Introduction to World Religions and

Belief System

Title: How World Religions Began

 Lesson 2: How World Religions Began
This module intends you to demonstrate understanding
of historical and geographical contexts of different religions.

In this module you will prepare an activity that demon-

strates the influence of a religion in a certain culture.

The following are the competencies that you need to

achieve.
2.1. Cite regions or places where specific religions
evolved. (HUMSS_WRBS12-I/IIIB-2.1)
2.2. Analyze the culture of the region that gave rise to
specific religions. (HUMSS_WRBS12-I/IIIB-2.2)
2.3. Explain how geography influences religion and reli-
gion affects culture. (HUMSS_WRBS12-I/IIIB-2.3)
2.4. Conduct a group activity/ an activity that demon-
strates the influence of a religion in a certain culture.
(HUMSS_WRBS12-I/IIIB-2.4)

In doing this module, please

follow these reminders…
1. Take the pretest before
working or answering the
module.
2. Perform the activities as
suggested.
3. Answer all the exercises.
4. Check your answers
against the Key to Correc-
tion.
5. Take the Post Test.

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I. Directions: Each picture from Column A symbolizes a type of
religion. Identify the religion that each picture tries to depict from Col-
umn B. Write the letter of the correct answer on the blanks provided.

Column A Column B

_____1.

A. Islam

_____2.
B. Judaism

C. Christianity
_____3.

D. Shinto

_____4. E. Buddhism

F. Hinduism
_____5.

G. Paganism

_____6. H. Confucianism

I. Taoism

_____7.

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II. Multiple Choice. Circle the letter that corresponds to
the BEST answer.
1. Which among the statements are True?
A. Judaism has 122 prophets and 7 prophetesses.
B. Judaism has 48 prophets and 15 prophetesses.
C. Judaism has 48 prophets and doesn’t allow prophetesses.
D. Judaism has only 1 prophet named Messiah.

2. All of the statements are true EXCEPT letter _____.

A. The ancient Hebrew God is Elohim.
B. Christianity has 13 apostles.
C. Islam believes that Mohammed is the final prophet.
D. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at
Mount Moriah.

3. God sacrifice His son ______ through crucifixion as the

plan to salvation.
A. Jesus Christ B. Peter C. Isaiah D. David

4. The four (4) greta religions that originated in India were;

A. Hinduism, Shinto, Taoism, and Jainism
B. Buddhism, Daoism, Judaism, and Shinto
C. Shintoism, Communism, Buddhism, and Shinto
D. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism

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5
5. All of the statements are false EXCEPT letter ______.
A. It was during the Vedic Period that Hinduism became sys-
tematized as a religion.
B. Buddhism center its attention on the figure of a guru.
C. Mao Zedong is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher
and teacher who lived at the time of Siddharta Gautama in
India.
D. The sacred Mount Everest, an abode of Japanese gods, is
surrounded by temples and shrines.

6. Japanese people believed that their emperors literally de-

scended from the sun goddess ________.
A. Kami B. Shang
C. Amaterasu D. Zhou

7. _____________ is the Hindu god of the sun.

A. Agni B. Surya
C. Varuna D. Sunday

8. In Hinduism, ______ could mean duty, righteousness, and

ethics in all humanity.
A. Dharma B. Yoga
C. Meditation D. Trimunti

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 Based from our lesson last time, answer
the following questions.

How is religion different from worldview, spir-

ituality, theology, and philosophy of religion?
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

What are the elements of religion?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

What are the elements of spirituality?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

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MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
Each picture symbolizes a type of religion. Identify the religion
that each picture tries to depict. Write a brief explanation on
why you identified a religion with one of the given pictures.

1. ________________________________
________________________________
________________________________

2.__________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________

3.__________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

4.__________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

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A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
Melvin Lawrence Ember & Carol Ember , 1997 : Scholars
hold the view that religion is universal and can be found in all
known contemporary societies .
Lewis Hopfe, 1983: Even the most fundamental of belief sys-
tems can be seen to a greater or lesser degree in all religions .

