HUMSS

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD
RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEM
PRELIM
Modyul 1

Guro: Roniel I. Cagas

Contact No.:099746228632
Facebook: Roniel Cagas
For easy understanding of this module, you must be familiar with the terms or words that you will
encounter as you go along this learning journey. Take a look at the words with the given definitions.
Come on and let us start!

Word Definition

Religion

- the belief in a God or in a group of Gods.

- an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules to worship a god or a group of gods.

Christianity

- the religion that is based on the teaching of Jesus Christ.

- the religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the Bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern,
Roman Catholic and Protestant Bodies.

Doctrine

- a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief.

- a set of ideas or beliefs that are taught or believed to be Examine the brief history, core teachings,
fundamental beliefs, practices, and related issues of Christianity.

Sacred

- holy, dedicated to God, worthy of religious veneration, not to be violated.

Trinity

- the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead according to Christian dogma.
Bible

- the sacred scriptures of Christians comprising the Old Testament and the New Testament.

- the book of sacred writings accepted by Christians as coming from God.

Old Testament

- Testament - the first part of the Christian Bible containing the books of the Jewish canon of Scripture.

New Testament

- the second part of the Christian Bible comprising the canonical Gospels and Epistles and the book of
Acts and book of Revelation.

Creeds

- a brief authoritative formula of religious belief.

- an idea or set of beliefs that guides the actions of a person or group.

Gospel

- the teachings of the Christian religion. Resurrection

- the rising of Christ from the dead. - the rising again to life of all the human dead before the final
judgment.

Sect

- a religious group that is a smaller part of a larger group and whose members all share similar beliefs.

Roman Catholic

- of, relating to, or being a Christian church having a hierarchy of priests and bishops under the pope, a
liturgy centered in the Mass, veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints, clerical celibacy, and a body of
dogma including transubstantiation and papal infallibility.

Eastern Orthodox

- of the Eastern Catholic churches that accord primacy to the patriarch of Constantinople and adhere to
the Byzantine rite.

Protestantism

- a member of one of the Christian churches deriving from the Reformation.

Ecumenism

- ecumenical principles and practices especially as shown among religious groups (such as Christian
denominations).

Gospel

- the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation.

Scripture

- the books of the Bible.

- a body of writings considered sacred or authoritative.

Advent

- the coming of Christ at the Incarnation.

Monotheistic

- the belief that there is only one God.

DEEPENING

What is Christianity?

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of
Nazareth. Its adherents, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Christ, who’s coming as the
messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible, called the Old Testament in Christianity, and chronicled in
the New Testament. It is a religion that was meant to be universal. Jesus Christ’s evangelical command,
“Go and teach all nations” to His disciples shows that He intended His teachings not just for the Jews,
but for all the world (Brown 1991,8-10).

Christianity is a religion that developed from Judaism; some of its first followers were originally
Jews. What distinguishes Christians from Jews is that the former accepts Jesus Christ as the Messiah, or
the Savior, while the latter considers Jesus as just another prophet of God, and the real Messiah is yet to
come. The essential Christian beliefs are recorded in creeds, and there are different versions of such
creeds. The common element, however, is the acknowledgement of the Holy Trinity – belief in God the
Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It was the Father who created the world, and Jesus
often speaks about Him in the Gospels. Jesus is the only Son of God, sent to save the world from sin.

The Holy Spirit appeared in the Baptism of Jesus and was also sent down to the disciples to
guide them in spreading Christianity. The Spirit is believed to guide all believers. While the God of
Christianity is agreed to as having one entity, there are greater majority of Christians who believe that
this God is a Trinitarian one: Father, Son and Spirit (Molloy 2005, 361,363). The whole of Christian
conviction could be summarized in Jesus’ two great commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
(Matthew 22: 37- 40). The life of the Christian is centered on these two things: praise and thanksgiving
for God, and acts of love to humankind (Brown 1991,15).

