This document discusses several key concepts related to religion and belief systems. It defines religion as pertaining to supernatural beings and forces according to anthropologists. It also discusses the differences between religious and non-religious phenomena, and provides examples of animism, polytheism, monotheism, and institutionalized religion. It notes that institutionalized religions have hierarchical leadership structures and codified rituals, and provides examples of the separation of church and state in historical and modern societies.

1. RELIGION AND BELIEF
SYSTEMS

2.  According to Anthropologists, Religion is
“a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices,
pertaining to supernatural beings and
forces. Such beliefs may vary within a
culture as well as among societies, and
they may change over time” (Ember,
Ember, and Peregrine,2010)

RELIGION

3. RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS PHENOMENA
Vomiting is a religious practice as it eliminates all
the evil in a person’s body. In most societies
Vomiting is not considered religious, as it is
understood as a typical biological event.
SPIRITUAL AND NATURAL WORLD Nyoro (Uganda)
Believe that the two worlds are not separate and
that they coexist in one space. Christians Believe
that there is a spiritual world (i.e.,heaven/hell)
that is separated from the natural world.

4.  Early societies (Egyptians, Greeks, and Sumerians used
religious symbols and practiced ritualistic ceremonies, which
made religion one of the central parts of the development of
human societies.
 EVIDENCES: Cave wall carvings - Evidence of the ealiest record
on the existence of religion that dates to 60 000 years ago
The Sorcerer of Les Gabillou in Dordogne, France The Sorcerer
is one name for an enigmatic cave painting found in the
cavern known as 'The Sanctuary' at the Cave of the Trois-
Frères, Ariège, France, made around 13,000 BC. The figure's
significance is unknown, but it is usually interpreted as some
kind of great spirit or master of animals. The unusual nature
of The Sanctuary's decoration may also reflect the practice of
magical ceremonies in the chamber.

RELIGION DURING THE ANCIENT PERIODS

5. Major Sociological Theories and Their Major
Assumptions Concerning Religion THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS Functionalism
Emile Durkheim Religion serves several functions for
society.
 1. Giving meaning and purpose to life.
 2. Reinforcing social unity and stability
 3. Serving as an agent of social control of behaviour.
4. Promoting physical and psychological well-being
 5. Motivating people to work for positive social
change
FUNCTIONS OF RELIGION

6. Belief that the natural world,
as a whole or in parts, has a
soul or spirit. As a whole =
World Spirit, Mother Earth,
Gaia In parts = rocks, trees,
springs, and animals.
Natural phenomena and
environmental destructions
are understood as
repercussions of the
interaction between humans
and spirits.
ANIMISM

7. In animism, Spirits can be in either good or
bad form which can make interactions and
influences on humans in various ways and
forms *Bad spirits = negative energies,
possessions, demonic disturbances and cases
of insanity. *Good spirits = attributes that aid
humans in acquiring their needs and
addressing their issues. Native Americans
try to gain favors through festivals,
ceremonies, and prayers. Ex: Lakota Sioux
War Dance - performed by the Lakota Sioux.

8.  POLY THEISM Belief in more than one deity which is characterized by the worship of
many deities that illustrate the ways of life including beliefs, practices and traditions.
Rooted from the words: poly, which means “many”, and theism which means “god”.
Polytheistic deities consist of variants such as: Sky god, Death deity , Mother goddess ,
Love goddess, Creator deity, Trickster deity , Life - death-rebirth deity, Culture hero
 18. POLY THEISM David Hume in The Natural History of Religion (1755) argued that
polytheism was the earliest form of religion among several societies. The ideas of
religion are said to be rooted in the “events of life including hopes and fears which
actuate the human mind.” (Launay, 2005) Ex: Polytheistic societies ( Greeks, Romans,
Indians , Aztecs) Hinduism
 19. POLY THEISM Hinduism Considered as the world's oldest religion still being practiced
today. There is only one supreme god in Hinduism, Brahma, and all other deities are his
aspects and reflections. Since Brahma is too immense a concept for the human mind to
comprehend, he presents himself in the many different versions of himself which people
recognize as deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, and the many others.
 20. POLY THEISM Ganesh (Ganapati) *One of the Hindu gods - an elephant-headed god.
*god of wisdom and learning, as well as the remover of obstacles, and consequently the
sign of auspiciousness. *said to have written down the Mahabharata from the dictation
of Vyasa. He is the lord (Isa) of the Ganas or troops of inferior deities, but more well -
known as the son of Shiva and Parvati. *in the most common representations of Ganesh,
he appears as a pot-bellied figure, usually but not always yellow in color. In his four
hands, he holds a shell, a discus, a club, and a water lily; his elephant head has only one
tusk.

9.  MONOTHEISM Belief in one god, which is accountable for
all the things happening in the world including the world’s
creation and existence. Scholars argue that as human
societies affiliate with a few of the gods in the pantheon, they
have come to practice exclusive worship of several deities
that was promoted with the ascension of a singular chosen
deity to supremacy.
 22. MONOTHEISM Hume (2015) believed that the
differences between polytheism and monotheism led to the
changes of the human mind, wherein rationality is more
associated with monotheism while tolerance is to polytheism.
Ex: Christians and Muslims

10.  NSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION Also called as Organized Religion, is religion in
which belief systems and rituals are systematically arranged and formally
established.
 24. CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION: 1. Wide -scale religious
clout The number of individuals affiliated with this religious institution is immense
that it crosses political and international borders and cuts across social status. 2.
Hierarchical leadership and membership Followers of this type of faith system are
relegated to socio-political posts within the system, which provides ranking and
status. This implies that access to the divine may not be given to every member but
is a privilege of a select few. The decisions for the welfare of the religious group
are also made by those who hold power while members are expected to follow
them.
 25. CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION: 3. Codified Rituals
Processes of interacting with the divine and with fellow members are guided by
written rules and regulations that have the power of the law , such that a member’s
inability to comply results in the imposition of sanctions.
 26. INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION Growth of neolithic societies = rise of
institutionalized religions. As the societies grow more complex, the systems of
worshipping the divine became more structured. The declaration of a country’s
official religion is premier example of how a religion is institutionalized.

11.  SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE The 1987 Philippine
Constitution Article III Section 6 states that “The separation of Church
and state shall be inviolable” Article III Section 5: No law shall be
made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious
profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall
forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise
of civil or political rights. However, despite such provisions, the
religious culture of the Filipinos have oftentimes empower the religious
sectors to influence the political affairs of the country.
 28. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE *In ancient Societies, the
church and state are synonymous as the leaders of the church are also
the political elite which, also referred to as Theocracy or the rule of
divine. Ex: Japanese society believed that their emperor was the direct
descendant of a god. *Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians regarded their
pharaohs and kings as god-kings, as they were believed to be earthly
incarnations of the divine. As states developed into more complex
political units, the church is regarded as a separate entity from the
state.