religion
a set of beliefs based on a unique vision of how the world ought to be, often revealed through insights into a supernatural power and lived out in community.
martyr
a person who sacrifices his or her life for the sake of religion
saint
an individual who is considered exceptionally close to God and is exalted after death.
profane
anything that is considered not holy.
ritual
an act or series of acts regularly repeated over years or generations that embody the beliefs of a group of people and create a sense of continuity and belonging.
rite of passage
a category of ritual that enacts a change of status from one life stage to another, either for an individual or a group.
liminality
one stage in a rite of passage during which a ritual participant experiences a period of outsiderhood, set apart from a normal society, that is key to achieving a new perspective on the past, future, and current community.
communitas
a sense of camaraderie, a common vision of what constitutes a good life, and a commitment to take social action to move toward achieving this vision that is shaped by the common experiences of rites of passage.
pilgrimage
a religious journey to a sacred place as a sign of devotion and in search of transformation and enlightenment.
cultural materialism
a theory that argues that material conditions, including technology, determine patterns of social organization, including religious principles.
shaman
a part-time religious practitioner with special abilities to connect individuals with supernatural powers or beings.
magic
the use of spells, incantations, words, and actions in an attempt to compel supernatural forces to act in certain ways, whether for good or for evil.
imitative magic
a ritual performance that achieves efficacy by imitating the desired magical result.
contagious magic
ritual words or performances that achieve efficacy as certain materials that come into contact with one person carry a magical connection that allows power to be transferred from person to person.
symbol
anything that signifies something else.
authorizing process
the complex historical and social developments through which symbols are given power and meaning.