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UNIT 10. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION
Objectives
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To define religion
To identify the elements of religion
To discuss the major types/categories of religion
To explain the different religious organizations
To compare the different world religions
To present the types of activities used in religions
To describe the religious patterns in the Philippines
To enumerate the functions and dysfunctions of religion
Definition of Religion
Religion comes from the Latin word “religare” meaning “to bind together”. According to Emile
Durkheim (1947, as cited in Schaefer, 1989) religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative
to sacred things. He divides the universe into mutually exclusive categories: the profane and the sacred.
The profane are those human experiences that are mundane, ordinary, secular or “worldly” aspects of
life. The sacred are those experiences that transcend everyday existence, these are things set apart as
“holy”.
Elements of Religion
All religions share a certain common elements, yet these elements are carried out in distinctive
manner of each faith.
1. Systems of belief. This defines the nature of the universe and human beings in relation to it. It is
a creed which attempts to explain the origin and nature of sacred things.
2. Rituals and symbols. Rituals are values which describe how people should behave in the
presence of sacred objects. Religious symbols are things, objects or acts which take their
meaning from sacred things.
3. Community of believers. They are group of people who share a common understanding on
what is defined as sacred. Together they adhere to their common belief, perform the various
rituals and symbolic actions prescribed by their religion.
Major Types/Categories of Religion
McGee (1975, as cited in Kendall, 2004), classified religion into four main categories:
1. Supernaturalism. This is the belief that supernatural forces affect people’s lives either
positively or negatively. It does not acknowledge specific gods or supernatural but focuses on
impersonal forces that may exist on people or natural objects.
2. Animism. It is the belief that plants, animals or other elements of the natural world are endowed
with spirits or life forces having impact on events in society or influence all aspects of life.
3. Theism. This is the belief in god or gods. This belief can be categorized into: monotheism and
polytheism. Monotheism is the belief of a single, Supreme Being or God. Polytheism is a
belief in more than one god.
4. Abstract ideals or transcendent idealism. It is a belief in sacred principles of thought and
conduct. The focus is to achieve personal awareness, higher state of being and consciousness
through religious rituals and practices and adherence to moral codes of behavior.
Types of Religious Organizations
Religious groups vary widely in their organizational structure. The most common categorizations
of religious organizations are (Kendall, 2004):
1.
Ecclesia. A religious organization that is so integrated in the dominant culture and claims that its
membership includes all or most of the members of society. Members are born in the organization
as a result of being born in society. It has a very strong link with government.
2.
Church. It is a large, bureaucratically organized religious organization that tends to seek
accommodation with the larger society in order to maintain some degree of control over it. Church
membership is largely based on birth and adults may choose to join the church but have to undergo
extensive training program.
3.
Denomination. It is a midway between church and sect. It is a large organized religion
characterized by accommodation to society but frequently lacking in the ability or intention to
dominate society.
4.
Sect. This is a relatively small religious group that has broken away from another religious
organization to renew what it views as the original version of the faith. Members are converts,
their lives controlled by the sect, and characterized by asceticism or austere, disciplined life style.
5.
Cult. This is a loosely organized form of religious organization. Cult calls for a unique and
totally new lifestyle, often under the direction of a charismatic leader.
Major World Religions
Kendall (2004) presents a comparison of the major world religion in terms of their founder and
belief:
1. Christianity. This is the most widely practiced world religion. Jesus is the founder of Christianity.
The belief is centered on Jesus as the Son of God. Through good moral and religious behavior
(and/or God’s grace), people achieve eternal life with God as inscripted in the Bible.
2. Islam. Next to Christianity, Islam as founded by Muhammed, appears to be the largest world
religion. Islam which means “surrender” or “submission” follows the teachings of the Koran, the
will of Allah and Prophet Muhammad. The Muslims strictly follow their religious practices such as
observance of five daily prayers, profession of faith, payment of a welfare tax, fasting, and a
pilgrimage to Mecca.
3. Hinduism. Hindus span a wide range of worship, with polytheism, mysticism, and abstract
theological systems. It is an all embracing religion. Hindus believe that Brahma (creator), Vishnu
(preserver) and Shiva (destroyer) are divine; and in the transmigration of souls.
4. Buddhism. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, stressed the impermanence of all things,
and formulated the four Noble Truths: 1) misery is a major feature of life; 2) misery originates
from within us from graving for pleasure; 3) this craving can be eliminated; and 4) this can be
eliminated only by following the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path involves right seeing,
thinking, speech, action, living, effort, mindfulness, and meditation. The ultimate goal is to achieve
nirvana (enlightenment).
