RELIGION

LESSON 7: RELIGION
Objectives:
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
Understand definition, different types of Religion

What is Religion?
A religion is a particular system of belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this system.
According to Emile Durkheim, defined religion as "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred
things, that is to say things set apart and forbidden - beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral
community called a church, all those who adhere to them."
According to Max Lynn Stackhouse, defined religion as "a comprehensive worldview or 'metaphysical moral
vision' that is accepted as binding because it is held to be in itself basically true and just even if all dimensions of
it cannot be either fully confirmed or refuted".

Function of Religion
As one of the basic social institutions, religion performs several important functions.
These are as follows:
1. It helps man to deal with his fear of the supernatural powers. It helps individuals to overcome pain, fear and anxiety.
2. It is a means used by man to adjust to his belief in the existence of supernatural powers.
3. It gives people explanations regarding the road to salvation or release from the cycle of births and rebirths.
4. It is a potent and powerful means of controlling social behavior. The fear of punishment from supernatural powers for
violating religious rule is an effective means of controlling the behavior of individuals within society. Each religion has its
own code regarding acceptable and unacceptable modes of behavior, which is binding on all the individuals who belong
to, or follow a particular religion.
5. It provides emotional and psychological comfort by assuring people that there is a meaning in life, and there is a
purpose even in suffering. It is a great source of comfort and solace in times of crises.
6. It unites people and brings social solidarity.
7. It provides answers to certain basic questions in life—what is the purpose of life, why do people suffer, why do people
die, what happens after death, and so on.
8. It provides guidelines regarding everyday life, societal behavior, behavior towards others, and so on.
9. It helps people to adapt to changing situations, environment and customs. It helps individuals to adapt to all kinds of
social change, including change in marital status, death in the family, and change in family structure due to death, divorce
or separation.
10. It provides individuals with a sense of identity.
11. It is an effective means of preserving or conserving the values and morals of life.
12. All religions promote welfare of people, and inculcate a desire to help the needy.
13. It helps individuals to understand the reason for their existence, and makes the world more understandable.

Every religion is made up of certain elements. These elements are as follows:

Beliefs:
A belief is a conviction. Religious beliefs refer to the belief in the existence of
supernatural powers, which take the shape of divine beings, who are not part of this world, and
are not governed by the ordinary rules of nature. Different societies and different religions have
different sets of religious beliefs. These vary not only from society to society, but within
societies, variations can be seen from region to region, state to state and between different
communities and groups.

Rituals:
Every religion is associated with a set of practices, rites and rituals, which are
ceremonies or repetitive practices. Religious rituals are prescribed acts that are not only sacred
in themselves, but also symbolize the scared (Broom, Selznick and Darroch, p. 392).
Ritualization of religious behavior makes it scared. A ritual may emerge simply as a means of
coordinating activities, but one it is given religious connotations, it becomes sacred.

Symbols:
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 Every religion uses certain symbols; with which it is usually associated. The cross denotes Christianity, the
Muslim symbol is the crescent moon and star, the Jews have the Star of David and so on.

Organization:
Most modern societies have organized religious groups, which are used to
affirm religious beliefs and sentiments, to recruit and train specialists in theory, rituals
and doctrine, and to organize meetings and gatherings and the relations between
religious groups and the masses.

Emotions:
All religions evoke strong emotions in the believers or followers. Generally,
religious emotions are associated with all things that are sacred and close to the hearts
of the believers.

The World’s Religions

Religions have emerged and developed across the world. Some have been short-lived, while others have persisted
and grown. In this section, we will explore seven of the world’s major religions.

