted from Adam to the race in consequence of his sin.

Presbyters- (in the early Christian church) an office bearer who exercised teaching, priestly, and administrative functions.

Who administers the sacrament?- the priest, deacons and bishop

Who can receive the sacrament?-anyone that has been baptized.

Viaticum- (among the ancient Romans) a provision or allowance for traveling, originally of transportation and supplies, later of money, made to officials on public missions.

Theodicy- a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil.

Apocalyptic- predicting or presaging imminent disaster and total or universal destruction

Apostolate- the dignity or office of an apostle.

Extreme Unction- A sacrament to give spiritual aid and comfort and perfect spiritual health, including, if need be, the remission of sins.

Society of Jesus- a member of a Roman Catholic religious order (Society of Jesus) founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1534.

L’Arche Community- is an international network of faith-based communities centered around people who have developmental disabilities (or learning disabilities as they are known in the UK).

Stations of the Cross- a series of 14 representations of successive incidents from the Passion of Christ, each with a wooden cross, or a series of wooden crosses alone, set up in a church, or sometimes outdoors, and visited in sequence, for prayer and meditation.

Reconciliation

Penance- a sacrament, as in the Roman Catholic Church, consisting in a confession of sin, made with sorrow and with the intention of amendment, followed by the forgiveness of the sin.

Confession- a formal, usually written, acknowledgment of guilt by a person accused of a crime.

Forgiveness- is the renunciation or cessation of resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense, disagreement, or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution

Conversion- a change of attitude, emotion, or viewpoint from one of indifference, disbelief, or antagonism to one of acceptance, faith, or enthusiastic support, especially such a change in a person's religion.

Empathy- the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

Ten Commandments- the precepts spoken by God to Israel, delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai; the Decalogue. Ex. 20; 24:12,34; Deut. 5. Though the numbering of these commandments may differ in some religions, that which has been followed in this dictionary is based on the King James Version of the Bible.

Examination of Conscience- is what we do before we go to confession and it is the in depth look into what we have done and how it may have affected our conscienesness.




Contrition- sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections (perfect contrition) or from some inferior motive, as fear of divine punishment (imperfect contrition)

Confession of Sin- is the acknowledgment of sin (or one's sinfulness) or wrongs. It is a religious practice in a number of faith traditions.

Absolution- a remission of sin or of the punishment for sin, made by a priest in the sacrament of penance on the ground of authority received from Christ.

Sin- any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.

Mortal Sin- a willfully committed, serious transgression against the law of God, depriving the soul of divine grace.

Venial Sin- a transgression against the law of God that does not deprive the soul of divine grace either because it is a minor offense or because it was committed without full understanding of its seriousness or without full consent of the will.

Original Sin- a depravity, or tendency to evil, held to be innate in humankind and transmitted from Adam to the race in consequence of his sin.

Personal Sin- a sin committed by our own doing and effects us internally.

Restitution- reparation made by giving an equivalent or compensation for loss, damage, or injury caused; indemnification.

Concupiscence- is a lust and desire, sexually.

Fornication- is the reproduction of new life between a man and a woman.

Heresy- opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system.

Schism- division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties.

Matrimony

Abortion- an operation or other procedure to terminate pregnancy before the fetus is viable.



Contraception- the deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation by any of various drugs, techniques, or devices; birth control.

Sterilization- the destruction of all living microorganisms, as pathogenic or saprophytic bacteria, vegetative forms, and spores.

Fidelity- devotion to duties, obligations, etc; faithfulness

Divorce- a judicial declaration dissolving a marriage in whole or in part, especially one that releases the husband and wife from all matrimonial obligations.

Polygamy- the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time.

Adultery- voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her lawful spouse.

Annulment- a formal invalidation, as of a marriage, judicial proceeding.

Purpose of Marriage- is to pro create and live fruitful and multiply.

Unity- the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.

Procreation- is a male and a female that are married and have sex with the intent of creating a child or offspring.

Intimacy- a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.

Exchange of Vows- are the promises and love shown between husband and wife through words.

Grace- the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification.

Family- a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not.

Cohabitation- to live together as husband and wife, usually without legal or religious sanction.

Creation- something that has been brought into existence or created, esp a product of human intelligence or imagination.

Holy Orders

Diocese- an ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.

Vicar- a person acting as priest of a parish in place of the rector, or as representative of a religious community to which tithes belong.

Infallibility- person or thing that is incapable of error or failure.

Imprimatur- an official license to print or publish a book, pamphlet, etc., especially a license issued by a censor of the Roman Catholic Church.

Parish- an ecclesiastical district having its own church and member of the clergy.

Celibacy- abstention from sexual relations.


Bishops- a person who supervises a number of local churches or a diocese, being in the Greek, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other churches a member of the highest order of the ministry.

