LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS SYSTEM

LESSON TOPIC: Understanding the Nature of Religion

LEARNING COMPETENCY WITH CODE

Differentiate the concept, elements and characteristics of belief system, world view,
religion, and spirituality

At the end of this Learning Activity Sheet, you should be able to:

K: Identify the concept, elements and characteristics of belief system, world view,
religion, and spirituality;

S: Differentiate the concept, elements and characteristics of belief system, world

view, religion, and spirituality; and

A: Appreciate each differences of different belief systems.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR LEARNERS

Why is there a need to study religion? Perhaps, you, along with other School learners, ask this
question upon learning the K to 12 SHS Curriculum. Religion has been in existence since the
earliest time of humankind. Possibly, some asks the difference between religious and spiritual
and why is religion linked to humankind’s quest to search for the real meaning of life and
death. This Learning Activity Sheet will introduce you to several concepts related to religion.

REFERENCES

BOOK

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Ong, Jerome, A., and dL. Jose, Mary Dorothy., Introduction to World Religions and Belief
Systems

TEACHERS GUIDE
Most Essential Learning Competencies

INTERNET SOURCES/PICTURES
https://www.pngwing.com/en/free-png-tqlyt
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/374822.htm
https://dannydodd.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/bible-studying-the.gif

ACTIVITY PROPER

Directions and Instructions

Answer the following activities. Read each question carefully. Use a separate sheet
of paper.
Activity 1:Bible Graphics.
Answer the following questions. Draw a Bible, Qu’ran or any related text/material used in your
religion (just like below). Place it in your Answer Sheet, together with your answers to the
questions below.
1. How do religions come about?
2. How does religion differ from spirituality?

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/374822.htm

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 What is It

Understanding the nature of religion enlightens learners about the common grounds that bind
believers into examining the questions of life and death and how persons yearn for spiritual
inspirations. Recognizing the inherent characteristics of religion provides the opportunity to
deeply grasp the many beliefs and practices that molds humankind’s spiritual needs.
It should be noted that the world’s greatest religions originated from Asia, a fact that we Asians
should be proud of. Judaism, Christianity and Islam emerged in the arid western frontier. South
Asia’s Hinduism, Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism started in the vast Indian
subcontinent. Meanwhile, in the east, came Confucianism, Daoism and Shintoism. The study of
world religions is both a challenging and worthwhile endeavor.
However, the learning activities contained in the different learning modules you will be studying
will help you learn not only about the core teachings and practices but also the historical
background, geographical context and cultural milieu of these profound Asian religions/belief
systems.

CONCEPT MAP

Understanding Beliefs and Worldviews

Every individual sees and interprets the world quite differently from one another. This overall
perspective is also termed worldview which is a collection of beliefs about life and the universe
being held by people (The Free Dictionary 2014). For a certain individual, social environment
and upbringing are critical in the development of a religious life. All these factors have an effect
on how people organize their beliefs and ideas while eventually creating a comprehensive
narrative through which they look at the world and interrelate with it. Belief in god or gods is
found in almost all religions. There is a good reason to presuppose that religion had existed
during prehistoric times and this has continued

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Theism, often used as a synonym to monotheism, is defined as a “belief in the existence of one
god viewed as the creative source of the human race and the world who transcends yet is
immanent in the world” (Merriam – Webster Dictionary 2014).
Monotheistic religions claim that there is only one God who could have designed and created
the universe or may have directed all events that led to the creation of everything. There is one
supreme God who is both personal and moral, and who seeks a total and unqualified response
from humans (Hick 1990). Modern – day examples of monotheistic religions include Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. On the other hand, polytheistic religions that are common among early
people recognize many principal gods among whom no one is supreme. These include the
ancient religions of Egypt, Greece, and Rome wherein people worship a multitude of personal
gods.
Meanwhile, monism asserts that there is no genuine distinction between God and the universe.
Two implications arise from this belief. Firstly, it contends that God is dwelling in the universe
as part of it. Secondly, the universe does not exist at all as a reality but only as a manifestation
of God.
Furthermore, while atheists deny the existence of God, agnostics deny the possibility for man to
acquire knowledge of the existence of God.
DEFINITION AND NATURE OF RELIGION

Religion may be defined as “an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a
god or a group of gods” (Merriam Dictionary 2014). The Latin word religio refers to “something done
with overanxious or scrupulous attention to detail” (Browker 1997). This term may have probably been
derived from Latin verb religare which means “to tie together, to bind fast.” In its original sense, the
word refers to expressions of proper piety, that is, binding to god (Grassie 2010). Quite later, religion
was eventually applied to what we now call as religion because of the manner in which people
performed rituals during those days. While religion may be universal in all stages of human history, it
does not follow that all individuals are religious or even religious to some degree. (Parrinder 1971).

