R E L I G I O N
& B E L I E F
S Y S T E M S
U C S P C L A S S
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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
RELIGION
GREEK RELIGION & MYTHOLOGY
FUNCTIONS OF RELIGION
INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION
TYPES OF RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONERS
TYPES OF RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
01
02
03
04
05
06

R E L I G I O N
" A S E T O F A T T I T U D E S , B E L I E F S , A N D P R A C T I C E S P E R T A I N I N G
T O S U P E R N A T U R A L B E I N G S A N D F O R C E S . S O M E B E L I E F S M A Y
V A R Y W I T H I N A C U L T U R E A S W E L L A S A M O N G S O C I E T I E S A N D
T H E Y M A Y C H A N G E O V E R T I M E . "
First, there's an issue on how to
delineate between the religious
and nonreligious phenomena.

EXAMPLE:
Kikuyu of Kenya believe that vomiting is a
religious practice as it eliminates all evil in
a person's body. While in most societies,
vomiting isn't considered religious as it is
understood as a typical biological event.

EARLIEST RELIGION
The earliest record on the existence of
religion dates back to 60,000 years ago as
evidenced by cave wall carvings in France.
(Ferraro & Andreatta, 2010)

one of the best example of wide practice of religion during ancient period.
have had a religion or varieties of religions due to their countless religious beliefs
G R E E K R E L I G I O N & M Y T H O L O G Y

R E L I G I O N
A F F E C T S Y O U R W A Y O F T H I N K I N G I N T H E E X I S T I N G W O R L D . I T S E R V E S A S A
P A T T E R N F O R T H E A C T I O N S Y O U T A K E I N A D A Y - T O - D A Y E X I S T E N C E .
Religion is seen not only as a
social belief but also as a social
institution that continues to
develop over time.
Thus sociologists have been
studying religion while
considering diverse societal
factors such as gender, age,
race, & education

F U N C T I O N S O F R E L I G I O N S
giving meaning & purpose to life
reinforcing social unity & stability
serving as an agent of social control
of behavior
promoting physical & psychological
well-being
motivating people to work for
positive social change
religion serves several functions for society:
F U N C T I O N A L I S M
religion reinforces & promotes social
inequality & social conflict. It helps
convince the poor to accept their lot in
life, & it leads to hostility & violence
motivated by religious differences.
focuses on the ways in which individuals
interpret their religious experiences. It
emphasizes that beliefs & practices are
not sacred unless people regard them as
such. Once they are regarded, they take
on special significance & give meaning
to people’s lives.
C O N F L I C T T H E O R Y S Y M B O L I C I N T E R A C T I O N I S M

F U N C T I O N A L I S M
giving meaning & purpose to life
reinforcing social unity & stability
serving as an agent of social control of behavior
promoting physical & psychological well-being
motivating people to work for positive social change

Mahatma Gandhi Martin Luther

C O N F L I C T T H E O R Y
religion reinforces & promotes social inequality & social
conflict. It helps convince the poor to accept their lot in
life, & it leads to hostility & violence motivated by
religious differences.

K A R L M A R X :
Marx implied that the use of religion by the governing
elite is to pacify the discontent of the masses. He further
argued that instead of seeing poverty as the direct result
of unequal access to resources, the masses perceive it as a
manifestation of the will of the divine, which promote
the belief that enduring suffering would be rewarding
the end.
" R E L I G I O N I S T H E O P I A T E O F T H E M A S S E S . "

S Y M B O L I C I N T E R A C T I O N I S M
focuses on the ways in which individuals interpret their
religious experiences. It emphasizes that beliefs &
practices are not sacred unless people regard them as
such. Once they are regarded, they take on special
significance & give meaning to people’s lives.

EXAMPLE:
the practice of wearing a veil among
Muslims can be either religious or
nonreligious rituals as the wearer could
associate varying meanings to it
depending on her belief

R E L I G I O U S P A T T E R N S
Animism Polytheism Monotheism

These beliefs are based on the spiritual concept
of the universe and that everything that can be
found inside it is said to have soul and spirit,
including plant, trees, animals, and rocks.
Natural phenomena and environmental
destructions are also understood as
repercussions of the interaction between
humans and spirits.
In ancient times, smaller societies have this belief of
spirits, which are apparitions believed to be dwelling
on Earth with the human race
Animistic beliefs of indigenous settlers:
(1871), Tylor supposed animism means “spirit” and
referred to a given form of religion wherein humans
are aware of every spirit that can be found in the
environment.
In animism, spirits can be in either good/bad form.
Bad spirits may cause negative energies, possessions,
demonic disturbances, and cases of insanity.
Benevolent spirits, on the country, may have
attributes that aid humans in acquiring their needs
& addressing their issues.
A N I M I S M
E V E R Y T H I N G I S S A I D T O H A V E
S O U L A N D S P I R I T

