Religion and Society @ Damascus College Ballarat
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  • Unit 1
    • Early Start >
      • Spirituality
      • Can Religion Be Defined?
    • Outcome 1 The nature and purpose of religion >
      • Truth Narrative
      • Understanding Human Need
      • Theories Explaining Religion
      • World Distribution Of Major Belief Systems
      • The Nine Aspects of Religious Traditions >
        • Rituals in Society
        • Religious Festivals of Life
        • Islam (Sunni)
        • Judaism (Orthodox)
    • Outcome 2 Religion through the ages >
      • The Nature of Religion In the Ancient World
      • Ancient Religions Research
      • Australian Indigenous Religion
    • Outcome 3 Religion in Australia >
      • History, Statistics and Relationships >
        • Historical Perspectives
        • Sacred Spaces
        • Statistics of Religion
        • Government Policies
        • Religious Leaders
        • Australian Spirituality
        • Personal & Community Stories
        • Ecumenism
        • Interfaith Dialogue
        • Future of Religion in Australia
      • Personal Meaning / Tensions >
        • Personal Religious Identity
        • Who is your God?
        • Stages of Faith Development
        • Tensions and Ethical Positions
    • Revision and Exam Preparation
  • Unit 3
    • Early Start R&S 3/4 >
      • Holiday Homework
    • AREA OF STUDY 1 Responding to the search for meaning
    • AREA OF STUDY 2 Expressing meaning
    • AREA OF STUDY 3 Significant life experience, religious beliefs and faith
  • Unit 4
    • AREA OF STUDY 1 Challenge and response
    • AREA OF STUDY 2 Interaction of religion and society
    • Unit 3&4 Exam Preparation
  • Year 12 Certificate
    • Early Start Certificate 12
    • Term 1
    • Term 2 & 3
  • VCAL RE
    • VCAL 11
    • VCAL 12

Tensions and Ethical Positions

Religious affiliation carries with it certain expectations that arise from the interpretation of beliefs, sacred texts and sacred stories and the significance of rituals. The combination of these aspects create the authentic character of the tradition. This is often of little consequence to those outside the religious tradition.  However, when leaders from within the social structure of the religious tradition adopt certain ethical positions in the public sphere, those external to the faith can at times take exception. These ethical positions can also be called ethical stances. 

When ancient ideas are confronted with modern crises, religious traditions may chose to take a stance. Even the decision to do nothing is a stance. More often though, the leaders of a religious tradition will assist their faithful adherents to form ethical viewpoints about significant issues based on the interpretation of beliefs, sacred texts and sacred stories. Many aspects of the religious tradition might be drawn on in the discernment and in the expression of the ethical positions that are ultimately adopted.

Tension, division and conflict both within the tradition and between its variants and different denominations can result from these processes.  It can also create divisions between the religious tradition and other mainstream movements within society, both religious and secular. Alternatively,  this process of ethical discernment can lead to breakthroughs in religious thought and practice and in a sense bring about social cohesion and harmony. This is mostly the result of dialogue but not always.

Film: The Chosen

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The Chosen is a 1981 American drama film directed by Jeremy Kagan, based on the best-selling book of the same name by Chaim Potok, published in 1967. It stars Maximilian Schell and Rod Steiger. At the 1981 Montréal World Film Festival, the film won Grand Prix of the Americas, and Steiger won best actor

Activity

Understanding the tensions within religious communities and how this can find expression is the aspects of religious traditions is at the heart of this movie.
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​https://clickv.ie/w/gSzo The Clickview link at Damascus College
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