Literacy & Religion (pt1)
Channel: Bahai.Studio
Date: 2020-06-15

The Bible. The Quaran. The Prophecies of the Jaguar Priest. The Bhagavad Gita. The Bundahishn.

All of these 'texts' and many others are revered by people around the world. They inform many of the beliefs and behaviors of people even today. Yet, none of them were originally written. They were all stories recited and passed down the generations, in times and places far different from the world we currently live in. For many readers today, they can sound outdated and perhaps un-scientific at times.

In this presentation, we'll look at current research from the study of Literacy. We'll examine the anthropological findings of how cultures with Literacy practices different from our think and operate. We'll imagine what it would have been like being part of the original crowd that first heard these stories. We'll then think about how they might have been different if the same stories were presented to us in our world today. We'll look at how simply the passing of time can produce widespread misunderstanding of religious texts -- and how understanding the latest research on Literacy can help us see beyond this.

Sources:
Ong -- Orality & Literacy https://www.google.com/books/edition/Orality_and_Literacy/Ys8gGDZQHQ4C

Stephens -- Rise of the Image, Fall of the Word
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Rise_of_the_Image_the_Fall_of_the_Wo/0EsUPuoS6_AC

Abdul-Baha interview excerpts:
Symbols must be used to convey intellectual concepts ( https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-16.html )
Adam and Eve ( https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-30.html )
The Book of Revelation ( https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-11.html )