Dimensions of the Sacred: An Anatomy of the World's BeliefsA world-renowned religion scholar explores the world's major religions and comparable secular systems of thought in this unusually wide-ranging and accessible work. Ninian Smart considers Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, as well as Marxist-Leninism, Maoism, nationalism, and Native American, African, and other systems of belief. His goal is to advance our understanding of how we as human beings interact thoughtfully with the cosmos and express the exigencies of our own nature and existence. Smart demonstrates that diverse systems of belief reflect several recurring themes: the tendency to worship, the contemplative life, story-telling, a view of history, ethical instruction, guidelines on bodily practices, rituals, and visual icons. He examines each of these themes in relation to specific belief systems. He points out that religions and comparable worldviews should be studied at least as much through their practices as through their beliefs. The result of twenty-five years of research, this comprehensive book is nothing less than an analysis of the entire pattern of human spiritual life, viewed through what Smart calls "the grammar of symbols, the modes and forms in which religion manifests itself." |
Contents
INTRODUCTION I | 1 |
Doctrine Philosophy Some Dimensions | 27 |
The Ritual Dimension | 70 |
The Mythic or Narrative Dimension | 130 |
The Experiential Emotional Dimension | 166 |
The Ethical Legal Dimension | 196 |
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Common terms and phrases
Advaita Vedanta Africa ancient Asia aspect axis mundi become behaviour belief bhakti Bodhisattva brahmavihāras Brahmins Buddha Buddhism Catholic China Chinese Christ Christian church concept Confucian contemplative context cosmology cosmos course cultures dhyāna dimension divine doctrine ethical example experiential faith function gods heaven Hindu Hindu tradition Hinduism holy human idea ideology important incarnation India instance Islam jāti Jewish Judaism kind king kingship liberation magical Mahayana major mantric Marxism means meditation mode modern monks monotheism moral Moreover Muslim mystical mythic myths narrative nature nirvana notably numinous numinous experience Orthodox patterns perhaps person phenomenology philosophy pilgrimage political practice prophet Protestantism relation religion religious experience rites ritual role sacred sacrifice saint Sangha scriptures secular sense shamanism social society soul spiritual stories Sufism symbolism Taoism temples theism theistic theme theology theory Theravada Theravadin thought tion transcendent typically ultimate vision Western whole worldviews worship York