THEME 5
WHAT ARE THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CULTURE?
Part 1
PART A:
READ page 38 and answer the following questions:
1. Think of a “Group” that you belong to. List at least 3 things that identify you
as belonging to that group. Be specific.
2. List at least 3 things that would identify someone as NOT belonging to the
group you chose in question #1. Be specific.
PART B:
The Oglala Circle
READ page 39 and answer the following questions:
1. Who are the Oglala?
2. List at least 3 reasons why the Oglala believe the circle is a sacred symbol.
3. What symbol in our culture is very important? List at least 3 reasons why this
symbol is important to our culture.
PART C:
Symbols are our best friends
READ page 40 and answer the following questions:
1. Name the person in paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and briefly describe the
situation presented to you.
2. Why do we need symbols?
3. What does the word “symbol” mean?
4. Explain how a flower can become a symbol.
PART D:
The Cottage
READ page 41 and answer the questions listed in the beige box
HRE 201
THEME 5 – THE 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF SYMBOLS
When we use symbols we are creating pictures of meaning.
There are 3 basic differences between symbols and signs:
1)
symbols can have more than 1 meaning (depends on audience
e.g. the light of Christmas candles can symbolize the brightness
of the holiday season for some, while others may view it as the
coming of Jesus as the light of the world).
2)
symbols are visual representations connected to what they are
(e.g. we would not use a rock to symbolize softness). We do
not impose meanings on symbols – we discover meanings in
symbols.
3)
symbols evoke more than one response from us (e.g. responses
from our mind, emotions, memories, senses etc.)
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The Four Traits of Rituals
i)
a ritual passes on tradition – often have a long history which
is passed on to commemorate a significant event e.g.
marriage, birth, funeral
ii)
a ritual needs our bodies – all rituals involve our bodies in
some way – they are washed, touched, embraced, anointed
etc. E.g. baptism is a washing of the body of impurities and
prepare us for a life with Christ. It is not only a spiritual
event; it is also bodily.
iii)
A ritual is accompanied by words which help us to give
meaning to the event. Communicating in rituals is important
to illustrate the purpose of performing the ritual. Symbol and
ritual need our human ability to speak to make the action
complete. E.g. Marriage – embrace not complete if not
accompanied by the word that promises to be faithful.
iv)
A ritual forms a community. The important rituals are the
rituals of life – birth, marriage, sickness, death which help in
building up the human community. Birth is not a private
affair; it is an event of the human community. The ritual
celebrates the welcoming of the child into the community.
The C.C.C. tells us the following regarding why humans need signs
and symbols:
Humans express and perceive spiritual realities through physical
signs and symbols. As social beings – we need signs and symbols
to communicate with others through language, gestures and
actions. We also require signs and symbols to communicate
with God in a similar manner (#1145).
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CANADIAN RITUALS
Complete the following chart, describing each event with all the symbols and
rituals that surround them. What is it that is being expressed through these
celebrations?
EVENT
SYMBOLS & RITUALS
EXPRESSING
BIRTHDAY
GRADUATION
WEDDING
CHRISTMAS
THANKSGIVING
EASTER SEASON
REMEMBRANCE DAY
HALLOWEEN
VALENTINE’S DAY
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THE CHURCH’S USE OF RITES AND SYMBOLS
Complete the following questions:
All aspects of the assignment will be checked for completion and understanding.
1. Read page 43 of your textbook and answer the following questions:
a) How did Valentine’s Day become a ritual for this family?
b) What is the significance of the parents serving the children?
c) What is the ritual trying to express?
2. Review “Rituals are Powerful” on page 44, of the student text.
a) In your own words, paraphrase “The Four Traits of Rituals” into your
notebook.
b) What does the C.C.C. tell us regarding why humans need signs and
symbols?
3. Read “The Church’s Use of Symbols and Rituals” on page 45, of your
textbook. Copy the chart found on pg. 45 entitled “The Church’s Symbolic
Actions” into your notes.
4. On a blank sheet of paper, make a Principle #5 poster. Write down the
principle and summarize the explanation given. Decorate the poster making
sure that the decorations communicate the theme of the principle. Add this to
Principles 1, 2, 3, and 4 in your portfolio.
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Christianity and Rituals
READ pages 53-55 in the textbook Celebrating Sacraments (on shelf) and answer the following
questions:
1.
List at least three rituals that are shown to us through the New Testament, specifically in the Acts of
the Apostles and St. Paul’s epistles. What do each of these rituals symbolize?
2.
Describe why sacraments are considered very important rituals to Christians.
3.
List the seven sacraments recognized by the Church.
4.
Think of Sunday Mass or a Mass celebrated at school. How does the liturgical celebration show
each of the 8 characteristics of rituals? (Note: you may use pages 45-51 of Celebrating Sacraments
as reference). Complete the following chart to answer this question.
Eight Characteristics of Rituals
How does Mass show this characteristic?
Movements and gestures with meaning
Repeated Actions
Symbolic Celebration
Important Events
Significant Words
Linkages to the Past
Communal Actions
Participation, Not Observation
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Symbol
Symbols connect us with _________ that are beyond our direct grasp and beyond
our ability to __________. Symbols makes use of _________, observable objects
(e.g. Rocks, earth, water, plants) to permit us to get in touch with our feelings,
________, senses, and ultimately, with ________. Symbols are essential to our
culture. They show us that we are both of “dust” and of “breath”.
Sign
Signs are _________ or gestures that express _________ specific message or
meaning (e.g. a stop sign means “stop” and nothing else).
Rituals
Rituals have deep and ______-dimensional meanings. In other words, just like
symbols, rituals can often symbolize more than _______ thing. Rituals are very
similar to symbols, but they include an ___________. Rituals are symbolic actions
(e.g. winking).
