Many who were raised in societies predominantly influenced by the Western religious traditions of Abraham tend to associate religion primarily with belief. For many societies, however, the concepts that unite followers under a given sacred canopy are the religious rituals performed in everyday life and the institutionalized social structure in which an individual in a religious tradition resides. This week, you will explore additional religious rituals as well as the institutions that support the tradition. Just about every world religion has an authority figure that presides over the religious institution and interprets and oversees the doctrine. In Christianity, for example, the structure of the religions institution has shifted over time and is currently rigidly centralized in some sects while decentralized in others. The related role of religious authority has been particularly contentious and has shifted as the institution itself changed over the centuries. Today, many Christian s
ects have split from others because of conflicting beliefs in who has authority. In this Discussion, you will compare religious authority and attendant institutions of two religions you have studied in the weeks readings. a paragraph of your evaluation of religious authority and power in the two religions you chose. In a second paragraph, discuss the idea that if a higher power confers authority and shapes the religious institution, how does this influence the culture that practices the religion? Can people change values in the culture if the religion originally sets the precedence? Support your assertions by making at least 2 references, in proper APA format, to your course readings. a selection of your colleagues postings. to at least of your colleagues postings in one or more of the following ways: to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.