11

Introduction to
World Religions
and Belief
Systems
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Understanding the Nature of
Religion

ii
 What I Need to Know

Why is there a need to study religion? Perhaps, you, along with other Senior
High 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 module will
introduce you to several concepts related to religion.

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.

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY:

Differentiate the concept, elements and characteristics

of belief system, world view, religion, and spirituality

At the end of the module, 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.

 What’s In

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.

What’s New

Bible Graphics. Answer the following questions. Draw a Bible, Quran or any related
text/material used in your religion (just like below). Place it in your notebook, together
with your answers to the questions below.

1. How do religions come about?

2. How does religion differ from spirituality?

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 What is It

Understanding the Nature of Religion

What does it mean to be religious and spiritual? Why is religion linked to

humankind’s quest to search for the real meaning of life and death? As we all know,
when one prays, he or she actively seeks an affinity to divine beings or supernatural
entitles that are beyond the purely natural world. Majority of world religions follow a
set of prayers in the form of chants, mantras, or creed. Whether you pray or not, you
may have witnessed the influential roles being played by religions all over the world.

Understanding the nature of religion enlightens learners about common grounds that
bind believers into examining the questions of life and death and why or how persons
yearn for spiritual inspiration. Recognizing the inherent characteristics of religion
provides the opportunity to deeply grasp the many beliefs and practices that mold
humankind’s spiritual needs.

CONCEPT MAP

RELIGION

Monistic Monotheistic Polytheistic Agnostic Atheistic

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
to the modern day. Human life may have produced hundreds of religious and belief
systems. There could be more unknown than known religions in the world since
recorded history covers only several thousand years of human existence.
Likewise, many may have lived and died within just a short period of time. Table
1.1 enumerates the different kinds of beliefs systems or worldviews.

Kinds Description
Monism there is no real distinction between god and the universe
Polytheism the belief and worship of many gods
Monotheism the doctrine or belief in one supreme god
Atheism disbelief in or denial of the existence of a personal god
Agnosticism God cannot be known

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 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.
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).
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.
 What’s More

Task 1: Answer the following questions. Write your answer on the activity notebook.

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 notebook 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?

RUBRIC FOR ESSAY

CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS POINTS OBTAINED

Content The content was well – thought of
guide questions were thoroughly 7
answered
Organization The paper was well – written with 7
ideas easily conveyed to readers.
Development Points are thoroughly developed 6
Total: 20
 What I Have Learned

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

What I Can Do

Task 3: 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 notebook.

1. I believe in/that ______________________________________________

2. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
3. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
4. I believe in/that ______________________________________________
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 _____________________________________________
Task 4: Say something about the two pictures below. Use your activity
notebook.

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