ORIGINS OF RELIGIONS

Since the nineteenth century, people began to show great interest in explaining the origins of religion.
In fact, numerous theories have been postulated to explain the origin of religion while looking at
primitive societies for ideas concerning the development of belief systems (Hendry 1999).
Archaeologists believe that they have discovered elements of religious belief practised by Homo sapiens
almost 60,000 years ago. A part from burying the dead, various items such as foods, tools, and other

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objects were placed inside the site. All these rituals imply reverence to their loved ones and perhaps the
thought that the dead will utilize these materials in the afterlife. While they believe in the presence of
supernatural entities, they also try to communicate with them (Ember & Ember 1996). Various
explanations have surfaced that somehow tend to simplify or even denigrate primitive religions. Others
maintain that since early humans are weak and ignorant of the different forces of nature, they had to
invent religion to explain the seemingly unexplainable mystery and fury of nature. In the process, they
had to create a scheme of deities and spirits. Still others contend that religion was conceived by few to
stifle and repress the ideals of the masses (Hopfe 1983). The nineteenth century witnessed the
development of the fields of the social sciences that enabled scholars to apply a more scientific way of
explaining phenomena rather than speculate on matters concerning the origin of religion. Through field
research, observations, and analysis of historical documents, scholars formulated a number of theories
that have endured well into the present time.

The table below summarizes the different theories on the origin of religion and the major proponents of
these theories.

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EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY

A comparative analysis of major religious reveals that an important characteristic of their belief
system focuses on the longing for a value in life (Parrinder 1971). For thousands of years,
people have been searching and yearning to understand the mystery of life and the universe.
There may come a point in time when an individual realizes that life is not entirely accidental
and meaningless (Parrinder 1971). This is where the concept of spirituality comes in with the
term “spiritual” being defined as “relating or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to
material or physical things” (Oxford Dictionarues 2014). One author points out that it is quite
common for people to say that they are “spiritual, not religious” (Grassie 2010).

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Spirituality may be manifested in quite a number of ways. For example, a person can
also have a feeling of oneness or a bond with other living beings.
While spirituality is derived from the Latin word spiritus, its verb root is spirare which means to
“to breathe” literally. There is an impression that people are surrounded by a “divine reality as
pervasive, intimate, necessary, and invisible as the air we breathe” which is similar to Hindu
prana and Chinese chi. (Grassie 2010).
While religions are frequently viewed as set of ideals practiced and followed by organized
groups, “spirituality is something an individual can have without being implicated in the
ambivalent complexity of human societies and institutions” (Grassie 2010). Although traditional
spirituality is frequently associated with religiosity, many people assert that personal spirituality
can grow separately from religion. One may find inner peace, satisfaction, and contentment in
life that are truly independent of religious dogmas and tenets.
]
In the study of religion, there are basic concepts that need to be understand such as theology,
philosophy of religion, and spirituality. While religion refers to any sets 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. On the other hand, philosophy of religion deals primarily with issues
concerning religion, which includes analysis on the existence of a divine being or on sacred
texts. It may involve studying the "concepts and beliefs systems of the religions as well as the
prior phenomena of religious experience and the activities of worship and meditation on
which these beliefs systems rest and out of which they have arisen" (Hick 1990).

It seeks to analyze 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. It is said that this particular study need not be undertaken from a
religious perspective at all because atheists, agnostics, and the person of faith can and do
philosophize about religion (Hick 1990).

Meanwhile, spirituality is something an individual can have without being implicated in the
ambivalent complexity of human societies and institutions (Grassie 2010). 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. Hence, one can be
spiritual without being religious.

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Task 1: Answer the following questions. Write your answer in the activity sheet.

1. How did religion originate? Cite key theories to support your answer.

2. Do you agree that the universe is designed and created by a single divine being or God?
Explain your answer.

3. How can an individual lead a spiritual life? Cite some examples.

Task 2: Write a two-page essay on your activity sheet on the topic "Religion: What does it
Mean to Me?" guided by the following questions:

a. Write different values have your religion instilled in you?

b. What various guiding principles which may have been influenced by your religion do you
adhere to in your life?

In the context of religion, list down 10 things that you believe in by completing the
following statements. What have you observed in your own belief systems? Write it
in your activity sheet.

1. I believe in/that ______________________________________________

2. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
3. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
4. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
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5. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
6. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
7. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
8. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
9. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
10. I believe in/that _____________________________________________

REFLECTION

Instruction: Make journal to manifest your understanding about the topic. You can start it by
following the format below. Write it in your Answer sheet.

PREPARED BY: NILO J. DELA TORRE JR. LPT

Med SOCIAL STUDIES

SHS -TEACHER III

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