Philosophy of Religion

(Summary)
Philosophy of Religion is a philosophical study which focuses its study on the
meaning and nature of religion. Furthermore, tries to find rational ground of religion. In
this philosophical inquiry we analyze religious concepts, beliefs, practices, culture, and
tradition.
As we observe the people around us nowadays the most repeated questions are about
what about is belief. What is religion and belief? Do sacrifices have an effect on man’s
thinking of choosing his religion? What is/are the possible role and significance of
sacrifice in the religious ritual? Let us try to answer these questions through this paper.
First, let us know what religion is. There are different ways how to answer the
question what is a religion and it can be through its etymological meaning or it can be its
provisional meaning. Let me present first the etymological meaning, it came from the
word “regere” which means “something handed upon” or “something mandated”. Next, I
will present its provisional which is “religion pertains to creeds, rituals, and life handed
upon; that one has to live/practice to express one’s belief of the “sacred”. Let us look at
religion on two aspects the objective and subjective and we cannot also go away
looking religion in the place of the society.
First aspect is the subjective aspect this refers to the different beliefs of persons.
Furthermore, subjective aspect also include the action of toward the things or beings
that surrounds him. First let me ask what is belief or faith? It refers to the state of mind;
it assents towards the truth which refers to God or to a god/s. In addition, it is a mental
state faculty of the mind. Therefore belief is to express, it includes mode of
communicating. In order that we can we express or communicate our thoughts and
feelings it includes language.
Now what is language? Our daily life speech and scientific linguistic studies. The
usage of language is an amazing reality. The role of language as the beacon of our
thought enables us to express our ideas or thoughts to others. Through language we
can talk or share our past experiences and share our insights for the future. In relation
to religion language is also important. For religion language is expression of thoughts
and feelings. Furthermore, language is objectification of one’s subjectivity it means that
it will see what is going inside is manifested through words and gestures/actions, this
two is a way of showing our beliefs. Truth therefore is symbolic and representational for
words refers to the thoughts, ideas, and concept. On the other hand, action refers to the
meaning behind of the words that have uttered. In line with it what is religious
language? It refers to the union of action and words in order to express our belief.
The second aspect of religion is the objective aspect which includes the rituals,
rites, and sacrifice also religious rituals. Later we will discuss each. Let us talk first the
term sacrifice, this word is often times heard us do we really know its meaning? This
term refers to a religious rite in which an object is offered to a divinity in order to
establish, maintain, or restore a right relationship of a human being to the sacred order.
It is a complex phenomenon that has been found in the earliest known forms of worship
and in all parts of the world. The present article treats the nature of sacrifice and
surveys the theories about its origin. It then analyses sacrifice in terms of its constituent
elements, such as the material of the offering, the time and place of the sacrifice, and
the motive or intention of the rite. Finally, it briefly considers sacrifice in the religions of
the world.1 We cannot deny this events if we say sacrifice.
But in Christian prospect, sacrifice means not the bloody and carnivorous
sacrifice like what the ancient civilizations have think of what sacrifice is. But rather the
spiritual sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ has done for the atonement of our sins. The
practice of the Eucharist is a symbolic celebration of the body and blood of Christ. The
priest serves as the intermediary between his congregation and Christ. It is the priest
who has the power of words to transform the bread and wine into body and blood.
However, those who participate in the Christian sacrifices of baptism and the Eucharist
acquiring the power of redemption from sin. Believers, whether male or female, have
access to redemption through these acts of sacrifice.2 Through this ideology we can
say that the role of sacrifice in the religious ritual is to symbolize the act of salvation or
the way how salvation is achieved.
In addition, like what I have said above that sacrifice is a reciprocal type of
relationship to the God or god/s. This relation is very visible in the realm of Christian
faith. The life of man becomes a mess during the fall into sin, but through Christ we are
redeemed from the sins committed during the fall. This shows the role and significance
of sacrifices in the religious rituals. Salvation of the whole human race is important.