Christians also believe in the life after death. After death, the soul of a person will be judged
according to his/her deeds in his/her life in the world and will either go to Heaven, to dwell with God, or
to Hell and be separated permanently from Him. There is also a belief in Purgatory, where there is
temporary punishment for those who do not yet deserve to go to either Heaven or Hell. But there are
also some Christian groups who believe in the establishment of the Kingdom of God with the creation of
the new heaven and the new earth where they would dwell. At the end of time, there is agreement that
all souls will be reunited with their bodies, just as Jesus resurrected from the dead, and there will be
final judgement (Molloy 2005, 364).

Apart from centering their lives on Jesus, Christians, especially Catholics are also devoted to
Mary, the Mother of God. Catholics, Orthodox and some Protestants feel close to Mary, and consider
her their mother. Mary has also been viewed as the helper of those who suffer. Even Martin Luther
retained veneration for Mary in the salvation story of his reformed Protestantism (O’ Collins and
Farrugia 2003, 370- 371). Who founded Christianity? Christianity originated with the ministry of Jesus in
the 1st century Roman province of Judea. According to the Gospels, Jesus was a Jewish teacher and
healer who proclaimed the imminent kingdom of God and was crucified c. AD 30–33. While the main
tenets of Christianity originated with Jesus Christ, it was His 12 disciples, and eventually apostles who
institutionalized and established the bureaucratic structures of the religion. We see in the Book of Acts,
the book after the Gospels, the accounts of His disciples after His ascension to heaven. Fifty days after
His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of God, came down upon the followers of Jesus, in the
form of fire and wind, to inspire them to spread their leader’s teachings (Molloy 2005, 350-351). This is
celebrated as the feast of the Pentecost, and it is considered to be the birth of the Christian Church
(Brown 1991,34).

The early Christian Church in Jerusalem was composed of many Jews. Both Judaism and
Christianity were strong religions for about 40 years after Jesus’ death, but with the destruction of the
Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., they disappeared. The non-Jewish early Christians were spread
through the Roman Empire through the missionary, Paul (Molloy 2005, 352). Jesus of Nazareth Much of
what we know about Jesus Christ could be found in the Gospels.

Even though he knew the Hebrew Scripture well, he was not a scholar, nor a writer (Molloy
2005, 349). According to the accounts in the Gospels, he was born of a virgin named Mary, who was
supposed to wed Joseph of Nazareth, a carpenter. Joseph was a descendant of King David, and due to
the Roman emperor’s decree of census, he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, David’s homeland. In that
land, Jesus was born in a manger, because there was no lodging available to them. Jesus’ birth is
celebrated annually on December 25 as Christmas. We know little of His childhood, except perhaps
when He was found by His parents speaking with the teachers in the Temple of Jerusalem. He was 12
years old then. The next account of Jesus in the Gospel was during His baptism and His temptation in the
desert for 40 days, which happened when he was “about 30”. From there, He began His public ministry,
teaching the people of Israel. Since He was raised as a Jew, Jesus obeyed the Laws and learned the
Hebrew scriptures. Nonetheless, He still thought independently, questioning the people on strict
adherence to the teaching at the cost of injustice and lack of love. Perhaps His greatest emphasis was on
universal, unconditional love. He taught that we must forgive people endlessly (Matthew 18:22).

He even asked for forgiveness for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). He asks us to love
everyone, even our enemies (Luke 6:27) (Molloy 2005 348). Jesus was condemned to death due to His
unorthodox teachings, through the initiative of the chief priests and Pharisees He was criticizing. His
passion and death is commemorated during the Holy Week, which culminates at Easter, where he
supposedly rose from the dead.

Basic Teachings

Jesus used parables – short stories with hidden messages – in his teachings.

Some of the main themes that Jesus taught, which Christians later embraced, include:

• Love God.

• Love your neighbor as yourself.

• Forgive others who have wronged you.

• Love your enemies.

• Ask God for forgiveness of your sins.

• Jesus is the Messiah and was given the authority to forgive others.

• Repentance of sins is essential.

