Key Terms - The Nature of Religion and Beliefs

Define the transcendent dimension.

• Of or relating to a god, especially the Supreme Being.

• A worldview that recognises a divine being or powers whose existence 'goes beyond' human limitation.

• A worldview that recognises a divine being or powers as a constant reality - an active and continuing presence among believers in this world.

Define Indigenous.

• Those people who are the original inhabitants of any country.

• Derived from a Latin term, meaning 'from the beginning.' It is the term used to refer to the first nations people of Australia.

• Indigenous refers to something that originated before the ancient historical period. It is used to define anything 'from the beginning of time.'

Define the Dreaming

• A complex concept of fundamental importance to Aboriginal culture that embraces the long-ago creative era of the Ancestral Beings

• Of fundamental importance to the Aboriginal people, the Dreaming is the story of creation and how man are supposed to live in the world.

• A complex concept of fundamental importance to Aboriginal culture that embraces the long-ago creative era of the Ancestral Beings as well as the present and future.

Define rituals

• An act that you do prior to doing something of importance.

• Established or prescribed procedures and actions for an act.

• A formal or ceremonial act

Define Omniscient

• All-Knowing

• All-Powerful

• Present in all places.

Define inextricable.

• Something that is a part of another thing.

• Can be extracted from another thing.

• Impossible to seperate

Define Immanent

• A worldview that recognises a divine being or powers as a constant reality.

• A worldview that recognises a divine being or powers whose existence 'goes beyond' human limitation.

Define Elders.

• An Aboriginal person

• Old people within the Aboriginal culture

• Key persons and keepers of various knowledge within Aboriginal communities.

Define Totem

• An animal which represents an Aboriginal person

• A symbol for each clan

• An object (animal, plant, landmark) through which a person is linked to the Ancestral Being responsible for his or her existence.

Define Metatemporal

• The time from the beginning

• A concept which incorporates the past, present and future reality as a complete and present reality

• Time that only exists for as long as the Aboriginal culture survives.