INTRODUCTION

TO WORLD
RELIGIONS AND
BELIEF SYSTEMS
(Quarter 1- Module 5/Week 5)

Department of Education SDO- City of San Fernando (LU)

Region 1
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INTRODUCTION
TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND
BELIEF SYSTEMS
(Quarter 1- Module 5/Week 5)

CHRISTIANITY
MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY
Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental
beliefs, practices, and related issues of Christianity.
(HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIIe-f-5.1)

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 Our Guide
For the parents:
1. Please guide your child while he is studying and answering the tasks provided in
this module.
2. Remind your child about his study time and schedule so he can finish the module.
3. Let your child answer the module activities independently however, assist him
only when necessary.
4. I will call on a certain time based on the schedule to explain the lessons in the
module.
5. Kindly return the whole module and answer sheets on during Fridays
at .

For the learners:

1. Read carefully the directions so that you will know what to do.
2. If there are directions or topics in the module that are difficult for you to
understand, feel free to ask from your parents or companions at home. However,
if you still could not understand, you can call me at this number,
so I could explain it to you clearly.
3. Answer the activities in the module on the specific day for the subject. Use a
separate sheet of paper for your answers. Avoid writing or tearing the pages of
this module because this will be used by other pupils/students like you.
4. Write important concepts in your notebook regarding your lesson. This will help
you in your review later.
5. You need to finish the activities in this module so that you can give this to your
parents on .

Always remember these health tips:

1. Remember to wear your face mask properly and regularly.
2. Always wash your hands with clean water and soap.
3. Cover your mouth and nose with handkerchief whenever you cough or sneeze.
4. Follow the one-meter distance so that you will prevent the spread of the virus.

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 What I need to know

Christianity is considered the most popular in the world with the most
number adherents among all religions, starting around the 1 st century C.E., it
developed out Judaism during the reign of the roman empire in west Asia. It
centers on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is
considered the messiah or savior of humanity. The most common symbol for
Christianity is the cross, for Christians believes that Jesus died on the cross to
save humanity from their sins and restore people’s relationship with the father.
Christians also believe in the holy trinity, which means god has three aspect –
father, son, and the holy spirit. It is believed that God the father sent his only Son,
Jesus, to earth to redeem humanity from their sins for them to avoid the eternal
flames of hell.

What I know

EXERCISE 1
DIRECTION: Explain this verse in five sentences. Do the activity in another sheet of
paper.

For God so loved the world that He

gave his only Son, that whoever
believes on Him shall not perish but
will have eternal life
John 3:16
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 What’s new
Historical Background
Christianity developed in Palestine around 100 C.E. it was founded by Jesus,
considered to be a son of God and Messiah or Savior. Regarded as an offshoot of
Judaism, Christianity has survived and even surpassed Judaism and other
religions in term of number of adherents. Today, Christianity is divided into three
major sects of Roman Catholicism, Greek orthodox church, and Protestantism.
These major Christian sects are further subdivided by Christian denominations
that differ in certain beliefs and practices but are united in worshipping Jesus
Christ as the son of God.