Important Dates on the Origin of World Religions

Date (circa) Significance

c. 2000 B.C.E. time of Abraham, the patriarch of Israel

c. 1200 B.C.E. time of Moses, the Hebrew leader of the Exo-

c. 1100 – 500 B.C.E. Hindus compiled their holy texts, the Vedas

c. 563 – 83 B.C.E. time of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism

c. 551 – 479 B.C.E. time of Confucius, founder of Confucianism
c. 200 B.C.E. the Hindu book, Bhagavad Gita, was written
c. 2 to 4 B.C.E – 32 time of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and founder
C.E. of Christianity
c. 32 C.E. the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

c. 40 – 90 C.E. the New Testament was written by the followers

c. 100 C.E. Beginnings of Shintoism (no known founder)

c. 500-580 B.C.E. Time of Lao Tze, founder of Daoism
time of Muhammad, who recorded the Q’uran
c. 570 – 632 C.E.
as the basis of Islam

Table 1. Important Dates on the Origin of World Religions. Source:

http://www.allaboutreligion.org/origin-of-religion.htm

79
• Prehistoric humans, such as the Neanderthals and Cro- Mag-
nons, have practiced a set of belief systems like in burying their
dead, painting on the walls of caves and carving images from
stones.
 The existence of humankind for so long a time has resulted in
the formation of religion and belief systems. It is certain that
many religions may have been unrecorded in the past. Others
may have gradually died down like Zoroastrianism that once
flourished in South Asia but is now only confined in Iran, India
and Central Asia.
THE PATRIARCH ABRAHAM
• Played a major role in the establishment of the three monotheis-
tic regions: namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which ac-
count for more than half of the world’s total population. As such,
these organized religions are collectively known as ABRAHAMIC
RELIGIONS.

Figure 1. The Genealogy of Abraham. pinterest.ph

8
 The importance of Abraham in these three religions lies
in the fact that the patriarch appears as an elemental (primary)
figure for monotheistic belief system and a paragon (exemplar)
for extreme devotion.

1. They all worship one supreme being.

• Ancient Hebrews – Elohim, Adonai or Yahweh
• Present day Judaism – “Lord” or “God”
• Muslims – Allah
2. Prophets and apostles play major roles
• Judaism has 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses
• Early prophets include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Mo-
ses, Aaron and Joshua
• Christianity has 12 apostles, some of whom wrote
parts of the New Testament
• Islam believes that Muhammad is the final prophet or
the “Seal of the Prophets”.
3. Prior to the establishment as organized religions, the role of
divine revelation or intervention is associated among their pro-
genitors (ancestors).
• God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at
Mount Moriah
• God presented the 10 Commandments to Moses at
Mount Sinai
• God sacrificed His son Jesus Christ through crucifix-
ion as the plan to salvation
• God commanded Muhammad to establish a new religion at a
cave in Mount Hira.
*** Then and now, the followers of the three Abrahamic reli-
gions are presented with a choice between good and evil.

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 Religious Symbols :
Judaism Christianity Islam

Figure 2. Religious Symbols of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Source humanreligion.info

THE INDIAN MOSAIC

• India is one of the oldest surviving civilizations, with its history da-
ting back to at least 6500 BCE. The many conquerors that came to
India were gradually absorbed into the native Indian religions.
• The Harappan civilization, Aryan influence, local dynasties, and
the Muslim conquest all had their fair share in building the intricate
Indian mosaic. As a result, variety and complexity characterize Indi-
an culture.
 Four great religions originated in India – Hinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, and Sikhism – and a myriad of minor cults and local
sects.

HINDUISM
• It perfectly reflects Indian heterogeneity with
its eclectic (diversified and assorted) ways of
religious expressions that are quite confusing
to outsiders. Figure 3. Reli-
• It has no specific founder, no one sacred gious symbol of
book, and with innumerable gods and god- Hinduism.
desses that any Hindu can venerate. As such, Source.humanreli
Hinduism can be considered as museum of gion.info
religions.
• During this period, universal order became equated with a stable
society as evidenced by the establishment of a centralized govern-
ment and the integration of collective traditions into Indian lives.

10
• It was during the Vedic Period that Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma
became systematized as a religion that preached order and pur-
pose to the cosmos and human life.

