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N

NAGARJUNA (c. 150–200 CE). Founder
of the Madhyamika school of Buddhism.
His works include Twenty Verses on the
Great Vehicle, Treatise on the Middle
Doctrine, and Treatise on Relativity.

NARRATIVE THEOLOGY. Theolog y
can be conducted as part of a systematic
exposition of the faith in light of contem-
porary philosophy or it can be carried out
in terms of historical reconstructions of
past creeds. Among the many other ways
to conduct theology, narrative theology
stresses the ways in which religious teach-
ings, insights, and values can be conveyed
through stories. In the Christian tradi-
tion, this may include the story of Jesus as
well as the stories (parables) that Jesus
told, but also literature at large (what can
we learn about the problem of evil from
Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov?) and
the way in which we convey our own iden-
tity (religious or secular) through stories.

NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONS.
Native American beliefs stem from their

culture and nature. They usually believe

in a Creator or Great Spirit and many

smaller spirits. Most of the Native

American groups have many common

beliefs, but their rites and ceremonies dif-

fer; the Lakota, for instance, have rites

such as the Ghost Keeping, the Vision

Quest, and the Sun Dance, while the

Sioux have the Keeping of the Soul, the

Making of Relatives, and the Throwing of

the Ball. Native American spirituality

includes many sacred narratives that are

based in natural elements: earth, weather,

seasons, and so on, and supernatural

meaning is given to natural objects (trees,

sun, moon). The Inuits (Eskimos) believe

that souls exist in every living being.

Post-Columbian missionaries attempted

to “civilize” the Indians by introducing

schools, European customs, and Christi-

anity. During this time, there were

people from both sides who expressed

both politeness and hostility; most of the

Native Americans were willing to con-

verse but not to give up their beliefs, but

some would attack the British. This rejec-

tion of Christianity was not solely based

on religion, but rather those things that