SOR 1- Nature of Religion and Beliefs

Religion as a worldview that:

 Acknowledges the supernatural dimension
Supernatural dimension is the belief in the existence of beings or powers beyond the realm of
the natural world.
The most significant element of a religious worldview is the belief in divine or power, which
is greater than humankind and the natural world.

Types of religions:
-Immanent
-Transcendent
-Monotheism
-Polytheistic

Monotheism:
Monotheism means religions believe that there is only one god. Christianity, Islam and
Judaism (Semitic faiths) are monotheistic.
Christians: they believe in one god, the god of Abraham. They believe that one god exist as
three beings: the father, the son and the holy spirit. These three facets of one god is known as
the ‘Trinity’ in the Christian faith.
Islam: They worship Allah. Belief in God is the first of six pillars of faith.
Judaism: The Jewish tradition makes it an Abrahamic religion, and the beliefs and practices
of Judaism are on two writings, the Torah and Talmud.

Polytheistic:
Polytheistic means religions believe in more than one god. The gods and goddesses may
have control of happenings in nature. Buddhism, Hinduism and most other ancient religions
are polytheistic.
Buddhism: Buddha is their god, and they have four noble teaching of Truth, which are
Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha and Magga.
Hinduism: Hindu’s pray to many gods, some are Vishnu and Shiva.

 Has a belief in a divine being or powers beyond the human and/ or dwelling within
the individual
Transcendent means to have continuous existence outside the physical world. Transcendent
religious worldview refers to a belief of a sacred and divine powers and the world that go
beyond the human. It includes the Semitic religion, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as their
god being revealed to human world beyond the human spirit.
Eg. Muslims believe the will of Allah has been revealed to prophet Mohammed and is written
in Koran.
Hindu’s devote their lives to the service of Shiva or Vishnu and attend temples.

Immanent is the phenomena of the material world. Immanent religious worldview holds the
belief that supernatural powers or divine spirits dwell within individuals and the presence of
god within human existence, that guides people. It recognizes a continuing presence among
believers and the world. It includes Buddhism and Hinduism.
Eg. Hinduism and Buddhism emphasie on the finding of the truth from within the human
spirit.
Buddhist follow the Eightfold path prescribed by the Buddha in order to reach
Enlightenment.
Characteristics of religion:
 Beliefs and Believers:
Beliefs are based on what the believers know through stories of the past and experiences in
the present in greater reality. They have belief in sacred persons and places from past sacred.
Believers adheres beliefs through experiences of ritual and teachings in the present.

Characteristics:
Buddhism: Three Buddha Refuges: The Lord Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha
Reincarnation.
Judaism: God entered history and formed a covenant relationship with his people.
Hinduism: Ultimate union with Brahman and belief in a supreme being adherence to truth,
good conduct and karma.
Christianity: Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead to save humankind from sin and death.
Islam: Submission to Allah; essential for being a human and for understanding his or her
place in the universe Mohammed is his prophet.

 Sacred Texts and Writings

The texts are based on stories of what happened in the past. People base their beiefs on texts
and model their behaviour on their beliefs. Believers experience their religion in the present
through rituals based on stories happened in the past in sacred texts.

Characteristics:
Buddhism: The Tripitaka (five precepts), the pali canon, the Mahayana Sutras.
Judaism: Torah
Hinduism: The Mahabharata, the teachings of Manu, The Vedas.
Christianity: The Bible
Islam: The Qur’an

 Ethics
It is based on demonstrated stories found in sacred texts. It governs what a believer of a
religion must base their behaviour on, and obligations upon them. They try to model
themselves on the behaviour and teachings of sacred person in the past.

Characteristics:
Buddhism: Five Precepts and the Vinaya Strive to follow the eight fold path. This gain
escape from suffering.
Judaism: Focus is on laws and commandments in the Torah
Hinduism: Nine Teaching of Manu: Suppression of wrath, truthfulness of speech, justice,
forgiveness, simplicity etc.
Christianity: Human beings are created in the image and likeness of god, the source of
dignity. The Beatitudes, ten commandments are based on tenant of love.
Islam: Muslim ethics about peace and giving to less fortunate and obeying Allah.