What is it
Historical Context
Christianity was born in an era when Palestine was ruled by a foreign power,
the romans. Conditions were ripe for the beginning of a new religion. Since the
concept of messiah proved to be very attractive for a group of people being colonized
by a foreign power. Social conditions cooperated with the relatively free atmosphere
created by Augustus’ Pax Romana or roman peace. Also, the birth of a man who
was considered as the fulfilment of the prophesy among the Jews that God will
send his son to liberate the people from sufferings and sins paved the way for the
development and spread of a new religion called Christianity.
Jesus as the founder of Christianity
It was in this backdrop that Jesus, founder of Christianity, lived and preached
teachings that served as criticism of Judaism, although he himself was a Jew. His
ministry began when he was in his early thirties. Preaching and healing in the
villages, he started to preach teachings which were considered revolutionary at that
time.
Deity/God
Christians believed in one God; therefore, Christianity is a monotheistic
religion. God is seen as the creator and maintainer of the universe and is believed
to be omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) omnipresent (all present),
and omnibenevolent (all good). God is also sacred, moral, unchangeable,
compassionate, graceful, and timeless.
Holy trinity
Christians believe in the holy trinity, which means that god is composed of
three persons: god the father, the son (Jesus Christ), and the holy spirit. This
doctrine of the holy trinity was affirmed at the council of Nicea in 25 C.E. where it
was agreed upon that the son has the same substance with the father, therefore
they are both eternal. The doctrine of the holy trinity was Christianity’s way to end
the controversy generated by Arianism.
Sacred scriptures
The Bible is considered the sacred scriptures of Christianity. It is a collection of
songs, stories, poetry, letters, history, as well as a literature. It is composed of two
books, the old testament, and the new testament. The old testament is considered
the original Hebrew bible, written between 1200 and 165 B.C.E. the new testament
was written by Christian around 100 C.E.
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The Old Testament
The old testament, also called the Hebrew bible, is composed of 39 books
which are arranged in three parts, the first five books (genesis to Deuteronomy) are
considered the law or Torah which may refer to guidance or instruction. They are
called as such because they served as guidelines on how people should live their
everyday lives, as well as other legal necessities. Later these books were called the
Pentateuch, which were attributed to Moses. Meanwhile, the second part of old
testament is called the prophets which is divided into two parts, the earlier
prophets and the latter prophets. The book of former prophets is considered
historical while the book of latter prophets contains saying and stories of the
prophets. The third part is called the writings which include psalms ( songs, prayer,
and worship liturgies), proverbs ( wise saying), job ( a drama that explores the
nature of suffering), and the five scrolls (Megiloth) which are grouped together for
their associations with a particular religious festival.
The New Testament
The new testament is composed of 27 books written around 50 to 100 C.E.
and is composed of two sections; the gospel which tell the story of Jesus ( Matthew,
mark, Luke, and john) and the letters ( or epistles), written by various Christian
leaders to serve as guide to early Christian communities, they were written to tell
the life and teaching of Jesus. The acts of apostle and Luke tell how Christianity
developed from a small group of Jewish believers to becoming one of the world’s
major religions. Revelation is the last book of the new testament, traditionally
attributed to the apostle john, which is considered an epistle and an Apocalypse
Beliefs/ Doctrines
Christianity has certain beliefs and doctrines that serve as moral guidelines for
its followers. As much as possible, Christians should follow these teachings strictly
If they want to redeem God’s promise of eternal life. These teachings are essential
to their chances of being system as Christians and not following them would lessen
their chances of being called true Christians and reduces their chances of salvation
in the afterlife.
Eight Beatitudes
The beatitudes comprise what is known as the sermon on the mount recorded
in Matthew 5-7. The beatitudes refer to the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning
of the sermon of the mount. Here are the eight beatitudes mentioned.
Worship and observance
Christians have certain religious observances in which they commemorate
events in the history of Christianity. Some of the most important Christian
observances are advent, lent, and Pentecost.
Advent
Advent refers to the season of waiting for the messiah, hence its celebration
lasts for four weeks, beginning four Sundays before Christmas and ending on
Christmas eve.

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Lent
Lent refers to the season observed by Christians in preparation for Easter, a
celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Ash Wednesday signals the start of the
season of lent, which begins 40 days before Easter. It is a time for Christians to
prepare for Easter by following certain rituals, such as fasting, repentance,
moderation, and self-discipline.
Pentecost
Pentecost is celebrated as a holiday to commemorate the coming of the holy
spirit to the early Christians.
Subdivision
Abuses and corruption in the church led another sect to be formed around the
16th century. Martin Luther, a teacher, and a monk posted his list of ninety-five
propositions to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Saxony in 1517, which
signaled the beginnings of another Christian sect called Protestantism. The
protestant reformation is considered the second greatest split in Christianity,
Luther’s timing was perfect, for the printing press was just recently invented thus
he was able to reprint numerous copies of his theses, which led to a wider
dissemination of his ideas.

SELECTED ISSUES
Ecumenism
Ecumenism refers to the effort of the catholic church to sponsor activities and
initiatives to promote mutual understanding and unity among all Christians.
Ecumenism can also be described as the promotion of worldwide Christian unity
(Brodd 2003).
Ecumenism was emphasized and intensely propagated by the catholic
church through a series of addresses, homilies, and regular audience with the goal
of achieving unity among all Christians and non-Christians.

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Sexuality
The issue of sexuality has always been controversial for the catholic church.
Due to its conservative view of human sexuality; it has often found itself in conflict
with progressive and liberal ideas about certain issues connected to sexuality such
as artificial contraception, abortion, and homosexuality. In general, sexuality refers
orientation, sexual activity, and sexual feelings.
Christianity advocates that the goal of sexual union between men and women is
procreation, thus anything that might hinder this is considered immoral. Having
sexual pleasure from such union is not necessary, thus when people use artificial
contraceptives, such as condoms, birth control pills, IUDs ( intrauterine
contraceptive devices), and the like, they are committing a sin because they are
engaging in sexual acts without procreation in mind. Instead, Christianity
advocates natural family planning methods such as the rhythm method, wherein
couples will engage in sexual acts only during days when the woman is not fertile
and cannot conceive a baby. In this light, abortion is also considered as immoral by
the catholic church since it entails the killing of life. For the catholic church, life
begins at fertilization, when the sperm and ovum meet to form a single cell, hence
abortion is already considered as taking away the life of a person.
Another issue about sexuality is that of homosexuality. It refers to attraction to
members of the same sex. Males who are attracted to males are called gays, while
female attractive to females are called lesbians. The catholic church states that that
homosexual orientation itself is not a sin, it is nevertheless a tendency towards the
moral evil of homosexual sexual activity.
Family and divorce
The Christian view on marriage is based on Mathew 16:6, he who made man
from the beginning, made them male and female. And he said: for this cause shall a
man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in
one flesh. Therefore, now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath
joined, let no man put asunder. Thus, divorce is not allowed in the catholic church,
since it believes in the sanctity of marriage, which should be a lifetime bond
between a man and woman, and his considered a legal bond on earth and a
spiritual bond in heaven.
Capital punishment and euthanasia
Capital punishment or death penalty wherein a person is punished by death for
his or her capital crime goes against the Christian beliefs that life is given by god
and should not be taken away by any person, it is illegal in most Christian
countries such as the Philippines, but some push for capital punishment as a way
of deterring crime.
Since Christianity advocates the beliefs that life is given by god, euthanasia or
mercy killing is also considered immoral since it entails taking away that has been
given by god, and that human being should not interfere with the natural process
of death, even if a person is extremely suffering from his/her.

