lig io ns , R eligious

RS 2
n World R e
Introductio
& S pi rit ua lity
Experiences
Let us pray...
Pick a color that describes your emotion at this moment
 Judaism Hinduism

Christianity
Buddhism

Islam
What do you think is
the significance of
religion in one's life?
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, the

students can:
understand the meaning, commonalities and
differences among world religions;

appreciate our own belief system and worldview by

seeing them alongside those of others, and;

reflect on the basic understanding of world religion

as celebration of the sacred life
 Religon: Meaning & Significance

According to the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, religion

involves “belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or
powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.”

It is “a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such

belief and worship.”

Simply put, all religions celebrate a

sense of the sacred in life.

 ORIGINS OF RELIGION

Religion is as old as humankind. Since the beginning, human beings

have looked to the powers outside of themselves for protection
and reassurance.
These beliefs predate the written word, so we must look to
archaeological finds for evidence of these ancient religious beliefs.
Of course, we cannot know exactly what these beliefs were but we
can theorize.

 ORIGINS OF RELIGION

01
Neanderthal Man Example Cro-Magnon Man
02
(60, 000 BC) (35, 000 – 10, 000 BC)
Buried with food, shells, necklaces

Burial sites with animal of deer teeth, fine skin clothes, and
antlers on the body and good tools.
flower fragments next to Dead also covered in red earth to
look like newborns. Good indication
the corpse.
that they believed in rebirth after
death - an afterlife.

Three Basic Elements of Religion

dom rship rks

Wis Wo Wo
or Creed or Cult or Code
 A creed is a set of truths that MUST be
accepted and agreed to by those who
wish to belong to the religion, those who
dom choose to be a follower or disciple.
Wis Briefly, a creed is a “summary" of the
principle beliefs of a religion.

sacred writings and oral tradition

 Refers to the way of worshipping, to the
rituals that are practiced by followers of
the religion. This is often a difficult element
to describe, because it involves SO many
ship
Wor
diverse elements.

rituals express the emotional experience to have the

right attitude toward God and others
 Refers to the ethical values and the system
of moral practice directly resulting from an
adherence to the beliefs. It is a set of
moral principles and guidelines that must
be respected and followed by those who
Works
would be identified as members of the
religion.

 A code, when used in a religious sense, is

simply a summary of the principles and
guidelines by which people choose which

Works actions are good, and which to be avoided.

(cont.)

Holiness in action or daily lives,

commandments to live by
These three elements Wisdom, Worship, Works,
fulfill the three parts of the human soul:
thought, feelings and action; mind, sensibilities
and will; the intellectual, the aesthetic and the
moral.
Western
Beliefs

Eastern
Beliefs
The Five Major World Religions
by John Bellaimey

Western Beliefs

JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY ISLAM

Eastern Beliefs

BUDDHISM HINDUISM
Monotheism - believe in one GOD
Share a similar view of the world and concept because
they both sprang from Judaism (Islam & Christianity)
Humans must enter into an interpersonal relationship
with God
Morality is based on learning the will of God,
understanding and living it out individually and as a
Community
Time is viewed as linear, from beginning to end
The Bible (Christianity), Torah (Judaism) or Koran
(lslam) are the central books studied and lived by

Western Beliefs
Polytheism - belief in more than one god
Main concern is to live a good, happier, better life
right here and now
Creation contains God within it. All elements of
creation from plants to animals have an animated
spirit
Meditation- is central to these religions
Life is balanced
Holy books are not central to the belief and practice
Time is viewed in cycles.
There is a belief in reincarnation or rebirth
Things can be made better or worse through karma

Eastern Beliefs
 World Religions
and Spiritualties

The characteristics of each religion are a reflection of

its people. The unique identities of a people are shaped
by their culture, geography, language, and history.
These become a basis for how a people understand
God, how they show their devotion to God and how
they worship.
 "And look out for one another's interest, not just
for your own. The attitude you should have is the
one that Christ Jesus had."
Philippians 2:4-5
"Community spirit was alive
in the Beaterio"

1726 Rules I. 16.38; I.23.25; II.22

 Reference:
Introduction to World Religions
(slideshare.net) by Ryan LeBlanc
Let's Review!
 Purposive Assignment

Points for reflection:

"Has our religion become a proof of our
conviction, or has it plainly evolved into a
mere religion of convenience?"
 Asynchronous Class
7 Groups
Judaism
Christianity Short history
Founder/s
Islam
Sacred Text/s
Hinduism Main Beliefs
Buddhism God/s
Rituals
Confucianism
Symbols
Taoism
Let us pray...