Routine (or habit)
Routines are usually mistaken to be __________. For example, brushing your
teeth every morning is often call a __________, but we can more accurately call
this action a _____________. Routines are not symbolic actions; rather, routines
are ____________ (e.g. blinking).
Keeping Rituals from Becoming Routine
Many actions that people perform all the time, such as ritual, can become so
_________ to us that they start to become a ________ – meaningless and rushed.
Even special celebrations such as __________ Mass and the ___________ holiday
can become routine. It is usually when a ritual is taken away from us or disrupted
that we realize how _____________ they are. Imagine if Christians were no longer
allowed to celebrate ______________. We would suddenly realize how important
this celebration is to our ___________.
HRE 201
PART A
READ pages 46-47 in the textbook Christ & Culture (“From Earliest Times”) and answer
the following questions in pairs:
5. Consider some popular movies or T.V. shows. List at least 5 that have spiritual
themes or religious overtones. Explain your answer.
6. Why do you think popular movies and T.V. shows use religious or spiritual themes?
7. What are three recognizable symbols in our culture?
8. Are any of the symbols listed in #3 religious or spiritual in some way?
9. After reading page 47, do you think humans are naturally religious? Explain your
answer.
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PART B
READ pages 48-49 in the textbook Christ & Culture (“Together we can make a
Difference”) and answer the following questions:
1. Describe the situation that Fr. Moses Coady noticed in Eastern Nova Scotia.
2. What did the inspiration of the Gospels and Church’s teachings lead Fr. Moses Coady
to believe?
3. What was Fr. Moses Coady’s plan for the people of Antigonish?
4. What role did religion play in the Antigonish movement?
5. Answer the last question on page 49 (top right side of the page).
PART C
READ page 49 in the textbook Christ & Culture (“Every Society is Religious”) and answer
the questions that follow the article.
PART D
READ pages 50 and 51 in the textbook Christ & Culture (“Religious View and Practices in
Canada”).
Complete the following tasks:
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A) Participate in a class survey.
B) On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following question. What are some of
the dangers associated with the secularization of Western Culture? (Use page 51 as
a reference).
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PART E
READ page 52 in the textbook Christ & Culture (“The effects of privatization on
institutions”) and answer the following questions:
1. What are some of the reasons many people do not go to church, according to the
article?
2. Can you think of any other reasons many people do not go to church that are not
mentioned in the article? (list 2)
3. What helped the author of this reflection realize one of the important aspects of being
a part of the church?
4. What is one of the great things about “organized religion” according to the author of
this reflection?
5. For which special occasions do many non-practicing Catholics still attend Church?
6. If the Church and the Church community were to disappear, how would it be a loss
for society? (list 3)
PART G
On a blank sheet of paper, make a Principle #6 poster. Write down the principle and
summarize the explanation given. Decorate the poster making sure that the decorations
communicate the theme of the principle. Add this poster to your portfolio.
HRE 201
Theme 6 Key Concepts
KEY CONCEPTS
RELIGION
Religion is a system of symbols and _________ that form powerful beliefs, values, meanings and
____________ in people about human existence in relationship to _________.
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
____________ used in religious context reveal a link between humans and the ___________.
Religious symbols make use of elements of the __________, vegetation, the earth, cedar branches,
smoke, _________ and water to figure immensity, power, growth, ________, cleansing and
_____________. These symbols do not manifest the sacred, however, unless they are accompanied
by _________ and the human world.
RELIGIOUS RITUALS
____________ rituals are sacred enactments that incorporate religious ___________, revealing the
bond between the human and the ___________. Human beings have the capacity to enter into the
realm of the __________, but only when the sacred approaches them through symbols and
________. Religious rituals have the power to open up new ways of _______________ with a
power and energy that is higher or deeper than our ______.
LITURGY
In the ____________ tradition, liturgy is the official act of worship of the ___________. In liturgy,
God ___________ with people in the various situations of their lives. Christians come to know
God through ___________. In liturgy, Jesus is evoked through symbols such as bread and
________, water, ______, laying on of hands, light, _______, an embrace, etc. All liturgical rites are
a “________________” of the person of Jesus, particularly of his death and ________________,
using these symbols and rituals.
SECULARIZATION
This is the experience of the ___________ out of the credibility structures of religion in the public
sphere. It means to _____________ from religious connection or influence, or to make worldly.
From the Catholic perspective, this is the separation of the ___________ of Christ from
_____________, from our daily __________, such as politics, economics, entertainment, etc. and is
not a desirable situation.
TRANSCENDENCE
Religious experience has to do with our relationship with a __________ who we cannot see, hear,
taste, smell or touch. That is, God is beyond our usual ____________ experience. God certainly
knows that we humans are ___________ beings and that we relate in a physical way. That is why
God reveals God’s-self to us in a physical way by entering human ___________ as a man,
___________. God makes God’s-self known to us through ___________, but we must learn to
“_______” through creation to God, who is the source of all.
HRE 201
In order to know what it right The Bishops have brought to us the Church’s 7 Social
Teachings which is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living
lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the
foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social
teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. Nations must protect
the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful
means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the
measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in
law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. We
believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and wellbeing of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Rights and Responsibilities
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be
achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a right
to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Therefore, it is our duty and responsibility to
ensure everyone has the same rights.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening
divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and
instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a
form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic
rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the
organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.
Solidarity
We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, and economic differences are. We are our
brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of
justice and peace. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world
surrounded by violence and conflict.
Care for God’s Creation
We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth
Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in
relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical
dimensions that cannot be ignored.
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