Hinduism
The oldest religion in the world, Hinduism originated in the Indus River Valley about 4,500 years ago in what is
now modern-day northwest India and Pakistan. It arose contemporaneously with ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian
cultures. With roughly one billion followers, Hinduism is the third-largest of the world’s religions. Hindus believe in a
divine power that can manifest as different entities. Three main incarnations—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—are
sometimes compared to the manifestations of the divine in the Christian Trinity.
Multiple sacred texts, collectively called the Vedas, contain hymns and rituals from ancient India and are mostly
written in Sanskrit. Hindus generally believe in a set of principles called dharma, which refer to one’s duty in the world
that corresponds with “right” actions. Hindus also believe in karma, or the notion that spiritual ramifications of one’s
actions are balanced cyclically in this life or a future life (reincarnation).

Buddhism
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama around 500 B.C.E. Siddhartha was said to have given up a
comfortable, upper-class life to follow one of poverty and spiritual devotion. At the age of thirty-five, he famously
meditated under a sacred fig tree and vowed not to rise before he achieved enlightenment (bodhi). After this experience,
he became known as Buddha, or “enlightened one.” Followers were drawn to Buddha’s teachings and the practice of
meditation, and he later established a monastic order.
Buddha’s teachings encourage Buddhists to lead a moral life by accepting the four Noble Truths: 1) life is
suffering, 2) suffering arises from attachment to desires, 3) suffering ceases when attachment to desires ceases, and 4)
freedom from suffering is possible by following the “middle way.” The concept of the “middle way” is central to
Buddhist thinking, which encourages people to live in the present and to practice acceptance of others (Smith 1991).
Buddhism also tends to deemphasize the role of a godhead, instead stressing the importance of personal responsibility
(Craig 2002).

Confucianism
Confucianism was the official religion of China from 200 B.C.E. until it was officially abolished when communist
leadership discouraged religious practice in 1949. The religion was developed by Kung Fu-Tzu (Confucius), who lived in
the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E. An extraordinary teacher, his lessons—which were about self-discipline, respect for
authority and tradition, and jen (the kind treatment of every person)—were collected in a book called the Analects.

Some religious scholars consider Confucianism more of a social system than a religion because it focuses on sharing
wisdom about moral practices but doesn’t involve any type of specific worship; nor does it have formal objects. In fact, its
teachings were developed in context of problems of social anarchy and a near-complete deterioration of social cohesion.
Dissatisfied with the social solutions put forth, Kung Fu-Tzu developed his own model of religious morality to help guide
society (Smith 1991).

Taoism

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 In Taoism, the purpose of life is inner peace and harmony. Tao is usually translated as “way” or “path.” The
founder of the religion is generally recognized to be a man named Laozi, who lived sometime in the sixth century B.C.E.
in China. Taoist beliefs emphasize the virtues of compassion and moderation.
The central concept of tao can be understood to describe a spiritual reality, the order of the universe, or the way of
modern life in harmony with the former two. The ying-yang symbol and the concept of polar forces are central Taoist
ideas (Smith 1991). Some scholars have compared this Chinese tradition to its Confucian counterpart by saying that
“whereas Confucianism is concerned with day-to-day rules of conduct, Taoism is concerned with a more spiritual level of
being” (Feng and English 1972).

Judaism
After their Exodus from Egypt in the thirteenth century B.C.E., Jews, a nomadic society, became monotheistic,
worshipping only one God. The Jews’ covenant, or promise of a special relationship with Yahweh (God), is an important
element of Judaism, and their sacred text is the Torah, which Christians also follow as the first five books of the Bible.
Talmud refers to a collection of sacred Jewish oral interpretation of the Torah. Jews emphasize moral behavior and action
in this world as opposed to beliefs or personal salvation in the next world.

