INTRODUCTION OF WORLD RELIGIONS

AND BELIEF SYSTEMS

OBJECTIVES
1. DEFINE BELIEF SYSTEM, RELIGION, AND
SPIRITUALITY.

2. DIFFERENTIATE CONCEPTS, ELEMENTS,

AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BELIEF

SYSTEM, RELIGION, AND SPIRITUALITY.
3. MAKE AN AFFIRMATION OF YOUR FAITH

OR BELIEFS IN THE RELIGION YOU BELONG.

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY!
RELIGION
ISLAM/MUSLIM
BUDDHISM
Catholic/Catholicism
HINDU/HINDUISM
If all religions teach peace, why
can't all religions achieve
peace?
Religion
Comes to the Latin word Religare or
religio which means "to tie" or "to bind".

This signifies that humanity and divinity

can be joined together to build a
harmonious community that is bounded
by the relationship between humans and
the divine.
Belief
Belief is a state of the mind when we
consider something true even
though we are not 100% sure or able
to prove it.

Everybody has beliefs about life and

the world they experience while
Religions are belief systems that
relate humanity to spirituality.
SPIRITUALITY
It is described as the quality or state
of being concerned with religion or
religious matters.

It may also put a deep sense of

aliveness and interconnectedness
with nature, the divine, or the
supernatural.
Belief System
It refers to a set of principles that
help in interpreting our daily reality.

these beliefs are shaped and

influenced by different factors such
as:
how we know things
how we were raised
peer pressure among others
World View
It is the mental model of reality that
signifies a comprehensive
framework of ideas and attitudes
about the world, ourselves, and life,
a system of beliefs, and a system of
personalized theories about the
world and how it works.
 World View and Beliefs System
Since childbirth, there are rules or traditions that are imposed to you by

your parents and the society where you belong.

When you are brought to the school for your education, the same values
or beliefs are being strengthened. In some period of your life, you
became a member of a religious organization or perhaps by tradition. The
beliefs and values that you learned from your parents and school are
reinforce by the teaching of that of that specific religion. All that you
have learned from your parents, school, religious affiliation and other
influences became your belief system and your worldview.
 World View and Beliefs System

Often times you are not conscious of your own worldview

unless it is challenged or dared by other belief system. A
very simple definition of a “worldview” is given by Matt
Slick. According to him a worldview is set of beliefs used
to understand the world.

Beliefs systems are the stories we tell ourselves

to define our personal sense of ‘reality’ (the way
things actually exist). Every human being has a
belief system that he/she utilizes and it is
through this mechanism that we individually
“make sense” of the world around us.” It could be
a set of beliefs or philosophy of life.
 BASIC RELIGIOUS CONCEPT

Naturalism Pantheism Theism Spiritism Polytheism

the world is
It denies the They believe It means that inhabited by spirit this is the belief
existence of that only the God or Gods beings who in many gods
God. The spiritual created the govern earthly or deities. The
material dimension universe and activities. Man is culture of
universe is all exists. All else continued to created by gods ancient Greeks
that exist. is illusion. Man actively like the rest of the and Romans
is spiritual and participate of creatures on depict this kind
eternal. the world’s earth. Material of beliefs.
activities and in things are real but
human history. they have spirits
associated with
them.
Worldviews and belief systems are necessary for
religions in order to protect and spread their own
particular belief as a way of “keeping the faith” through
generations.

Ø Catholic Christians keep in their hearts the “Apostle’

Creed”,
Ø The Muslims practice “the five pillars of Islam”,
Ø The Shinto reverses the dead ancestor or “Kami”,
Ø The Confucians hold dearly the necessity of past
traditions, and
Ø The Taoists embrace the importance of being close to
nature.
 ELEMENTS OF RELIGION

BELIEF SYSTEM OR WORLDVIEW

COMMUNITY
CENTRAL STORIES/ MYTHS
RITUALS

ETHICS
CHARACTERISTIC EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

MATERIAL EXPRESSION
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

1. Belief in supernatural 5. The method of salvation

powers

6. Mode of worship

2. Belief in holy sacred

7. Liturgy and ideology

3. Systems of rituals

8. Place of worship
4. Sinful acts

The Characteristics of Elements

Religions

Belief in supernatural
powers

 The power which is beyond

human powers. The human
suffering enables human being
to seek God’s help for their
problem.
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

Belief in holy sacred

Every religion has sacred books

or texts. But something sacred is
not just books but also places,
symbols, animals, rocks and many
more.
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

Systems of rituals

 These are the different

ways each religions express
their faith. Catholic
Christians have the seven
sacraments which include
ceremonies and rituals.
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

Sinful acts

 Usually a violation of
the laws established
by God which each
member has to follow.
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

The method of salvation

 The belief in the afterlife or

the idea of heaven and hell.

Islam went further by

believing that if one’s life is
sacrificed against the enemies
of Islam, their soul goes
straight to heaven.

The Characteristics of Elements

Religions

Mode of worship

 Each religion has different

expressions of worship which
include praying, kneeling,
dancing, singing to name a few
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

Liturgy and ideology

 Liturgy is described as
public worship. It is a
gathering of believers with
ceremonies such as
wedding ceremonies,
worship services or bible
studies.
The Characteristics of Elements
Religions

Place of worship

 Each religion has holy

places which they believe
God is present such as
churches, temples, mosques
and other sacred places.
activity

PRESENT TO THE CLASS THE

FOLLOWING:
THE APOSTLES CREED
ANCESTOR OF SHINTO: KAMI
FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM