Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

3rd Quarter Lecture notes

LESSON 1: Sociological and Philosophical perspective on religion.

There exists a difficulty in defining religion and by defining religions there shows a great danger
in misinterpreting religion in different ways, hence it is better to understand religion through a
specific systematic point of view. Thus, the sociological and philosophical perspective deems
necessary in observing the discipline.

REASONS WHY DEFINING RELIGION COULD BE DIFFICULT:

• Growing understanding of diversity and pluralism.

• Difficulty in finding knowledge and understanding that are value neutral.

• Religion serve vested interest leading to change ideological criticisms with a more
philosophical or theological approaches.

IN DEFINING RELIGION, WE CAN MAKE USE OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL DISCUSSION:

Religion as a social reality:

Religion involves itself with beliefs and practices “which assume the existence of
supernatural beings” (Davie 2007)

This was sought after by the English anthropologist Edward Tylor who argued that
religion was the attempt of primitive human beings to understand their inexplicable individual
experiences

Social scientific approach understand religion (or any Phenomenon for that matter) as socially
constructed realities.

• This means that the shape of religion as an institution with beliefs, moral codes,
practices, texts, hierarchy, and personalities is contingent upon the interaction of its
human agents with one another and their sociohistorical contexts.

In other words, methodological atheism or the suspension of belief in the divine is a

This statement, however, is not to deny the existence of the divine with a particular way of
relating to the world, but an intellectual pursuit

Difference between religion and spirituality:

Religion is understood as a way towards understanding one’s fulfilment in life, which is the
attainment of happiness and meaning.

Insofar as the true happiness of man has a metaphysical nature, religion is therefore a way
towards spiritual fulfilment.

Hence religion is considered a set of beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a right
relationship with God (a supreme being).

In other words, religion requires action while spirituality requires meditation.

LESSON 2: Judaism

• Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, originating around 3,500 years ago.

• Despite its relatively small population, it has influenced western civilization.

• Throughout Judaism’s history, their follower has been called many names, these names
are often confused with one another.

• “Hebrews” refer to those who accepted “Yahweh” as their God, and much of their history
is written in the Hebrew bible, or the “Old Testament” part of the bible, that we know as
of today

• “Israelites” refer to the descendants of the Hebrews. Which originated from Abraham.
His grandson, Jacob, had 12 sons, and their descendants became known as the 12 tribes
of Israel.

• Jews believe that being Jewish defines an important and critical part of their being; many
believe that Judaism tells them the meaning of life and how to live it. Israeli Jews argue
that being Jewish necessitates a political identity and a nation-state worth fighting for.

• Jewish belief suggests that Abraham, as their founder, was a man of faith. For he has shown a
remarkable faith to Yahweh despite many struggles and adversaries.

• After Abraham came Ishmael and Isaac who bore two sons, Jacob and Esau. Not much has been
said with regards to Isaac, but a transition of the line to Jacob

• Then from Jacob comes, 12 sons and a daughter, for Jewish History, all these children of Jacob
follow the footsteps of Abraham.
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• Then among the sons of Jacob, comes Joseph. Then out of jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to
the Ishmaelite merchants. Later on, these merchants sold him to the caravan of Midianites,

who brought him to Egypt, which later sold him to Potiphar, who was then the chief officer of
King Pharaoh’s guard.

• Then came Moses which led the Israelites out of Egypt, with the guidance of Yahweh.

• This then would become the start of the Jewish nation.

• Judaism got its name as it is the land/Kingdom that remained after all the adversaries.

Sacred texts of Judaism.

• One of the main Jewish text is called the Tanakh or commonly known as the Hebrew Bible. Slightly
same with the Christian Bible but only with the old testament.
• The Torah – (the five books of the Tanakh) Outlines the laws of the Jewish people. Also known as
the Pentateuch.
• Around 200 A.D., scholars compiled the Mishnah—a text that describes and explains the Jewish
code of law that was previously orally communicated.
• Then came Gemara, which is known to interpret more into detail the Mishna by means of written
records of conversation among Rabbis.
• In general Judaism can be considered as a way of life rather than a set belief. The Talmud, which
contains the Jewish laws, concentrates on the duties of every individual in following the law of
God.
• Because it is clear for the Jews that God (Yahweh) is one, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and
omnipresent in the history of the people.

Important practices of Jews:

1. Sabbath

2. Rosh ha-shanah (Jewish new year)

3. Yom Kippur (Day of atonement)

4. Pesach

LESSON 3: Christianity

• The history of Christianity is said to be the history of Western Civilization.

• It originated with a man named Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet and teacher who
was considered by His disciples as the Son of God.
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• Jesus Christ was born around 7-6 BCE and started His ministry sometimes in 28-30 BCE
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He preached in Israel during the time of Emperor Augustus. Inasmuch as people were
going away from the Jewish faith due to influences of the Pagan world, Jesus was urging
for a purification of the Jewish Religion.

• Jesus urged a moral code based on love, charity, and humility. Jesus urged the faithful to
follow his lessons, abandoning worldly concern. (Matt. 19:16-22)

• Jesus was able to have many followers particularly because people during that time
were really longing for salvation. They were aiming for freedom from the Romans.

• The teachings of Christ have two features:

1. The Kingdom of God can be found in our midst. The real kingdom is His own
presence as a salvific action in the present history.