Islam
Islam is monotheistic religion and it follows the teaching of the prophet Muhammad, born in Mecca, Saudi
Arabia, in 570 C.E. Muhammad is seen only as a prophet, not as a divine being, and he is believed to be the messenger of
Allah (God), who is divine. The followers of Islam, whose U.S. population is projected to double in the next twenty years
(Pew Research Forum 2011), are called Muslims.
Islam means “peace” and “submission.” The sacred text for Muslims is the Qur’an (or Koran). As with
Christianity’s Old Testament, many of the Qur’an stories are shared with the Jewish faith. Divisions exist within Islam,
but all Muslims are guided by five beliefs or practices, often called “pillars”: 1) Allah is the only god, and Muhammad is
his prophet, 2) daily prayer, 3) helping those in poverty, 4) fasting as a spiritual practice, and 5) pilgrimage to the holy
center of Mecca.
A man dressed in white is shown from behind looking down over the Kaaba, Islam’s most sacred site. Hundreds
of other people, dressed in all black or all white, can be seen circling a large black cube-like structure on the floor of a
stadium-like structure.

Christianity
Today the largest religion in the world, Christianity began 2,000 years ago in Palestine, with Jesus of Nazareth, a
charismatic leader who taught his followers about caritas (charity) or treating others as you would like to be treated
yourself.
The sacred text for Christians is the Bible. While Jews, Christians, and Muslims share many of same historical
religious stories, their beliefs verge. In their shared sacred stories, it is suggested that the son of God—a messiah—will
return to save God’s followers. While Christians believe that he already appeared in the person of Jesus Christ, Jews and
Muslims disagree. While they recognize Christ as an important historical figure, their traditions don’t believe he’s the son
of God, and their faiths see the prophecy of the messiah’s arrival as not yet fulfilled.
Different Christian groups have variations among their sacred texts. For instance, Mormons, an established
Christian sect, also use the Book of Mormon, which they believe details other parts of Christian doctrine and Jesus’ life
that aren’t included in the Bible. Similarly, the Catholic Bible includes the Apocrypha, a collection that, while part of the
1611 King James translation, is no longer included in Protestant versions of the Bible. Although monotheistic, Christians
often describe their god through three manifestations that they call the Holy Trinity: the father (God), the son (Jesus), and
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a term Christians often use to describe religious experience, or how they feel the
presence of the sacred in their lives. One foundation of Christian doctrine is the Ten Commandments, which decry acts
considered sinful, including theft, murder, and adultery.

Types of Religion
Scholars from a variety of disciplines have strived to classify religions. One widely accepted categorization that
helps people understand different belief systems considers what or who people worship (if anything). Using this method
of classification, religions might fall into one of these basic categories.

Religious Classification What/Who Is Divine Example

Belief systems of the ancient Greeks
Polytheism Multiple gods
and Romans
Monotheism Single god Judaism, Islam
Atheism No deities Atheism
Nonhuman beings (animals, plants,
Animism Indigenous nature worship (Shinto)
natural world)
Totemism Human-natural being connection Ojibwa (Native American) beliefs
One way scholars have categorized religions is by classifying what or who they hold to be divine.

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 Note that some religions may be practiced—or understood—in various categories. For instance, the Christian
notion of the Holy Trinity (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit) defies the definition of monotheism, which is a religion based on
belief in a single deity, to some scholars. Similarly, many Westerners view the multiple manifestations of Hinduism’s
godhead as polytheistic, which is a religion based on belief in multiple deities, while Hindus might describe those
manifestations are a monotheistic parallel to the Christian Trinity. Some Japanese practice Shinto, which
follows animism, which is a religion that believes in the divinity of nonhuman beings, like animals, plants, and objects of
the natural world, while people who practice totemism believe in a divine connection between humans and other natural
beings.
It is also important to note that every society also has nonbelievers, such as atheists, who do not believe in a
divine being or entity, and agnostics, who hold that ultimate reality (such as God) is unknowable. While typically not an
organized group, atheists and agnostics represent a significant portion of the population. It is important to recognize that
being a nonbeliever in a divine entity does not mean the individual subscribes to no morality. Indeed, many Nobel Peace
Prize winners and other great humanitarians over the centuries would have classified themselves as atheists or agnostics.
Types of Religious Organizations
Religions organize themselves—their institutions, practitioners, and structures—in a variety of fashions. For instance,
when the Roman Catholic Church emerged, it borrowed many of its organizational principles from the ancient Roman
military and turned senators into cardinals, for example. Sociologists use different terms, like ecclesia, denomination, and
sect, to define these types of organizations. Scholars are also aware that these definitions are not static. Most religions
transition through different organizational phases. For example, Christianity began as a cult, transformed into a sect, and
today exists as an ecclesia.