 • Don’t be hypocritical.

• Don’t judge others.

• The Kingdom of God is near. It’s not the rich and powerful – but the weak and poor–who will
inherit this kingdom.

In one of Jesus’s most famous speeches, which became known as the Sermon on the Mount, he
summarized many of his moral instructions for his followers.

How did Christianity begin?

Christianity began in the 1st century AD after Jesus died, as a small group of Jewish people in
Judea, but quickly spread throughout the Roman empire. Despite early persecution of Christians, it later
became the state religion. In the Middle Ages it spread into Northern Europe and Russia.

Timeline of Significant Events in the History of Christianity

Time Event

c. 4 B.C.E.-c. 29 C.E. Life of Jesus

c. 4-64 C.E. Life of Paul

313 C.E. Issuance of the Edict of Toleration by

Constantine making Christianity legal
354-430 C.E. Life of Augustin
476 C.E. Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West
c. 480- c. 547 C.E. Life of Benedict

638 C.E. Muslim Conquest of Jerusalem

1054 C.E. Split between Eastern and Western Christianity

1099 Conquest of Jerusalem during the First Crusade

1347-1351 Black Death

1453 Conquest of Constantinople by Muslim forces

1483-1546 Life of Martin Luther

1492 Expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain

1509-1564 Life of John Calvin

1517 Beginning of the Protestant Reformation

 1534 Founding of the Church of England by
King Henry VIII

1565 Christianity enters the Philippines

1805-1844 Life of Joseph Smith

19XX Founding of Iglesia ni Cristo

1948 Founding of the World Council of

Churches

1962-1965 Modernization of Catholicism by the Second

Vatican Council

Practices

Although there have been different forms of Christianity, much of their rituals are shared. The
most important among them are believed to be signs of God’s grace, called sacraments. People who
want to be converted to Christianity will have to undergo baptism. The person is cleansed with water, to
signify repentance and cleansing. Catholics and Orthodox baptize babies, while some Protestants
baptize only those who are willing (Molloy 2005, 403-4). During the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread
and shared the wine to represent His Body and Blood, and the Apostles were sharing His sufferings. This
is commemorated through the sacrament of the Eucharist, where Christians gather in the church, and
share the Body and Blood of Christ. Some churches use literal bread and wine, while others interpret it
symbolically (Molloy 2005 404-405). These two are the most important sacraments in Christian practice.
Others include confirmation which is a blessing of initiation after baptism; reconciliation, where
someone confesses his/her sins and gets absolution; matrimony, where two people commit themselves
with each other for life with God as the center; ordination, where someone commits himself to
priesthood; and anointing of the sick, which is usually taken by a sick person (Molloy 2005, 405-406).

Religion vary in several ways: in doctrines or creeds or in practice.

Christianity is divided into three major divisions which are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox
and Protestantism. The reading that follows deals with varieties of Christianity and some issues on this
religion. Be able to analyze and tell your opinions regarding the issues along Christianity. Write your
answer on your journal.

Varieties or types of Christianity

For about 300 years since the death of Peter and Paul, the Romans persecuted Christians.
“Christianity was declared illegal, and many Christians died for their faith.” But when Constantine
became the first Christian emperor of the Empire (East and West), Christianity was more and more
accepted, until it became the religion of the Roman Empire at 380 CE (Brown 1991,36). Constantine
ruled as an emperor of both Western and Eastern until his death in 337 CE. He transferred the capital
from Rome to Byzantine, which he renamed Constantinople (Higgins 2007,76).
 Eastern Orthodox

With the capital in Constantinople, the Eastern Roman Empire flourished, but at the cost of the
political and military power of the Western Empire (Higgins 2007,76). When the Latin-speaking Western
Roman Empire fell in the 5th century BCE, Western Christianity developed independently. The Greek-
speaking Eastern empire developed its own form of Christianity until 1453. This Eastern Church is called
Orthodox Church because they settled on traditional beliefs throughout its reign (Molloy 2005, 374).

