Introduction To Religion

Mr. Curzan – Roots of Civ.

WARM-UP• “What is the purpose and function of

religion in society?”

What Is Religion?• Religion = an organized system of beliefs,

ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods– Includes ethics: rules of behavior based on ideas about

what is morally good and bad • Religion is a central part of culture…• Culture = the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a

particular society, group, place, or time

Origins Of Religion• Tens of thousands of

years ago, humans lived in isolated groups

• They depended on their environments to live (i.e., hunting & gathering)

• Spiritual beliefs existed as a way to explain the natural world and its wonders…

Who created this?

Where do we come from?

Why does the sun disappear?

What happens when

we die?

Before we Continue,

Think “Avatar”• Prehistoric people had

indigenous (or native) cultures and lifestyles that were unique to their location in the world– Africa, Asia, Americas, Ancient

Europe• Some of these cultures still

exist today in remote parts of the world…

• The theme of the movie Avatar highlighted the indigenous way of life

In the movie Avatar, the Na'vi are natives of the planet Pandora. They live in harmony with nature and worship a mother goddess called Eywa.

All over the world, early groups of humans shared some basic spiritual beliefs...

Hunting Rituals• Hunting rituals expressed a reverence and

respect for creatures that were killed for survival…

Animism• Early people prayed to the forces of nature.

They believed the world was full of spirits and forces that might reside in animals, objects, or dreams…

Early Gods & Goddesses• Eventually people created gods and goddesses to

represent these forces. The most important god was the Earth Mother.

• People were polytheistic (the belief in many gods)

Shamanism• Belief centered on an individual called a shaman who

acted as a spiritual leader of a community. They offered prayers for things people needed, and used magic to cure the sick, control events, etc.

Monuments• People began building monuments to the

deceased (dead) and for ritual purposes

Civilization & Religion• Agriculture allowed large communities to

develop and stay in the same location • As civilization developed, religion became

more complex to meet society’s needs

Egyptian Gods

Norse Gods

Greek Gods

Religious Tradition Begins• Writing allowed people to pass down their

spiritual beliefs more easily• Revolutionary thinkers began to shape some

of the major world religions during this time

Shifts In Religious Thinking…• Religion begins to put an emphasis on explaining

human existence• Religion starts to express the human relationship to

the divine (gods or spirits)• Ritual and sacrifice become less important in religious

behavior• Monotheism begins (the idea of having only one god)• Religions begin to teach that humans are special and

are elevated above the other creatures

Characteristics Of Religion:• Belief in a deity (god or divine being) or in a

power beyond the individual• A doctrine (accepted teaching) of salvation• A code of conduct• The use of sacred stories• Religious rituals (acts and ceremonies)

Three Philosophical Views Of A Deity

• Atheists don’t believe that a deity exists

• Theists believe in a deity or deities

• Agnostics say that the existence of a deity cannot be proved or disproved

Major World Religions Today• Hinduism – 800 million– Followers are called “Hindu”

• Buddhism – 350 million– Followers are called “Buddhist”

•Judaism – 14 Million– Followers are called “Jewish”

• Christianity – 2 Billion– Followers are called “Christian”

• Islam – 1 Billion– Followers are called “Muslim”

Diversity Of Religions• There are about 20 largely practiced

religions in the world today…• Each of them have different branches:

sects or denominations• A sect is a group of people with slightly

different religious beliefs from those of a larger group to which they belong…

• For example:– Christians can be Catholic, Baptist,

Pentecostal, Lutheran, Methodist, etc.– They are all branches of Christianity

A very simplified map of the major world religions and where they are in the world…