Poly, which means “many” and theism, which
means “god” polytheism is characterized by the
worship of many deities, which illustrate ways of
life including beliefs, practices, and traditions
(Kowalcyzk, 2012)
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the
world and one of the classic examples of
polytheism
P O L Y T H E I S M
W O R S H I P O F M A N Y D E I T I E S

polytheism- tolerance
monotheism- rationality
If you are Christian or Muslim, you can consider
yourself a monotheist. Monotheist strongly
believes in one god who is accountable for all the
things happening in the world including the
world’s creation and existence
Hume (1755) believed that the differences between
polytheism and monotheism is...
M O N O T H E I S M
B E L I E V E S I N O N E G O D

T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F R E L I G I O U S P A T T E R N S
A C R O S S S O C I E T I E S R E F L E C T T H E S O C I O P O L I T I C A L
D Y N A M I C S E X P E R I E N C E D B Y I T S F O L L O W E R S .
R E L I G I O N A C T S A S A M I R R O R O F O N E ’ S S O C I E T Y .
Equality of access to power and
resources
All are equal stature.
Animistic societies
have a set of leaders who are
governed by hierarchy.
Polytheistic societies
One chief god and many lesser counterparts.
have one supreme political leader, such as a
president or a king.
Monotheistic societies

I N S T I T U T I O N A L I Z E D R E L I G I O N
a . k . a . O R G A N I Z E D R E L I G I O N
is religion in which belief systems
and rituals are systematically
arranged and formally established.

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F
I N S T I T U T I O N A L I Z E D R E L I G I O N :
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 & 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.

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F
I N S T I T U T I O N A L I Z E D R E L I G I O N :
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.

I N S T I T U T I O N A L I Z E D R E L I G I O N :
The rise of institutionalized religions can be traced back to the
growth of neolithic societies.
As the societies grow more complex, the systems of worshipping the
divine became more structured.
The declaration of a country’s official religion is a premier example of
how a religion is institutionalized.

S E P A R A T I O N O F C H U R C H & S T A T E
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.
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.
Ex: Japanese society believed that their emperor was the direct descendant of a god.

S E P A R A T I O N O F C H U R C H & S T A T E
The 1987 Philippine Constitution Article III Section 6 states that “The separation of
Church and state shall be inviolable”
However, despite such provisions, the religious culture of the Filipinos have often
times empower the religious sectors to influence the political affairs of the country.
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 & worship, without discrimination
or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or
political rights.

T Y P E S O F R E L I G I O U S P R A C T I T I O N E R S
Religious practices are performed by the individuals in varying capacities. Four main types of
religious practitioners:
Shaman Sorcerer & Witch Medium Priest

a.k.a. a community healer position
usually occupied by a male who has
fairly high status in his community.
Is also involved in other nonreligious
activities in his community, making his
religious function an occasional
preoccupation.
S H A M A N

poorly regarded in their societies due to the
perceived malevolence that they inflict on
individuals
have very low social and economic status and
often ostracized by members of the society.
sorcerer- uses “materials, objects & medicines
to invoke supernatural malevolence”
witch- can accomplish malevolence by means
of “thoughts and emotions alone”
S O R C E R E R &
W I T C H

well favored by the members of his/her
community as he/she is involved in healing
rituals while in a possessed trance.
capable of performing divination to predict
future courses of action.
most mediums tend to be females who
perform other roles when not in religious
practice.
M E D I U M

tends to be a male whose sole
preoccupation is to officiate religious
ceremonies & rituals.
due to his status in religious hierarchy,
he is highly regarded by community
members.
P R I E S T

Humans interact with the divine in various forms.
Major forms of religious activities:
1. Magic
2. Divination
3. Sorcery and Witchcraft
4. Prayers, Feasts, and Sacrifices
T Y P E S O F R E L I G I O U S A C T I V I T I E S

constitutes the “manipulation of supernatural forces for the
purpose of intervening in a wide range of human activities and
natural events”
deals with solving a current problem by seeking the intervention of
the divine through the performance and offering of gifts
Ex: the Native American practice of rain dance to invoke deities to
release rain
M A G I C

intends to gain from the divine practical answers for any
concern that may range from war plans to marriage
choices.
Ex: I-ching > a Chinese numerical system that is believed to
predict future occurences.
D I V I N A T I O N

popularized by modern literature (Harry Potter novels), it
have been depicted by media as a socially accepted
activity.
usually marginalized and ostracized as they perceived to be
bringers of malevolence and misfortune.
S O R C E R Y A N D
W I T C H C R A F T

Sorcerer– inflicts harm on individuals by the use of materials such as dolls,
wands and medicines.
Witchcraft– promotes the same effect as the sorcerer with a mere difference
in method as the witch craft only uses emotions and words of the
practitioner to impact its victim.
Ex: Voodoo – use materials related to the victim (hair, pieces of clothing) to cast
sickness and pain to them.
Ex: Kulam sa hangin – a Filipino belief which inflicts harm on the victim
through curses uttered by a practitioner.
S O R C E R Y A N D
W I T C H C R A F T

promote a direct interaction with the divine, as
individuals or groups communicate their thoughts and
desires to the supernatural through uttered requests
(prayers), celebrations (feasts), and gifts (sacrifices).
P R A Y E R S ,
F E A S T S , A N D
S A C R I F I C E S

T
N
X
T H A N K Y O U F O R
L I S T E N I N G T O T H I S
S E S S I O N .
presentation made by Felicity Rivas