2. At the end of days, a new world will be inaugurated where there will be the final
resurrection.

DEATH OF JESUS:

• As he was gaining more Followers who are mostly coming from the lower classes of
society, He roused suspicion among the upper classes and the leaders of the Jewish
religion. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, sentenced him to death
(crucifixion) on charges of sedition against the Roman Government about 30 AD

• Thus, after the death of Jesus, His followers banded together and began to tell others
about his death and resurrection, gaining more converts. They began to be called
Christians

• The Christian church began 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus had
promised the He would build His church (Matthew 16: 18)

• The first followers of Christianity were Jews or proselytes to Judaism. Because of this
that Christianity was seen at first as Jewish sect just like the Pharisees, the Sadducees or
the Essences.

• In history the Christian church began 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As
Jesus promised that he would build His Church.

• Many Jewish leaders were infuriated by Christianity. And some like Saul of Tarsus, took
action in order to stop Christianity from spreading.
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• Although Saul was once one of the greatest persecutors of the Christians, eventually, he
underwent a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus where he became
temporarily blind.

The book Acts of the Apostles narrates how he was filled with the Holy Spirit that made
him immediately began preaching the Christian gospel and telling the pagans the works
and miracles, as well as the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

CONVERSION OF PAUL:

• After his conversion he was named Paul and his preaching brought great impact to the
spread of Christianity in the Western World.

• The teachings of Paul focused on understanding the Paschal Mystery of Jesus.

• Christianity was opened to non-Jews

• Paul preached the gospel all over the Greco-Roman world, reaching as far as Rome Itself
and in certain areas in Spain.

CHURCH MOVEMENTS

1. Emperor Constantine’s initiative

Eventually, Emperor Constantine (280 CE - 337 CE) after obtaining victory over his rival (his
brother-in-law Maxentius) in battle to become the Roman Emperor, attributed to success.
Because of this the Edict of Milan was issued.

The edict granted “to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which
each preferred.”

2. The Great Schism (1054)

As the Roman empire grew weaker, the church became more powerful, disagreement broke
out between the churches in the west and those in the east. Which would then lead to the split
of Christianity to Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church.

3. Protestant Reformation

In 1517, A German monk, Martin Luther became dissatisfied with the way the catholic Church
was running religion. He broke away to form his own Church which is Protestantism.
Advocating that faith alone will give salvation to man “Sola Fide”

BELIEFS:
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Apostolic succession (Catholic church)

• Jesus left his followers with a shepherd, starting from Peter, who would literally start
the actual Church itself, succeeded by people, who is now called as the “POPE” or
literally understood as the “PAPA” or “Father”

As of today, there are 266 popes in total.

Faith in Jesus (General belief)

• Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God.

• They believe in the Paschal Mystery which speaks of the passion, death, and
resurrection of Christ.

• There is life after death.

Sainthood (Catholic and Orthodox)

1. The term saint refer to those people who lived a holy life in total dedication to God and
who had performed miracles even after death.

2. Saints are models that would remind people that everyone can become faithful to the
teachings of Christ.

Forgiveness of sins (General belief)

1. Christians have never been able to reach unanimity on all beliefs. But one significant
difference concerns the process by which sins are forgiven.

Salvation (Catholic and Orthodox)

Salvation requires both God’s grace and human actions.

Salvation (Protestantism)

Salvation is attained through faith alone “Sola Fide”

WORSHIP

Mostly Christians believed that Christ’s resurrection happened on a Sunday, believers set their
communal worship during Sundays (Eucharist)
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Annual Festivals

Christians would mostly celebrate days that commemorate certain events of the life of Christ or
Saints.

LESSON 4: ISLAM

• Islam found its humble beginnings when a man named Muhammad was visited by angel
Gabriel. Muhammad was born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia in 570 CE.
• He was born to the powerful tribe of the Quraish/Quraysh in Mecca.
His father, Abdullah, died soon after his marriage to Aminah (Muhammad’s mother)

When his mother died, Mohammad was taken into custody by his grandfather. Then
later to his uncle, Abu Talib, which was one of the leaders of the Quraysh tribe.
• It is said that Muhammad was then visited by the angel Gabriel inside a cave on mount
Nur, then recited the verses found in Quran.
• Muhammad told his close friends and his family about the said apparition. Because at
first, we were filled with fear, but later, he was encouraged by his family to accept the
responsibility as prophet.
• During that time Mecca was like a religious melting pot. Wherein Mecca is like a Pilgrim
site for different religions.
• In the year 622 CE, Muhammad and his followers left Mecca. They travelled to the
northern part of Mecca, wherein they reached in a place called Medina
• Then after 8 years, Muhammad gained so many followers that they soon went back to
Mecca and conquer the land. Muhammad destroyed the pagan idols inside the Kaaba
• After the prophet’s death, the messages that he received from Allah were collected and
compiled into a book known as the Qur’an
• Over the next 300 years, Muslim Scholars collected stories about the prophet’s deeds
and sayings which was called the Hadith
• When Muhammad died several schools of thought arose. Due to disagreement the
Muslim community was divided.

The community was divided into two sects namely the

“Sunnis”
Comes from the word Sunna, which means “Traditions of the prophet” Sunni Muslims believed
that the Caliphate should be chosen by the people. The Sunnis believed that the Caliphate
should come from the close followers of Muhammad, so they chose a man named Abu Bakr
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Abu Bakr was one of the close companions of prophet Muhammad.

“Shi’ites”

They believed that the Caliphate should come directly from the line of Prophet Muhammad, so
they chose Ali as the rightful caliphate next to Prophet Muhammad.

5 pillars of Islamic faith