BUDDHISM
* It centers its attention on the figure of the Buddha, who was not a
god but a human being who came to discover how to terminate suf-
ferings in order to escape the painful and continuous cycle of rebirth.
* Buddhist followers revere Buddha in the same way that the mem-
bers of other world religions worship their gods.
*The Mahayana sect of Buddhism differs from Theravada school be-
cause of its rich array of buddhas and bodhisattvas who have at-
tained spiritual enlightenment. These beings are already eligible to
enter nirvana but choose to delay this glorious path to guide others
to the path of salvation.
* The religion was transported to China, Korea, Japan and
Vietnam. Across the Himalayas, it reached the Tibetan lands.
* Presently, Buddhism has become more popular outside its place of
origin while Hinduism has remained entrenched (rooted) in India
throughout many centuries.
* Born near the end of the 6th century BCE,
Siddharta Gautama’s life is closely linked with
the historical and religious development of
Buddhism in India. Gaining new converts due
to its mass appeal as compared to the exclu- Figure 4. Religious
sivity of Hindu beliefs, Buddhism spread far symbol of Buddhism.
and wide from India to Sri Lanka and to Source.humanreligion
.info
Southeast Asia.
11
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CONFUCIANISM
• Even during the olden days, the Chinese had already endeavored
to establish and attain good governance. China adopted Confu-
cius’s ideals and ethics as the nation developed meritocracy (power
goes to those with superior intellects) as a basis for government of-
ficials.
• Confucius is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher and
teacher who lived at the same time as Siddharta Gautama in India.

• Confucian ideals aspire to harmonize hu-

man relations and serve as guide to social
behavior. An ideal human society it the ut-
most concern for the Confucian followers.
Figure 4. Religious • Confucius dwell upon the theme of the Dao
symbol of Confu- as being the truth or way things out to be
cianism.
done concordant with specific view to life,
Source.humanreligi
on.info politics and customs.
• Confucian Dao concerns human affairs.
DAOISM
• Mysteries abound the birth and life of Laozi (Lao-tzu) who may
have written Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching or The Book of the Way
and its Power.
• Believed to be a contemporary (modern version) of Confucius, he
once worked as a record keeper at the time of Zhou Dynasty but
soon left the service due to his frustration with corruption.
• Around 142 CE, Daoism began as an organized religion with the
establishment of the Way of the Celestial Masters sect by Zhang
Daoling during the Han Dynasty.

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 • The writings of Daoism centers on the concept of Dao, as a way
or path signifying appropriateness of one’s behavior to lead other
people.
• Dao in Daoism means road, path or way in which one does some-
thing.
 Daoist Dao means the way the universe works.

SHINTOISM
• It is a loosely organized local belief in Japan, somewhat an ardent
(dedicated) religious form of Japanese patriotism. Its mythology
highlights the superiority of Japan over other lands.
• Japanese people believed that their emperors literally descended
from the sun goddess Amaterasu.
• Conscious effort is done to revere the
beauty of Japan’s lands, especially moun-
tains.
• The term ‘Shinto’ was coined around the
16th century CE to distinguish native belief Figure 5. Religious
symbol of Shintoism.
system from the imported religions of Chi-
Source.humanreligio
na and Korea, including Buddhism, Dao- n.info
ism and Confucianism.
• Of primal importance were the kami that were often defined as the
gods but could also refer to deities of heaven and earth, or even spir-
its in human beings, animals, trees, seas and mountains.

B. GEOGRAPHY OF FAITH
1. The Western Frontier
2. The Indian Subcontinent
3. The Eastern End
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1. The Western Frontier
• West Asia is the home of three great religions (J, C, I).
• Religions have increasingly become involved in domestic politics of
West Asia, resulting in prolonged conflicts among countries that
have claimed thousands of lives.
*Israel remains the only country in the world with a Jewish-majority
population comprising almost 75% of its citizens.
• The Arabian Peninsula, the world’s largest peninsula, consists of
countries that are predominantly Islamic in character. (Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and
Oman). Most West Asian countries follow Shi’a and Sunni denomi-
nations of Islam. Iran and Iraq associate themselves with
the Shi’a sect while Muslims in Saudi Arabia belong to Sunni branch.
• The topography of West Asia is characterized by vast areas of
mountainous terrains which played significant roles in many religious
beliefs as these landforms provide ideal settings where gods live or
where gods and mortals meet.

Figure 6.The Levant: Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Syria and Palestine.

