Ninian Smarts Dimensioner

Understanding Ninian Smart's Dimensioner: A Simplified Approach to Religious Studies

Ninian Smart, a renowned scholar of comparative religion, developed a helpful tool called the "Seven Dimensions of Religion" to analyze and understand diverse religious traditions. Instead of focusing solely on beliefs, his dimensioner encompasses a broader spectrum of religious expression, allowing for a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding. This article aims to simplify Smart's framework, explaining each dimension with clear examples and practical applications.

1. The Doctrinal Dimension: Beliefs and Creeds

This dimension focuses on the formal beliefs and creeds of a religion. These are the intellectual articulations of faith, often found in sacred texts, theological treatises, or pronouncements by religious leaders. For example, in Christianity, core doctrines include the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and the divinity of Jesus Christ. In Islam, the central doctrine is the oneness of God (Allah) and the prophethood of Muhammad. Analyzing this dimension involves examining the key beliefs and how they shape the other dimensions of the religion.

2. The Mythic Dimension: Sacred Stories and Narratives

Religions are rich in narratives, myths, and legends that explain the world, human origins, and the relationship between humanity and the divine. These stories often serve as vehicles for transmitting moral values and cultural knowledge. Consider the creation myth in Genesis (Christianity and Judaism) or the epic poems of the Mahabharata and Ramayana (Hinduism). These myths aren't necessarily meant to be taken literally but provide frameworks for understanding the world and religious values.

3. The Ritual Dimension: Practices and Ceremonies

This dimension explores the formal and informal practices and ceremonies that constitute religious life. Rituals can range from daily prayers and meditation to elaborate ceremonies like baptism (Christianity), Hajj (Islam), or Yom Kippur services (Judaism). These rituals serve various functions – reinforcing beliefs, creating a sense of community, and marking significant life transitions. Analyzing this aspect helps understand how religious beliefs are enacted and experienced.

4. The Ethical Dimension: Moral Codes and Values

Every religion possesses a moral code that guides the behavior of its adherents. These ethical principles often stem from the doctrines and myths of the religion and are reflected in its rituals and social structures. The Ten Commandments (Judaism and Christianity) are a prime example, emphasizing ethical principles like honesty, respect for life, and prohibition of theft. Buddhism’s emphasis on compassion and non-violence is another illustrative example.

5. The Social Dimension: Religious Institutions and Communities

Religion often plays a vital role in structuring societies and communities. This dimension focuses on the religious institutions (churches, mosques, temples), their organizational structures, and the social relationships they foster. For example, the Catholic Church's hierarchical structure contrasts with the more decentralized organizational model of some Protestant denominations. Understanding the social dimension reveals the power dynamics and communal aspects of religious practice.

6. The Material Dimension: Sacred Objects and Spaces

This aspect examines the tangible aspects of religion: sacred objects (icons, statues, scriptures), sacred spaces (temples, churches, mosques), and other physical manifestations of faith. For instance, the Kaaba in Mecca (Islam), the Western Wall in Jerusalem (Judaism), and the numerous statues and paintings in Catholic churches all hold significant religious meaning and contribute to the overall experience of faith.

7. The Experiential Dimension: Personal Encounters with the Sacred

This dimension delves into the personal and subjective experiences of religious individuals. It involves feelings, intuitions, and personal encounters that shape an individual's faith. This could range from feelings of awe and reverence in prayer to mystical experiences or moments of profound spiritual insight. This dimension is often less easily quantifiable but crucial for understanding the depth and impact of religious belief on individuals.

Key Insights and Actionable Takeaways:

Smart's dimensioner is a powerful tool for understanding the complexity of religious traditions. By analyzing a religion through these seven lenses, we move beyond simplistic generalizations and gain a deeper appreciation of its multifaceted nature. Remember that these dimensions are interconnected; they don't operate in isolation. Utilizing this framework enables comparative analysis, highlighting similarities and differences across religious traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. Is Smart's dimensioner applicable to all religions? Yes, it's designed to be a flexible framework applicable to a wide range of religious traditions, even non-theistic ones like Buddhism.

2. Can a single dimension be dominant in a particular religion? While some dimensions might be more prominent than others in a specific religion, all seven are typically present to varying degrees.

3. How can I use this dimensioner in my own studies? Select a religion and systematically analyze each dimension, noting key characteristics, practices, and beliefs within each.

4. Is this framework a judgment tool? No, it's a tool for understanding, not judging. It promotes objectivity and avoids imposing external biases.

5. What are the limitations of this framework? Like any model, it simplifies complex realities. It may not capture the nuances of every religious tradition perfectly, and the emphasis on each dimension can be subjective.

Search Results:

Seven Dimensions of Religion - Understanding Religion 15 Nov 2020 · The seven dimensions of religion are a framework for exploring and understanding religion, developed by the Scottish scholar of religion, Ninian Smart.

The View of the Invisible World: Ninian Smart's Analysis of the ... Hereto Smart describes six dimensions: the Ritual, Mythological, Doc trinal, Ethical, Social, and Experiential (1969: 15-25). Ritual is meant "in the sense of some form of outer behavior (such...