Protestant Reformation

With the successful spread and development of the Western Roman Church, they earned
financial and political support from the people. At one point, during the construction of Saint Peter’s
Basilica in Rome, the papacy was asking for contributions, in return for “indulgence,” which shortens the
time that a soul would spend in purgatory. Martin Luther, a German priest, “opposed the idea that
anything spiritual can be sold” (Molloy 2005, 386-388). As such, he posted on the door of the Castle
church of Wittenberg his proposed changed and reforms, in the form of 95 theses.

Luther was asked to retract his statements, but he refused to do so. He “affirmed the supreme
authority of the scripture and rejected both the papal authority and the binding force of decisions
rendered by ecumenical councils” (Higgins 2007, 88). Luther pushed for “the right of every individual to
radically question and reinterpret Christian belief and practice, “which was called the Protestant
Principle (Molloy 2005, 388). There are many kinds of Protestants and here are some of them.

Martin Luther translated the Christian Bible into German, to allow the liturgical practices to be
more open to the people who do not understand Latin. “Over the years, Lutheranism has retained
Luther’s original enthusiasm for the Bible, a trust in God, and excellent church music” (Molloy 2005, 389)
The Protestants seek to find what is essential to the Christian experience. It places great emphasis on
the individual’s own ability to establish a personal relationship with God summarized terms of return to
simple Christianity, the centrality of Jesus, the guidance of the Bible, the importance of faith, direct
relationship with God, and the value of individual judgement.

Roman Catholics

As a response to several Protestants, the Roman Catholic Church started what we call the
Catholic Reformation or Counter Reformation, which began with the Council of Trent in 1545. They had
to reform some of their own rigid doctrines to respond to the reforms of the Protestants. They affirmed
Luther’s conviction that the scripture has binding authority, but the interpretations is entrusted to the
Church officials, and not to individuals. Salvation is decided to require faith, hope, and love, as well as
good deeds (Higgins 2007, 93). As a result of the Protestant Reformation, Catholicism defends the
following beliefs and practices: the importance of good works, the value of tradition, a guided
interpretation of the Bible, hierarchical authority, veneration of Mary and the saints, and the seven
Sacrament.
 ACTIVITIES

INSTRUCTION: Answer the following questions.

1. What significant concept have you learned from today’s activity?

2. What meaning does it give you as a person?
3. How do the three types of Christianity vary?
4. How do these types or varieties find similarities under the major religion of Christianity?
5. What is the important concept that you value from the discussion?
6. What have you discovered about yourself in relation to the beliefs in Christianity?

POST TEST

After studying the module, I hope that you have learned and enriched your knowledge and
understanding about Christianity.

Please take this self-assessment test. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs,
practices, and related issues of Christianity through the statements below. Determine if they are True or
False. Write T or F on the blank.

__________ 1. Christianity is a religion which originated with the ministry of Jesus and was spread
through his disciples and apostles after His death.

__________ 2. One of the practices to be taken into consideration to become a Christian is to undergo
baptism which is one of the important sacraments in Christianity.

__________ 3. Christianity is a pluralistic form of religion because of its belief in the Trinity.

__________ 4. The basic teachings of Jesus as the founder of Christianity can be summarized into two
things: Praise and thanksgiving to God and Acts of love to humankind.

__________ 5. Having three major varieties or types of Christianity is one of the issues that this religion
encounters.

__________ 6. Christianity is a religion that is meant to be universal because Jesus intended His
teachings not just for the Jews but for all the world as His command to the disciples “Go and teach all
nations”.

__________ 7. The Eastern Orthodox is a variety of Christianity which settled on traditional beliefs.
__________ 8. The sacrament of the Eucharist is only practiced among the Roman Catholics.
__________ 9. The practices and beliefs among the types or varieties in Christianity varies but they are
one in centering their lives to Jesus and His teachings to love God and his mankind.

__________ 10. Christianity enters the Philippines in 1965 as reflected in the timeline of significant
events in the history of Christianity.