Introduction of

world religions
and belief systems
WEEK 1

Subject Teacher: Ms. Gwyneth S. Tumbaga

 Course descriptions
The course explores the main tenets and practices of major
world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism,
Taoism and Shintoism. It aims to help learners understand
the historical contexts of nine religions, appreciate their
uniqueness and similarities and promote mutual
understanding among believers of different faiths. They are
expected to demonstrate understanding and appreciation of
one’s faith and that of others.
Objective:
a. Differentiate the concept,
elements, and characteristics
of belief system and world
view religion.
01 Worldview, Belief
Systems and Religion

02 Religion,
Spirituality &
Theology
 Activity 1: my happy pi
Directions: Answer the following
questions.
1. What is the most important thing in
your life?
2. What values of your parents you would
like to follow? Why?
 Activity 1: my happy pi

3. What are the things in your faith that

makes you happy?
4. How does this happiness affect your
relationship with others?
01 Worldview,
belief systems
and religion
 WORLDVIEW
- The basic way of interpreting things and events that
pervades a culture so thoroughly that it becomes a
culture’s concept of reality-what is good, what is
important, what is sacred, what is real. It is more than
culture, even though the distinction between the two can
sometimes be subtle. It extends to perceptions of time and
space, of happiness and well-being. The beliefs, values,
and behaviors of culture stem directly from its worldview
(Carol Hill, 2007)
 WORLDVIEW
- It is a set of beliefs used to understand the world.
(Matt Slick)
- It is a collection of beliefs about life and the universe
being held by people (The Free Dictionary, 2014)
 BELIEF SYSTEM
- Are the stories we tell ourselves to define
our personal sense of ‘reality’. Every
human being has a belief system that he/she
utilizes, and it is through this mechanism
that we individually “make sense” of the
world around us.
 BELIEF SYSTEM
- It shapes worldview about the world, your
existence, and relationships with your
fellowmen.
- “A worldview whether religious or
nonreligious, is a personal insight about reality
and meaning, often termed a “life
understanding” which may call a product of
Worldviews about man’s perspective of god
1. Naturalism
2. Pantheism
3. Theism
4. Spiritism
5. Polytheism
1. Naturalism
- It denies the existence of god. The
material universe is all that exist.
a. Atheism
b. Agnosticism
c. Existentialism
2. pantheism
- Much new age consciousness. They believe
that only the spiritual dimension exist. All else is
illusion. Man is spiritual and eternal.
a. Hinduism
b. Taoism
c. Buddhism
3. theism
- They believe that an infinite, personal
God exists. God created the real world. People
are created in the image of god.
a. Judaism
b. Christianity
c. Islam
4. spiritism
- the world is inhabited by spirit
beings who govern earthly
activities. Man is created by gods
like the rest of the creatures on
earth.
5. polytheism
- this is the belief in many
gods or deities. The culture of
ancient Greeks and Romans
depict this kind of beliefs.
Worldviews are not all about God, but these are also
about our views about reality, man, truth and values.
There are also economic, political and social
worldviews.
Worldviews and belief systems are necessary for
religions in order to protect and spread their own
particular belief as a way of “keeping the faith”
through generation.
Your beliefs shape your worldviews but your beliefs
and worldviews are oftentimes shaped by religion.
 Religion
Religion invites a person into a spiritual
relationship with some divine entity. This spiritual
relationship stemmed from the belief that there is
a life after this world which is more important
than physical life. Hence it is the role of religion to
invite all persons to believe in God for them to be
saved from this world.
 Religion

It may be defined as “an organized system of

beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a
god or a group of gods”.
 Religion
Religion, etymologically is defined as coming
from the Latin word “religare” which means
“to bind” or “to tie”. However, Oxford
English Dictionary points out though that the
etymology of the word is doubtful.
 The origin of religion

1. The Human Quest for Meaning

- Understanding our World and
our Experience
 The origin of religion

2. The Quest of Purpose

- The motivation to live a life
which promotes human wholeness in
accordance with the meaning
discovered.
 The origin of religion

3. The Quest for Salvation

- The search to be free from the
feeling of disharmony deep within
the human person.
Characteristcs of religion
• Belief in supernatural powers
• Belief in the holy or sacred
• Systems of rituals
• Sinful acts
• The method of Salvation
• Mode of Worship
• Liturgy and ideology
• Place of worship
 Characteristcs of religion
Belief in supernatural powers
The power which is beyond
human powers. The human sufferings
enable being to seek God’s help for
their problems.
 Characteristcs of religion
Belief in the holy or sacred
This is the heart of every religion. Every
religion has sacred books or texts.
But something sacred is not just books but
also places, symbols, animals, rocks and many
more.
 Characteristcs of religion
Systems of rituals
These are the different ways each
religions expresses their faith. Catholic
Christians have the seven sacraments
which include ceremonies and rituals.
 Characteristcs of religion

Sinful acts
Usually, a violation of the laws
established by God which each
members has to follow.
 Characteristcs of religion

The method of salvation

The belief in the afterlife or the
idea of heaven and hell.
 Characteristcs of religion

Mode of worship
Each religions has different
expressions of worship which include
praying, kneeling, dancing, singing to
name a few
 Characteristcs of religion
Liturgy and ideology
Liturgy is described as public
worship. It is a gathering of believers with
ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies,
worship services or bible studies.
 Characteristcs of religion

Place of worship
Each religion has holy places which
they believe God is present such as
churches, temples, mosques, and other
sacred place.
 Activity 2: song analysis

Directions: Listen to the song

“Who Am I?” and afterwards, in a
1 whole sheet of paper answer the
following questions.
 Activity 2: song analysis
1. What does the song “Who Am I?” say about
who we are as a person?
2. What kind of God is presented in the song?
Why?
3. How does faith in God provide answers to
life’s questions? Give example from your
concrete experiences.
 Religion,
02 spirituality
&
theology
 Activity 1: make a connection

Directions: Create a three circle and label each

circle with Spirituality, Religion and Theology.
Write your own connections between
Spirituality and Religion and Religion and
Theology. Do it in 1 whole sheet of yellow
paper.
 Religion and spirituality

Is religion the same as spirituality?

