World Religion

AN INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS

Understanding Belief, Religion, and Related Terms
• The study of world religions and beliefs requires an understanding of the concepts of
faith and belief.
• Each person sees social order through the lenses of his or her own unique identity groups
(religious belief, cultural background, education, ethnic orientation, economic status,
gender, and life experiences).
• Our predispositions influence the way we perceive events, people, and relationships.
• Allows us to adjust or widen our views and increases the choices available for how we
can act.
Belief
• Is not based only on perception, fact, or empirical evidence, but also on the acceptance of
the likelihood of something to be true.
Faith
• Is generally defined as belief that is not based on proof, it also connotes confidence or
trust in a person or thing.
• In religion, faith refers to the observance of religious obligations, an attitude of reverence
toward entities and ideas that are considered important in that religion, and an
unwavering trust in the major beliefs of that religion.
Belief Systems
• Are stories we tell ourselves or ideas we hold that define our personal sense of reality
(mano).
Worldview
• Like belief system, while belief systems attempt to explain larger issues of philosophy,
fundamental beliefs, and ways of doing things, a worldview tries to explain and interpret
reality, history, and civilization.
• Major worldviews that influence religious belief include monism, polytheism,
monotheism, and atheism.
Monism
• A philosophical worldview in which all of reality can be reduced to one “thing” or
“essence”, believes that “all is one,” that there are no fundamental divisions, and that a
unified set of laws underlies all of nature (oneness).
Polytheism
• Refers to the belief in and adoration of several deities, each deity or God is distinguished
by a certain function, and often has human characteristics.
Monotheism
• Faith in a single, all-powerful god. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the major
monotheistic religions.
Atheism
• Disbelief in gods or the supernatural. Atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair (1963)
defines atheism as the view that accepts reason and aims to establish a lifestyle and
ethical outlook verifiable by experience and scientific method.
Theology
• Refers to the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; especially, the study of
God and of God’s relation to the world.
Religion
• Defined as the relationship between humans and that which they regard as holy, sacred,
absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of special reverence. consisting of the way people
deal with ultimate concerns about their lives and their fate after death.
• Most religions highlight the relationship between the individual and the divine,
particularly deities, gods, or spiritual beings.
• Other naturalistic and humanistic religions give importance to the relationship between
the person and the broader community and nature.
Five elements of religion are.
1) Beliefs
2) Organization
3) Emotions and Values
4) Rituals and Ceremonies
5) Sacred Objects and Spaces
1. Belief
• Various world religions may have different beliefs, but what they have in common is that
the individuals who adhere to them profess faith and acceptance of these beliefs.
2. Organization
• Organized set of beliefs, rituals, and emotions, every religion has its own structure and
function, and every individual member is expected to perform a certain role (Islam, Five
Pillars).
• Another indication of organization is the existence of a hierarchy and a symbol of
authority within a religion (Roman Catholic, Pope, and Bishops).
3. Emotions and Values,
• Religion evokes emotions such as hope, fear, reverence, and humility, religious belief
also influences values, as religions may ascribe certain meanings to actions, behaviour,
and objects.
4. Rituals and Ceremonies
• Most religious rituals mark major events in life such as birth, puberty, marriage, and
death. These rituals and ceremonies are considered rites of passage that place major life
events within a larger narrative and ascribe meaning to them.
5. Sacred Objects and Spaces
• Considered representations of the divine and are concrete indications of the relationship
between the faithful and the divine (idols, icons, and images that represent divine beings;
or relics, artifacts, and remains which are associated with divine beings).
Philosophy of religion
• Refers to the study of the meaning and nature of religion, focuses on the analysis of
religious concepts, beliefs, terms, arguments, and the practices of religious adherents.

Spirituality
• Refers to a broad set of principles that transcend all religions, an integrated view on life
that often transcends religious affiliation, emphasizes the experience and expression of
the sacred, the search for transcendent meaning the attainment of harmony with the
universe, and the achievement of a sense of purpose and balance in the face of life’s
challenges.
 The elements of spirituality are as follows:
1). a holistic or fully integrated view of life
2) a search for meaning and purpose in life
3) a desire to attain knowledge regarding the sacred
4) self-reflective existence