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Symbols

THE CROSS ICHTHYS

The symbols shown above are the most common symbols associated with
Christianity. The cross serves as a symbol of Jesus Christ’s victory over sins when
he died on the cross for humanity’s redemption and salvation. Christ died on the
cross and the cross serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by god for humanity
to live.
Meanwhile, the fish symbol is as old as Christianity itself, for it was used by
persecuted Christians as a secret sign when meeting other Christians. Because
Christians were threatened by the romans during the time, they had to make a
secret code to avoid persecution. Thus, when meeting strangers on the way, a
Christian would draw one arc of the fish outline, and if the stranger drew the other
half it means they are both Christians and therefore safe in each other’s company.
The word fish also has a secret meaning, for Christians made an acrostic from the
Greek word for fish, which is Ichtys Iseous Christos Theou Yios store, meaning
Jesus Christ, son of God, savior.

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 What’s more
EXERCISE 2
DIRECTIONS: Match the descriptions of Column A to the concepts in Column B,
write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. ___Season in preparation for A. Messiah
Easter.
2. ___Successor of Christ as head B. Trinity
of the church.
3. ___Split between roman Catholicism C. Peter
and Greek.
4. ___Basic beliefs D. Ecumenism
5. ___Coming of the holy spirit on the E.Pentecost
Christians.
6. ___Savior F.Euthanasia
7. ___Self-flagellation
8. ___Mercy killing G. Great schism
9. ___Mutual understanding among H.Penitensiya
Christians. I. Lent
10. ___God the father, the son, and the J.Creed

Holy Spirit.

What I have learned

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 What I can do

EXERCISE 3
DIRECTIONS: Write TRUE is the statement is correct. If false, change the
underlined word to make the statement correct.

1. Christianity is considered the world’s largest religion.

2. Followers of Christianity are called Catholics.
3. Martin Luther king formed a Christian sect named
Protestantism as a reaction to the abuses of the catholic church.
4. Christianity believes in the holy trinity but remains a
monotheistic religion.
5. The Big Bang theory narrates the origin of the universe and
humanity according to the Bible.

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 Assessment
EXERCISE 4
DIRECTION: Write your opinion as to why you agree or disagree on the following
issues. Justify your answers on the box provided.

ISSUES AGREE DISAGREE

Family Planning

Abortion

Euthanasia

Homosexuality

Capital
Punishment

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 Additional activities

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
DIRECTION: Answer the question clearly and briefly.
What is the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ into your life? Give specific
examples.

Rubrics for essay

CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS POINTS
OBTAINED
CONTENT The content was well-thought 4
and the guide question were
thoroughly answered.
ORGANIZATION The paper was well-written 3
with ideas easily conveyed to
readers.
DEVELOPMENT Points are thoroughly 3
developed.
Total: 10

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 Christianity is one of the first monotheistic religions in the world. It considers God as
the creator and maintainer of the universe omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and
omnibenevolent.

 The Bible is considered the sacred scriptures of Christianity and is the basis of the
religion’s teachings.

 The goal of every individual is to have eternal life of the soul after death.

 For those who have become good Christian’s, the reward is eternal life in heaven; for
those who lived a life full of sins, the punishment is eternal damnation in hell.

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ANSWER KEY

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 Development Team of the Module

Writer/Illustrator/Layout Artist: Florfina Flora Q. Gaspar-Teacher II

Editor/Evaluator/Reviewer: Maria Rhea Reyes, EPS In-Charge
Management Team: Dr. Rowena C. Banzon, CESO V, SDS
Dr. Jo Euli Mei T. Domingo, ASDS
Dr. Agnes B. Cacap, Chief- CID
Dr. Jose Mari P. Almeida, Chief- SGOD
Genevieve B. Ugay, EPS- LRMS
Hazel B. Libatique, Librarian II
Aurelio C. Dayag, Jr., PDO II

REFERENCES:

BOOKS:
Ong, Jerome A. Jose, Mary Dorothy DL., Introduction to World Religions and Belief
Systems. Textbook. Vibal Group, Inc. 1253 Gregorio Araneta Avenue, Quezon City. All
rights reserved. Copyright 2016.
Cornelio, Jayeel S. PhD., Calano, Mark Joseph T. PhD., Sapitula, Manuel Victor J., PhD.
Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems. Rex Bookstore Publishing. 1977 C.M.
Recto Avenue. Copyright 2016.

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