UNIT 14: Religion and Belief Systems

Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Essential Questions 4
Learning Targets 4
Lesson 1: Religion and Belief Systems: Animism 4
Starting Out 5
Learn about It! 5
History Maker 9
Check Your Understanding 9
Putting Value 10
Lesson 2: Religion and Belief Systems: Monotheism and Polytheism 11
Starting Out 11
Learn about It! 14
History Maker 18
Check Your Understanding 18
Putting Value 19
Lesson 3: Religion and Belief Systems: Institutionalized Religions 20
Starting Out 20
Learn about It! 21
History Maker 24
Check Your Understanding 25
Putting Value 26
Lesson 4: Religion and Belief Systems: Separation of Church and State 26
Starting Out 26
Learn about It! 27
History Maker 30
Check Your Understanding 31

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 Putting Value 32

Real-world Challenge 33
Society and I: Self- Check 35
Wrap Up 36
Answers to Check Your Understanding 38
Bibliography 39
Glossary 40

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GRADE 11/12 |Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
UNIT 14

Religion and Belief Systems

Religion has been used throughout human history as a way of explaining many various
mysteries of the world. In the beginning, it was used to answer questions like: Why does the
sun rise in the morning and the moon at night? What happens when the tides of the sea rise?

Fig. 1. An Image of Jesus, the deity of Christianity, as a King

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:09212jfReconstruction_Christ_the_King_Parish_Church_Veterans_Village_Project_22_Quezon_
Cityfvf.jpg

Religion has been used to bind peoples under the rule of one monarch, but it was also used to
divide peoples through practices such as slavery, and the caste system. For some theorists,
religion is the source of life’s meaning; for others, it is no more than a bad vice that is hard to

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break.
In the same way that the people of the earth are varied, religions vary, too, depending on the
geography and culture of a place. In this unit, we will learn how religion started, as well as the
purposes it has served in the world. As we explore the topic of religion, keep the following
questions in mind:

• How is religion rooted in nature?

• What is the basis of monotheism and polytheism?
• What human need gave rise to institutionalized religion?
• Why is there a need to separate the church and the state?

Learning Targets
In this unit, you should be able to understand how religions affect your daily life.

Lesson 1: Religion and Belief Systems:

Animism
Throughout human history, religion has been used to define and understand the universe. It
has been used to explain the existence of life and the presence of death. Even today, religion is
used to determine the success or failure of human endeavors. French sociologist Emile
Durkheim said that religion is a social experience, and the basis of it are “all sorts of things which
surpass the limits of our knowledge”. Religion is all about the sacred and the unexplained. It
transcends our daily experiences, but is a very part of our daily existence.

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 Starting Out

What is the one big dream you have in your life that you think is impossible to attain? What if
you have been told that you must find a way to achieve it, because your life depended on it,
what would you do? What are the things you will do daily in order for you do achieve this
dream? Create a plan of action for achieving this dream.

Fig. 2. For many Filipinos, praying is an essential part of religion

Learn about It!

Before we begin to study the different forms of religions in the world, as well as the impact of
religion in our daily lives, we must first define and differentiate religion and belief systems.

The Concept of Religion and Belief Systems

A belief system is a set of beliefs regarding what is true and false, what is good or bad, what
is beautiful and ugly, what is acceptable by society and what is considered as unacceptable. A
belief system usually possesses the foundational principles on which a religion, a science, a
culture, or a philosophy is based but may not necessarily be the religion, the science, the
culture, or the philosophy itself.

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Meanwhile religion is a belief system that relates humanity to the transcendental, and just
like culture, it has its own set of rules, norms, values, and rituals, which are generally accepted
by its group of believers. To better understand the concept, we must first trace the origin of
the term.

The word religion comes from the latin word religionem which means “respect for what is
sacred, reverence for the gods”. It also comes from the latin word re which means again and
ligare which means to connect. Put together, re-ligare therefore means “to reconnect”, in this
sense, to the to the divine, the sacred, the supernatural, and the spiritual. According to Emile
Durkheim, “Religion answers all the unanswered questions of human existence.” Most of the
things that human reason cannot comprehend as of the moment can find answers in
transcendental ideas such as religion.

