An Introduction on Religion, Belief,

Belief systems, World views and Faith

Objectives for the Day
1. What is Religion?
2. How do we understand the bases of Faith?
3. What are the different fundamental concepts
about faith and Religions?
4. How do we distinguish religions from others
cults and other denominations?
“Religio”
- something done with over
anxious scrupulous attention
to detail.
“Religare”
- To tie together or bind
fast.
Edward Burnett Taylor
(Founding figure of Science
of Social Anthropology)

- the belief of spiritual

beings
Theology
•Study of religious faith,
practice, and experience
•Study of God and of
God’s relation to the
world
•Done in a rational and
philosophical way
James George Franzer
(Founding figure of Modern
Anthropology)

- Propitiation or
conciliation of powers
superior to man which
area believed to control
and direct the cause of
nature and human life.
Bronislaw Kasper Malinowski
(20th Century Anthropologist)

- Body of self-contained acts of

being themselves the fulfilment
of their purpose.
- An affair of all in which everyone
takes an active equivalent part
Rituals and
ceremonies
•Rituals and ceremonies mark
certain major life events (e.g.
birth, marriage, and death)
and significant events to the
faithful, fostering a sense of
community and identity
•They place major events
within a larger narrative and
ascribing meaning to them.
David Emile Durkheim
(Father of Sociology)

- Unified system of
belief and practices
relative to sacred things
Sacred objects, texts,
and spaces
•Representations of the
divine and indications of
the relationship between
the faithful and the divine
•Locations of great spiritual
significance dedicated for
rituals, worship, or pilgrim
sites
of
Belief
•A conviction concerning
particular ideas.
•Shapes our ideas regarding our
reality
•Influenced by perception, actual
experience, and through mental
process based on ideas and
attitudes
Belief
- Refers to a conviction
concerning particular ideas.
- It is influenced by our
perception of things and
experiences.
Belief
- Requires proof or an
assurance of certain degree
of truthfulness.
Monism
- It is a philosophical worldview which all
of reality can be reduced to one
“thing” or essence.
- “All is one” – that there are no
fundamental divisions and that a
unified set of laws underlies all of
nature.
Polytheism
- It refers to the belief in and adoration
of several deities.
Pantheism
- It refers to the belief that all are/is god.
Monotheism
- It is the faith in a single, all powerful
God.
Gnosticism
- It is the understanding that there is the
knowledge about the existence of God
but the person does not need to
affiliate with a certain religion.
Atheism
- It is the total rejection and disbelief of
a supernatural being – God.
Common Types of Atheism
Implicit Atheism
- is a person who has not yet learned
about god(s), theism or religion. All
people are born implicit atheists.
Explicit Atheism
- is an atheist who understands what
a god is and who has concluded that
no such beings exist.
Antitheists
- They are atheists who
despise theistic religions,
including Satanists and cults.
Humanists
- They are atheists who explicitly
embrace a conscientious morality
based on behaving well towards
others.
Evangelical Atheists
- They are atheists are explicit
atheists who actively try to convince
others that no gods exist.
Belief System
- It is a combination of belief
agreed upon by a certain
society, group, tribe or
organization.
- A social construct.
Worldview
- It is a combination of belief
systems that explain and
interpret a certain reality,
history or civilization.
Faith
- It is defined as a sound conviction that
is not based on proof.
- It is refers to the observance of
religious obligations, attitude of
reverence towards entities and ideas
that are considered important in a
religion.
Faith

•Belief that may not be

based on proof
•Unwavering confidence
or trust
•Observance of religious
duties
•Attitude of reverence
How can a religion
be considered a
“religion”?
 If one or more of these
elements is/are missing is
your religion, it is not a
religion but a cult.
In Summary
1. What is Religion?
2. How do we understand the bases of Faith?
3. What are the different fundamental concepts
about faith and Religions?
4. How do we distinguish religions from others
cults and other denominations?
Quiz – True or False
1. A Belief system is a combination of world views.
2. Atheism is the total rejection of the existence of God and of
Religion.
3. Pantheism is the belief of many gods.
4. Faith is the belief and a personal conviction with or without proof.
5. Faith without religion is baseless.
Eastern vs Western
Spirituality
3 Major Religions