Lesson Objectives

• Understand the Meaning of belief systems,

religion, and spirituality, elements of religion, and
the worldview of the different world’s great
religions and the elements of spirituality.
• Differentiate religion from spirituality, theology,
and Philosophy of religion.
• Characterize a person who is religious but not
spiritual and a person who is spiritual but not
religious
Definition of Terms

• Worldview
✔The worldview of the people is their
way of looking at reality or the
basic assumption about reality
which lies beyond the beliefs and
behavior of a certain culture.
Definition of Terms

• BeliefSystem
✔Faith based on a series of beliefs
but not formalized into a religion;
also, a fixed coherent set of beliefs
prevalent to a community or
society.
Definition of Terms
• Religion
✔The belief in and worship of
superhuman controlling power,
especially personal God or gods.”
✔Belief in God or gods to be
worshipped, usually expressed in
conducts and rituals or any specific
belief system
Definition of Terms
• Spirituality
✔The quality of being concerned with the
human spirit or soul, as opposed to
material or physical things.
✔The quality or fact of being spiritual, non-
physical, or predominantly spiritual
character as shown in thought, life, etc.
Definition of Terms

• Theology
✔The study of the nature of
God and religious beliefs
Definition of Terms
• Philosophy of Religion
✔It is the philosophical study of the meaning
and nature of religion. It includes the
analyses of religious concepts, beliefs, terms,
arguments, and practices of religious
adherents.
Elements of Religion
To fully understand what a religion is, it is important to know
its different elements. These are the following:
• An effort to elevate the whole self to a higher dimension
of existence;
• A framework of transcendent beliefs;
• Texts or Scriptures;
• Rituals; and
• Sacred Spaces.
Worldview of Major World’s Religions
Understanding the worldview of each of the major
religions is critical in appreciating their rituals and
practices. These worldviews are the following:
❑ Monistic - a belief that all is One.
❑ Polytheistic - belief that there are many gods.
❑ Monotheistic - a belief that there is only one
God
❑ Atheistic - a belief that there is no god.
Elements of Spirituality
The elements of spirituality are the following
❑ Holistic - a fully integrated view of life
❑ Quest for meaning including the purpose of
life;
❑ Quest for the sacred - beliefs about God;
and
❑ Suggests a self-reflective existence.
INTRODUCTION
TO WORLD
RELIGIONS AND
BELIEF SYSTEMS
LESSON 2: HOW WORLD’S
GREAT RELIGIONS BEGAN
Lesson Objectives

• Cite Regions or places where specific

religions evolved.
• Analyze the culture of the region that gave
rise to specific religions.
• Explain how geography influences religion
and how religion affects culture.
Introduction

• The world’s great religions can be classified

according to their place of origin. This refers
to the geographical location from which
these major religions were founded.
• The Nine (9) major religions of the world to
be discussed in this subject are classified into
three (3).
Introduction

• Abrahamic (religions originated in the Near

East)
• Vedic (religions influenced by the Indian
culture)
• East Asian Religions (religions founded in
East Asia and were strongly influenced by
Asian culture.
Basic Concepts on the Origin of Religion

• Animism
• Ancestor Worship
• Revelation
Animism

• Religion had its origin in the belief in

immaterial souls that might inhabit objects
like stones, trees, animals, or human bodies.
Ancestor Worship

• The origin of religion lies in the respect given

to the ancestors combined with the belief in
ghosts caused by dream experiences.
Revelation

• Religion spawned from a primitive divine

revelation. It is conceived from an
assumption that in the beginning, there is a
God who revealed His being to man in
different manners the essential truths of
religion, such as the existence of God, the
obligation to obey Him, and the hope of
immortality.
ORIGIN OF MAJOR RELIGIONS

• NEAR EAST
• Judaism (Moses: 1500 – 1350 B.C.E.)
• Christianity (Jesus: 1-33 C.E.)
• Islam (Muhammad: 570-632 C.E.)
ORIGIN OF MAJOR RELIGIONS

• INDIA
• Hinduism (2000 B.C.E)
• Buddhism (Buddha: 563 – 483 B.C.E.)
ORIGIN OF MAJOR RELIGIONS

• EAST ASIA
• Taoism (Lao Tzu: 389 – 500 B.C.E.)
• Confucianism (Confucius: 551 – 479 B.C.E.
• Shinto (100 C.E.)
The Near East

• The history of the Near East begins with the

rise of Sumer in the 4th Millenium B.C.
• It is considered one of the cradles of
civilization. It was here that intensive year-
round agriculture was first practiced leading
to the rise of the first urban settlements and
the development of many familiar
institutions of civilization.
The Near East

• The ancient Near East was the home of early

civilizations within a region roughly
corresponding to the modern Middle East.
• Significantly most of these lands comprising the
Ancient Near East were among the so-called
Bible Lands of the Old Testament – the lands
mentioned in the Bible being part of its rich
history, including different races of people with
different beliefs and varied cultures, living in
these places during those times.
East Asia

• It is the Eastern sub-region of the Asian

continent, which can be defined in either
geographical or ethnocultural terms.
• The culture has been greatly influenced by
the civilization of China. East Asia, as well as
Vietnam, shared a Confucian ethical
philosophy, Buddhism, political and legal
structure, and historically, a common writing
system.
East Asia

• The relationship between China and East

Asia has been compared to the historical
influence of Greco-Roman civilization on
Europe.
India

• India’s astounding diversity of religions,

languages, and culture is unique and
unparalleled.
• The great Indian tradition unites the diverse
cultural regions, but equally condones the
existence of different sects and local
traditions.
India

• Traditional India has been characterized by

location, a fragmentation not simply of
cultural-linguistic regions but of villages
themselves. It is a known fact that over
600,000 Indian villages functioned as
autonomous republics through centuries.
How does Geography Influences Religion

• Civilizations typically develop in and around

river systems where easy access to water
and irrigation systems become possible
which allows them to grow crops and move
from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to farmers.
• As a result, the famous River Ganges, Indus
Valley, the Nile, and Amazon rivers became
places where different types of people
have developed over time.
How does Geography Influences Religion

• Mountains became focal points for certain

religions as people scaled their heights
which gave them a higher and wider view
of the surrounding lands.
• The Physical geography of a place affects
the formation of the belief system and
religious behavior of people living in such
place.
Relationship between Religion and Culture

• Some Cultures identified themselves by their

religion.
• Religion is the epicenter that binds culture
altogether. Often, these events have religious
significance.
• Religion gives transcendental meaning and
purpose, a goal to aspire to when life is
complete. This paves the way for social
structures that bind religion and men.
Relationship between Religion and Culture

• Religion gives codes of behavior for society and

culture, such as “The Ten Commandments.” All
religions have values that are guided by value-
oriented behaviors (To do and not to do.)
• All religions have five (5) basic human values
such as: Truth, Right, Love, Peace, and Non-
violence at their core which sustains the very
core of Family, Home, Society, Nation, and the
World.
Relationship between Religion and Culture

• Religious practices are shaped by the

culture around them.
Performance Task (Role Playing)

• Create a 15-minute play that would show

how a particular religion influences a certain
culture.
Group 1: Christianity
Group 2: Hinduism
Group 3: Confucianism
(Friday, September 1, 2023)