RKS ( Religious Knowledge Systems )

In terms of scope, Religious Knowledge Systems have a number of shared features: holy books, places of worship, leaders, followers, a sense of what is sacred, places of pilgrimage. The list could continue. The cultural phenomenon of religion is universal, and in his book ‘The Soul of the World’, Roger Scruton argues that the sense of what is sacred is central to being human. In terms of applications and uses, religious ideas might have an impact on behaviour and you could further investigate the link between religion and ethics

In terms of key concepts, you might consider the language that describes the concepts that are common to all religions, for example: prayer, worship, freedom, charity, teaching, rite of passage, spirit, holy, divine, love, or spiritual journey. You might also make a separate list for concepts that are specific to particular religions, for example: enlightenment in Buddhism, confession in Roman Catholic tradition, the Torah in Judaism, or alms-givng/ zakah in Islam. The theologian, Giles Fraser explores the concept of religious freedom and the idea of moral character.

In terms of historical development you might look at the origins and development of different Religious Knowledge Systems, and consider the development of religious ideas over time. Professor Kate Copper considers the features that transformed Christianity from an obscure Jewish sect to a world religion with over 2 billion followers today.

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