Tugas Religion
Tugas Religion
Tugas Religion
Religiosty
A Word about attitude: The goal of an academic course in religiosity is not to undermine
religious faith but to provide a larger historical, social, philosophical, psychological, political,
literary context by which to gain richer insight into your own spiritual life as well as the
pervasiveness and variety of religion in general throughout human civilization.
The academic study of religiosity challenges the student to develop the qualities of openness,
honesty, critical intelligence, careful reading and listening, critical tolerance, responsibility
for community service and community development ( Ways of Being Religious by Gary E.
Kessler, pp. 4-6 (Mayfield Publishing).
Openness means that, as a student of religiosity, you should welcome evidence that you
might be wrong.
Honesty means that you recognize and understand your biases and are constantly mindful
of them.
Critical intelligence means analyzing and synthesizing information. It means that arguments
supporting a particular conclusion are carefully examined for logical consistency and
evidence is examined for reliability. The ability and willingness to question is crucial in the
search for truth.
Careful reading and listening means to read and listen for hidden meaning. But it also
means to not read more into a statement than is implied.
Responsible for community service and community development means the student both
individually and in group do contribute to the society by doing community service as will be
reported as well at the end of semester.
The balancing act:
A mature, academic approach to religiosity is a balanced view which recognizes, accepts and
appreciates which is of value in religions even while questioning biased preconceptions and
looking past some of the questionable and negative aspects of religion. Do not be overly
critical but do not take it for granted (by blind faith) either.**
The development of the world and contemporary human society in the field of religion and
science presents its own problems. The following four characteristics of thought mark the
duality of religion and science.
The typology of the relationship between science and religion produces cash colors. Religion
originates from absolute norms (perennial knowledge) and it is deductive in nature so that the
truth is irrefutable, while the nature is based on empiric logic (logico-hepotetiko-verified)
which goes from empiric phenomena inductively developed through laboratories and
producing acquired knowledge. This fact has an impact in subsequent developments when
people try in religion and science (knowledge) to build hegemony of truth over the style of
human life and become a marker of 'pillars' of contemporary human life. Model or typology
of relations between religion and science according to Barbour (2000) is as following:
Religion and science conflict : There is only one option either religion or science as figured
bellow.
The model or typology of science and religion shows an inseparable relationship, there is a
dialogue between the two as figured out below.
There is an effort to have green line between the two sides. Steve, Bishop, in “A typology for
science and religion’ Evangelical Quarterly (2000) proposes a way of dialog between the two.
The author starts with a way on defining the science. What is science? What makes science
scientific? Contemporary development in scientific philosophy has determined the fact that
there is no definite and different Principle considered as scientific method. The difference
between science and not science doe not appear as an absolute point as well.
There is an integrated and comprehensive approach between religious institutions and science
or science. This approach was used by Ari Ginanjar Agustian (1996) to explain "intellectual
intelligence" (IQ), "emotional intelligence" (EQ) and "spiritual intelligence" (SQ). The level
of science helps humans to hone their intellectual abilities, and build their human spirit. This
quality of self seems to get its integrity on spiritual intelligence. So someone's IQ is
characterized by intellectual ability, analysis and rationality; while EQ is characterized by the
ability to build commitment, loyalty, and strong will with a variety of life-giving feelings,
and SQ gives ultimate meaning. How to combine all three intelligences simultaneously and
harmoniously? Ari Ginanjar explains it in the following figure and suggest “God spot”
First of all departing from the recognition that religion and science have their own autonomy.
Religion and science each becomes separate 'science' disciplines. Religion bases its reasoning
on the principle of faith (revelation - Scripture), because the truth is believed; whereas
science bases its reasoning on reason - the principle of rationality. Then the second principle
of truth is based on common sense (Michael J. Himes, cs. 1996: 105-183).