Differences of Religion from Spirituality, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Religion vs Spirituality
• A believer may be religious but not necessarily spiritual. Religiosity refers to acts of
worship a believer follows or practices like sacraments, praying in the church, joining the
religious procession among others.
• While on the contrary, spirituality speaks more of how a believer internalizes his faith in
God. It is more of the believer’s inner disposition to his God.
• Thus, spirituality can be described as one's integrative view of life and involves a quest
for the meaning and ultimate value of life as opposed to an instrumentalist or materialistic
attitude to life.
Elements of Spirituality
a. Holistic- fully integrated view to life.
b. Quest for meaning- including the purpose of life.
c. Quest for sacred- beliefs about God.
d. Suggests a self-reflective existence.
Religion vs Theology
• While religion refers to any set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices concerning a
supernatural power—theology involves the systematic study of the existence and nature
of the divine.
• It deals with the study of the nature and purpose of God that may be undertaken using a
particular perspective.
• Theology is a study, not a formulation of religious beliefs.
Religion vs Philosophy of Religion
• Since religion is a belief in a supreme power and worship of it as the creator and
controller of the universe without reasoning, philosophy on the other hand, is a pursuit of
wisdom by intellectual search and logical reasoning.
• Philosophy of religion questions the very existence of the supreme power or on sacred
texts.
• It seeks to analyse various concepts such as God, spirit, karma, creation, immortality,
heaven, hell, and purgatory, among others. Philosophy of religion is not a branch of
theology but a branch of philosophy.
Historical Background
• There are different theories in explaining how religion originated many of which are
based on human experiences which in the language of Aristotelian philosophy is called
inductive.
• Just like the Ancient Greece thinkers who gave birth to philosophy using wondering of
what constitutes the primordial stuff of reality, religion started through man’s experience
of fear and fascination leading to the idea of the holy.
• Even prehistoric humans, such as the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons, have practiced a
set of belief systems in one way or another, including burying their dead, painting on the
walls of caves, and carving images from stones.
• The existence of humankind for so long a time has resulted in the formation of religion
and belief system. It is certain that many religions may have been unrecorded in the past.
• Others may have gradually died down like Zoroastrianism that once flourished in South
Africa but is now only confined in Iran, India, and Central Asia.
The Patriarch Abraham
• The prophet and patriarch Abraham played a major role in the establishment of the three
monotheistic religions: namely, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which account for more
than half of the world’s total population at present. As such, these organized religions are
collectively known as Abrahamic religions.
The three monotheistic religions share some commonalities in their basic tenets.
1. They all worship one supreme being. -The ancient Hebrews call their God Elohim,
Adonai, or Yahweh. -Present-day Judaism uses the names “Lord” and “God.” -For the
Muslims, they call their God as Allah.
2. Prophets and apostles play major roles in these religions. -Judaism has 48 prophets and
seven prophetesses. Early prophets include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, and
Joshua. -In Christianity, the 12 apostles were the primary disciples of Jesus Christ, some
 of whom wrote parts of the New Testament. -For the Muslims, they believe that
Muhammad is the final prophet or the “Seal of the Prophets.”
3. The role of divine revelation or intervention is associated among their progenitors
(ancestors).
4. - God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Moriah.
5. - God presented the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai.
6. - God sacrificed his son Jesus Christ through crucifixion as the plan to salvation.
7. - God commanded Muhammad to establish a new religion at a cave in Mount Hira.
8. Then and now, followers of the three Abrahamic religions are presented with a choice
between good and evil.
The Indian Mosaic
• India is one of the world’s oldest surviving civilizations, with its history dating back to at
least 6500 BCE. The many conquerors that came to India were gradually absorbed into
the native Indian religions.
• The Harappan civilization, the Aryan influence, the local dynasties, and the Muslim
conquest all had their fair share in building the intricate Indian mosaic.
• As a result, variety and complexity characterize Indian culture. Religion is an essential
part of the Indian tradition. Four great religions originated in India – Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism – and a myriad of minor cults and local sects.
Hinduism
• Hinduism has no specific founder, no one sacred book, with innumerable gods and
goddesses that any Hindu can venerate.
• As such, Hinduism can be considered as a ‘museum of religions. It was during the Vedic
Period that Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma became systematized as a religion that
preached order and purpose to the cosmos and human life.
• During this period, universal order became equated with a stable society as evidenced by
the establishment of a centralized government and the integration of collective traditions
into Indian lives.
Buddhism
• Buddhism centres its attention on the figure of the Buddha. He was not a god but a
human being who came to discover how to terminate sufferings to escape the painful and
continuous cycle of rebirth.
• Buddhist followers revere Buddha in the same way that members of other world religions
worship their gods.
• The Mahayana sect of Buddhism differs from the Theravada school because of its rich
array of buddhas and bodhisattvas who have attained spiritual enlightenment.
• These beings are already eligible to enter nirvana but choose to delay this glorious path to
guide others to the path of salvation.
• Born near the end of the 6th century B.C.E., Siddhartha Gautama’s life is closely linked
with the historical and religious development of Buddhism in India.
• Gaining new converts due to its mass appeal as compared to the exclusivity of Hindu
beliefs, Buddhism spread far and wide from India to Sri Lanka and to Southeast Asia.
• The religion was transported to China and gained much headway as it reached Korea,
Japan, and Vietnam. Across the Himalayas, it reached the Tibetan lands.
• Presently, Buddhism has become more popular outside its place of origin while Hinduism
has remained entrenched in India throughout many centuries.
The Way of the Dao
Confucianism
• Even during the olden days, the Chinese had already endeavoured to establish and attain
good governance.
• China adopted Kung Fu-Tzu's (Confucius) ideals and ethics as the nation developed
meritocracy as a basis for government officials.
• Confucius is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher and teacher who lived at the same
time as Siddhartha Gautama in India.
• Confucian ideals aspire to harmonize human relations and serve as guide to social
behaviour. An ideal human society is of utmost concern for Confucian followers.
Daoism
• Mysteries abound the birth and personal life of Laozi (Lao-tzu) who may have written
Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching or The Book of the Way and its Power) around the 6th
century B.C.E.
• Believed to be a contemporary of Confucius, he once worked as government archivist or
record keeper at the time of the Zhou Dynasty but soon left the service due to his
frustration with corruption.
• Around 142 C.E., Daoism began as an organized religion with the establishment of the
Way of the Celestial Masters sect by Zhang Daoling during the Han Dynasty.
• The writings of Daoism centres on the concept of Dao as a way or path signifying
appropriateness of one’s behaviour to lead other people. Dao means the way the universe
works.
Shintoism
• Shintoism is a loosely organized local belief of Japan, somewhat an ardent (dedicated)
religious form of Japanese patriotism.
• Its mythology highlights the superiority of Japan over other lands. Japanese people
believed that their emperors literally descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu.
• Conscious effort is being done to revere the beauty of Japan’s lands, especially
mountains.
• The term ‘Shinto’ was coined around the sixteenth century C.E. to distinguish native
belief system from the imported religions of China and Korea, including Buddhism,
Daoism, and Confucianism.
• The term actually originated from the Chinese words Shen and Tao roughly translated as
the ‘way of the gods. Of primal importance were the kami that were often defined as gods
but could also refer to deities of heaven and earth, or even spirits in human beings,
animals, trees, seas, and mountains.