Ninian Smarts: The Seven Dimensions Of Religion

When looking at smarts six dimension of religion in comparison to the study of indigenous religions I found that some of the dimensions clearly applied, some did not and other seem to be an antagonist of the dimensions. The doctrinal did not seem to be as important to indigenous religions In the sense the relationship to divinity and their self’s. The mythological dimension was seen as fairly the same, most stories were passed down through word of mouth but there were definite and lasting myths of creation and other religious traditions present throughout indigenous religions. The third dimension appeared to transform into the concept of “taboo” in indigenous religions. The concept of taboo is when something in a specific religion is so powerfully

According to Ninian Smart, the seven dimensions of religion include practical and ritual, emotional and experiential, narrative and mythical, ethical and legal, doctrinal and philosophical, social and institutional, and material. The practical and ritual dimension involves rituals and practices that provide spiritual awareness of adherents. The emotional and experiential dimension includes the life changing experiences that either the leaders or followers of a religion go through. Narrative and mythical dimension are the stories and past records that preserve tradition and culture in the religion. Ethical and legal dimension of the religion are basically the codes of behavior that are followed

Since the beginning of time humans have endeavoured to explain the causes and reasons behind their existence. As a result of this thirst for knowledge many different beliefs and values have been formulated with the aim of explaining this age-old question. Most of these beliefs are prevalent today in the form of institutionalised religions. In order to gain an understanding of the word 'religion', we need to fully analyse and compare the components of religions in order to gain a more cultivated understanding of this enigmatic term. An extremely valuable way of classifying religion and its many aspects is through the Seven Dimensions, developed by Ninian Smart. (See Appendix 1) These dimensions explore the many aspects of religion in a

Community can be an isolated form or in conjunction with religion and sensory pleasures. In terms of religion, from my own personal observations and experiences, modern escapes through religion is coupled with relationships you make within your religious community. Growing religious fervor and mysticism characterized the Middle Ages and the relationships with God. St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th century mystic, conformed his life in every act with that of God, abandoning a life of wealth and material satisfaction. As a mystic, his connection to God was direct and substantial compared to the common person. Societies used religion to justify world occurrences. However, as societies evolve, the way in which religion is used to give life meaning evolves as well. With the advancement of scientific knowledge and the evolution of religion, particularly after the Church was accused of corruption and religious hegemony waned – not entirely, but to some degree – many cultures enjoy the Church communities in addition to weekly liturgical practices. With the knowledge that some worldly occurrences are not the direct work of God, but by the doings of nature and science, can people rely less on God for prosperity and instead use religion as a tool to find meaning and solace. Moreover, while developing a relationship with God, one can find themselves forming relationships with those who are attempting to achieve the same objective. Sharing beliefs, in itself, also provides consolation and support amongst the terrors of history, suggesting that those in troubles are not the sole victims of these

Religion is a common set of belief held by different individuals available within a society. Religion concerns itself with purpose, cause, and nature considered for the creation of a superhuman agency fitted with several moral codes. The codes provide guidance on how humans should conduct themselves throughout their life time. Religious beliefs are known to fall into a pattern of 8 different elements such as the belief system, community, central myths, rituals, an ethical system, experiences of the emotions, expressing religion in a material manner, and the ability of being sacred (Jacobs, 2005).

Then and now religions shared common dimensions that provide society with a doctrine, narrative, ethics, ritual, experience and a social institution. These six dimensions that Ninian Smart derived spell out the framework for comparative study of religions1. The six dimensions hold true when comparing the daily routine Roman religious thought to modern Christianity. Interwoven into the core of both cultures is a strong unifying spirit that built a strong communal bond for its people.

Religion is a species-specific human universal phenomenon, complex, full of paradoxes, and found in all cultures. Social scientists and anthropologists since the late 17th century have attempted to rationally answer questions about religion, and while we can't evaluate the veracity of religion’s claims, we can attempt to understand its functions.

Major religions dating back 4,000 years have served as institutions that bring individuals together in the form of communities that share similar morals, ideals, and customs. Religion greatly affects individual behavior both positively and negatively because of how important of a role it plays in many lives. Smidt (1999) notes that religious institutions act as a societal framework that provides a variety of services such as guidance, physical care, and social networks. It is at these institutions where individuals are first introduced to ideas about ethics, values, and customs. Thus, officials within each religion have an important role in shaping how their congregates view the world. Many religious institutions serve as the center of a particular

Living in community will expose selfishness, ambition, jealousy, dissension and impurity in ourselves, allowing us to experience loss, despair, and stress. Even so, all of this is important to our spiritual formation because we mature as Christians,

“Every age has its own characteristics. Right now we are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations, and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. The shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship, and that servile imitation of the world which marks our promotional methods all testify that we, in this da, know God only imperfectly, and the peace of God scarcely at all.”

Religion is a set of beliefs and practices that generally involves praising of a higher being or power. Religions are defined between two categories, immanent and transcendent. Immanent religions are generally non-theistic and focus more in the presence rather than what is ahead and recognises a divine being or power as a constantly reality. Transcendent religions tend to have a belief in a divine being or powers whose existence goes beyond human limitations and focuses on the consequences of an action (Douglas, 2015). There are four main aspects that all religions have in common, these are beliefs, sacred texts and writings, ethics and rituals.

Religion as seen by many is a set of principles which gives you a purpose to live and lead your life. For others it is a force and a law which restricts their freedom and their choice of living their life. Despite how it appears to be and how it may be defined, there are several religions in the world such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and more. Each one of them may differ in the set of beliefs and the principles which they lay but all of these world religions preach some universal truths; spreading the message of love, abstaining from crime and doing no harm to the others. Since every religion has a whole new concept of dimensions worth studying, this paper focuses the religion followed by the Jews; Judaism.

Community and Target Aggregate: Catholic community, CCD class of 5th graders and 2 adults to monitor discussion

Religion can be defined as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. It contains a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices that allow its followers to live their life a certain way. The world consists of 19 major religions, which are further subdivided into 270 larger groups. According to David Barrett et al, editor of the “World Christian Encyclopedia,” there are 34,000 separate Christian groups around the world. Just from those numbers alone, we can conclude that religion has a prevalent effect on people and society. Religion is viewed as a positive influence on an individual both psychologically and physically. Throughout history we can study the various effects that religion has on society. Studies generally provide great evidence in favor of religion having a positive effect on individuals and society as a whole.

Define religion in terms of its six characteristics – sacred, myth, ritual, community, morality, and religious leaders – and explain the possible relations among them.