 Rituals and Ceremonies

It makes religion a live experience in the present. They reflect the beliefs of the faith, through
sacred texts. Different types of ritual bring about a different experience, like ceremonies.
Celebrate and reinforce the central belief and structures for the religion.

Characteristics:
Buddhism: Meditation, scarifies, Pilgrimage aged 8-20, boys become monks living in a
monastery.
Judaism: Circumcision for baby boys at the age of 8 days.
Hinduism: Diwali, purification, meditation, sacrifices
Christianity: Baptism confirmation reconciliation, Communion matrimony holy order
anointing of the sick.
Islam: Circumcision for new born boys, Daily prayers observing Ramadan, marriage,
Shahada.

Dynamic Religion is characterised by energy, ambition, new ideas and practical

achievements. Dynamic is a force that stimulates change or progress within a system or
process.
Living Religion is full of life, real and immersed in everyday human existence. Living is
being alive, relevant and meaningful to the adherent.

When the characteristics interact, it helps support its beliefs and believers, sacred texts and
writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies. Believers form meaning to formalise their
understanding and record through sacred texts. Sacred texts inform Ethical Teachings and
rituals and ceremonies, and believers abide by it. Sacred texts maintain the integrity of the
principle beliefs. As the adherents develop interpretation of sacred texts overtime that can
cause changes in teachings, rituals and ceremonies.

The contribution of Religion:

 Individuals
Personal search of meaning:
Religion offers answers to life’s profound questions. It explains the creation of the universe,
human nature and life’s purpose. It provides identity and sense of belonging. Many people
follow their religion for answers about their origin and purpose and destiny.

Ethical guidance:
Religion offers a system of ethics that will guide the person in behaving properly. Ethics
advices on how to treat themselves, others and the environment. It helps address challenging
ethical issues that is too complex and difficult to decide. Bioethics involves the study of
moral inferences of new biological discoveries. Sexual morality, is a voice on the appropriate
matters in sexual activities. There are also guidance in social concerns where it relate to
matters socially. a

Sense of belonging:
Religion offers a way of perfection, that instructs what is required to become true to
themselves as people of faith and move closer to achieving goals, of their religious tradition.
Present role models, guidance and direction for individuals to develop their understanding of
their faith and how to become better people. It presents ways of achieving inner peace
through prayer, reflection and practice. The religion can bring people together of similar
ideals and values and provide an opportunity to express values in an environment.

Ritual meaning:
Religion gives ways by which they can celebrate significant events and times in their lives.
These events include birth of child, coming of age, graduation, marriage etc. Rituals proclaim
that a person has grown and developed in their faith and can accept greater duties and
responsibilities within the community. Religion places individuals in a long tradition of belief
and practice. It gives the people the validity of the tradition and can observe practices and
customs in their lives.

 Society and culture

Survival and development of humans:
Humans survived and developed due to the use of materials to improve their life. They used
reasons to create meaning and order. Religion has been a system by which humans made
sense of their place in the universe, and about survival.

Maintain order and wellbeing:

Human society rest on an essential basis of maintain order and wellbeing. Safety and security
of people, ability to feed and house people, ability to hand on the knowledge and skills
throughout the generation in needed to maintain order and wellbeing. Society needs peace
and order to survive.

Maintaining peace:
Through principle teachings that acknowledge the responsibility of individuals towards
divine being and their minimal obligations and duties towards their neighbours, to preserve
peace and harmony. Religion have at times create war, but the motivation of religions is to
recognise the important goodness of humanity and destiny.

Societies laws:
Societies laws are based on the ethical systems of a religious tradition. Social welfare has
constant practice within religious traditions. Religious institutes have developed hospitals,
orphanages and care. For example, the Westminster system of law and government, or the
laws and government of Islamic nations.

Education/ learning:
Religion sees the importance of education and need to develop higher forms of learning.
Institutes made sciences and medical knowledge preserved or developed. They encouraged
higher skills of philosophy, cosmology and theology and developed the precision of argument
and thought.

Architecture:
Religious tradition has been responsible for most of the world’s wonders of architecture and
grandeur such as Angakor Wat, Taj Mahal etc.

Art:
Religious institutes have sponsored artists to decorate their sacred spaces, to compose music
of the highest quality and decorate the interiors of churches, mosques, synagogue and temples
with design and ornament.
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