High religion
The term high religion (also cultural religion ) was introduced at the turn of the 20th century to narrowly interpret the (allegedly) "more highly developed" monotheistic religions or, in a broader interpretation, all world religions from the so-called "primitive religions of the indigenous peoples " (→ ethnic religions ) to delimit. There is, however, no general definition.
By Karl-Heinz Ohlig then, for example, is a high-religion if neither fertility nor sacrificial cult and neither polytheism nor shamanism in a religion occur. Linda Schele and David Freidel, on the other hand, relate their determination to the religions of the historical high cultures which - as in the case of the Maya and Aztecs - do not meet Ohlig's exclusion criteria. Kurt Goldammer's approach sees the difference in belief in God instead of cult of demons . Gustav Mensching finally equates the high religions with the world religions and contrasts them with popular piety .
In any case, the term high religions is controversial in religious studies , as it suggests an alleged higher cultural development of the religious symbol system .
Criteria for high religions
The following criteria are often used to classify high religions:
- Extensive teaching , mostly fixed in writing (→ book religion )
- complex hierarchically structured forms of organization with various institutions and offices
- Full-time religious specialists ( priesthood ) who administer ecclesiastic (strictly ritualized, personal, bureaucratized) cults
- Separation of religion and everyday life, but often close ties between state power and religion
- often proselytizing or pursuing other beliefs
criticism
The term is often criticized as a Eurocentric, ideal-type classification , as it makes a rough arbitrary delimitation that does not exist in reality. It is also referred to as a pejorative pejorative , since the syllable high implies that we are dealing with more developed, “better” religions. The critics are not only foreign to the subject, but also come from the ranks of religious scholars, such as Hans G. Kippenberg .
When comparing the religions, no clear classification can be established, since the transitions are extremely fluid or the differences are hardly comparable: The so-called "primitive religions" have an extraordinarily complex philosophical conception of divine forces that affect the entire lifeworld (see, for example, Manitu , Wakan and Orenda from North America) and vice versa, in the high religion Catholicism - which rejects fetishism as pagan superstition - relics and fetishes are venerated.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Ernst Feuerbaum: Evolution of religions and religiosity: mirror of human development. BoD, Füssen 2011, ISBN 978-3-8448-6962-0 . Pp. 40-42.
- ↑ Keyword: High religions in Wissen.de , accessed on May 16, 2015.
- ↑ Marvin Harris: Cultural Anthropology - A Textbook. From the American by Sylvia M. Schomburg-Scherff, Campus, Frankfurt / New York 1989, ISBN 3-593-33976-5 . Pp. 278-316.
- ↑ Carola Meier-Seethaler: Beyond God and Goddess: Plea for a spiritual ethic. CH Beck, Munich 2001 ISBN 3-406-47564-7 . P. 22.