Seven Dimensions of Religion

Understanding a human phenomenon

The Seven by Ninian Smart

Practical and Ritual Dimension Experiential and Emotional Narrative or Mythic Dimension Doctrinal and Philosophical Dimension Ethical and Legal Dimension Social and Institutional Dimension Material Dimension

Practical and Ritual

Practices such as– Worship, Praying,

Regular Gatherings, Rites of Passage

http://www.huntington.edu/worship/images/Worship-039_small.jpg

http://www.farsipraise.net/blog/uploaded_images/worship%20shofar-blower-talit-756042.jpg

http://patdollard.com/wp-content/uploads/muslims-praying.jpg

Experiential and Emotional

People react when they have encountered something which they believe is very profound.

http://delivery.viewimages.com/xv/1541648.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19396908EAF14430D35940696E613E87FCF2556AE8CBB5C4EFC

http://delivery.viewimages.com/xv/74365748.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933D389E1A66A48986185BD6C7A7470EA7879D000F7E7BD7FE

Narrative or Mythic

Stories which explain and inspire.

– One such story is the Hopi tradition of how peaches became sweet and the bees got wings.

http://www.zoopy.com/photo_image/large/1180376216.jpg

http://www.greengiantfresh.com/images/peaches.jpg

Doctrinal and Philosophical

Provides rational for many of the practices and ideas of the religion.

– Trinity– Bodhisattva

http://www.lemoyne.edu/philosophy/images/thinker.jpg

http://www.rothburycommunity.org/images/RCC2%20Logo.JPG

Ethical and Legal

Ideas and laws that shape behavior.

– Laws of Manu– 5 Precepts– Ten Commandments– Beatitudes

http://minimediaguy.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/tn_question.jpg

http://66.231.15.127/ClassLibrary/Page/Images/Data/515.jpg

Social and Institutional

Social outgrowth of religious experience.

– Masjid– Church– Synagogue– Sangha

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Jama_Masjid.jpg/800px-Jama_Masjid.jpg

http://www.jeffooi.com/Sangha_0044.jpghttp://www.diamond-congress.hu/mdo2006/images/mdo/pict/synagogue.jpg

Material

An outgrowth of religious experience/encounter.

– Music– Art– Symbol– Architecture

http://www.ethnicpaintings.com/images/buddhist-art-thanka-life-mandala.jpg

http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_pictures/symbols/images/dharma.gifhttp://www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/Previous/Images/ISLAMIC.JPEG

Sources

Seven Dimensions of Religion are from The World’s Religions by Ninian Smart