Cleansing the Soul: the Motives Behind Purification Rituals in Judaism and Shinto
Kathryn Stangel
Research Paper: Pollution and the Motives Behind Ritual Purification in Judaism and Shinto
Course: World Religions
Instructor: Professor Charles M. Townsend
My name is Kathryn Stangel and I am a Junior at Illinois State University (ISU). I transferred there from Oakton and I am honored to be an Honors Scholar Designee! I am pursuing secondary education for English teaching with a minor in Italian Studies. I recently got accepted into the honors program at ISU and I know I couldn't have done it without the support of the honors program directors at Oakton. Here, I have discovered my potential and I look forward to translating the skills I've learned into the rest of my educational career.
For my final project for Honors Philosophy 205, World Religions with Dr. Townsend, I wrote a research paper on the purity standards upheld in two prominent religions throughout the world: Judaism and Shintoism. I described the ethical, moral, and physical attributes that define purification according to each religion, while noting the similarities and differences that arise in the culture and practice. My thesis is as follows: Purity is an ethical standard of living within Judaism and Shinto, two historic and still prominent world religions. However, there are physical and social motives behind purification rituals that shape how religious communities interact within themselves and among members of the broader society. Thus, purity is a defining characteristic of Judaism and Shinto, with specific rites its members observe as a means of uniting themselves to the supernatural, upholding order through systematized practices, and achieving a level of detail within their respective ceremonies.
