111111111REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DIVISION OF CABADBARAN CITY

NORTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGES, INC.

Atega Street, Barangay 11 Poblacion, Cabadbaran City
8605 Agusan del Norte, Region XIII
NON-SECTARIAN
1946

Self-Learning Module for Introduction to

World Religions and Belief Systems
Quarter 1, Week 5

Name : ________________________________________
Grade and Section : ________________________________________
Date : ________________________________________

Introduction:
Christianity is considered the most popular religion in the world with the greatest number
of adherents among all religions. Starting around the 1st century C.E., it developed out of
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.

Directions for the User

Here are some reminders to guide as you go through this module:

1. Understand and follow the instructions carefully.

2. Accomplish the pretest to identify your preparedness about the lesson in this module.
3. Be honest in answering and checking your activity.
4. Read each lesson and do activities provided for you.
5. Demonstrate the activities to guide you in comprehending the lessons
6. Answer the posttest measure how much you have gained from the topics.

Pretest
Directions: Modified True or False. Write the word TRUE if the statement is true. Otherwise,
write the word FALSE and 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. Christianity started in the 2nd century CE in a land called Palestine.
______________4. According to a 2010 survey, Brazil is the country with the largest number of
Christians in the world.
______________5. Christianity was born in an era when Palestine was colonized by the
Muslims.
______________6. Pontius Pilate was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity.
______________7. Martin Luther King formed a Christian sect named Protestantism as a
reaction to the abuses of the Catholic Church.
______________8. Christianity believes in the Holy Trinity but remains a monotheistic religion.
______________9. The Sacrament of Confirmation is considered the continuation of Christ’s
priesthood which He passed on to His apostles.
______________10. The Big Bang Theory narrates the origin of the universe and humanity
according to the Bible.

Objectives and Competencies

This module is designed for you. At the end of the module, you are expected to:
1. interview a Christian parent or couple on why they are Christians
and what beliefs and practices they adhere to.
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 Learning Competency:
1. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related
issues of Christianity.

Procedure/Learning Experience
A. ENGAGE: Activity 1: Case Study
Directions: Read the case carefully and understand the situation. Answer the questions at the
end of this case study.

Case Study: Christianity and Receiving Money

Hand in hand with the RH Bill and the Divorce bill, media attention was shifted to the
allegations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstake that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration
authorized the gift of luxury cars to different church leaders. This raises issues of
constitutionality. In Article Vi, Section 9 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, we read: “No
public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly,
for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church denomination, sectarian institution, or system
of religion, or any priest, preacher, minister, other religious teacher, or dignitary as such, except
when such priest, preacher, minister or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces, or to any
penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium.” On the basis of this, the general
question has been asked on whether the use of public resources may be authorized to benefit
religious persons or institutions.
A landmark case is that of Aglipay vs. Ruiz (GR No. L-45459, March 13, 1937), where
the use of public funds for the issuance of postage stamps commemorating the 33rd
International Eucharistic Congress of the Roman Catholic Church was challenged by petitioner
Aglipay, head of the Philippine Independent Church. A more recent case concerns the
expropriation of the birthplace of Felix Y. Manalo, the founder of Iglesia ni Cristo (GR No.
106440, January 29, 1996) for the purpose of preserving it as a historical landmark. In both
cases, the court seemed to operate on the understanding that the State can spend on a religion
or religious institution provided that whatever benefit that have redounded to the church or
religious institution was merely incidental to a legitimate government purpose.
Going back to the case of the bishops gifted with Pajeros, if indeed they were, are
the gifts constitutionally justifiable or not?
To what extent should religion ask for the help of the State(government), and to
what extent should the State (government) respond to the demand of a church or
religious institution? How should Christian churches understand the constitutional
separation of the Church and State?

B. EXPLORE: Activity 1: Ask them!

Directions: Interview a Christian adult in your neighborhood. Ask him/her what being a Christian
means to him/her. Ask how he/she practices Christianity in his/her everyday life. Ask about their
day of worship, concept of salvation, morality and afterlife. Write an essay/report about this
interview.