Pope- the bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Priest- a person whose office it is to perform religious rites, and especially to make sacrificial offerings.

Deacon- a member of the clerical order next below that of a priest.

Cardinal- a high ecclesiastic appointed by the pope to the College of Cardinals and ranking above every other ecclesiastic but the pope.

Clergy- the group or body of ordained persons in a religion, as distinguished from the laity.

Chasuble- a sleeveless outer vestment worn by the celebrant at Mass.

Discern- to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend.

Grace- is what is renewed in us as we visit the church and participate in mass.

Baptism


Definition- a ceremonial immersion in water, or application of water, as an initiatory rite or sacrament of the Christian church.

RCIA- The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life. Children who were not baptized as infants are also initiated through an adapted process of this rite, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC).

RCIA Process- is a communal process and involves a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites to aid and assist the potential convert toward the final rite, usually at the Easter Vigil at which time they will become full members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Candidates- a person or thing regarded as suitable or likely for a particular fate or position.

Catechumens- . a person under instruction in the rudiments of Christianity, as in the early church.

White Garment- is what an adult or child wears when they are being baptized.


Water- is what is used when a candidate gets baptized.

Concupiscence- sexual desire; lust.

Confirmation

Definition- a rite administered to baptized persons, in some churches as a sacrament for confirming and strengthening the recipient in the Christian faith, in others as a rite without sacramental character by which the recipient is admitted to full communion with the church.

Seal- an embossed emblem, figure, symbol, word, letter, etc., used as attestation or evidence of authenticity.

Holy Spirit- the presence of God as part of a person's religious experience.

Fruits of the Spirit- Love, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Self-control, Joy, Peace, Gentleness, and Faithfulness,


Gifts of the Spirit- Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing powers, Miraculous powers, Prophecy, Spiritual discernment, Speaking in tongues, and Interpretation of tongues

History- the record of past events and times, especially in connection with the human race.

Pentecost- a Christian festival celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles.

Sponsor- a person who vouches or is responsible for a person or thing.

Community- a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists.

Laying on of hands- a rite in which the cleric's hands are placed on the head of a person being confirmed, ordained, or the like.

Eucharist

Definition- the sacrament of Holy Communion; the sacrifice of the Mass; the Lord's Supper.


Transcendence- Theology of God having continuous existence outside the created world.

Consecration- the act of giving the sacramental character to the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine, especially in the Roman Catholic Church.

Transubstantiation- the changing of the elements of the bread and wine, when they are consecrated in the Eucharist, into the body and blood of Christ.

Tabernacle- the portable sanctuary in use by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt to the building of the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon.

Other Names for the Eucharist- is the body of Christ

Eucharist Meal- is a Christian sacrament by which, in a common interpretation, those who celebrate it commemorate the Last Supper by consecrating bread and wine.

Mass/Liturgy (Eucharist)- the service of the Eucharist, especially this service (Divine Liturgy) in the Eastern Church.

Introductory Rites- is the penitential rite, it is a time of reflection on one's sins and a prayer for God's mercy.

Liturgy of the Word- Consist of The First Reading: -The Hebrew Scriptures, The Responsorial Psalm, The Second Reading - The Christian Scriptures, The Gospel – Alleluia, The Gospel Reading, The Homily (or mini-sermon), The Profession of Faith: (the Creed)

Liturgy of the Eucharist- consists of the preparation of the altar and gifts, Eucharistic prayer and the communion rite.

Corpus Christi- celebrating the tradition and belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and his Real Presence in the Eucharist.

Sunday Obligation-It is both a precept of the Church and Church law that Catholics must worship God on Sunday by participating in the Holy Mass.

"I Confess" Extra Credit

Imagine you are a movie critic. Write a review of the movie "I Confess" and tell your audience why you think this movie is (or is not) worth seeing.

In the movie “I Confess” I thought that it was a pretty interesting and entertaining movie for being in black and white. The movie had a lot of suspense and mystery between the characters even though you know from the start that the murder is Otto Keller, the caretaker . I enjoyed this movie and would recommend others to see it as well. The movie has you hooked and interested as the story line progresses. If people like mysteries and detective movies than “I Confess” will be a great movie for you. I found the actors did a pretty good job with their role and the movie showed quality and interest towards the audience. However, there were still parts that I was annoyed of such as the overly dramatic music as well as the quick scene changes. The storyline to this movie was pretty good and was very entertaining to follow. I like how the priest was targeted as the main suspect and seemed suspicious because he was not able to say what he knew. The movie played with the audience to have the priest know the whole truth and not be able to say anything even though police are targeting at him. This movie is also worth seeing because it has a romance twist that you don’t suspect from the beginning between the priest Logan and women Ruth Grandfort. Once again the movie  had an exciting story idea that has a priest facing trial for a murder he didn't commit, and refusing to clear himself even though the killer had confessed to him in the church, where God and himself were present. This movie shows how sacred and serious priest take the church confessional to be, especially when it leaves a killer to roam free to potentially be able to kill again, but to also get redemption when he dies at the end. The director, Hitchcock, has made a great suspenseful movie that is entertaining to watch as well as enjoy with a number of top-notch performances from the actors.

