NOTES I
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 2A
RELIGIONS, RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY
Theism
• is the belief in the existence of one or more divinities or deities (gods), which are both
immanent (i.e. they exist within the universe) and yet transcendent (i.e. they surpass, or
are independent of, physical existence).
Monotheism
• Is the belief in the existence of one deity, or in the oneness or uniqueness of God, • The
word "monotheism" is derived from the Greek ("monos" meaning "one" and "theos"
meaning "god"), and the English term was first used by the English philosopher Henry More
(1614 -1687).
• The Torah (or Hebrew Bible), which was created between the 13th Century and 4th Century
B.C., is the source of Judaism, and in turn, provided the basis for the Christian and
Islamic religions (these three together being known as the Abrahamic faiths).
❖ Omnipotent (all-powerful)
❖ Omniscient (all-knowing)
❖ Omnibenevolent (all-good or all-loving)
❖ Omnipresent (all-present)
Dualism
• Dualism in Metaphysics is the belief that there are two kinds of reality: material (physical)
and immaterial (spiritual)
• InPhilosophy of Mind, Dualism is the position that mind and body are in some categorical
way separate from each other, and that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non
physical in nature.
• Mental events have a certain subjective quality to them (known as qualia or "the ways
things seem to us"), whereas physical events do not.
Polytheism
• is the belief in, or worship of, multiple gods (usually assembled in a pantheon). These gods
are usually distinct and separate beings, and are often seen as similar to humans
(anthropomorphic) in their personality traits, but with additional individual powers,
abilities, knowledge or perceptions.
• The term "polytheism" (from the Greek "polus" meaning "many" and "theos" meaning
"god"), is attested in English from the 17th Century (later than "atheism" but earlier than
"theism").
The Five Major Religions
Christianity
• The early Hebrews who eventually developed into the Jewish religions became the
foundation of Christianity.
• Jesus, or the Messiah, was a Jewish boy who disagreed with some of the Jewish principles
of his day began to profess a new way of thinking.
• This eventually led to the beginning of the Christian religion.
• Christianity started about 2000 years ago about the same time of Jesus.
• The central point of Christian belief is that God the Father, entered into human history as
the Son, Jesus of Nazareth, and arose as the Holy Spirit.
• God is the Creator of the universe. There is one God, Who is Three Persons-Father, Son
and Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is both fully human and fully God. He was born of the Virgin Mary, Crucified,
Resurrected from the dead, and ascended to the Father.
• Sin and Evil are realities in our existence.
• The Bible is the Holy Book that records God’s revelation
• All believers are promised life everlasting.
• The leader of Christianity was Jesus, and the followers was his 12 disciples.
Buddhism
• Founding person of Buddhism is Gautama, the Buddha
• The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist monk who remains the leader of the Tibetans •
Buddhism is a major religion in China, Japan, India, and Tibet.
The Major Philosophy of Buddhism
▪ Love: without conditions
▪ Compassion: or feeling at one with the person who is suffering.
▪ Sympathetic Joy: celebrate the happiness of others, and do not resent their good fortune. ▪
Impartiality: treat everyone equally, and do not use others for personal gain or to win
approval.
▪ Buddhism states that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth called
reincarnation.
▪ Each person’s position in life is determined by his or her behavior in the previous life. This
is known as their “karma” (also a Hindu belief)
▪ Buddhism is the world’s oldest universal religion and it is the second fastest growing
religion.
Islam
• is the name given to the religion preached by the prophet Muhammad in the 600s AD. •
The Islamic religion started in the area known as Palestine in the year 600AD. • It has
about 850 million followers, mot of them in the region north and east of the
Mediterranean Sea.
• The holy book of Islam is the “koran” (Quran). Muslims believe its words to be those of
Allah himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel.
• Allah, is the Islamic God.
• People who believe these ideas are called Muslims.
• Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of testing and preparation for the life to
come.
• Angels record good and bad deeds.
• People should behave themselves and help others, trusting in Allah’s justice and mercy
for their reward.
• Muslims pray five times daily in their mosques (churches).
• While praying, they face the holy city of Mecca (in Saudi Arabia) and sometimes kneel
with faces to the ground.
• All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage (trip to a sacred place) to Mecca at least
once in their lifetime.
Hinduism
• Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions.
• Over 2/3’s of the world’s Hindus live in India; large numbers reside om Africa also. • Hindu
believe in many gods numbering into the thousands. They recognize one supreme spirit
called Brahman (“the absolute”).
• The goal of Hindus is to someday join with Brahman.
• Until that union takes place, believers are in a continuous process of rebirth called
“reincarnation.”
• At death, the Hindu’s deeds (karma) determine what the next life will be. • Followers work
to break this cycle—birth, death, rebirth—(referred to by writers as the “Wheel of Life”) and
gain release.
• The Hindu’s soul then merges with Brahman in a condition of Spiritual perfection
(Moksha).
• Hinduism has many sacred books, the oldest being a series called the “Vedas.” • Traditional
Hindu society was divided into groups of four classes (or varnas). This was known as the
“caste system.”
Judaism
• is a religion of just one people: the Jews.
• was the first to teach belief in only one God. Two other important religions developed from
Judaism: Christianity and Islam.
• Jews think that God will send a Messiah (a deliver) to unite them and lead them in His way.
• Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jewish people do not agree; they
anticipate His arrival in future.
• Judaism teaches that death is not the end and that there is a world to come. • The “Torah,”
the first five books of the Hebrew bible is the most important Jewish scripture.
• It contains the basic laws of Judaism.
• Another important book is the “Talmud,” serving primarily as a guide to the civil and
religious laws of Judaism.
• The Jewish house of worship is called “synagogue.”
• Rabbis (spiritual leaders) conduct services, act as interpreters of Jewish laws, and deliver
sermons.
• Today, there are over 18 million followers of Judaism scattered throughout the world. A
large number of those people live in the Jewish nation of Israel. Over six million live in
the United States.
▪ God is one and unqiue
▪ God is the creator
▪ God is transcendent
▪ God is immanent
▪ God is lawgiver
▪ God is personal
▪ We have the obligation to worship
▪ The Torah is God’s law
▪ God is judge
▪ The Messiah will come.
Prepared by:
JESSIE FELOMINO, JR MAPM (cand.)
Religious Studies Instructor
Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro City