C. EXPLAIN: Lesson 5: Christianity

Christianity is a religion that is very familiar to Filipinos because the Philippines has become
predominantly Catholic since the Spaniards occupied the country from the 16th to the 19th
centuries, with the spread of Catholicism as one of their enduring legacies to the Filipino people.
It is considered the world’s largest religion, a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ
who is considered the Son of God and the Messiah or Savior.
Followers of Christianity are called Christians. As of 2010, there are more than 2 billion
Christians all over the world, which make up more than 30% of the world’s population of 6.9

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billion. According to the Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s
Christian Population (2011), 10 countries with the largest number of Christians are the following:

Symbols
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 serves
as a reminder of the sacrifices made by God in order for
humanity to live. In Roman Catholic churches, the crucifix is
a regular feature, with the image of Christ nailed on the
cross. This aims to emphasize Christ’s sufferings for
humanity. Meanwhile, Protestant churches often feature only
the cross without the image of the body of Christ, to
emphasize Christ’s resurrection and not His suffering.
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 Soter, meaning
Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Christianity developed in Palestine around 100 C.E. It was founded by Jesus, considered to
be the Son of God and Messiah or Savior. Regarded as an offshoot of Judaism, Christianity has
survived and even surpassed Judaism and other religions in terms of number of adherents.
Today Christianity is divided into three major sects—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.

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 Historical Context
Judea, the mountainous southern part of Palestine, was the home of Christianity. During
that time, Judaism was the dominant religion in Palestine and it was considered by the Jews as
land promised to them by God. However, historical developments in the region we now call
West Asia have shown that successive powers have dominated Mesopotamia and nearby
territories, including Palestine which is considered to have a desirable location. Thus, it was
conquered by the Assyrian Empire, then by the Babylonian Empire which enslaved the Jews,
then the Achaemenid or Persian Empire under Cyrus, who permitted the Jews to return to their
land. Soon the Greeks under the leadership of Alexander the Great conquered West Asia
including Palestine around 400 B.C. Then the Romans conquered Jerusalem in 63 B.C. When
Jesus was born, Palestine was still under Roman rule.
Thus, 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
(which was promised in Judaism as the one who will liberate them from the evils of the world)
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 Agustus’ 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 criticisms 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. For example, He criticized the uprightness
and insincerity of religious officials and emphasized that God values service and love. He also
taught about the new covenant that God will bring to humanity: that of sending His begotten son
to save humanity from their sins and restore the people’s relationship with Him. Jesus preached
that he was sent by God to fulfill this goal by dying on the cross, then resurrecting to life after
three days to prove that God’s plan had succeeded. Hearing these messages, Jesus soon
attracted a group of followers who became his disciples and who called Him their teacher. Thus,
Christianity started with a prophecy in the Old Testament: that God will send his only begotten
Son to save humanity from eternal damnation. Jesus was seen by his followers to be the
Messiah they were waiting for. Meanwhile, Jews did not accept this to be true; instead, they are
still waiting for the promise to be fulfilled.

Religious Leaders
The Catholic Church follows a certain hierarchy based on the Canon Law of the Catholic
Church. At the top of the hierarchy is the pope, considered as Peter’s successor. The hierarchy
also includes the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons. Each member of the
hierarchy has his own function for the efficiency of the church.
The Pope serves as the head of the Catholic Church, the inheritor of Peter. He has his
headquarters in the Vatican, an independent state in Rome. He is responsible for the general
supervision of the church. He is the head of the Catholic Church and the head of the Vatican.
He also has the authority to appoint administrative and religious officials in the Vatican.
Next to the Pope are the cardinals, who are also appointed by the Pope. The cardinals
represent the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church in different parts of the world. They serve
as advisers to the Pope and elect a new pope as the need arises, thus they have the power to
choose the successor of the outgoing pope. The body comprising the cardinals is called the
College of Cardinals.
The bishops also form part of the hierarchy. Bishops are teachers of the doctrine, priests of
sacred worship, and ministers of church government. They provide pastoral supervision for a
diocese and serve as representatives of the Church. The Pope himself is a bishop. A bishop is
ordained to his station, just like priests.
Next to the hierarchy are the priests, who are ordained ministers responsible for the
administering of the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, Marriage, Baptism, and Confirmation.
They may belong to particular religious order, such as Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians,
among others, or they may be committed to serve a certain congregation.
At the bottom of the hierarchy are the deacons, who are classified into two types: the
transitional deacon is a seminarian who is studying for the priesthood and the other one is a
permanent deacon, who can get married and serve as a priest’s assistant in administering some
of the sacraments.
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 Deity/God
Christians believe 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, a teaching by Arius which
claimed that Jesus Christ was not actually a God.
The concept of the Holy Trinity was never mentioned in the Old Testament. The New
Testament, although it never implicitly mentioned the term, gives some references to it. In
Matthew 28:19, it is stated that:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

In 2 Corinthians 13:1:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.”
For some Christians, the concept of the Holy Trinity is not easy to understand. Although it is
central to most Christian denominations, some Christian churches rejected it, such as The
Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehova’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists,
Unitarians, the Unification Church, the Christadelphians, and Oneness Pentecostals, among
others.