Religion is a lot like culture because you can find in it mythical explanations of things
and phenomena, a set of rituals and religious practices, moral codes, designated
behaviors, sacred writings, worldviews, stories of origins, final meanings and ultimate
ends, festivals and spiritual practices, songs, and many other elements also found in
culture.

What is Animism?

During the old days when science was not yet dominant, our ancestors could not understand
many things in nature. When the lightning struck or when the volcanoes erupted, there were
no reasonable or scientific explanation available to them. Thus, our primitive ancestors were
compelled to come up with mythical explanations to many things they saw in nature. Most, if
not all, of ancient cultures are animistic, that is, the belief that all things found in nature are
guided and inhabited by spirits and deities.

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Basic questions such as: how does the sun rise? Where do the rains come? How far is the sea?
What is thunder? are all answered by spirits residing in those elements in nature. Thus,
primitive cultures attribute the rising of the sun to the sun god; that the lightning and thunder
are ruled by deities and gods; that the trees and the land are all animated by spirits. In order

for nature to be kind to them, our human ancestors performed sacrifices and rituals to ensure
the good favor of the gods.

The common features of animism include:

• The existence of souls or spirits which are viewed as the life-force of all things – from
human beings, animals, plants, and even non-living things and phenomena;
• The souls and spirits are found in nature. They may take the form of plants, animals,
trees;
• There exists a spirit world. There is a world where unattached spirits dwell. Such spirits
may be evil and may bring chaos, hunger, death in the world of humans;
• There are human beings in the community who have the capacity to access the spirit
world in order to communicate and control the evil spirits;
• The spirit of human beings survive physical death. Their spirits may go back to the
world in the form of natural objects, or they can become one of the unattached spirits
that bring evil to the world.

In the olden times, people had to contend with many spirits, gods, and deities. This is the
reason why animism is usually polytheistic or the belief in many gods. Our ancestors usually
had a hierarchy or a pantheon for gods and goddesses. In Ancient Egypt, their highest god is
Ra or Re. Meanwhile, in ancient Greece, their highest god among many gods is Zeus. In early
Philippines, we have bathala as the highest god even as we have diwatas (goddesses of the
land) and anitos (spirits of nature) all around.

While animism is often attributed to primitive societies, the truth is that many animistic
practices still survive today. For example, we offer flowers and candles to the dead in the
hopes of helping them reach the afterlife peacefully. We wish upon a star in order for our

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dreams to come true.

At closer inspection, many of the rituals and belief systems developed by religions today have
been based from animism.

What modern religions practice animism? Cite examples to prove your point.

Fig. 3. A black cat is generally considered a sign of bad luck

https://pixabay.com/en/cat-silhouette-cats-silhouette-694730/

In the Philippines, we have many beliefs that are rooted in animism. For example, in
Luzon, people sa “tabi-tabii po” before throwing something out of the window,
especially after sunset.

What practices in your home are rooted in animism? Give some examples. Why do
you think that these are animist practices?

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 Graham Harvey is a professor of Religious Studies at The Open University and is the author of
the world acclaimed book, Animism: Respecting the Living World. The book is an exhaustive
summary of a study conducted among Native Americans, Maori, Aboriginal Australians, and
eco-pagans. Through this casework, Harvey explores the similarities of these cultures, and how
their practice of animism helps ensure that these cultures thrive.

“Animism is far from primitive, nor is it about pre-modernity because animism does not serve
as a precursor to modernity. Rather animism is one of the many vitally present and
contemporary other-than-modern ways of being human.”

Graham Harvey, Animism: Respecting the Living World

Check Your Understanding

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. The belief that all things in nature are inhabited by souls and spirits is called
_____________________.
2. The word religion comes from the latin word religionem which means
________________________.
Three of the five common features of animism include:
3. ________________________
4. ________________________
5. ________________________

B. Based on what you know of history and the development of human civilizations, in your
opinion, why did animism arise in primitive societies? Explain your answer through a short
essay.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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 _____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

C. Animism is believed to be common among indigenous cultures. Research and compare two
indigenous cultures found in the Philippines, and answer the following questions:
1. What elements of animism can be found in these cultures?
2. How are these animist elements expressed? Give specific examples of animist customs
and traditions being practiced by the cultures.
3. Why do these cultures practice the customs and traditions identified in #2?
4. Are there any similarities between the two cultures in terms of #2 and #3?