Ninian Smarts syv dimensioner - Religioner indeholder træk dimensioner Den grundlæggende tanke bag Ninian Smarts analysemodel er, at en religion næsten altid vil indeholde træk fra syv forskellige dimensioner: 1. Den dogmatiske dimension 2. Den rituelle dimension 3. Den mytiske dimension 4. Den oplevelsesmæssige dimension 5. Den etiske dimension 6. Den sociale dimension 7. Den materielle dimension

Ninian Smarts model - Studienet.dk Religioner indeholder træk fra syv dimensioner. Den grundlæggende tanke bag Ninian Smarts analysemodel er, at en religion næsten altid vil indeholde træk fra syv forskellige dimensioner: Den dogmatiske dimension; Den rituelle dimension; Den mytiske dimension; Den oplevelsesmæssige dimension; Den etiske dimension; Den sociale dimension

Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner - Religion og etikk - NDLA 25 Jun 2020 · Når du skal beskrive ulike religioner, bør det gjøres systematisk. Læreplanen i religion og etikk vektlegger Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner.

Seven Dimensions of Religion Ninian Smart, a scholar of religion, says there are seven dimensions of religion.... Doctrinal and Philosophical Dimension: Systematic explanations of religious matters, which may be monotheistic (involving one deity), polytheistic (involving many deities and perhaps lesser spirits), or atheistic (no deities).

Ninian Smart’s Seven Dimensions of Religion and Why it is Helpful Ninian Smart (1927-2001) was a prominent theorist, scholar, and phenomenologist of religion notable for bringing into academic focus how religion is an interactive and dynamic process as opposed to a static object (1).

The Seven Dimensions of Religion (Ninian Smart) - Kenyon College The Seven Dimensions of Religion (Ninian Smart) Ritual : Forms and orders of ceremonies (private and/or public) (often regarded as revealed) Narrative and Mythic : stories (often regarded as revealed) that work on several levels.

Ninian Smart - Ethics in World Religions Social outgrowth of religious experience. This dimension is apparent in buildings, works of art and other creations, as well as in the preservation of sacred artefacts and sacred places. The Dimensions refers to ordinary objects or places that symbolize or manifest the sacred or supernatural . An outgrowth of religious experience/encounter.

Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner - Religion og etikk - NDLA Ninian Smart (1927–2001) var en viktig religionshistoriker fra Skottland. Smart fremmet det som kalles for komparativ religionsforskning, dvs. forskning som vektlegger å sammenligne ulike …

The Seven Dimensions of Religion - King's Faculty According to British Scholar of Religion, Ninian SMART OVERVIEW: (Rewording and Re-Ordering by Julius-Kei Kato) 1. Mythical Dimension: stories and symbols that touch one’s deepest core 2. Creeds (Doctrinal Dimension): a body of principles or “truths” one believes in 3.

Ninian Smarts: The Seven Dimensions Of Religion - 1214 Words According to Ninian Smart, the seven dimensions of religion include practical and ritual, emotional and experiential, narrative and mythical, ethical and legal, doctrinal and philosophical, social and institutional, and material.

Dimensions of the sacred : an anatomy of the world's beliefs : Smart ... 15 Aug 2022 · But Ninian Smart then uses the same principles to investigate "secular religions" such as Marxist-Leninism and nationalism. Smart identifies seven similarities uniting these systems of belief.

Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner - Oppsummering - NDLA 25 Jun 2020 · Oppsummeringsoppgaver til læringsstien om Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner. Hva husker du? Kan du bruke dimensjonene?

From Ninian Smart Dimensions | PDF | Eastern Orthodox Church … It introduces Smart's seven dimensions for defining the characteristics of a religion: 1) practical/ritual, 2) experiential/emotional, 3) narrative/mythic, 4) doctrinal/philosophical, 5) ethical/legal, 6) social/institutional, and 7) material.

Ninian Smart - Wikipedia Roderick Ninian Smart (6 May 1927 – 29 January 2001) [1][2] was a Scottish writer and university educator. He was a pioneer in the field of secular religious studies. He is best known for his seven-dimensional definition of religion.

Explain briefly Ninian Smart's seven dimensional model of … One of the best known of these attempts is the seven dimensional model proposed by Ninian Smart, who suggested we approach each religion by looking at it under a number of different dimensions. These are: The practical & ritual dimension. Smart explains that religions tend to express themselves through rituals.

Ninian Smarts syv dimensioner - Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi Ninian Smarts syv dimensioner er et redskab til at få et balanceret overblik over religionerne. Den britiske religionshistoriker Ninian Smart ser på religionerne ud fra syv forskellige dimensioner: dogmatisk (læresystemer, f.eks. treenigheden, dharma, trosbekendelser)

Ninian Smarts syv religionsdimensjoner - Hvordan bruke Smarts … 25 Jun 2020 · Alle de syv religionsdimensjonene henger sammen. I denne artikkelen ser vi på hvordan læredimensjonen kan brukes som utgangspunkt når vi skal beskrive og sammenligne de andre religionsdimensjonene. De hellige tekstene i kristendommen, islam og jødedommen: Bibelen, Koranen og Toraen.