Understanding the Nature of

Religion
Worldviews
 Worldview – a collection of beliefs about life and
the universe being held by people.
 Social environment and upbringing are critical the
development of religious life.
 Belief in god or gods is found in almost all
religious.
Kinds Description
Monism There is no real distinction
between god and the universe
Polytheism The belief and worship of many
gods
Monotheism The doctrine or belief in one
supreme god
Atheism Disbelief or in denial of the
existence of a personal god
 Theism- is a belief in the existence of one god viewed as
the creative source of the human race and the world who
transcends yet is immanent in the world.
 Monotheistic- religions claim that there is only one God
who could have designed and created the universe or may
have directed all events that led to the creation of
everything. There is one supreme God who is both
personal and moral, and who seeks a total and unqualified
response from humans. (Judaism, Christianity and Islam)
 Polytheistic- religions that were common among
early people recognize many principal gods among
whom no one is supreme. These include the
ancient religions of Egypt, Greece and Rome
wherein people worship a multitude of personal
goods.
 Monism- asserts that there is no genuine
distinction between God and the universe. Two
implications arise from this belief:
1.That God is dwelling in the universe as part of it.
2.The universe does not exist at all as a reality but
only as manifestation of God.
Definition of Religion
 Religion- an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies,
and rules use to worship a god or group of gods.
 Latin word “religio”- something done with
overanxious or scrupulous attention to detail
 Latin verb “religare”- to tie together or to bind fast.
In its origin sense, the word refers to expression of
proper piety (devotion/respect), that is binding to god.
 Nature of Religion
Name of Social Background View on Religion
Scientist
Edward Burnett Tylor English anthropologist founding The belief in spiritual beings
(1832-1917) figure of the science of social
anthropology

James George Frazer Scottish social anthropologist one of A propitiation or conciliation of

(1854-1941) the founding figures of modern powers superior to man which are
anthropology believed to control and direct the
course of nature and human life.

Bronislaw Kasper An eminent 20th century Polish A body of self-contained acts being
Malinowski (1884- anthropologist themselves the fulfillment of their
1942) purpose; an affair of all, which
everyone takes an active and
equivalent part

David Emile Durkheim French sociologist Father of A unified system of beliefs and
(1858-1917) sociology practices relative to sacred things
Common Characteristics Among Religions
Religious
rituals

Code of Belief in
conduct RELIGION deity

A doctrine of
salvation
 The essentials qualities of religion are maintained and passed
from generation to generation by source called authorities,
which the followers accept sacred. The most important
religious authorities are writings known scriptures.
 Bibles of Christians and Jews
 Koran of Muslims
 Vedas of Hindus

Religious authority also comes from writings of saints and

other holy persons and from decisions by religious councils and
leaders. Unwritten customs and laws known as traditions also
form a basic part of authority.
1. Belief in deity
 Three philosophical views:
• Atheists believe that no deity exists.
• Theists believe deity or deities
• Agnostics say that the existence of deity cannot be
proved or disproved.
2. A Doctrine of Salvation
 It is based on the belief from which they must be
saved
 Major religions like Christians, Islam, Buddhism
and Hinduism tress that salvation is the highest
goal of the faithful and one that all followers
should try to achieve.
3. A Code of Conduct
 Is a set of moral teachings and values that all
religions have in some form.
 Such a code or ethics tells believers how to
conduct their lives.
 It instructs them how to act toward the deity
and toward one another.
 4. Religious Rituals
 These include the acts and ceremonies by which believers
appeal to and serve God, deities and other sacred powers.
 The performance of a ritual is often called a service.
 The most common ritual is prayer or for some Asian
religions, meditation.
 Many religions have rituals intended to purify the body.
Some have pilgrimages.
 Elements of Religion
The 4 C’s

Cult Beliefs in Deity (how we worship)

Creed A Doctrine of Salvation (what we

believe)

Code A Code of Conduct (how we live)

Community The believers

 Exploring Spirituality
 “Spiritual” means “relating or affecting the
human spirit or soul as opposed to material or
physical things”

 From the latin word spiritus, its verb root spirare

means “to breathe” there is an impression that
people are surrounded by a “divine reality as
pervasive.
 Elements of Spirituality
1.An automatic intuitive connection with every other
spiritual being on earth
2.The power and centrality of instinct and intuition
to guide life and its outcomes.
3.Emphasis on loving and emotionally supporting
4.Feeling of serenity, fearlessness, contentment and
acceptance of one’s life and fate.
 Their Differences
Religion Spirituality Theology Philosophy
(of religion)
Refers to any set Reflects one’s Deals with the Deals with uses
of attitudes, integrative view study of the nature like the analysis
beliefs and of life while and purpose of on the existence
practices affecting the god that may be of a divine being
concerning a human soul undertaken using or on sacred texts.
supernatural a particular
power. It is the perspective
pursuit of
transformation
guided by a sacred
belief system.
Thank you for listening 