Understanding

Beliefs, Religion
and Related
Terms
 Belief
•A conviction
concerning
particular ideas
• E.g., we believe that
certain objects such as
tables, chairs & trees
are real because we
perceive them
through our senses.
 Faith
• A belief that is not
based on proof. It
connotes a confidence
or trust in a person or
thing.
Belief Systems
• Stories we tell ourselves
or ideas we hold that
define our personal
sense of reality.
 Worldview
• Similar to belief
system. It tries to
explain & interpret
reality, history &
civilization.
 Major worldviews:
• Monism – all of reality can be
reduced to one “thing” or
“essence”. ‘All is one”, that
there are no fundamental
divisions & that a unified set
of laws underlies all of
nature.
 Polytheism
• The belief & adoration
of several deities.
 Monotheism
• The faith in single, all -
powerful god.
 Atheism
• The disbelief in gods or
supernatural
 Theology
• The study of religious
faith, practice, and
experience especially the
study of God & God’s
relation to the world.
• The formal, systematic
attempt to give a rational
explanation of the beliefs &
practices of a religious
institution& of the religious
experiences of its adherents.
 Religion
• Based on the etymology of
the word, “religion”
means: To tie or bind, To
join again or to reconnect,
To tread carefully
• the relationship between
humans and that which
they regard as holy,
sacred, spiritual, divine,
or worthy of special
reverence
 Elements of Religion
• Beliefs – religions combine elements
of belief systems & worldviews, as
they not only seek to explain the
existence of all things, but also have
sacred histories & narratives w/c are
preserved in their scriptures.
• Organization – religion is an
organized set of beliefs,
rituals, & emotions. Every
religion has its own structure
& function, & every individual
member is expected to
perform a certain role.
• Emotions & values –
religion evokes emotions
such as hope, fear,
reverence & humility.
These emotions are traced
to the divine & individual’s
relationship with it.
• Rituals & ceremonies – all
religions have their
respective rituals &
ceremonies.
• Sacred objects & spaces –
considered representations of the
divine, & are concrete indications
of the relationship between faithful
& the divine. Sacred objects include
idols, icons, images that represent
divine being; or relics, artifacts, &
remains w/c are associated with
divine beings.
• Sacred spaces are locations of
great spiritual significance
which are often used for
rituals, worship, or as
pilgrimage sites.
 Philosophy of religion
• The study of the meaning and
nature of religion. It focuses
on the analysis of religious
concepts, beliefs, terms,
arguments, & the practices of
religious adherents.