 Spirituality is more of a personal experience
concerns with what are the essentials in life
while religion focuses more on membership,
rituals, right and wrong or truth and falsity.
 Religion is more legalistic in terms of
practice of beliefs while Spirituality entails
more freedom in exercising what they
believed.
 Religion and spirituality
Can you become a spiritual
person without being a member of a
religious organization?
What is the difference between
being religious and being spiritual?
Yes. The line between what is
spiritual or religious may not be
always clear or distinct depending
on the interpretation.
 Religion and spirituality
Religion and spirituality can blend
harmoniously as Serapio expressed.
The kernel of religion is spirituality,
and the essence of spirituality is God
or the Supreme Being (Serapio,
2016).
 Religion and spirituality
Serapio added that Spirituality is:
a. Beyond all religions yet containing all
religions.
b. Beyond all science yet containing all
science.
c. Beyond all philosophy yet containing all
philosophy.
 Activity 2: Are you religious or
spiritual?
Directions: After understanding the differences
between religion and spirituality, self-assess whether
you are religious or spiritual by situating yourself.
 Religion and theology
 Theology is a systematic study of God just
like other disciplines such as philosophy,
psychology, sociology and other sciences.
 It is normally taken in the Seminaries or
theological schools as an academic subject.
 philosophical theology
Philosophy uses reason to explain the
essence or the ultimate reasons why
things exist and where they come
form. Philosophical Theology uses
reason alone in knowing about God.
 philosophical theology
 A famous theologian in the Catholic Church in the
13th century, St. Augustine Aquinas exemplify
this approach.
 His work is called the “Summa Theologiae”
wherein one summa is devoted to the “Five Ways
of Knowing God”. Here the existence of God can
be proven in five ways using logical
argumentation.
Characteristcs of theology

• Wisdom or Creed
• Worship or Cult
• Works or Code
1. Wisdom or creed
a. A creed is a set of truths that must be
accepted and agreed to by those who wish
to belong to the religion, those who choose
to be follower or disciple.
1. Wisdom or creed
b. A creed is a summary of the principle
beliefs of a religion.

e.g. The Nicene Creed, Laws of Manu,

Ten Commandments
2. Worship or cult
a. Refers to the way of worshipping, to the
rituals that are practiced by followers of the
religion.
b. This is often a difficult element to
describe because it involves so many
diverse elements
3. Works or code
a. Refers to the ethical values and the
system of moral practice directly resulting
from an adherence to the beliefs.
Anthropological structures of religion

You can replace the image on

the screen with your own
work. Just delete this one, add
yours and send it to the back
Western beliefs
1. Monotheistic
2. Share a similar view of the world and
concept because they both sprang from
Judaism (Islam and Christianity)
3. Humans must enter an interpersonal
relationship with God.
Western beliefs
4. Morality is based on learning the will of
God, understanding, and living it out
individually and as a community.
5. Time is viewed as linear, from beginning
to end.
Western beliefs
6. The Bible (Christianity), Torah
(Judaism), or Qur’an (Islam) are the central
books studies and lived by.
Eastern beliefs
1. Polytheism
2. Main concern is to live a good, happier,
and have better life.
3. Creation contains god within it. All
elements of creation from plants to animal
have an animated spirit.
Eastern beliefs
4. Meditation is central to these faiths.
5. Life is balanced.
6. Holy books are not central to the belief
and practice.
7. Time is viewed in cycles.
Eastern beliefs
8. There is a belief in reincarnations and
rebirth.
9. Things can be made better or worse
through karma.
 Importance of studying religion

1. Understand the difference and see

similarities between nations and
culture both political and
philosophical.
 Importance of studying religion

2. Appreciate our own belief by

seeing them alongside those of
others.
 Importance of studying religion

3. Work for Ecumenism through a

meaningful exchange of ideas
between religious groups.
 Similarities of religions
1. Belief in a power greater than
humans
2. Holy places
3. Set of religious symbols by which
the religion is identified
 Similarities of religions

4. Having a liturgy or observance of

Holy Days
5. Having Sacred or Holy Writings
and list of rules
 Similarities of religions

6. Number of important people,

founders, prophets, missionaries,
and historical people.
7. Belief in the Golden Rule
 differences of religions

1. Their idea of sin or evil

2. Their idea of salvation
3. Their idea of priesthood
4. Their idea of a personal God
 Assignment:

Bring the following:

a. Long Bond Paper
b. Pencil
c. Markers or any Coloring Materials
 Activity 3: exploring spirituality and
religious

DIRECTIONS: Prepare character sketches of a

person who is spiritual but not religious and a person
who is religious but not spiritual. After the sketch,
write a short description of that character which you
draw.