The second term is rituals, this refers to the performance of ceremonial acts
prescribed by tradition or by sacerdotal decree. Ritual is a specific, observable mode of
behavior exhibited by all known societies. It is thus possible to view ritual as a way of
defining or describing humans.3 Rituals also is primary includes gestures. If there are
words included its primary use is to explain the gestures. Ritual is the bridge between
the spiritual and secular.
In addition, rites and rituals are ward-off from evils. The best example of this is
the Sacraments. In the sacraments it is clearly seen the words refers to the form the
words that the celebrant/s utters. The action or the matter of the sacraments lies its
meaning. In this instance, the sacrament of baptism; the form of this sacraments is the
prayers and responses done by the priest and the family of the child. Action or the
matter means the cleansing of the child from the original sin.
As what we have learned about sacrifice and rituals, let us now look at the role
and significance of sacrifices in the religious rituals. As we know that some religious
sects continue giving offerings as an act of worship to their God or god/s. They make
these sacrifices in order to pleased or give homage to the divine who gave life. It is
expressing of that encounter with man and divine. It is an expression of relationship or

1
Robert L. Faherty, Director of Publications, Brookings Institution, Washingon, D.C. Staff editor, Religion,
Encyclopædia Britannica, 1969–72.
2
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Projects/Reln91/Blood/sacrificemainpage.htm
3
Hans H. Penner, Professor of Religion, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire. Author of articles on
structuralism, myth, and ritual
communion, an expression of our belief on a God Also words and actions appropriate
for religious context to show our relation to God. Religious rituals is prescription or
prescribed by a divine or God. For it is the reciprocal type of relationship the God or
god/s provide and protect them in order this continue they did activities which pleases
him/them. Otherwise he/them will give plague or challenges to peoples. God doesn’t
only prescribed religious rituals in order for him to be pleased but most of all it is also a
way to unify and harmonize the cosmos. If we say cosmos here it refers to the heaven
and earth. We ask, what the part of man here is. Man’s part in the cosmos is he is the
subject to the patterns of the cosmos or nature. He is associated as a micro-cosmos or
a small cosmos in his own existence. For man has its own way of living an own system.
If we say religion it doesn’t only limits to the rites and rituals done by a religious
sect or group, but also include the influence of music, arts, literature, and architecture.
One of the noticed one of the most prominent thing in our religions is its music. In the
Christian prospective music is used as way of thanksgiving, supplicating, adoring, and
ask asking forgiveness to the Lord. It is also a form prayer rather than using the
common prayers. Music plays very important role for our evangelization. Most young
nowadays are fun in listening to music so the church uses music in order to let the
young knows what the Christian religion is all about it includes its doctrines/teachings.
Another is the influence of religion on architecture. In here I focus on Christian
church architecture. Our churches is designed mainly for worshipping God. It is the
reason why every corner of a church or a place that surrounds the church which is
commonly called church plaza has its meaning. As we have observed if we look at on
the sky, the church is a cross like structure which symbolizes the cross of our Lord,
which becomes the way of our salvation. So the church is God’s way in helping us in
giving our salvation. The church doesn’t only do that, but also to educate the believers
on what God wants for us to do. The east altar position means Christ second coming
would be on the clouds coming from the East. If a church sanctuary is not on the east
direction the tabernacle symbolizes as the east (liturgical east). The church plaza
symbolizes our journey toward the promise of our Lord which is the kingdom. Those are
some parts of the church which I mention what it symbolizes in order to prove that there
are symbolism of the places inside and that surround a church building. Art is also
visible in our churches it helps in teaching our doctrines to the uneducated and to the
young members of the religious sect.
On literature, most religion have its own sacred scriptures. For Islam they have
their Koran, for Jews they have their Torah, for Christians the Bible. I focus on the
Christian way the Bible is a library or collection of books. It is compose in two main parts
which are the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament consists of the
conversations of God to his people through the mouth of the prophets. While the New
Testaments consists of the son of God Jesus Christ’s deeds and the works of his
apostles and disciples. As I weight things I find out that religion is very influential in
man’s life for its shows where he patterns his attitudes and conducts in life.