Rashid's Blog: An Educational Portal
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 Sacred Mountains in the Judeo-Christian Traditions

Holy Location Significance

Mountains
Traditional landing place of No-
Mount Eastern part ah’s Ark as narrated in the Book
Ararat of Turkey of Genesis

Sinai Penin- The peak where Moses received

Mount Sinai sula in the Ten Commandments
Egypt
Known as the city of David and
Mount Zion/
Jerusalem Temple Mount
Mount Moriah
Site of transfiguration of Jesus
Mount Tabor Israel Christ

Table 1. Sacred Mountains in the Judeo-Christian

Traditions. slideshare.net

• One of the most sacred sites in the world revered by JCI. Three
structures are found in the present site: Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome
of the Rock, and the Dome of the Chain. The Jewish people consid-
er the Temple Mount as their holiest shrine. Mount Moriah is also
believed to be the site of sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham.
• Vast expanse of deserts and bodies of water also played important
roles in biblical history.
Place Significance
Yam Suph (Red Israelites crossed this as they escaped
Sea) from Egyptian lands
Israelites lived here en route the Promised
Sinai Desert Land (spiritual cleansing)

Table 2. Bodies of water also played important

roles in biblical history.. slideshare.net

15
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 * Presently, followers of Abrahamic religions place high regard on
the city of Jerusalem in Israel because of the numerous sites that
are central to their belief system.
• There are more than a thousand synagogues, more than a hun-
dred churches and more than 70 mosques.
• Jerusalem has been sacred for the Jews for almost three thou-
sand years now with the city being the site of the First Temple
(King Solomon’s Temple) and the Second Temple.

* The Western Wall (Wailing Wall or Kotel), one of the four remaining
walls that surrounded Temple Mount, is the second holiest shrine for
the Jews.
• Jerusalem has been sacred for the Christians for almost two thou-
sand years now. Important sites include Mount Zion and the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the site of the Golgotha (or the
place of crucifixion) and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
• Lastly, Jerusalem has been sacred for the Muslims for almost 1400
years now. For the Sunni Muslims, it is their third holiest city.

Figure 7. Solomon’s First Temple. Figure 8. Wailing Wall or Kotel.

jewishvirtuallibrary.org WordPress.com

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• Located at the Temple Mount, the Islamic Dome of the Rock is
the most recognizable structure in Jerusalem. It is believed that the
rock is the spot from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. Like-
wise, the First and Second Temples are believed to lie beneath or
near the shrine.

• Another Islamic structure is

the Al-Aqsa Mosque associ-
ated with the night journey un-
dertaken by Muhammad.

Figure 9.Al-Alqasa Mosque.

shutterstock.com

2. THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

• The subcontinent of South Asia covers an area more than one and
a half million square miles stretching from the Hindu Kush and Balu-
chi Hills on the west and the Great Himalayan mountain range on
the north, to the Burmese mountain on the east and the Indian
Ocean on the south.
• More than 4000 years ago, a civilization emerged along the Indus
River that developed a unique culture long before the dawn of the
Christian era.
• Invasions from people originating in Macedonia and Central Asia
have added diversity to India’s population and complexity to its cul-
ture.

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19
• Because sweltering heat is one
major feature of India’s
ecological setting, it is no won-
der that Hindus revere the sun
(Surya) and fire (Agni).

• Water also plays a major role

as evidenced by Hindus vener-
ating a god of water and celes-
tial oceans (Varuna).
Figure 10. Surya (also known
as Aditya) is the Hindu god of
the Sun.ancient.eu

• The South Asian countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh

depend on the rivers of Indus, Ganga-Yamuna and Bramaputra.
Traversing the great plains of north India, the Ganga (Ganges) is
the holiest river for the Hindus. From its point of origin to its conflu-
ence with the ocean, Many ancient pilgrimage sites and cities line
up along the Ganga that include Rishikesh, Haridwar, Prayag and
Varanasi.
 Even Buddhists consider Varanasi as an important religious
site. During the olden days, there was once a deer park in Sa-
math which is now a residential area in Varanasi. In this
park, Siddharta Gautama gave his first sermon about the prin-
ciples of Buddhism. It is presently marked by the Dhamek Stu-
pa shrine.
• The Buddha also met his first disciples at this place which is now
commemorated by the Chaukhandi Stupa monument.