SACRED SCRIPTURES
The Bible is considered the sacred scripture of Christianity. It is a collection of songs,
stories, poetry, letters, history, as well as 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 Christians
around 100 C.E.

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
serve as guidelines on how people should live their everyday lives, as well as other legal
necessities. Later these books were called the Pentateauch, which were attributed to Moses.
Meanwhile, the second part of the 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 contain sayings and stories of the
prophets. The third part is called “The Writings,” which include Psalms (songs, prayers, and
worship liturgies), Proverbs (wise sayings), Job (a drama that explores the nature of suffering),
and the five scrolls (Megiloth) which were 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 Gospels 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 the
early Christian communities. They were written to tell the life and teachings of Jesus. The Acts

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of Apostles 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 belief 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.

Ten Commandments
Also called the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments are a set of laws given by God to
the people of Israel at Mt.Sinai through Moses. In Exodus, God gave Moses the tablets
containing the Ten Commandments, which Moses smashed into pieces because of extreme
anger when he saw the golden calf idol created and worshipped by the Hebrews. God gave
Moses another set to replace the broken one.
The Ten Commandments are said to appear twice in the Bible, in Exodux 20:1-17, and
at Deuteronomy 5:-21. They are meant to guide Christians on how to behave within the family,
society, and most especially with respect to God.

Seven Sacraments
The Catholic Church has seven sacraments which are considered signs of inner
kindness given by God for Christians to live a genuine human life. The seven sacraments
include Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the
Anointing of the Sick. The first three sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy

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Communion, which are considered the sacraments of initiation. Baptism is meant to remove the
guilt and effects of Original Sin and welcome the baptized to the Church. Confirmation, which
should be administered right after Baptism, is meant to complete Baptism and bring the
baptized the graces of the Holy Spirit that were given the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday. Holy
Communion entails the reception of Christ’s body and blood which helps Christians grow in the
likeness of Jesus Christ. Confession is considered the fourth sacrament, which is meant to
reconcile Christians with God by confessing their sins. The Sacrament of Marriage comes next,
with the union of a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation and mutual support. It also
reflects the union of Jesus Christ with His Church. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is considered
the continuation of Christ’s priesthood which He passed on to His apostles. And the last
sacrament is the Anointing of the Sick, also known as Extreme Unction or Last Rites, which is
administered to those who are on the verge of death or are seriously ill, or about to undergo a
serious operation, for physical and moral strength.

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
on the Mount.” Here are the Eight Beatitudes mentioned in Matthew 5-7:

Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is believed to have developed in the 100 or 200 C.E. and was
influenced later by the Nicene Creed. A letter written by the Council of Milan in 390 C.E. is the
earliest historical evidence of the existence of the Apostles’ Creed. It is not written by the
apostles themselves but it serves as a summary of their basic teachings.

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 Story of Creation and Big Bang Theory
The Story of Creation, which narrates how God created the universe in six days, is found
in Genesis 1 of the Old Testament. It narrates how God created light and darkness on the first
day; the sky and the ocean on the second day; the earth and plants on the third day; the sun,
moon, and the stars on the fourth day; sea creatures, land animals, and birds on the fifth day;
and finally the first man and woman on the sixth day, after which He rested on the seventh day.
This story has often been attributed as the one which explains the origin of the universe from a
Christian point of view. Other religions would offer their own explanations on the origin of the
universe. Science also has its own theories on how the universe began. The most accepted
among scientists is the Big Bang Theory, which states that the universe began as an incredibly
hot, very dense point in space about 14 billion years ago. It then underwent rapid expansion in
no time and, as it cooled, led to the creation of stars, galaxies and planets.

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

Christians have certain religious observances in which they commemorate particular
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 birth of the Messiah, hence its celebration
lasts for four weeks, beginning four Sundays before Christmas and ending on Christmas eve. It
is meant as an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the birth of Jesus who was sent by
God the Father to restore humanity’s relationship with God. During Advent, it is not only the birth
of Christ which is anticipated but the Second Coming of the Savior as well. The word “Advent”
comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.” Advent also features
certain colors, such as purple/dark blue, which symbolizes seriousness, repentance, and
royalty; and pink, which signifies joy.