Putting Value

Look back in your life and identify moments when you have utilized animist practices. What
were the practices and how did you do it? Where did you learn these practices?

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 Lesson 2: Religion and Belief Systems:
Monotheism and Polytheism
Some religions such as Christianity and Islam only have one god. But did you know that there
are a number of religions in the world that believe in multiple deities or gods? For example,
Hindus subscribe to more than 300 gods. In this lesson, we will tackle on such.

Starting Out
Read the following stories of creation from two religions. Answer the questions at the end of
the stories. Discuss your answers with a partner.

A Hindu Creation Story

Before time began there was no heaven, no earth, and no space between. A vast dark ocean
washed upon the shores of nothingness and licked the edges of night. A giant cobra, Shesha,
floated on the waters. Asleep within its endless coils lay the Lord Vishnu. He was watched over
by the mighty serpent. Everything was so peaceful and silent that Vishnu slept undisturbed by
dreams or motion.

From the depths a humming sound began to tremble, Om. It grew and spread, filling the
emptiness and throbbing with energy. The night had ended. Vishnu awoke. As the dawn
began to break, from Vishnu's navel grew a magnificent lotus flower. In the middle of the
blossom sat Vishnu's servant, Brahma. He awaited the Lord's command. Vishnu spoke to his
servant: 'It is time to begin.' Brahma bowed. Vishnu commanded: 'Create the world’.

A wind swept up the waters. Vishnu and the serpent vanished. Brahma remained in the lotus
flower, floating and tossing on the sea. He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the
ocean. Then Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He stretched one part into the heavens.
He made another part into the earth. With the third part of the flower he created the skies.

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The earth was bare. Brahma set to work. He created grass, flowers, trees and plants of all
kinds. To these he gave feeling. Next he created the animals and the insects to live on the
land. He made birds to fly in the air and many fish to swim in the sea. To all these creatures,
he gave the senses of touch and smell. He gave them power to see, hear and move. The world
was soon bristling with life and the air was filled with the sounds of Brahma's creation.

Fig. 4: The Creation of the Earth According to Hinduism, Began with the Om Sound
https://pixabay.com/en/background-darkness-fantasy-light-3095501/

The world was soon bristling with life and the air was filled with the sounds of Brahma's
creation. However, a wicked demon appeared and stole the world. He threw it far out into the
cosmic ocean. Vishnu quickly killed the demon and changed into animal form to rescue the
world. Brahma was delighted at the world’s safe return from the depths, for he was then able
to finish his task of forming the land and all living things.

But one day, this Universe, like all others before it, will be wiped out when Lord Shiva, the
destroyer, grows angry with the world’s evil. At this time, he will dance his ferocious dance of
destruction and once again there will be a time when nothing exists but Brahman.

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A Christian Creation Story

In the beginning there was no earth or sky or sea or animals, and then God spoke in the
darkness: "Let there be light!" And right away there was light, scattering the darkness and
showing the infinite space. "That's good!" said God. "From now on, when it's dark it will be
'night' and when it's light, it will be 'day'." The evening came and the night passed and then the
light returned. That was the first day.

On the second day, God made the earth and over it He carefully hung a vast blue sky. He
stood back and admired His creation. "That's good too!" said God and the second day was
over.

The next morning God looked around and thought, "The earth needs to be a bit more
organized." So, He put all the water in one place and all the dry land in another. When He
had finished that, God made plants to cover the land. Dandelions and daffodils appeared. All
sorts of trees and grasses began to grow. "It's looking great," said God and that was the end
of the third day.

On the fourth day, God looked around and thought, "The daylight still needs a bit more work
and the night is just too dark." So, He made the sun to light the sky during the day and the
moon and stars to add a bit of sparkle to the night. He hung them in the sky and stepped
back to look at his work. "This is coming along very well," said God.

The next day, God turned his attention to the water he had collected in the oceans. "I want
these waters teeming with life!" As soon as He said it, it was so. In no time, there were
millions of small fish darting through the shallow water and huge fish swimming in the
ocean. God made birds, too. He sent them soaring through the air. "Ahh, that IS good!" said
God. The dusk fell over the water and the sky grew dark and that was the end of the fifth day.