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3. THE EASTERN END
• At the eastern end of the great Asian continent one finds the cultur-
al and political dominance of China.
• The location of China proper in the valleys of two great bodies of
water, the Huang He and Yangtze, is quite favorable because of the
support these streams provide to the Chinese people that made his-
toric China the center of culture.
* From these river valleys emerged small states now controlled by
the first recorded dynasties, the Shang and the Zhou. It is within this
context that the great Confucius became fascinated with ethical
questions and morality in government officials.
• Confucius, the main person behind the social philosophy, did not
intend to start a new religion but rather expound on the nature of or-
der and stability in the society. With the growth of Confucianism and
the development of urban Chinese culture, the shamanism began to
decline in China.
• It was only during the second
millennium after the death of
Confucius in 479 BCE that the
teachings and ideals identified
with his philosophy spread in
China. By the time of the Han
dynasty, Confucian teachings
had become the state religion. In
Korea, it began to be disseminat-
ed extensively around the 15th
Figure 11. King Wen of Zhou. century.
ancient.eu
19
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* In Japan, it was accepted by the majority during the 18th and 19th
centuries.
* Daoism emerged in response to the widespread warfare and so-
cial turmoil that besieged the Zhou dynasty. It served as the guiding
principle to abandon and withdraw from the disorder brought about
by incessant struggle for power, wealth and prestige. The common
people began to oppose the rising authoritarian rule and the rigidity
of the moralists who were Confucian supporters. Daoist followers
aspired for autonomy in the midst of social adversities and the con-
formity to social patterns with the aim of attaining social harmony.
• As the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje were being
influenced by China, Korea also adopted Buddhism and Confucian-
ism from the mainland.
• Japanese representatives to China picked the useful aspects of
Chinese culture, imported and adopted these elements to their own
need. The Japanese feudal (old) system embraced the ideals of
Confucianism. Ancestor worship complemented elements of Confu-
cianism and Daoism that underscored the concept of filial piety
(devotion to family.

Figure 12. Map of three (3)

Kingdoms of Korea. Aca-
demic.mu.edu

20
• The entry of Buddhism in Japan between the 4th and 8th centu-
ries had a direct effect in their religious traditions.
a. Shinto was introduced (to distinguish native from foreign
religion)
b. Shinto followers acknowledged that the numerous bud-
dhas and bodhisattvas were revelations of the kami.
c. Fusion between Shintoism and Buddhism
d. Japan developed a unique form of Buddhism taking its
fullest meditative form under Zen.

C. CULTURAL MILIEU
•World religions can be regarded along the lines of their exclusivity
or non-exclusivity.
• Exclusive religions are oftentimes monotheistic with Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. Meanwhile, non-exclusive religions are Hin-
duism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shintoism.

ON MONOTHEISM AND UNI-

Figure 13. A symbol of Unitar-
ian-universalism. humanreli-
gions.info
VERSALITY
* While Judaism and Islam af-
firm the presence of one god
(Unitarian creed) Christianity
acknowledges one God in three
persons (Trinitarian creed): the
Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit.

21
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• The basic principles of the Muslim faith are reflected in the “Five
Pillars of Islam”.
• Both Christianity and Islam are considered universalizing reli-
gions because they both attempt to operate on a global scale.
Universalizing religions have a variety of means to transmit their
principles and their followers believe that what they think is appro-
priate for humankind.
• On the other hand, Judaism can be considered an ethnic religion
because it draws members from a specific group of people from a
definite locality with most of its practices and rituals performed
continuously throughout generations.
ON THE CONCEPT OF DHARMA
• The concept of dharma is integral in religions that emerged in
India, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
* In Hinduism, dharma could mean duty, righteousness and eth-
ics. In all humanity, this is common and evident in virtues
such as peacefulness, empathy and kindness.
• For Buddhism, it means cosmic law and order, or the teachings
of Buddha and the truth of the way things are.
 For the Theravada sect, dharma is sometimes used to indicate
all the factors of existence.
• Dharmic religions do not compel their adherents to profess
their devotion to be a believer or a practitioner. Meditational and
yoga rituals lead to right behavior and ultimate understand-
ing of the universe.

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• While the Hindus and Buddhists share similarities in their ideas
concerning enlightenment and liberation, they differ in:
• Hindus believe in trimurti or the three forms of god
• Buddhists do not believe in the existence of any god
therefore intermediaries for humans and gods are not necessary
along with the many rituals that go with venerating them.

ON NATURE AND ANCESTORS

• The elements of cult of heaven and ancestor worship are features
of ancient Chinese culture integrated into the Confucian philosophy
and belief. Confucius had a firm conviction in a natural order that
was moral order.
* Apart from having a harmonious relationship between humans and
heaven, the establishment of an ideal human society is also key to
Confucian followers. The five basic social relationships are:

1. Ruler and subjects

2. Father and son
3. Husband and wife
4. Older and younger brothers
Figure 14. Chinese Oracle
5. Friends or members of the script for tiān 天 "heaven" .wiki
community pedia.org

* Lesser deities are apparent in Daoism with the presence of at-

mospheric gods, gods of locality, and functional gods. It also pro-
motes harmonious relationship between humankind and nature.
Appropriateness of one’s behavior is also integral in the Daoist
teachings.