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. This is a time to reflect on
the suffering, sacrifice, life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ. It is a time
for prayer, penance, sacrifice, and good works as a way of remembering the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus. The word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning
“Spring”, and lenctenid, which means “Springtide” and also the word for “March,” the month
when Easter is usually celebrated.
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 Pentecost
Pentecost is celebrated as a holiday to commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit to
the early Christians. Thus, Pentecost is also celebrated as the birthday of the Church. The word
Pentecost comes from the Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty,” pertaining to the
Jewish holiday celebrated every fifty days from the end of Passover to the beginning of the next
holiday (also known as Shavuot).The event was recorded in the New Testament, in The Acts of
the Apostles, Chapter 2, which narrates how the first Christians came together in one place
when suddenly they heard a sound coming from heaven and tongues of fire rested on their
heads. They were said to be filled with the Holy Spirit which enabled them to speak other
languages, after which Peter stood up and delivered his first sermon.

SUBDIVISIONS
Prior to the reign of Emperor Constantine who declared himself a Christian in 312 C.E.,
Christians were persecuted under Roman emperors. Christianity was only legalized in 313 C.E.
upon Constantine’s declaration of the Edict of Milan, which declared equality among all
religions. After defeating his opponents and becoming the sole leader of the Roman Empire in
324 C.E., Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire and sought
to end all doctrinal arguments on Christianity. In 325 C.E., he convened the First Ecumenical
Council at Nicea in Asia Minor, which was attended by bishops from the eastern and western
regions of the empire. Then, in 330 C.E., he transferred the capital of the Roman Empire from
Rome to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul) and renamed it Constantinople.
As time went by, conflicts arose between the Roman Empire and the Byzantium Empire,
resulting in the inevitable split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox
Church. The conflict was further heightened when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, King of
the Franks, the Holy Roman Emperor in 800 without consulting the Byzantine Empire. The
official split happened in 105 with the “Great Schism” which divided the Western Latin Roman
Christianity from the Eastern Greek Byzantine Christianity.
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 signalled 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. One of the things he opposed was the selling of indulgences
(indulgence refers to the pardon granted by the Pope to purgatorial punishment to Christians
who pay a certain amount for the absolution of their sins) of the Catholic Church, which was
meant to save the soul in the afterlife. His ideas spread to England, with King Henry VIII
severing his ties from Rome, creating the Church of England and Lutheranism in 1555. As a
result, the Catholic Church initiated its own reformation to address the issues raised by Luther.

SELECTED ISSUES
We have discussed how the Christian Church was subdivided into different sects. In
order to address the issue of disunity among Christians, the concept of ecumenism was
adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, ecumenism is one important issue in Christianity.
Still, there are some issues which are in conflict with Christian teachings, concerning sexuality
(especially issues of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality); divorce; capital punishment
and euthanasia.

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). It is based on Vatican II’s
Decree on Ecumenism which states that:
“The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the
Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However,
many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ;
all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their different ways, as if
Christ Himself were divided. Such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the
world, and damages the only cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature.”
Ecumenism is based on three principles, which states that: 1) Christ established the
Church on the Apostles and their successors, whose head became Peter and his successor the
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Bishop of Rome; 2) since the first century there have been divisions in Christianity, but many
persons now separated from visible unity with the successors of the Apostles under Peter are
nevertheless Christians who possess more or less the fullness of grace available in the Roman
Catholic Church; and 3) Catholics are to do everything possible to foster the ecumenical
movement, which comprehends all “the initiatives and activities, planned and undertaken to
promote Christian unity, according to the Church’s various needs and opportunities” (Decree on
Ecumenism, I,4).
Ecumenism was emphasized and intensely propagated by the Catholic Church through
a series of addresses, homilies, and regular audiences with the goal of achieving unity among
all Christians and non-Christians.

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 with regard to certain issues connected to sexuality such as artificial contraception,
abortion, and homosexuality. In general, sexuality refers to sexual 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 with regard to 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 females
attracted to females are called lesbians. The Catholic Church states that homosexual orientation
itself is not a sin, it is nevertheless a tendency towards the "moral evil" of homosexual sexual
activity. It also states that when God created humans He created male and female only, and
that their union is meant for procreation. Thus, in the Christian line of thinking, homosexuality
should not be practiced since it is not in accordance with God’s plan. The Church does not allow
same-sex marriage and is vocal in opposing homosexual relationships. Nevertheless, while the
Church condemns homosexual acts (sexual activity), being homosexual (orientation) is not
wrong or sinful in itself. It also states that homosexual persons must be accepted with respect,
compassion, and sensitivity.

