Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BELIEF SYSTEMS
Session 4, 2nd Grading
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
RELIGION
From the Latin word
“religare” which means “to
tie” or “to bind fast”
TWO MAIN DEFINITIONS OF
RELIGION
1.SUBSTANTIVE DEFINITION
2. FUNCTIONAL DEFINITION
Substantive Definition
• "Religion is any system of belief and practices which
connects this world with the beyond. It is the bridge
that allows humans to approach the divine, the
universal life force that encompass the world."
• Limits religion to the belief in a supernatural being
• There are religions that does not believe in
supernatural beings
Functional Definition
• Religion is anything that provides a person with the
ultimate meaning that organizes his entire life and
view of the world.
• “Religion doesn’t exist to understand ourselves or to
explain the world (substantive) but rather to help us
survive in the world, whether by binding us together
socially or by supporting us psychologically and
emotionally.”
RELIGION IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION
SECULARIZATION
• “Modernization necessarily leads to a decline of
religion, both in the society and in the minds of
individuals.”
• Replaces tradition with science-based
knowledge
Religion promotes social cohesion – it unites
various types of people even though they may
have different cultural orientations
1. CHRISTIANITY
2. ISLAM
3. JUDAISM
4. HINDUISM
5. BUDDHISM
6. CONFUCIANISM
1. Christianity
One of the oldest religions in
the world inspired by Jesus
Christ who lived during the
time of the New Testament in
bible history
2.4 billion followers (33% of
world population) – PEWS
Research Center, 2015
2. Islam
Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam
Stems out from the principle of separation of the church and the state as enshrined in the 1987
Constitution