23
25
• In Shintoism, divinities are closely linked to nature and natural
forces. The sacred Mount Fuji, an abode of Japanese gods, is sur-
rounded by temples and shrines. It is one of the three holy moun-
tains along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.
* Shrines are erected to venerate or remember ancestors, an occur-
rence and natural phenomena, such as mountains, rivers, rocks
and trees. Shinto followers carry out ritualistic practices diligently in
order to establish union with the present society and the nation’s
past. Majority of its followers also practice Buddhism.

Below is an Asian map that shows the origin of each religion.

Figure 15. Map of Major Religions of the World.pinterest.ph

24
• Religion is considered universal and it can be found in all
known contemporary societies.
• The prophet and patriarch Abraham played a major role in the
establishment of three monotheistic religions, namely, Juda-
ism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Religion is an essential part of Indian tradition as four main reli-
gions originated here, namely, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,
and Sikhism.
• Both Confucius and Laozi were followers of the Dao. The Con-
fucian Dao principally concerns human affairs while the Daoist
Dao means the way the universe works.
• West Asia is home of three great religions, namely, Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam.
• Heat and water are major features of India’s ecological setting.
As a result, deities of sun, fire, and water are venerated in In-
dia.
• Chinese culture practically influenced all other nations at its
outskirts, including Japan and Korea.
• Monotheism or the belief in one god is an ancient idea that pre-
dated the establishment of Abrahamic religions.
• The concept of dharma is integral in religions that emerged in
India, most especially Hinduism and Buddhism.
• Chinese belief system arrived in Japan and influenced the local
culture and the indigenous polytheistic religion Shinto.

25
27
I. CRITICAL THINKING:
1. How important is the role of Abraham in the development of
monotheistic religions? ____________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________
2. In what ways are Confucianism and Taoism more of a social
philosophy rather than organized religions?
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________
3. How did geography affect religious events and development
in West Asia, in the Indian subcontinent, and in China?
________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________
4. What are the major points of difference between dharmic reli-
gions and Abrahamic religions? _______________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________
5. Why are natural forces and environment integral in the Shinto
religion? _________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_____________

26
II. REFLECT & UNDERSTAND:

How do geography affect the formation of the following religions?

Christianity ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Islam _______________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Judaism _____________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Buddhism ___________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________

Hinduism _________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

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III: Write T if the statement is True and F if it is False.

_______1. The term ‘Shinto’ came from two Indian words.

_______2. The Hindu god of fire is Agni.
_______3. Judaism has 48 prophets and seven prophetesses.
_______4. The concept of filial piety is integral in Islam.
_______5. The Arabian Peninsula consists of countries that are
predominantly Buddhist in character.
_______6. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at
Mount Hira.
_______7. The Analects and Dao De Jing are sacred texts in Chi-
nese religions.
_______8. The Ganga is the holiest river for the Muslims.
_______9. Saudi Arabia experienced a bloody civil war from 1975
to 1990 between Christians and Muslims.
_______10. The Hindus believe in the trimurti or the three forms of
their god.
_______11. Bodhisattvas have gained spiritual enlightenment but
opted to postpone their entry to nirvana to assist other being in their
path to salvation.
_______12. The holy m ountains in Japan are Mount Fuji, Mount Tate,
and Mount Moriah.
_______13. Meritocracy became the basis of government officials
during the time of Confucius.
_______14. The Dome of the Rock is located in Mount Ararat.
_______15. The teachings of Confucius became the state religion
during the Han Dynasty.

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IV: Directions: Read the questions and answer the following ;

How geography and culture affected

the development of religions ?

