Religion and spirituality

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEM

PRAYER

ATTENDANCE

NEWS UPDATE

Don't be religious, Be Spiritual

Webster's definition of religionAny specific system of belief, worship, conduct, etc., involving a code of ethics and a philosophy

Wikipedia’s definition of religionReligion is a cultural system of behaviors and practices, world views, sacred texts, holy places, ethics, and societal organisation that relate humanity to what an anthropologist has called "an order of existence".

2 ways of defining religion as a social reality

1. Substantive, which is concerned with the constitutes religion.

2. Functional, which is concerned with the social consequences of religion.

Substantive

Religion involves belief and practices which assume the existence of supernatural beings.

Functional

Unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set a part and forbidden-beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community.

-Emile Durkheim (2001)

SO WHAT DEFINITION OF RELIGION MUST WE ADOPT?

From the point view of the social sciences?

Religion is a system of beliefs and practices by which a group of people interprets and responds to what they feel is sacred and usually supernatural as well

-Johnstone 2004,13

DIFFERENTIATE RELIGION FROM: A. SPIRITUALITY

B. THEOLOGY C. PHILOSOPHY OF

RELIGION

SpiritualityThe quality or state of being concerned with religion or religious matters: the quality and state of being spiritual.

TheologyThe study of religious faith,practice and experience: the study of God and God’s relation to the world.

TheologyTheology is the critical study of the nature of the divine. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities, seminaries and schools of divinity

TheologyTheology translates into English from the Greek theologia which derived from Τheos meaning "God," and -logia  meaning "utterances, sayings, or oracles"

PhilosophyThe study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life.etc.

A set of ideas about how to do something or how to live.

Religion is an institution established by man for various reasons. Exert control, instill morality, stroke egos, or whatever it does.

Spirituality is born in a person and develops in the person

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Religion has a dogmatic and unquestionable assembly of rules that need to be followed without question

Spirituality invites you to reason it all, to question it all and to decide your actions and assume the consequences

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Religion does not investigate and does not question

Spirituality questions everything

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Religion gives you promises for the after-life

Spirituality gives you the light to find God in your inner self, in this life, in the present, in the here and the now…

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Religion focuses on what pleases man.

Being spiritual focuses on what  pleases God

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

26Kung ang sinoman ay nagiisip na siya'y relihioso samantalang hindi pinipigil ang kaniyang dila, kundi dinadaya ang kaniyang puso, ang relihion ng taong ito ay walang kabuluhan. 27Ang dalisay na relihion at walang dungis sa harapan ng ating Dios at Ama ay ito, dalawin ang mga ulila at mga babaing bao sa kanilang kapighatian, at pagingatang walang dungis ang kaniyang sarili sa sanglibutan.

Religion involves emotions and externals

spirituality involves the whole being-Spirituality involves one's total self in his/her relationship to God

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

2 Corinthians 8:3-6

3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much urging for the favor [a]of participation in the [b]support of the [c]saints, 5 and this, not as we had [d]expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well

2 Corinthians 8:3-6

 6Ano pa't namanhik kami kay Tito, na yamang siya'y nagpasimula nang una, ay siya na rin ang gumanap sa inyo ng biyayang ito.7Datapuwa't yamang kayo'y nagsisisagana sa lahat ng mga bagay, sa pananampalataya, at pananalita, at kaalaman, at sa buong kasipagan, at sa inyong pagibig sa amin ay magsisagana naman kayo sa biyayang ito. 8Hindi ako nangungusap na tulad sa naguutos, kundi gaya ng sumusubok sa pamamagitan ng kasipagan ng iba ang katapatan naman ng inyong pagibig.

Religion follows man's standards

spirituality follows God's standards

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Mangagingat kayo na huwag magsigawa ng katuwiran sa harap ng mga tao, upang kanilang makita: sa ibang paraan ay wala kayong ganti ng inyong Ama na nasa langit.2Kaya nga pagka ikaw ay naglilimos, ay huwag kang tutugtog ng pakakak sa harap mo, na gaya ng ginagawa ng mga mapagpaimbabaw sa mga sinagoga at sa mga daan, upang sila'y mangagkapuri sa mga tao. Katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo, Tinanggap na nila ang sa kanila'y ganti.3Datapuwa't pagka ikaw ay naglilimos, ay huwag maalaman ng iyong kaliwang kamay ang ginagawa ng iyong kanang kamay: 4Upang ang iyong paglilimos ay malihim: at ang iyong Ama na nakakikita sa lihim ay gagantihin ka.

Matthew 6:5-8 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the

hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babblinglike pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you needbefore you ask him.

Matthew 6:5-8 6Datapuwa't ikaw, pagka ikaw ay mananalangin,

pumasok ka sa iyong silid, at kung mailapat mo na ang iyong pinto, ay manalangin ka sa iyong Ama na nasa lihim, at ang iyong Ama na nakakikita sa lihim ay gagantihin ka.

7At sa pananalangin ninyo ay huwag ninyong gamitin ang walang kabuluhang paulitulit, na gaya ng ginagawa ng mga Gentil: sapagka't iniisip nilang dahil sa kanilang maraming kasasalita ay didinggin sila. 8Huwag nga kayong magsigaya sa kanila: sapagka't talastas ng inyong Ama ang mga bagay na inyong kinakailangan, bago ninyo hingin sa kaniya.

Religion follows man's standards

spirituality follows God's standards

Religion /Religious Spirituality/ Being Spiritual

Any specific system of belief, worship, conduct, etc., involving a code of ethics and a philosophy."

Theology is the study of God and (formal) religions

Religion /Religious Theology

religion as humans’ way to God,

theology as a study of God’s way to humans

Religion /Religious Theology

In Theological studies students are encouraged to let their faith and their scholarship interact and inform one another,

Religious studies the dialogue between personal faith and academic work is at best seen as a private affair.

Religion /Religious Theology

Philosophy of religion is the philosophical study of the meaning and nature of religion

Religion involves belief and practices which assume the existence of supernatural beings.

Religion /Religious Philosophy of Religion

It includes the analyses of religious concepts, beliefs, terms, arguments, and practices of religious adherents

Religion involves belief and practices which assume the existence of supernatural beings.

Religion /Religious Philosophy of Religion

philosophy as a reflection of humans’ lived experience of God

Religion as humans’ way to God

Religion /Religious Philosophy of Religion

Religion as humans’ way to God, theology as a study of God’s way to humans and philosophy as a reflection of humans’ lived experience of God