On the sixth day, God added creatures to the land. He made lions and tigers and bears. He
made rabbits and sheep and cows. He added everything from ants to zebras to the land. But
He still felt something was missing. So God added Mankind to enjoy and take care of all that
He had created. God looked around and was happy with all He had made.

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After six days, the whole universe was completed. On the seventh day, God had a nice long
rest and enjoyed looking at all He had made.

1. What are the similarities between the two creation stories?

2. What are the differences between the two creation stories?
3. Based on these two stories, what do you think are the similarities and differences between
the Hindu and Christian traditions?

Learn about It!

The Concept of Monotheism and Polytheism

Monotheism is the belief in one god while polytheism is the belief in many gods.

The foundation of polytheism is the belief that there are different gods and goddesses that
typically have physical bodies, and have human characteristics. Such deities are
representations of forces of nature, and are accorded with their own supernatural capacities.

For example, in the Hindu story above, there is a god of creation, and a god of destruction. In
most polytheistic traditions, some gods are important than others. For instance, among the
Greeks, Zeus has always been regarded as the lord of all gods, though not exactly the most
powerful of them all. Meanwhile, in the Hindu tradition, Brahma has always been the chief
god, and all the others have emanated from him. Some examples of polytheism that is still
present today include Shintoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

The following are the characteristics of a polytheistic religion:

• Gods of polytheistic religions are many, with each one having their own personalities,
needs, and desires.
• These gods intervene in the daily life of people as each one govern various aspects of
human life.

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 • Gods of polytheistic religions are thought to have the qualities, vices, and defects of
human beings, but their physical appearances are rarely human.
• Though human in their personalities and characteristics, but they have their divine
characteristics which belong to a different order of reality not attainable for man.
• Gods are immortal, but they are neither omnipotent nor omniscient.
• There is no single theory of belief because each god has the capacity to circumvent the
other.
• Polytheistic religions are closely related to the cultural, social, and political conditions of
the society where it exists. Its forms, rituals and belief systems are typically
representative of the culture where it can be found.

According to history, polytheism was the typical form of religion during the Bronze Age and it
dominated until the Axial Age, a period of history which occurred during the 8th to the 3rd
century BCE. This age was notable because this was when new ways of thinking appeared in
many different countries in the world. This period was marked by the emergence of Confucian
and Taoist teachings, Buddhism, and Zoroastrian.

Monotheistic religions believe in one god while polytheistic religions believe in many
deities.

Unlike polytheism, monotheism purposes that there is only one god who was all-powerful and
who had the capacity to intervene in the world. Monotheistic religions are believed to have
developed out of Abraham and his descendants. Some of the largest monotheistic religions
today include Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Some of the common characteristics of monotheistic religions include:

• God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing).
• God is a creator who sustain and maintain order in the world.
• God is incomparable to any image or representation.

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The Supreme God and the Management of Civilizations

When ancient civilizations arose, the idea of one god became the dominant belief in many
cultures. At first, it became necessary for ancient civilizations to have a temple of the gods
where one powerful god was worshipped. The reason for this is simple: if there are many
gods with equal power, then the believers will be prone to compete one god over the other
and would result in endless wars on whose community worships the strongest god. If this is
the case, the society will never be united under one ruler.

If there is a highest god towering all over the others, then there is no competition as the king
will always invoke the support of the highest god. Thus Jupiter is the highest god of the
Romans and Zeus is the highest god of the Greeks. The idea of divine right granted by a
supreme god to a ruler and all his descendants has been used by many cultures. Kings ruled
with the authority and blessing granted to them by a supreme God who alone is has the
capacity to judge the monarch. In polytheistic Hinduism, Brahma the creator is the highest
god but he belongs to a trinity, with his two other personas, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva
the destroyer.

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 Fig. 5. Catholic Saints
https://pixabay.com/en/all-saints-christian-holy-faith-2887463/

Jewish and Muslim scholars reject Christianity as a monotheistic religion. Research

on the various points they raise, and answer the question: is Christianity
monotheistic or not? What elements of the Christian tradition may have led to this
debate?