Family and Divorce

The Christian view on marriage is based on Matthew 19:-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 together, 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 a woman, and is considered a legal bond
on earth and a spiritual bond in heaven.
If couples wish to separate, they could seek an annulment, also known as Decree of
Nullity, in which it is declared that the marriage was never valid in the first place. But unlike
divorce, annulment entails a long, tedious, and expensive process, in which a partner has to
prove that his/her partner is psychologically incapacitated to understand the commitment
marriage entails, or one of the partners has deliberately hid some information, such as previous
marriage, impotence, or infertility.
As of today, every country in the world has a divorce law except the Philippines.
Although some lawmakers have been pushing for the divorce bill, the strong opposition of the
Catholic Church as well as the devout Catholics in the Congress and the Senate have made it
difficult for the divorce bill to be passed.

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 belief that life is given by God and should not be
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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 belief that life is given by God, euthanasia or mercy
killing is also considered immoral since it entails taking away what has been given by God, and
that human beings should not interfere with the natural process of death. Even if a person is
extremely suffering from his/her illness, he/she has no right to take away what God has given
him/her. Also, human beings are made in the image of God so people have a unique capacity to
become rational which enables them to see what is good and to want what is good, that is why
they have no right to end this gift from God. Another reason why the Church is against
euthanasia is the belief that people have no right to interrupt the natural process of dying, and
that the period just before death is a reflective spiritual moment. In Christianity, all human lives
are equally valuable and no one, even the person himself/herself who wants to end his/her life,
has the right to assume that his or her life is no longer valuable.

D. ELABORATE: Activity 3: Search me and Read me!

Directions: There is a beautiful poem in the letter of Paul to the Philippians 2:5-11 that gives us
idea about what is Christianity is about. Read the poem and answer the questions after the
poem.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
He humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death –
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Guide Questions:
1. What is poem about?
2. What does it tell us about Christianity and the Christian faith?
3. What is important about this?

Activity 4: Draw and color me…

Poster Making
Directions: Make a poster depicting the set of laws given by God to people of Israel at Mt. Sinai
through Moses or the Ten Commandments. Your work will be graded using the rubric below:

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 Post Test

A. Matching:
Direction: Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct answers on the blanks
provided.

Column A Column B
______1. Mark a. from the Greek ichtus
______2. Bible b. one of the Twelve disciples
______3. Gospel c. letters written by the Apostle Paul
______4. Fish d. a collection of letters, interpretive
______5. Trinity histories, prophecies, and accounts of Jesus’
______6. Ordination life
______7. Creed e. a Pauline Epistle
______8. Lent f. essential Christian belief
______9. Peter g. Priesthood
______10. Paul h. an Evangelist
______11. Humility i. preparation for Christmas
______12. Baptism j. Council of Trent
______13. Sectarianism k. cleansing by water
______14. Counter Reformation l. Hebrew Bible
______15. Old testament m. Pope
______16. Christmas n. Body and Blood of Christ
______17. Pentecost o. preparation for Easter
______18. Felix Manalo p. signs of God’s Grace
______19. Advent q. one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
______20. Sacraments r. the Good News
______21. Eucharist s. descent of the Holy Spirit
______22. Epistles t. smaller Protestant groups
______23. Titus u. foretells in symbolic language the
______24. Revelation triumph of Christianity
______25. New Testament v. Saul
w. founder of Iglesia ni Cristo
x. feast of Jesus’ birth
y. Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament
Books
z. Father, Son and Holy Spirit

References:

Mary Dorothy dL. Jose and Jerome A. Ong. (2016) World Religions and Belief System.
Vibal Group, Inc.

Cornelio, Calano and Sapitula. (2016) Introduction to World Religion and Belief
Systems. VRex Book Store, Inc.
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 Answer Key

Pre-test
1. True
2. False---Christian
3. False---1ST Century C.E.
4. False ---United States
5. False ---Romans
6. False ---Emperor Constantine
7. False ---Martin Luther
8. True
9. False ---Sacrament of Holy Orders
10.False---Creation Theory

Activity 1:
Explanations/Answers may vary

Activity 2:
Explanations/Answers may vary

Activity 3:
Answers may vary

Activity 4:
Answers may vary

Post Test A:

1. h
2. y
3. r
4. a
5. z
6. g
7. f
8. o
9. b
10. v
11. q
12. k
13. t
14. j
15. l
16. x
17. s
18. w
19. i
20. p
21. n
22. c
23. e
24. u
25. d
Rubric for Essay:
Criteria Description Points
Organization The concept was clearly and creatively conveyed 10
Content Christian concepts are clearly used and explained 5
Presentation The idea was clearly presented based on the words
Used 5
TOTAL 20
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