The document provides an overview of the concept of religion and belief systems, including definitions, types of believers, and the elements common to most religions. It discusses how religions spread and outlines major world religions while emphasizing the sociological perspective of religion as a community-unifying system of beliefs and practices. Key elements such as rituals, beliefs, and organizational structures are explored.

1. Introduction to
World Religions
and Belief Systems
Prepared by: Ms. Ivy Polidario

2. LESSON 1
Concept of Religion
and Belief Systems

3. COVERAGE
A. The World View of Religion, Spirituality, and
Philosophical View
B. Concept of Religion and Belief System
C. Types of Believer
D. Types of Religion
E. Measuring Religiosity
F. Elements of Religion
G. Categories of Religion
H. Six Major Religions
I. World’s Religion Affiliation

4. CONCEPT OF RELIGION
A Religion is a set of beliefs and practices that
is often focused on one or more deities or
gods.

5. LATIN ORIGINS OF THE WORD
“RELIGION”
Religare (to bring together)
Relegere (to rehearse painstakingly, as in the case of
collective rituals)

6. CONCEPT OF RELIGION
The French sociologist, Emile Durkheim (2001) has a famous
definition of religion as a “unified system of beliefs and
practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set
and forbidden– beliefs and practices which unite into one
moral community.”

7. RELIGION as set of beliefs
•Existence of a higher power, spirits, or god.
•An explanation of the origins and purpose of
humans and their role on earth.
•Which involves rituals, festivals, rites of
passage and space (Religious Landscapes).

8. How does Religions spread?
Have spread by Trade
and Migration
By Missionaries

9. Types of Believer
Monotheistic Believer
Polytheistic Believer
Non-theistic Believer
Atheistic Believer

11. World View of:
RELIGION
Man’s way to God
SPIRITUALITY
God’s way to Man
PHILOSOPICAL
VIEW
Experience of Man
having God

12. Measuring Religiosity
Religiosity is the extent to which a person does one or
more of the following:
1. Believes in and “feels” or experiences certain
of religion.
2. Becomes involved in religious activities such as
attending church or reading sacred texts.
3. Believes in the teaching of the church.
4. Lives in accordance with those teachings and belief.

13. Elements of Religion
Most Religions have four (4) Elements:
1. Ritual - (Ex. Prayer, Communion, and the like)
2. A sense of sacred
3. A system of Beliefs – (Ex. Supernatural and a
of abstract ideals.
4. Organization – (Public Component)

14. Types of Religion
Organization

19. Four Categories of Religion

24. Major Religions of the World