The Philippines is only Christian country in East Asia with 66% of the population
baptized as Roman Catholics and 7% Protestants. Despite this, however, the
Philippine Christianity is considered as folk Christianity and is actually polytheistic
because of its worship of the trinity, the various saints, and ancestors. Do you agree
that Christianity in the Philippines is polytheistic? Why or why not?

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 Felix Manalo or Ka Felix is the first Executive Minister of church, Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).
Members of the church refers to him as “God’s last messenger” destined to restore the church
by Jesus. From being a religion composed of two people, INC members are now believed to be
at 2.25 million. The church has stringent rules and values, and is known to excommunicate
members who fail to meet the standards set by church elders. Known for its capacity to
mandate its members to bloc vote, INC members are one of the wealthiest and most powerful
religions in the Philippines.

Check Your Understanding

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. The belief that there are many gods that govern a human being’s life is called
_______________________________.
2. The belief that there is one supreme god is called _______________________________.
3. The period of history where Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist and Zoroastrian teachings arose
is called _______________________________.
4. According to monotheistic religions god is all-powerful and all-knowing. The official
terms used in religion for this characteristics are _______________________________ and
_______________________________ respectfully.
5. Kings of the past ruled with the authority and blessing of a supreme god. This idea is
called _______________________________.

B. Choose one monotheistic religion and one polytheistic religion. Using the venn diagram
below, list down the characteristics of each one. What characteristics do monotheistic and
polytheistic religions share in common? What characteristics are unique to each one?

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C. Reflect on your own religion. What norms and values does your religion uphold and
preserve? Do you subscribe to these norms and values? If yes, why? If not, why not?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Putting Value

Study the religious artifacts developed in India and in the Philippines. What differences do you
notice? What do you think are the reason for these differences? How are the cultures in the two
countries reflected in the religions artifacts you have chosen?

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 Lesson 3: Religion and Belief Systems:
Institutionalized Religions
In a 2016 research conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was discovered that younger
generations were less religious than their predecessors. They were less likely to attend a church
regularly or to consider religion as an important part of their lives. But this does not mean that
young people do not believe in god. On the contrary, the study discovered that many of them
believe in a god and in heaven, and are actively searching for spiritual experiences in their
adventures. What this research has found out is that, in fact, younger generations are not
rejecting religion altogether—they were instead rejecting organized religion.

In this lesson, we shall learn more about the difference between good old religion and
institutionalized religion, as well as the implications of the latter in our daily lives.

Starting Out

Fig. 6. An Iglesia ni Cristo Chapel (left) and a Catholic Chapel (right)

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Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and the Roman Catholic Church are two of the biggest religions in the
Philippines. Each one of them have their own beliefs and doctrines that bind their churches
together. Without researching, list the doctrines, beliefs and practices adhered to by the two
religions. Write your thoughts in the table below.

Doctrines, Beliefs, Iglesia ni Cristo Roman Catholic

Practices Church

What doctrines, beliefs and practices are similar in both religions? What were different? In your
opinion, what doctrines, beliefs and practices were designed to shape the lifestyle and
viewpoints of members?

Learn about It!

The Concept of Institutionalized Religion

An institutionalized or organized religion is called a church. Unlike religious traditions,

organized religions have beliefs and rituals which are formally established and systematically
arranged. Religions become institutionalized when they have the following elements, also
referred to as the five Cs of organized religion:

1. Cult is the set of rituals and sacred places, items, and objects, religious practices that
believers do and adhere to. It usually refers to some supernatural, superhuman, or

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 transcendental power or promise that attracts followers. The beginning of religion
usually starts with the cult.
2. Creed. As the cult expands and develops, the members are questioned and challenged
from the outside. They also need to assure the next generations that their message will
be transmitted in its original form. Thus members of an organized religion are
compelled to come up with a written set of beliefs that would unite all members. This is
their profession of their faith.
3. Code. As the organization of the community of believers progress through time, it
cannot be prevented that some organizational issues and processes need to be
systematized. They need to come up with a set of standard processes, organizational
procedures and laws that would govern the whole membership. Questions pertaining
to the organizational structure of the church, what constitutes the church hierarchy,
what constitutes the laity and other things need be answered in legal form. This is the
code of the church.
4. Community of Believers. All individuals who adhere to the set of beliefs of a certain
religion are members of that religion’s community of believers.
5. Community Services are the things that the church does for its members and for the
outside world. These include such activities as having regular services for the believers,
putting up schools and hospitals, and doing humanitarian services, among other things.

