"Other ways of knowing," aka Different Cognitive Styles

[humblebum]

109. There does seem to be some equivocation regarding what constitutes theology.

The religious practices of the Lakota, for example, dealt extensively with their relationship to a creator Wakan Tanka and to their natural environment. Their ceremonies and beliefs were highly structured and places in society were well defined according to age and gender. And ceremonies and certain objects were considered sacred and essential, e.g., the Sun Dance, The Sacred Pipe, the Seven Sacred Rites, the White Buffalo Calf Woman, funeral ceremonies,and mourning observances, etc.

So do (did) these traditions only "constitute praxis" or did elders, leaders, and medicine men expound upon man's relationship to the earth and to the creator? And were there consequences for violating such events? And were there certain behaviors that were required of members in Lakota society pertaining to religious beliefs? A 'yes' answer to these questions could lead one to conclude that a theology did exist. But again, there is bound to remain a sense of ambiguity.

In any case, I do not think that it is anything to be overly annoyed about.