Understanding the

Nature of Religion
Lesson 1
What does it mean to be religious
and spiritual?
Why is religion linked to
humankind’s quest to search for the
real meaning of life and death?
Set of prayers in
a form of:
-Chants
-Mantras
-Creed
Chants to say (a word or phrase) many times in a
rhythmic way usually loudly and with other
people.
Mantras a sound, word, or phrase that is
repeated by someone who is praying or
meditating.
Creed set of beliefs that guides the actions of a
person or group.
Religion is the pursuit of
transformation guided by a sacred
belief system.
Spirituality reflects one’s integrative
view of life while affecting the human
soul.
Religion- is an organized
system of beliefs, ceremonies,
and rules used to worship a
god or a group of gods.
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2014)
Worldview is a collection of beliefs
about life and the universe being
held by people.
(The Free Dictionary 2014)
 Different Kinds of Belief Systems
RELIGION

MONISTIC ATHEISTIC

MONOTHEISTIC POLYTHEISTIC AGNOSTIC

 KINDS DESCRIPTION

MONISM there is no 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 in or denial of the existence of a personal god

AGNOSTICISM god cannot be known

 Theism or Monotheism
Defined as 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.

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2014)

Monotheistic religion 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 one
supreme God who is both personal and moral,
and who seeks a total and unqualified response
from humans.
(Hick 1990)
Modern-day examples of monotheistic
religions include:
JUDAISM

CHRISTIANITY

ISLAM
Polytheistic religions are common
among early people recognize many principal
gods among whom no one is supreme. This
include the ancient religions of Egypt, Greece,
and Rome wherein people worship a multitude
of personal gods.
Monism asserts that there is no genuine
distinction between God and the universe.
Two implications arise from this belief:
• It contends that God is dwelling in the universe as
part of it.
• The universe does not exist at all as a reality but
only a manifestation.
Atheist deny the existence of God.

Agnostic deny the possibility for man to

acquire knowledge of the existence of God.
Definition and Nature
of Religion
Religion- is an organized
system of beliefs, ceremonies,
and rules used to worship a
god or a group of gods.
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2014)
Religion is from the Latin word Religio refers to
“something done with overanxious or scrupulous
attention to detail” (Bowker 1997).

Religion may probably been derived from the

Latin verb Religare which means “to tie
together, to bind fast
Religion refers to expression of proper piety,
that is, binding to god (Grassie 2010). It was used to
designate formal belief systems and tenets.
Religion may be universal in all stages of human
history, it does not follow that all individuals are
religious or even religious to some degree
(Parrinder 1971).
Name of Social Background View on Religion
Scientist
English anthropologist; The belief in spiritual beings
Edward Burnett Taylor founding figure of the science
(1832-1917) of social anthropology

Scottish social anthropologist A propitiation or conciliation of powers superior to man

James George Frazer one of the founding figures which are believed to control and direct the course of nature
(1854-1941) of modern anthropology and of human life.

An eminent 20th-century A body of self-contained acts being themselves the fulfillment

Bronislaw Kasper
Polish anthropologist of their purpose; an affair of all, in which everyone takes an
Maloniwski
active and equivalent part
(1884-1942)
French sociologist; father of A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred
David Emile Durkheim sociology things
(1858-1917)
 Belief in a deity’s
relationship with
the world
Places and people
Belief a deity believed to be
holy and sacred

RELIGION

Ways to worship Rules followed as

a deity a result of beliefs

Common Characteristics Among Religions

Origins of Religion
Hendry 1999
Since the 19th century, people began to show
great interest in explaining the origins of religion.
Ember & Ember 1996
Archeologists believe that they have discovered
elements of religion belief practiced by Homo
sapiens almost 60,000 years ago.
Hopfe 1983
Since early humans are weak ignorant of the
different forces of nature, they had to invent
religion to explain seemingly unexplainable
mystery and fury of nature. In the process, they
have to create a scheme of deities and spirits.
 Different Theories on the Origin of Religion

Animistic Theories Wish Fulfillment Theory

Theory of Original
Monotheism

Nature-Worship Theory Magic Theory

Animistic Theories
Edward Burnett Tylor (1832-1917), English anthropologist
Primitive people believed in souls or anima found in
people (seen in dreams) and in all of nature. Since
spirits could be helpful or harmful to human beings,
early people had to pray to these spirits, offer
sacrifices and appease or avoid them.
Animistic Theories
Robert Henry Codrington (1830-1922), Angelican
priest and anthropologist
In his investigation, he found out that the Melanesian
people believed in mana, a mysterious force that
inhabited all of nature. All early people began their
religion in cognizance of such force; the
destructiveness of the mana can be avoided by
establishing taboos.
Nature-Worship Theory
Human beings first developed their religions from their
observations of the forces of nature. Early people became
aware of the regularity of the seasons, the tides and the
phases of the moon, and began personalizing them by
giving them names, describing their activities with tales that
transformed into mythology. Primitive people identified the
forces in nature, personified them, created myths and
developed religions around them.
Theory of Original Monotheism
Wilhelm Schmidt (1868-1954), Austrian
anthropologist and ethnologist.
In Australia and Africa, basic cultures held a common
belief in a distant high god, that originally there had
been one great god above all others, and that he may
have been the creator of the world or the father of
the many lesser deities.
Magic Theory
James George Frazer (1854-1941), Scottish social
anthropologist
People had gone three phases of development
concerning the spirit world: (1) primitive magic
(wherein people attempted to control nature in
the hope that nature will cooperate if rituals are
done properly);
(2) Religion wherein people implored nature to
cooperate since they have realized that nature can
not be corrected; and (3) Science wherein a
rational understanding of nature is operative.
Magic Theory
Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach (1804-1872),
German philosopher and anthropologist
There were no gods and that belief in god was
simply wish fulfillment. Troubled people who
could not cope with the difficulties in life
projected their wishes and develop gods and
religions.
Wish Fulfillment Theory
Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883), German
philosopher and sociologist
Religions were developed by the few as a means
to control the masses and suppress revolution as
a result of the continuing struggle between
classes. Rulers and allied priest wished to control
all wealth so they had to create a scheme of
Gods, heavens, and hell. Masses were persuade
to accept poverty and be obedient to inherit
bliss in another life.
Wish Fulfillment Theory
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Australian
neurologist and founder father of psychoanalysis
Religion originated from the guilt that individuals
supposedly feel in hating their fathers. All males
possess a similar tendency to desire our mothers
and hate our fathers. As a result of this
subconscious hatred and ensuing guilt. A great
Father image was projected in the sky called
God. A healthy mature person can face
problems without the need for gods or religions.
Relationship between religion and philosophy of
religion:
Philosophy comes from the Greek words philos and Sophia,
which means “love of wisdom”
- Is a broad discipline that seeks to answer fundamental
questions of being and other issues related to it.
Philosophy of religion
-a branch of philosophy that deals with philosophical analysis,
reflection, and examination of the central issues, themes, topics,
and problems about religion.
Relationship between Religion and Theology
Theology comes from the Greek word theos, which means “diety”
or “god”, and logos which means “word” or “discourse”
-it is the study or discourse about god or gods.
- it functions as a method in forming a reasoned expression
of faith, its objective is to critically examine and understand the
content of faith
Relationship between Spirituality and Religion
Spirituality is connected with the nonmaterial dimension of man.
Spirit- the incorporeal substance of any animate being like
humans.
- comes from Latin word “spiritus” w/c means to breath
- in Greek “pneuma” refers to breath. While soul is “psyche”
w/c means human mind and personality.
Spirituality is derived from the
Latin word Spiritus, its verb root is
spirare which means “to breath”