Why did the priest remain faithful to his vow to never reveal anything from a confession when it would have been easier on him to just reveal the information? What does the movie's resolution at the end demonstrate Hitchcock's own view of God? How would you have ended the movie?

         The priest remained faithful to his vow to never reveal anything from a confession when it would have been easier on him to reveal the information because as a priest you are suppose to keep a vow of silence. Priests are not allowed to discuss what they heard in confession and if they do then they are not a priest. Priests have a commitment to the church, God and the people, with that comes responsibility and trust towards the priest. When becoming a priest they learn and know that they can’t break their vow in confession because it is a time that is meant for the person, God and the priest as the vessel of the Lord. No matter what the sin a priest a cannot speak of it outside of confession because it is also a time where the sinner faces their wrong doing and looking for forgiveness towards something the person is truly sorry for.  Father Logan seemed to be a good priest and never broke his vow of confession. The resolution at the end of the movie shows that Hitchcock own view of God is being able to trust the priest with your confessions even if the confession affects the priest. Also the movie shows at the end that Hitchcock believes that our sins will be forgiven, but if we don’t take responsibility for our actions we will have to pay the consequences. I liked the ending of the movie because everyone got what they deserved except the murders wife. How I would have ended the movie is to have had Father Logan and Otto sit down and talk about what he did and for Otto to confess his sins towards the police and to regain Father Logan’s reputation for a crime he did not commit. Lastly, I would include for Otto to go to jail for the consequences of his murder and the murder of his wife and Logan to be a respected priest with Ruth as a faithful friend.

 Look up Alfred Hitchcock's biography and find some articles about his Catholic faith. How do you think his faith informs his view of the cinema? Give examples from "I Confess" (or other Hitchcock movies) to make your case.

 

         Alfred Hitchcock was raised as a catholic. When Hitchcock as younger, he would go to Mass every week, where he was temporarily an altar boy and he also graduated from a Catholic prep school. Hitchcock was a very religious and stayed that way throughout the course of his life. Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Reville, even converted to Catholic faith for her husband. She and her husband always went to Mass every week where they also gave back by donating large amounts of money towards the church as well as several Catholic charities. Even after his death, Hitchcock’s funeral was held in the Catholic tradition. He was very thankful for his Catholic education, but he admitted that he had resisted the fear and guilt that came along with the religion. He said: “My Catholic upbringing taught me organization, control, and to some degree analysis… I don’t think the religious side of the Jesuit education impressed itself so much upon me as the strict discipline one endured at the time… but I’ve grown out of religious fear now” (Kershaw). But oddly enough all of that thrilling darkness in his films seemed to have come from somewhere because many film analyzers argue that Hitchcock’s movies are filled with references to Catholic dogma, or code of belief, and imagery. The use of imagery was mainly in his movies theme of guilt and sin as only obtainable in the characters minds of liberation or recovery. In “I Confess” there are a lot of religious beliefs that are taking place such as sin, guilt, redemption, vow of silence in confession, as well as the life of priesthood. The movie was heavy on fear and suspense as well as guilt for the crime Kellar committed. Hitchcock’s religious beliefs were influenced in this movie along with others, but in this movie he portrays a murder and confession that were key points in the movie. He shows the struggle of a priest who is convicted for a crime he did not do when the murder confessed to him. The movie stresses the importance of a priest not revealing what he heard in confession no matter how badly it was or may affect the priest. From Hitchcock admitting that he resisted fear and guilt from the religion he shows a lot of it in this movie as well as many others. He portrays the characters in a way where you know and feel the person’s guilt and fear for a crime they have done or mistake they have made. Hitchcock’s faith informed his view of cinemas through the guilt Kellar felt throughout the movie, Father Logan never revealing what he knew about the murder as well as the redemption Kellar receives for his unjust actions at the end of the movie, where he slowly breaths his last breath. In the end, Hitchcock influences his catholic beliefs in this movie through his ability portray the fear and guilt of the characters in which he claims that he resisted from the religion.

Work Cited

Kershaw, Tom. "The Hollowverse." Alfred Hitchcock's Religion and Political Views. N.p., 3 Dec.

 

      2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

 Answer the question on the movie poster: "If you knew what he knew what would you do?" Tell me why, and compare your own reaction to the priest in the movie.