The Five Cs of institutionalized religion includes the cult, creed, code, community of
believers and community services.

Because of its nature, institutionalized religions tend to gain political power. They have the
capacity to circumvent policies, and in the case of the Philippines, their support can make or
break a candidate’s political aspirations. In the case of Saudi Arabia, an institutionalized
religion can become a state’s official religion.

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Institutionalized religions typically have legal faces and are registered as organizations.

Other institutionalized religions in the world include the three largest Abrahamic religions,
Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, and some branches of Hinduism and Buddhism. Non-
institutionalized religions, often referred to as loose religions, may be found among Native
Americans, African and some Hindu strands.

What made the Roman Catholic Church so powerful as a religion?

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 Fig. 7. Saint Augustine of Hippo
https://pixabay.com/en/saint-augustine-statue-sculpture-884259/

Augustine of Hippo also known as St. Augustine, was known for formulating the
doctrine of original sin which made god’s grace as an indispensable component of
human freedom. St. Augustine was also one of the first Christian authors to have a
deep understanding and vision of theological anthropology, the study of human
beings as he relates to God.

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 Check Your Understanding

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Name the five elements of an organized religion:
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
4. _______________________________
5. _______________________________
6.
B. What is your religion? Do you think it is an institutionalized or a loose religion? What are the
five Cs of your church?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

C. Every year, thousands of people attend the Traslacion or the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
Due to the sheer number of people who attend, the number of casualties during and after
the event are staggering. In your opinion, which of the Five C’s ensures the loyalty of
devotees, prompting them to come back year after year to take part in the transport of the
Black Nazarene?

______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

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 ______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Putting Value

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country. What of our laws have been affected by
this institutionalized religion?

Lesson 4: Religion and Belief Systems:

Separation of Church and State
We have discovered in the previous lesson that religions can become as powerful as
governments if they become organized. We have also seen that throughout history, religions
have been used in pushing forward various political agenda—from ensuring the continuation
of blood-line leadership to shaping viewpoints of members. What do you think might happen if
religion becomes much more powerful than the state?

Starting Out

Fig. 8. A quote from Thomas Jefferson

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In 1808, Thomas Jefferson said, “Erecting the wall of separation between church and state is
absolutely essential in a free society”. What do you think did he mean by these words?

Form groups of three people per group and discuss your answers together. At the end of your
discussion, create a consolidated report that will be presented to the class.

Learn about It!

The Crisis of Religion

During the olden times, the church and the state were united. The Sumerian Lugal (Big Man)
or king was also the highest priest in their temple. The political leader of Ancient Egypt who
was the Pharaoh is considered as a god himself. The Roman Emperor was considered as
“Augustus” or the holy one as he is also the one who conducts rituals for the gods. The Holy
Roman Empire was a literal empire that annexed countries and territories had a ruler that was
crowned by the Catholic Pope. Many countries in Europe had kings installed by the church,
and are given the authority to rule by divine right.

During the Dark Ages, this unity of the church and the state was abused by kings and the
clergy. They amassed large tracts of land for themselves. They amassed wealth and power at
the expense of the poor. After losing its huge resource of money and artifacts due to
indiscriminate use, the church found a new way of earning income for itself. It collected
indulgences from common people for the promise of eternal life in heaven. Meanwhile, kings
continued to squander precious resources on lavish parties and ceremonial jests while their
subordinates died of illness and hunger. The Church hierarchy did not allow the spread of the
Bible and suppressed those who translated or interpreted the Bible in the common language.
Knowledge was limited only to the clergy and those who question the church were punished.
On one hand, this helped bring order to the society. On the other hand, it has curtailed
freedoms and the creativity of people – the social problems became even greater.

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 The unity of church and state in the past led to a monopoly of power. Social
stratification became greater, and hunger and illness led to the death of many
citizens. The church, did nothing to correct the behavior of the monarch, and the
monarchs continued to protect the church in order to receive favor from the leader
of the church.

