Tag Archives: ancient religion

In the Mayan Jungle

The Maya1 jungle, as far as the eye can see, has swallowed up the ancient Maya cities and along with them, their ancient religion.

Coba9

Nohoch Mul Temple at Coba Mayan archeological site

We explored four Maya archaeological sites in two days! Not to mention, swimming with sea turtles, exploring underground lakes and burning up in the oppressive Mexican sun. When we got to the top of the highest of the Maya temples that have been cleared of trees, our guide, of Maya descent, could point out the vast 80 km2 territory that was once the enormous Maya stone city of Coba.

1  see comment by Finkus Bellum below
MayanJungle

Maya Jungle from top of Nohoch Mul Temple, Coba archaeological site

Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Origins, Religious Literacy

The Term ‘Abrahamic’

abraham_Chagall02

image above: detail of Abraham and Isaac on the way to the Place of Sacrifice Marc Chagall, 1931

It is endlessly troublesome to create helpful categories for the myriad religions of the world.

The centuries of hostility between the so-called Abrahamic religions originate from their competitive claims to the Hebrew prophetic tradition and from their mutually exclusive claims to the revelations attributed to Abraham and the canon of Israelite prophets. I’m not sure why this category title ever felt right to anyone, religious or otherwise. Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under Origins, Religious Controversy, Religious Literacy, Ways to Learn the World Religions

Too Many Religions! part II

doubleSymbolStrip

The objective of my categories is to orient the student once and for all into religion as a topic of study.

The seven categories are:

  • Prehistoric Religion
  • Indigenous Religion
  • Ancient Religion
  • The Hindi Religions
  • Religions of China
  • The Abrahamic (or Revealed Religions, if you like)
  • Modern Religion

It is very important to note that, in my system of categories, I ignore the claims made by any one religion. Many of the modern religions, for example, consider themselves to be a continuation of – or, often, a singularly orthodox expression of – Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or one of the ancient religions. Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Easy Categories, Origins, Religious Literacy, Ways to Learn the World Religions