Cults, like sects, are new religious groups. In the United States today this term often carries pejorative connotations.
However, almost all religions began as cults and gradually progressed to levels of greater size and organization. The term
cult is sometimes used interchangeably with the term new religious movement (NRM). In its pejorative use, these groups
are often disparaged as being secretive, highly controlling of members’ lives, and dominated by a single, charismatic
leader.
Controversy exists over whether some groups are cults, perhaps due in part to media sensationalism over groups like
polygamous Mormons or the Peoples Temple followers who died at Jonestown, Guyana. Some groups that are
controversially labeled as cults today include the Church of Scientology and the Hare Krishna movement.
A sect is a small and relatively new group. Most of the well-known Christian denominations in the United States
today began as sects. For example, the Methodists and Baptists protested against their parent Anglican Church in England,
just as Henry VIII protested against the Catholic Church by forming the Anglican Church. From “protest” comes the term
Protestant.
Occasionally, a sect is a breakaway group that may be in tension with larger society. They sometimes claim to be
returning to “the fundamentals” or to contest the veracity of a particular doctrine. When membership in a sect increases
over time, it may grow into a denomination. Often a sect begins as an offshoot of a denomination, when a group of
members believes they should separate from the larger group.
Some sects dissolve without growing into denominations. Sociologists call these established sects. Established
sects, such as the Amish or Jehovah’s Witnesses fall halfway between sect and denomination on the ecclesia–cult
continuum because they have a mixture of sect-like and denomination-like characteristics.
A denomination is a large, mainstream religious organization, but it does not claim to be official or state
sponsored. It is one religion among many. For example, Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, and Seventh-day
Adventist are all Christian denominations.
The term ecclesia, originally referring to a political assembly of citizens in ancient Athens, Greece, now refers to
a congregation. In sociology, the term is used to refer to a religious group that most all members of a society belong to. It
is considered a nationally recognized, or official, religion that holds a religious monopoly and is closely allied with state
and secular powers. The United States does not have an ecclesia by this standard; in fact, this is the type of religious
organization that many of the first colonists came to America to escape.
One way to remember these religious organizational terms is to think of cults, sects, denominations, and ecclesia
representing a continuum, with increasing influence on society, where cults are least influential and ecclesia are most
influential.

Reference
Lesson 7: Religion
Internet Sources –
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/religion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definition_of_religion
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/essay/religion-the-meaning-and-functions-of-religion/34952

Pictures –
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 https://mrebbers.weebly.com/belief-systems.html
https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/sacrifice-rituals.html
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/religious+symbol
https://ssabuddhist.org/ssa-joins-the-inter-religious-organization-in-making-a-statement-on-promoting-greater-religious-
harmony/
https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/religion-is-about-emotion-regulation-and-its-very-good-at-it-2610961535
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sociology/chapter/world-religions/#:~:text=The%20major%20religions%20of
%20the,the%20belief%20system%20each%20upholds.

Activity 7:
Name: Date:
Course & Year: Score:
Write your answers/reactions on the space provided for each item.
1. Does faith require reasons to believe? Why?

2. Can there be morality without religion?

3. What is the essence of religion?

Prepared by:

DAN F. FERNANDEZ JR.

Instructor

Checked by:

BENNY AGUINALDO
Module Coordinator

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Recommending Approval:

LIGAYA B. AUSTRIA
School Director

Approved by:

MARY ANN C. PABALAN

School Administrator