Geography:

How religion influence the

geography and culture

Religions:

Culture:

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31
A. Read the statements and from the box, select the
letter that corresponds to the correct answer .
Write the letter of the correct answer on the
blanks provided.

a. Neanderthals b. Muhammad c. Yahweh

d. Varuna e. Dharma f. Baekje
g. Ishmael h. Zen i Varanasi
j. Tertullian

_____1. Type of Buddhism that developed in Japan

_____2. The Hindu god of water and celestial oceans
_____3. Prehistoric species of humans
_____4. Term for the teachings of the Buddha
_____5. Forwarded the idea of ‘three persons, one sub-
stance.
_____6. A name given by the Hebrews to their god
_____7. Considered as the “Seal of the Prophets”
_____8. A pilgrimage site along the river Ganga
_____9. Believed to be the ancestor of the Arab people
_____10. One of the three kingdoms in Korea

30
II: Draw a geo-cultural map showing the geographical ori-
gins of world religions and the effects of these religions on
the people’s cultures. (10 pts.)

31
33
 PRACTICE EXERCISE

I. Critical Thinking
1. Answers may vary
2. Answers may vary
3. Answers may vary
4. Answers may vary
5. Answers may vary

II. Reflect & Understand

Answers may vary

III. True or False

1. False 6. False 11. True
2. True 7. True 12. False
3. True 8. False 13. True
4. False 9. False 14. False
5. False 10. True 15. True

IV. Answers may vary

32
 PRE-TEST
A.
1. Buddhism 6. Shinto 11. True
2. Christianity 7. Judaism 12. False
3. Confucianism 8. 13. True
4. Hinduism 9. 14. False
5. Islam 10. 15. True
POST-TEST
1. h 6. c
2. d 7. b
3. a 8. i
4. e 9. g
5. j 10. f

II. Teacher will evaluate the answer using the following rubric.

Rubric Points

Content: map drawn and information presented were 6

Explanation: geographical origins of the world reli-

6
gions were effectively explained, as well as the ef-

Map: map drawn was accurate and realistic 4

Design: mam was creatively and artistically drawn. 4

Total points 20

33
35
Aaron M. Kruse , (02 Apr. 2002) Map of three (3) Kingdoms of
Korea. Retrieved from https://academic.mu.edu/
meissnerd/3kingdom-korea.html
Artist, Unknown. "King Wen of Zhou." Ancient History Encyclo-
pedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 24 Jul 2017. Web. Re-
trieved 29 Jun 2020 from https://www.ancient.eu/
Zhou_Dynasty/#:~:text=The%20Zhou%20Dynasty%20(1046%
2D256,followed%20the%20Shang%20Dynasty%20
(c.&text=Many%20of%20the%20ideas%20developed,up%
20to%20the%20present%20day.
Cartwright, M. (2016, June 23) Surya . Retrieved from https://
www.ancient.eu/Surya/#:~:text=Surya%20(also%20known%
20as%20Aditya,and%20warmth%20to%20the%20world.
Comparison Table between Christianity, Islam nad Judaism ,
(2016). Retrieved from http://christianityinview.com/
xncomparison.html
Crabtree, V. (2020). A List of All Religions and Belief Systems.
Retrieved from http://www.humanreligions.info/religions.html
Department of Education, (2016) Introduction to World Reli-
gions and Belief Systems, Teacher’s Manual, pages 12-14.
Retrieved from http://thestudyaide.blogspot.com/2017/11/
introduction-to-world-religions-and.html

34
Department of Education, (2016) Introduction to World Reli-
gions and Belief Systems , Textbook, pages 14-29 . Re-
trieved from http://thestudyaide.blogspot.com/2017/11/
introduction-to-world-religions-and.html
Faridi, R. ( 2019, July 1). Levent: The Term, The Region and
the Cities. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from https://
rashidfaridi.com/2019/07/01/levant-the-term-the-region-and-
cities/
Garcia,JMN., (2018). Lesson 2: origin of World Religions.
Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/jomarienel/lesson-
2-origin-of-world-religions?from_action=save
Richard Sevcik / Shutterstock Al-Alqasa Mosque. Rettrieved
June 30, 2020 from https://www.lonelyplanet.com/israel-and-
the-palestinian-territories/jerusalem/attractions/al-aqsa-
mosque/a/poi-sig/1469275/361047
Solomon’s First Temple, (1991). Retrieved June 30,2020
from https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-first-temple-
solomon-s-temple
Wailing Wall or Kotel (2016). Retrieved June 30,2020 from
https://deforestlondon.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/the-spirits-
outpouring-in-a-variety-of-prayers/

35
37
 Prepared by:

CHERRY E. CARLOS, PHD.

Master Teacher 1
Federico N. Ceralde Integrated School
Dagupan City

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39