Lessons 16 · 1 lessons · Z. Islomov, D. Rahimjonov, J. Najmiddinov, N. Ismatova. History of world religions, Grade 11, 1st edition. Yangiyul Poligraph Service, Tashkent, 2018
16
Religion and culture
Textbook: pp. 72–73
GoalDistinguish material and spiritual culture; show with examples the place of religion in the development of writing, books, art and architecture; explain the role of religion in preserving culture and passing it on.
New words
material culture · moddiy madaniyatspiritual culture · ma’naviy madaniyatarchitectural monument · me’moriy yodgorlikspiritual heritage · ma’naviy meros
Explanation
Culture as a whole system is divided into two large spheres: material culture (things such as buildings, tools, books) and spiritual culture (values, customs, literature, philosophy, ethics). Religion has influenced both: houses of worship, madrasas and manuscripts are material heritage, while moral rules, festivals and religious ideas are spiritual heritage. In history religious needs have encouraged the spread of writing and books: for example the Buddhist “Diamond Sutra” printed in China in 868 is considered one of the oldest printed books with a known date, and in Europe the best-known book Gutenberg printed with his press in the 1450s was the Bible. In architecture the madrasas of Samarkand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the temples of India are examples of the influence of religion on art. As scholars note, religion may have encouraged one part of culture while limiting or rejecting others, so its influence is judged differently depending on period and place. Today religion still takes part in passing on spiritual and scientific heritage, which should be seen together with secular museums, universities and monument conservation.
Worked examples
An example of material heritage: the building of the Mir-i Arab madrasa in Bukhara; an example of spiritual heritage: folk traditions linked with festivals such as Navruz or Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
The Hazrati Imam complex in Tashkent has religious, architectural and scholarly significance: it is linked with the name of Abu Bakr Kaffal Shashi (904–976) and also includes a library and museum holding medieval manuscripts.
Class activity
Table: choose three monuments in your own area and sort them into “material” or “spiritual” heritage; check from a reliable source which religion or culture each is linked with.
Practice
1
What is the difference between material and spiritual culture? Give one religious example of each.
Material culture consists of objects (e.g. a house of worship); spiritual culture of values and ideas (e.g. festival traditions or moral rules).
2
How has religion affected the spread of books? Give two examples.
The Buddhist “Diamond Sutra” printed in 868 and the Bible printed by Gutenberg in the 1450s.
3
Why can the influence of religion on culture not be called “only positive” or “only negative”?
Because religion may have encouraged some cultural spheres (writing, art, architecture) and limited others; the judgement depends on period and place.
4
Give an example of a cultural monument with religious significance that is not a place of worship and explain why it should be protected.
For example a manuscript or an old madrasa building; they are evidence of history and scholarly heritage, important for future generations to study.