During the Enlightenment, many thinkers advocated for the age of reason. They questioned
the monarchy and proposed for a new form of government called democracy, where rulers
were elected by the populace. With the latest discoveries in science, many Enlightenment
thinkers began to question many unsupported teachings of the church. In an attempt to
maintain their monopoly of the truth about the universe and how it was created, the church
assassinated many known scientist in the period by the term Inquisition. Galileo Galilei, who
proposed that the world was round and he was suppressed by the church which then
believed that the earth was flat. But despite its refusal to accept the findings of science, the
church was bound to experience its greatest challenge.

The Enlightenment philosophers then proposed for universal suffrage (elections), the bill of
rights, the checks and balances of government and the separation of the church and the state.
In order to prevent the abuse of power, the church is prevented to meddle in the affairs of the
state. The clergy are not entitled to run for political office. After the French Revolution, which
began the fall of monarchs from power, it was clear that the world was about to change.
Divine right has failed, and the church, the most powerful organization that comes between
man and his god, is forced to finally honor the will of the people. From then on, churches are
forbidden to have temporal and secular power.

The United States soon passed the First Amendment which ensured freedom of religion in its
territories. Aside from providing its citizens to decide on the religion they wanted to adopt, the
First Amendment effectively prevented churches from attempting to influence the federal

28
government. To better understand the importance amendment to the US constitution, it is
important to look back into the life of Henry VIII.

When Henry VIII decided he wanted to have another wife, the pope of the Catholic Church
refused to let him marry again. In retaliation, Henry VIII decided to break off from the Holy
Roman Empire and to establish his own church, now known as the Anglican Church, where
the King was recognized as the head of the church. He then annulled his own marriage,
married Anne Boleyn.

What are the implications in the society if the head of the country is also the head of
the church in the same country?

It was, of course difficult for common citizens to correct the behavior of the king. He is, after
all, designated by God to lead everyone. But through the story of Henry VIII, one can see that
kings can misuse their power and create new social institutions that serve only themselves.

29
 Fig. 9. Thomas Jefferson
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson#/media/File:Official_Presidential_portrait_of_Thomas_Jeff
erson_(by_Rembrandt_Peale,_1800).jpg

Thomas Jefferson is considered as a founding father of America. He was the

principal author of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. His
philosophy in life are highly influenced by political theorists such as John Locke,
Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton, among many others. He was an advocate of the
principle of separation of Church and State.

30
 Check Your Understanding

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Name five reasons why the church and the state should be separated:
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
4. _______________________________
5. _______________________________

B. Separation of church and state is explicity stated in the Philippine Constitution. Do you think
that this is being practiced in the country? is the Church and State truly separated in the
Philippines. Cite examples to support your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

C. Can you think of a time when the Philippine government violated the provision in the
Constitution that mandates the separation of church and state? What happened? Relate
your experience below.

______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

31
 ______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Putting Value

What Philippine legislations are influenced by Christianity? Can you truly say that the Philippines
has the separation of state and church?

32
 Real-world Challenge
Group yourselves into 4-5 members. Read the GRASPS situation below and perform the
following tasks. Make sure to read the rubrics for the activity.

Goal:
• Your task is to create a development plan so that life in the island
(where you and your group was stranded) could be orderly,
purposeful, and productive.
• The goal is to reflect the role that religion will take in the
community you are building?
• The problem/challenge is: how strong or weak does your religion
have to be to ensure peace and order in your community.

Role:
• You are the members of the stranded group.
• You have been asked by your group mates to help shape the island
society by designing its religious culture.

Audience:
• The target audience is your classmates and your teacher.

Situation:
• The context you find yourself in is a remote island where 2,000
passengers were stranded in.

Product/Performance and Purpose:

• You will create a short presentation to create interest among your
audience about the role religion will play in your new community.
How do you teach the community to adopt the new religious
practices you have established
• You need to develop activities to allow your target audience to
further appreciate what you are presenting.

Standards & Criteria for Success:

33
 Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
(17-20 points)
(0-12 points) (13-16 points)

Content
(Focus on details are
clearly evident; it is clearly
Presentation

related to the topic.)

Organization
(Logical progression of
details; clear transitions
between ideas.

