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• Religion has been in existence since the earliest time of
humankind. Wherever humankind inhabits, religion too exists.
• Presently, we are all witness as to how religion continues to play
crucial roles in world politics in the twenty-first century as can be
seen from the various political conflicts that have their roots in
religious differences.
• This particular chapter will introduce you to various concepts
related to religion, expound on the origin of religion, and evaluate
the many roles played by religion in people’s everyday lives.

Understanding the Nature of Religion
Objectives:
Define religion and its essential features

Key Points
•The sociologist Emile Durkheim defined religion as a “unified system of beliefs and
practices relative to sacred things. ” By sacred things he meant things “set apart and
forbidden — beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called
a Church, all those who adhere to them”.
•The development of religion has taken different forms in different cultures. Some
religions emphasize belief while others emphasize practice. Some religions focus on
subjective experience of the religious individual while others consider activities of the
religious community to be most important.
•Social constructionism says that religion is a modern concept that suggests all
spiritual practice and worship follows a model similar to the Abrahamic religions and
thus religion, as a concept, has been applied inappropriately to non-Western cultures.

• Comes from the Latin word “Religio” which means “something
done with overanxious or scrupulous attention to detail”.
• The religio word which come from the Latin verb “religare”
which means “to tie together, to bind fast”.
• Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and
worldviews that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes,
to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols,
traditions, and sacred histories that are intended to give
meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe.
• The typical dictionary definition of religion refers to a “belief in,
or the worship of, a god or gods” or the “service and worship
of God or the supernatural. ”
Definition of Religion

Key Terms
•belief system: The basis of a set of beliefs
•hierarchy: Any group of objects ranked so that everyone
but the topmost is subordinate to a specified group above it.
•sacred: Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially,
in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use;
consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a
sacred day; sacred service

The Purpose of Religion
Religion can serve a wide range of purposes. Religion can be
a source of comfort and guidance. It can provide a basis for
moral beliefs and behaviors. It can also provide a sense of
community and connection to tradition. Some research even
suggests that it may affect health.
The impact of religion on health and life expectancy has
always been a tricky area of research. It seems (to some)
that religious people—defined here as people who attend
religious services regularly—seem to be healthier than those
who don't attend.

This research is tricky, however, because of
several factors that are difficult to control for,
including:
 People who attend religious services may simply
be healthier than those who cannot attend.
 The benefits may have more to do with social
contact than religion itself.
 Certain religions may encourage healthy
behaviors.

Elements of Belief Systems or World views
TIME – The age of people, the length of the day, the age of the
country.
VALUES – it is different from person to person. People from
different religions, groups, countries; they all value different
things.
SOCIETY- it is the way people and government interact with
each other and among themselves. The government is the
ruling force over a society and underneath them are different
classes of people.

Elements of Belief Systems or Worldviews
BELIEFS – pertains to science and religion and anything you
believe in.
KNOWLEDGE – the more education the person has, the
different view of the world they will have.
ECONOMY - the way we view the world has dependency in
the amount of money you and your country has.
GEOGRAPHY – it is a combination of economy, society, time
and beliefs.

Elements of Religion
Belief system or world view
Community
Central Stories / Myths
Rituals
Ethics
Characteristic Emotional Experiences
Material Expression
Sacredness

Religion vs. Spirituality
While religion and spirituality are related,
there are differences between the two.
Spirituality is an individual practice and
belief, whereas religion is centered on a
set of organized practices that a larger
group shares. It is possible to be spiritual
without being religious

Definition of Spirituality
Spirituality is derived from the Latin word “spiritus”, its
verb root is spirare which means “to breathe, courage”.
Spirituality – it is one’s integrity view of life involves a
quest for the meaning and ultimate value of life as
opposed to an instrumentalist or materialistic act to life.

Definition of Theology
Theology – involves the systematic study of the existence and
nature of the divine. It deals with the study of the nature and
purpose of god that may be undertaken using a particular
perspective.
Philosophy of religion- deals primarily with issues concerning
religion, which includes analysis on the existence of a divine
being or on sacred texts. It may involves studying the concepts
and belief systems of the religions as well as the prior
phenomena of religious experience and the activities of
worship and mediation.

Characteristics of Spirituality
1. A sense of wholeness and harmony with oneself
2. A sense of wholeness and harmony with others
3. A sense of wholeness and harmony with God or
supreme power
4. A sense of wholeness and harmony with the ecosystem

Elements of Spirituality
1. Meaning: the ontological significance of life; making
sense of life situations; deriving purpose in existence
2. Values: beliefs and standards that are cherished; having
to do with the truth, beauty, worth of thought, object or
behavior; often discussed as ultimate values

Elements of Spirituality
3. Transcendence: experience and appreciation of a
dimension beyond the self; expanding self-boundaries.
4. Connecting: relationship with self, others, God/Higher
Power, and the environment.
5. Becoming: an unfolding of life that demands reflection
and experience; includes a sense of who one is and how one
knows among other things.

Origins of Religion
5 Main Themes of Geographic Study of Religion
1. Religious Regions
2. Religious Ecology
3. Religious and Society
4. Religious Landscape
5. Religious Diffusion

Religious Regions
The most commonly described religious regions are those
where a religion is practiced
Western Religion Eastern Religion
1. Judaism 1. Hinduism
2. Christianity 2. Buddhism
3. Islam 3. Confucianism
4. Taoism/Daoism
5. Shintoism

Religious Ecology
Religious ecology deals with the interactions of religions to
natural environments.
Religion and Society
The connection of religion to other components of society is
necessary to its development.

Religious Landscape
Religious landscape is the most studied field of the
geography of religion.
Religious Diffusion
Religious diffusion is the spreading of ideas about a
particular religion.

CULTURE
Is defined as the “sum of an individual’s way of life,
ranging from food he/she eats, the clothes we wear, and
the house where we live.
Puju Modal
1. Religion as an Integrative Force – it is believed that the
primary function of religion was to preserve and solidify
society.

CULTURE
2. Creating a Moral Community – religion provides a
system of beliefs around which people may gather to
belong to something greater than themselves in order to
have their personal beliefs reinforced by the group and its
rituals.
3. Religion as Social Control – Frank E. Manuel, an
American historian, said that “Religion was a mechanism
which inspired terror for the preservation of society.

CULTURE
4. Provides Rites of Passage – religion helps us in
performing ceremonies and rituals related to rites of
passage including birth, marriage, death and other
religious events which gives meaning and social
significance to our lives.
5. Religion as Emotional Support – religion is a sense of
comfort and solace to the individuals during times of
personal and social crisis such as death of loved ones,
serious injury, etc.

CULTURE
6. Religion Serves a Means to Provide Answers to Ultimate
Questions – these beliefs are based on the faith that life
has a purpose, and there is someone or something that
controls the universe.
7. Religion as A Source of Identity – religion gives
individuals a sense of identity – a profound positive
selfidentity.

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natureofeligion.pptx

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