The Nature of Religion

 Religion was derived from the Latin word “religo”, which means “to bind” or “to obligate”.
Renard (2002, 3)
 Religion refers to a person’s “adherence to a set of beliefs or teachings about the deepest and
most elusive of life’s mysteries.”
Emile Durkheim
 “unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things. i.e., things set apart and
forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church.
Karl Marx
 An important factor toward the rise of capitalism. Religion can affect a society’s behavior and can
thereby become a possible agent of social change.
Different Religious Patterns
 Supernaturalism – refers to society’s beliefs in non-material forces that can influence the physical
world.
 Animism – the belief in nature spirit.
 Animists- believe that ancestors continue to guide them in spirit form and so they would be
venerated like the nature spirits because the ancestors can sought to help the living.
 Totemism- believed that the natural elements, plants, animals can influence one’s life and the
material world.
 Polytheism - refers to the belief of a society to the pantheon of gods.
 Monotheism -believes in a single god.
TYPES OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
1.CHURCH – large and formalized organization that is incorporated into society and sometimes fused
with the state (if there are no laws on the separation of the church and the state)
2. DENOMINATION – religious organizations that have a large number or member but are less formal
than a church. Denomination gain members by recruiting and converting members from another churches
and denominations.
3. SECT – religious organizations that tend to differ and oftentimes reject a larger religions beliefs.
Opposes religious pluralism and focus on the promotion of strict religious doctrines that incorporate all
aspects of the member’s life.
4. CULTS – are relatively small religious organizations whose doctrines are outside mainstream religious
traditions. Usually small and localized communities led by a charismatic leader who exercises absolute
control over its members.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF RELIGIONS:
 JUDAISM – came from the Hebrew word
Yehudim, which means “Judah”. It traces its
ebginnings to the time of Abraham, the first
Hebrew, who received revelations from God or
Yaweh.
- Hebrew bible – Judaism’s principal collection of holy writings.
Torah or the Pentateuch – the foundational texts of the Hebrews.
Jews believed: God created all things “by the unimaginable power of the divine speech”
Sacred temple: Synagogues
 CHRISTIANITY - came from the Greek word christos, which means
“anointed”. The term was derived from the name of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity.
People who professed their belief in Jesus Christ are called Christians.
- They believe that God is the creator and sustainer of everything. He is the Lord of eternity
and the Supreme being who is “ceaselessly active in human history.”
- According to the Christian doctrine, God is “triune” or “ “three equal Persons in one deity”–
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, a set of holy writings inspired by God and given
by God to man.
 ISLAM
- The sacred text of Islam is the Koran. It is the recitation of Muhammed of the messages
given to him by Allah. Muslims call their sacred temples as mosques.
Five Pillars of Islamic Faith
1. Shahada – Islam’s profession of faith that there is only one God, Allah, and Muhammed is his
prophet.
2. Salat – prayer done five times every day
3. Zakat – almsgiving done by Muslims
4. Sawm – fasting done by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan
5. Hajj – pilgrimage done by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca
Islam’s 2 main groups
1. Shi’a or Shi’ite Muslims - believe that Ali, Mohammed’s cousin and son-in-law, was the successor
of the prophet.
2. Sunni Muslims – believe that Muhammed did not appoint any successor and that it was up to the
elders to determine form among themselves who should become the prophet’s successor.
 HINDUISM
- Hinduism is considered as the world’s oldest living religion. For Hindus, the world is
considered evil and unimportant. They believe that the soul is caught in a cycle of birth-
death-rebirth called samsara.
- The goal of Hinduism is to reach the level higher than the Brahmins, or the priestly class,
so that one can become united with the universe and reach a state of moksha, the
liberation and ultimate freedom from samsara or the cycle of birth-death-rebirth.
 - Buddhism is considered as the third major religion in India next to Hinduism and Jainism.
It is also believed to be the first international missionary religion that was established in the
sixth century BCE by Siddharta Gautama, a Kshatriyan prince who becam Buddha after
receiving enlightenment.
- Buddhism focus on the importance of unworldliness and the need for discipline.
Buddhists emphasize the importance of the middle path or way.
HINDUISM believe in different gods:
 Brahma – the creator
 Shiva – the destroyer
 Vishnu – the presever
HINDUISM sacred texts:
 Vedas – a body of oral literature that contains songs and ritual instructions of the Brahmins.
 Upanishads – the theological and philosophical reflection regarding the Vedas.
 Brahmanas – treatises on sacrificial rites that emphasize ritualized religions.
Four Noble Truths of Buddha:
1. Noble truth of suffering (dukkha) – life is full of suffering and it is made up of a cycle of birth,
decay, illness, death.
2. Noble truth of the cause of the origin of suffering – the ignorance of the nature of reality creates
desires, and suffering is caused by desire.
3. Noble truth of the cessation of suffering – suffering can be eliminated by removing desires.
4. Noble truth of the path to the cessation of the cause of suffering – to end suffering, one must
follow the Eight-Fold Path.
Eight-Fold Path includes:
 Right understanding/belief
 Right attitude of mind
 Right speech
 Right action and behaviour
 Right livelihood
 Right effort
 Right recollection/mindfulness
 Right meditation or concentration
Buddhism’s sacred texts:
• Vinaya Pitaka – contains all the rules of monastic discipline.
• Sutra Pitaka – compilation of Buddha’s speeches
• Abhidharma Pitaka – the seven lengthy theoretical interpretations of the teachings of Buddha.