Introduction To World Religions and Belief Systems

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD
RELIGIONS and BELIEF

SYSTEMS
The course explores the main tenets and
practices of major world religions: Judaism,
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Theravada
Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism,
Taoism, and Shintoism. It aims to help learners
understand the historical contexts of nine
religions, appreciate their uniqueness and
similarities and promote mutual understanding
among believers of different faiths. They are
expected to demonstrate understanding and
appreciation of one’s faith and that of others.
Objectives:
The learner demonstrates understanding of belief systems
or worldview, religion, spirituality philosophy of religion, and
theology.
Differentiate religion from:
A. Spirituality
B. Theology
C. Philosophy of Religion
Differentiate religion as humans’ way to God, theology as a

study of God’s way to humans and philosophy as a reflection of
humans’ lived experience of God.
INTRODUCTION OF WORLD RELIGIONS
This lesson is an introduction to the world religions and beliefs. It
discusses the history, the religious beliefs and practices and the
philosophy of the adherents of the different religions. The data that
this book presents aims to help the students analyze, appreciate,
and compare one religion from the other. In order to compare
religions, the culture of the people will also be analyzed.
Inasmuch as comparison requires an understanding of the religions
that are going to be compared, it is therefore necessary that the
study of the world religions must be founded on the study of
philosophy. To be able to analyze a religion, it is necessary that the
culture of the believers must be known first. This can be done by
way of understanding the philosophy of the human person. To be
able to answer the questions like “why do people have such belief
and such practices?”, the question: “what is man?” must also be
given first.
Philosophy discusses that man is a rational being. As a
rational being, he is aware not only of the world around
him but of his own awareness. This awareness of himself
and the world made him inquire on how this world can
fit into his life just as how this life can fit into the world. In
other words, man is being led to question how the world
can give man fulfillment and happiness. His realization is
that the world can be used in order to help him find
fulfillment and happiness. Man’s rationality has helped
him realize that he has to find his earthly existence
meaningful. But what is happiness? Where can he find
happiness and fulfillment in this life?
Man knows for a fact that it will not make any sense if his
life will not lead him to happiness and meaning. He
knows that life has to have a reason. And if there is a
reason for the existence of all things, there should
necessarily be a reason for human existence. In other
words, there should be fulfillment in life. If this life will not
be able to provide man a meaningful existence, then
there should be a life after this one where there will be
the true meaning. In order to obtain that true meaning,
man realizes that there is a need for him to have faith for
such meaningful existence. Because of the differences in
man’s sense of fulfillment and happiness, there arose the
differences in their faith in the afterlife. Hence, the
differences in religion.
Religion is one of the most important areas of human life
(Ellwood [ed.] 2007, ix). Inasmuch as it becomes a
natural inclination of man to search for the meaning of
his existence, it becomes necessary to resort to religion.
Eventually, religion became a way of life of the people.
Religion brings about the culture of the people. The
differences in the religion of the people from the
different parts of the world suggest the differences in
their culture. The differences in religious beliefs and
practices make it difficult for the theorists to provide a
good definition of religion.
In most cases, religion books would normally begin with
a section on the definition of religion. Eventually, scholars
made an analysis that no definition on religion can be
found sufficient. Thiselton (2002,256) cited three reasons
why defining religion could be difficult. The first reason
was the growing understanding of diversity and
pluralism. The diversity among the different religious
beliefs made it difficult for the theorists to provide a
unifying definition of religion. For instance, it is still difficult
to find a unifying definition for Judaism. Christianity, and
Islam. It will become all more difficult if one has to
analyze Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism,
Sikhism, and Shintoism in relation to a tribal or aboriginal
religions. This fact can be proven as the discussion on the
different religions progresses.
The second reason why defining religion is difficult is that
it is quite difficult to find a knowledge and
understanding that are value-neutral. One’s
understanding on religion will always be according to
one’s own preference and not really according to the
doctrines being taught by a particular religion. One’s
assessment of a particular religion cannot actually be
value-neutral inasmuch as such assessment will always
be seen under the lens of one’s own personal belief. It is
always unfair to provide an objective analysis on a tribal
or aboriginal religion because one’s analysis will always
be influenced by a more developed religion of a
modern theologian.
Third, postmodern theorists have the view that

religions serve vested interests of social power
leading to change ideological criticisms with a more
philosophical or theological approaches. Such
criticisms may be too theological or too
philosophical that it is not anymore theologically or
philosophically appropriate. For instance, providing
a criticism on the theistic or the non-theistic or
atheistic belief may change depending on the
ideology of the critique.
As previously mentioned, religion is an important

area in human life. It can serve as a basis for
determining the character of a person. A
religious person is to be considered by the
community as a man of true values whose
actions can be considered worthy of emulation.
In this regard, religion can be considered also as
a means to inspire great acts of compassion.
Religious ideologies involve the whole person, I.e.,

the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and
spiritual aspects of the person. When the religious
ideology is expressed, it can produce some of the
most exalted literature and philosophy. And since
religion has its roots in the culture of the person,
religion varies depending on the culture of the
region. In this regard, in order for us to have a good
assessment of a particular religion, it is important first
to determine how religion developed in the different
regions in the world.
RELIGION VERSUS SPIRITUALITY
Religion is understood as a way towards

understanding one’s fulfilment in life, which is the
attainment of happiness and meaning. Insofar as
the true happiness of man has a metaphysical
nature, religion is therefore a way towards spiritual
fulfilment. Hence, religion is considered a set of
beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a
right relationship with God, who is considered as the
Final End or Fulfillment of every human person.
RELIGION VERSUS SPIRITUALITY
Most people would consider religion as related to spirituality.

Whereas religion deals with the ritual for the purpose of
maintaining one’s relationship with the Divine spirituality,
however, deals with a focus on spiritual things and the
spiritual world instead of the physical or earthly things. In other
words, religion requires action while spirituality requires
meditation. In this case, religion is related to Theology, which
is the study of God under the light of faith; while spirituality is
connected to Theodicy, the study of God under the light of
reason. In this book, the discussion on the world religion will
be through philosophy. The assessment of the different
religion will be through the analysis of the spirituality of its
adherents.

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INTRODUCTION TO WORLD

RELIGIONS and BELIEF

Differentiate religion as humans’ way to God, theology as a

Third, postmodern theorists have the view that

As previously mentioned, religion is an important

Religious ideologies involve the whole person, I.e.,

Religion is understood as a way towards

Most people would consider religion as related to spirituality.

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