5. Judaism. Founded by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jews find their source of belief in the Hebrew
Bible (Old Testament) especially from the first five books. Its believers live all over the world but
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have one homeland in one deity, Jehovah, Yahweh, or God. The Jews can be divided into three
groups (Palispis, 2007):
a. Orthodox Jews. They observe traditional religious laws very closely. They maintain strict
dietary laws and do not work, drive or engage in everyday practices on the Sabbath.
b. Reform Jews. They allow for major interpretations of religious practices and customs, which
are often in response to changes in society.
c. Conservative Jews. They are less traditional than the Orthodox Jews. They compromise
those who identify themselves as Jewish from formal, synagogue affiliation.
Confucianism. This religion, which is based on the teaching of K’ung Fu-Tzu or Confucius, a
philosopher who emphasized virtues, wisdom, sincerity, ethics, and rights, has attracted many
disciples. The sayings (collected in the Analects) stress the role of virtue and order in the
relationships among individuals, their families, and society.
Types of Activities Used in Religion
All over the world, religions perform various activities as an expression of piety and belief.
Wallace (as cited in Palispis, 2007), suggested twelve religious activities by various religions in the
world:
1. Prayer. This involves a special stance, gesture or tone of voice and special archaic speech
patterns usually performed to take the form of thanksgiving, request or demands.
2. Music. Sometimes referred to as liturgy. It includes the use of musical instruments, singing, and
chants and dancing.
3. Physiological experience. Drugs, sensory deprivation, mortification of the flesh or deprivation
of food and or water are method known to religions as means of producing a trance or a feeling
of euphoria.
4. Exhortation or preaching. A person, closer to the gods, acts as an intermediary between a
person and the gods, both receives the messages from the gods and passes them to the people,
and tells people what the gods expect and informs them what behavior is pleasing and what is
displeasing.
5. Reciting the code. Many religions have myths, either dictated by the gods themselves or the
work of favored people, which relate the activities of the gods and describe the codes of moral
behavior expected by the gods.
6. Simulation. Divination or foretelling the future, and voodoo employ simulation. These are done
with the hope that the enemy will also experience pain and even death.
7. Mana or taboo. The idea that power can reside in things in which should be touched, mana,
and things that should be avoided, taboo, had already been accepted by people in different
origins.
8. Feast. This refers to the eating of sacred meals such as the Holy Communion.
9. Sacrifices. Some societies make sacrifices to the gods in order to influence the god’s action,
either to divert anger or to attract good will.
10. Congregation. People come together to address the gods or reach the shaman or see the priest
address the gods.
11. Inspiration. The gods select favored people to communicate with. States of possession,
conversion and revelation are recognized as marking the presence of the supernatural.
12. Symbolism. This can be direct representations of deities in the form of paintings’, statues, and
masks. That the symbol is believed to contain the power of the god is apparent from the
reverence with which the symbol is treated.
Religious Patterns in the Philippines
Panopio et al (1995) had made observations on the various religious patterns in the Philippines
among which are:
1. Religious Pluralism. The Philippines is predominantly Catholic. However, there coexist
other religious organizations with differences in dogmas, practices, and beliefs and as a whole
there prevails a spirit of tolerance.
2. Folk Catholicism. Sets in when local traditions, indigenous practices and the pre-Christian
beliefs remain and get interwoven or superimposed into the practices of the Catholic religion.
3. Split-level Christianity. This refers to the situation consisting of the co-existence within the
same person of two or more thought and behavior systems which are inconsistent with each
other.
4. Faith Healing and Occult - A faith healer is a person who serves as a medium for healing
energy. An occult is a person who is believed to have psychic tendencies and can foretell the
fortune or future of an individual. There is a growing tendency of people to focus their
attention with these practices to attain inner peace.
Functions of Religion
As manifested in religions, they function to: a) give people peace of mind; b) preserve and solidify
society; c) create a community of believers; d) reinforce social norms; e) regulate the value system of
society; f) provide answers to ultimate questions; g) provide societies with rites of passage; h) reconcile
people to hardship; and i) cultivate social change.
In contrast, there are dysfunctions of religions. These are to: a) legitimize inequities; b) stifle social
change; c) inhibit the search for new truths and ideas; d) cause conflict and stimulate warfare; and e)
divide society.