Conventions
(spelling, mechanics,
grammar and usage)

Creativity
(shows resourcefulness in
presentation and activities)
Task-specific

Audience Impact
(interesting presentation to
get the attention of
students)

Team Work
(contributions from all
members to the fruition of
the work)

Total Score:

34
 Society and I: Self-Check

Check I can…

explain the meaning of religion and belief systems

identify the difference between religion and belief systems

define the meaning and value of animism

differentiate between monotheism and polytheism

identify the meaning and value of institutionalized religion

determine how and why the separation of church and state is important

Reflect

I find __________________________ the most interesting because ______________________.

I got ____ checks because _______________________________________________________.
I need to improve on _______________________because _____________________________.
I need to practice _________________________ because _____________________________.
I plan to _____________________________________________________________________ .

35
 Wrap Up
● A Belief system is a set of beliefs of what is true or false, acceptable and unacceptable
in a society.
● Religion is a belief system that relates to things that the human mind cannot
immediately comprehend.
● Animism is the belief that all things in nature are guided and inhabited by spirits and
deities.
● Monotheism is a belief system that there is one god. Polytheism is the belief in many
gods that govern human life.
● Religions become institutionalized when it has the five Cs: cult, creed, code, community
of believers, and community services.

36
 Religion and Belief Systems

Monotheism and Institutionalized Separation of

Animism Church and
Polytheism Religions
State

Definition of
Belief System The Concept of Institional or The Crisis of
and Religion Monotheism Organized Religion
Religions

The Concept of
Animism The Five Cs
Polytheism

Common Characteristics of
The Concept of
Features of a Monotheism
Human Rights
Animism and Polytheism

Loose Religions

37
 Answers to Check Your Understanding
Lesson 1: Social Control
Part A.
1. animism
2. respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods
3 to 5. Any of the following:

• The existence of souls or spirits which are viewed as the life-force of all things – from
human beings, animals, plants, and even non-living things and phenomena.
• The souls and spirits are found in nature. They may take the form of plants, animals,
trees, etc.
• There exists a spirit world. There is a world where unattached spirits dwell. Such spirits
may be evil and may bring chaos, hunger, death in the world of humans.
• There are human beings in the community who have the capacity to access the spirit
world in order to communicate and control the evil spirits.
• The spirit of human beings survive physical death. Their spirits may go back to the
world in the form of natural objects, or they can become one of the unattached spirits
that bring evil to the world.

Lesson 2: Monotheism and Polytheism

Part A
1. polytheism
2. monotheism
3. Axial period
4. omnipotent, omniscient
5. divine right

Lesson 3: Institutionalized Religions

Part A
1. Cult

38
 2. Creed
3. Code
4. Community of Believers
5. Community Services

Lesson 4: Separation of Church and State

The following, in any order.
1. It gives people the freedom to choose their own religion
2. Church cannot and should not influence and control governments
3. Balance of power in a society
4. Improve innovation and creativity in a society
5. Unity of state and church worsened social problems

Bibliography

Allen, Thomas. 2004. The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light. Toronto.

Collins. 2018. www.collinsdictionary.com. February 17. Accessed February 17, 2018.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/belief-system.

Durkheim, Emile. 1915. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. London: George Allen &
Unwin.

Harper, Douglas. 2018. ""religion". Online Etymology Dictionary." www.etymonline.com.

Accessed February 18, 2018. https://www.etymonline.com/word/religion.

James, Paul & Mandaville, Peter. 2010. Globalization and Culture, Vol. 2: Globalizing Religions.
London: Sage Publications.

James, William. 1902. The Varieties of Religious Experience. A Study in Human Nature. California:
Longmans, Green, and Co.

39
 Glossary
animism - belief that all things found in nature are guided and inhabited by spirits and
deities.
belief system - set of beliefs regarding what is true and false, what is good or bad, what is
beautiful and ugly, what is acceptable by society and what is considered as unacceptable.
divine right of kings - authority and blessings believed to be granted from generation to
generation of monarchs to lead its people
institutionalized or organized religion - are beliefs and rituals which are formally
established and systematically arranged
monotheism - the belief that there is one god
polytheism - the belief that there are many gods
religion - a belief system that relates humanity to the transcendental, and just like culture, it
has its own set of rules, norms, values, and rituals.

40