      It’s hard to say what I would do if I was the one who knew the murder because their two different ways to answer this question. If I wasn’t a priest, like Logan, than I would tell the police who did it and be done with the situation. This because no person has a right to kill a person and the way Otto Kellar, the murder, said he killed the person as an accident really didn’t seem right anyways. He was going to steal from the man he killed, so he was already doing wrong in the first place. I would have told what I knew not only for the safety of me, but for others as well as because this man was dangerous. He also proved he didn’t learn his lesson because he killed his own wife that tried to do good on behalf of her husband’s mistake. The other situation is that if I were a priest like Logan and in the same situation as he was I wouldn’t tell. This is because I wouldn’t be allowed to and the movie stressed a lot how Logan couldn’t reveal the truth. If I was a priest that would mean I would put my faith first before my own self because that’s what I believe in. As a priest you learn that your faith is important and that in confession you can’t reveal anyone’s sins. If I was in Logan’s situation I would do the same as he did by never revealing who committed the crime because as a good priest you are suppose to abide by the rules as a trusted man of the faith. I was surprised how dedicated Logan was in not revealing the information and how wrong it was that Kellar even turned on Logan to save himself, but I can understand that priest have to keep that secret no matter what even if effects them. Logan put his religion first and saw that as more important and personally I would agree with him because it takes a strong priest and loving vessel of the Lord to do that. In the end, I have split decisions because there are two ways of looking at the question, as a priest or as a citizen. It has been made clear that as a citizen for the safety of everyone I would tell, but as a priest strongly intertwined with the faith I would keep the vow of silence from the confession and would not reveal the information I knew.

Universal Call to Holiness

In the prompt what it means to say, "if I need something, I chase after it if it goes away" is that if man needed something from the church he doesn’t go after it until it’s already gone. This part of the prompt is telling man how they have failed the church. When man needs something they wait too long or when it is too late to achieve it. Man fails the church because he fails on his responsibilities to maintain what he needs from the church and only waits until it has gone away to show action and need for it. This can relate to the universal call to holiness in many ways. The main way is that man fails the church when we are called for holiness because we don’t take action towards strengthening our holiness until it has passed.

We are called to holiness through Christ and the church. The Church teaches us that all within the church should live holy lives. Through living a holy life, it is a lifelong process of seeking God himself, through Jesus Christ. The universal call to holiness in the Catholic Church is connected to baptism and uniting a person with the Second Person of the Blessed trinity. Christ preached holiness of life towards everyone and has influenced those to be made holy through the grace of God. God’s grace and love works through the church so that we can be called to holiness as well as take action through faithfulness towards the Holy Spirit by practicing charity. All of members of the church are called to the fullness of a Christian life an perfection of charity, no matter their social rank.

In order to attain or uphold holiness there are four ways to do so. Catholics are considered to follow these four ways to answer the call of holiness. These four ways are that we should use our strengths and talents as a gift from Christ. We should follow Christ and become like him, seeking the Father's will in all things, the glory of God and the good of our neighbor. We should use our personal gifts and fulfill our duties in the spirit of faith working through love and lastly, we should receive all things with faith from the hand of the heavenly Father. Through these four ways of attaining holiness can be grouped into two basic attitudes. The spirit to accept all things as coming from the loving hand of God, and the aim to do all things in accordance with God's will out of love for him. Through the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, participation in the liturgy, prayer, self-denial, service of our brothers and sisters, and the practice of all the virtues. These actions are ruled by charity and two other types of charity, enlivened by charity, and expressions of charity. Now expressions of love towards God are martyrdom as well as virginity, poverty and obedience.  For martyrdom, there is no greater love than to lay down your life for Christ and one's brethren and  for virginity,  poverty, and obedience are all special means for promoting  holiness of the Church,  where each component has its own way as a particular imitation or likeness of Christ.

            Through catholic upholding these four ways and live those out they break what the prompt means when it talks about how man fails the church. The prompt implies for Catholics that they don’t realize what they are losing or have lost until it is gone. The prompt is telling Catholics to do better and make sure they don’t fail the church as well as the church failing them. As a catholic what I think it means to "say who Christ is" without shame is that he is someone who is loving, charitable and there for us through his teachings and our prayer towards us. I have no shame in saying who Christ is because in knowing his teachings and stories of his life as a model for us it has opened my eyes towards knowing who he is. Through going to church and understanding the universal call of holiness, as a Catholic I know no shame in who Christ is and how to attain holiness and the fullness of a Christian life. In the end, through reading the prompt and comparing it to the universal call to holiness there has been a deeper understanding of the two relations; and how if man doesn’t realize what he needs now then later it will already be too late. As Christians in the catholic church we have to understand the faith and answer the universal call to holiness through the four ways as well as the ability to understand and interpret the life of Christ as model intertwined with our own.