DISCUSSION 8

Pick one of the two topics below and post your responses.

Choice One: 

Religions have emerged and developed across the world. Some have been short-lived, while others have persisted and grown. Your book describes several major world religions. 

• Hinduism


• Buddhism


• Confucianism


• Taoism


• Judaism


• Islam


• Christianity

The major religions of the world (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, and Judaism) differ in many respects, including how each religion is organized and the belief system each upholds. Other differences include the nature of belief in a higher power, the history of how the world and the religion began, and the use of sacred texts and objects.

Describe in a brief paragraph one of the seven major religions in the world and how it can exist in our United States Culture.   Is secularization (the different forms of religion in our culture) of religion a good thing or dysfunctional part of our overall culture today?

Choice Two:

Religions organize themselves their institutions, practitioners, and structures—in a variety of fashions. For instance, when the Roman Catholic Church emerged, it borrowed many of its organizational principles from the ancient Roman military and turned senators into cardinals, for example. Sociologists use different terms, like ecclesia, denomination, and sect, to define these types of organizations. Scholars are also aware that these definitions are not static. Most religions transition through different organizational phases. For example, Christianity began as a cult, transformed into a sect, and today exists as an ecclesia.

Describe how a religion can develop from a cult and then become a sect, then become a denomination, and then an ecclesia. Give an example of each.