12

INTRODUCTION TO

WORLD RELIGION AND

BELIEF SYSTEM
1st Quarter: Module 2

Rogelio DG. Burce

Mary Ann C. Doctor
Module Writers

Department of Education • Republic of the Philippines

Content Standard
The learner demonstrates understanding of historical and geographical
contexts of the different religions.
Performance Standard
The learner conducts a group activity that demonstrates the influence of
a religion in a certain culture.
Most Essential Learning (Week 2)

Analyze the interconnectedness of geography, culture and religions.

Learning Competency

• Understand the relationships of geography, culture and religion.

• Value the influence of religion in geography and culture.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this module the students will be able to;

Understand the interconnectedness of geography, culture and religions.
Appreciate the significance of interconnectedness of geography, culture
and religions.

EXPECTATION

• This module is intended to you learners of Grade 12 Humanities and

Social Science Strand classes specifically in your course subject
Introduction to World Religion and Belief System.
• The lesson included in your module teaches you to analyze the
interconnectedness of geography, culture and religions.
• It also helps you to analyze the interconnectedness of geography, culture
and religion. In this module there are activities that will guide you to
better understand your lesson.

Are you ready and excited? Let’s start…

 PRE-TEST

Multiple Choice: Read the questions carefully. Write the letter of your correct answer
on the space provided.
1. A Gregorian calendar is one example of influence of culture by this religion.
a. Islam b. Christianity c. Shintoism d. Buddhism
2. An Asian religion because of its popularity in Southeast Asian region.
a. Islam b. Christianity c. Shintoism d. Buddhism
3. It is the recognized state religion of Japan.
a. Islam b. Christianity c. Shintoism d. Buddhism
4. The most spread religion in the Middle East.
a. Islam b. Christianity c. Shintoism d. Buddhism
5. An example of evidence of influence of Christianity in literature with his writings.
a. John Milton b. Dale Carnegie c. Sun Tzu d. Robert Kinostski
6. The following belong to the major religions in China except _________.
a. Taoism b. Judaism c. Buddhism d. Confucianism
7. The traditional form of Buddhism is very evident in the following countries except _.
a. Myanmar b. Thailand c. Singapore d. Laos
8. The following countries are known to be dominantly Catholic except ______.
a. Philippines b. Italy c. Ireland d. America
9. Simultaneous with its existence as a nation Israel have this religion.
a. Taoism b. Islam c. Judaism d. Buddhism
10. One of the writings which shown great association with Christianity in literature.
a. Paradise Lost b. Romeo and Juliet c. Hamlet d. The battle

LOOKING BACK

Let’s see the Difference!

Compare spirituality to religion by using Venn Diagram. Give at least two

differences and one similarity.

Religion Spioritu Spirituality

1. ________ 2. ___________ 1. _________ 2. _______

INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON

Religion Around the World!
What a place of origins has got to do with religions? Or what a religion
has got to do with a place of its origins? Is the place where particular religions began

Q1-W2 WORLD RELIGION 3

really matters? Would it be possible and better if all of them founded in just one place?
We cannot separate geography, culture and religion for they are all highly connected
with each other.

How is it happen?

Lesson: Interconnectedness of geography, culture and religion

I. World religions connection with geography

Sometimes, a religion becomes so deeply connected into the culture of a
country that separating the culture from the faith is impossible. Such as Hinduism
to India. In fact, Hindu, means India. The culture of India is Hindu just as culture
of Italy and Ireland are Catholic, America and England are Protestant and culture
of Saudi Arabia is Muslim.
Let’s see some of the most evident interconnectedness of geography, culture
and religion. These are countries which cannot really exist without their religion.
1. India can’t exist without Hinduism
Throughout the centuries, Hinduism has been the most important
influence on the culture of India. For example, the caste system determines the way
of life of most Hindus, including what occupations they enter.
2. Western culture can’t spread without Christianity
A well-known author and political commentator Dinesh D’Souza asked in
his book, “What’s so Great about America,” Where did the Western belief in
progress come from? He answered, from Christianity. He even emphasized that
both capitalism and democracy as Western idea were came from Christianity.
3. Middle East can’t prosper without Islam
With the notable exception of Israel, the whole of the Middle Eastern region
is predominantly Muslim. Religious values still greatly dictate social life. There is a
strong emphasis on family and hospitality, and women tend to take a back seat to
men in all matters other than the domestic.

4. Chinese can’t be established - Most Chinese have devotion to their three

religions namely Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Some have said that for
mysticism (experiencing the divine realm directly) they go to Taoism, for morals to
Confucianism and for after-death needs to Buddhism.

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a. without Confucianism
According to BBC journalist Andrew Marr, ‘It is impossible to understand
modern China without understanding Confucius.’ Ben Chu, an economics editor of
Independent and a Chinese observed, ‘Like Christianity in the West, Confucian
values in China cover a wide spectrum, ranging from daily literal devotion to the
equivalent of an annual trip to church on Christmas Eve to sing carols.’
b. without Taoism
An integral part of the Chinese way of life. Werner Eichhorn insightfully
gives the Taoism influence to Chinese culture, ‘The peaceful of the temples, the
architecture with consummate artistry, fitted into the Chinese landscape, and the
quiet struggle for purification and union with nature by meditation will never lose
their attraction for the true Chinese mind.
5. Southeast Asia can’t connect without Buddhism
It is an Asian religion. It originated in India, is dominant in its traditional
forms in Ski Lanka and much of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and
Cambodia) and has taken on various forms in many other Asian countries, most
notably Tibet, Korea, China and Japan. Today it is also adopted by Westerners, in
its most traditional form.
6. Japan can’t continue without Shintoism
The word Japan means “origin of the sun” or “land of the rising sun.” This idea
that the Japanese people are connected to the sun goes back to the myth at the
center of Shinto. Religiously, Japan rejected Buddhism (at least formally) and
endorsed Shinto as its state religion. Japanese were required to enroll at Shinto
shrines and school textbooks taught the divine origin of the emperor’s family and
the uniquely divine character of the Japanese people.
7. Israel can’t be known without Judaism
Unlike other major religions, Judaism is the religion of only one people –
the Jews. Simultaneous with their conception as a nation is the establishment of
their religion. From the call of Abraham from Ur up to the time of Jesus Christ and
the present time. In all their regular festival activities, ceremonies and domestic
duties we can evidently see the role of their religion as prescribed in their sacred
writings.

II. Some Areas of Influence of religion to culture

1. Calendar- Following the Gregorian calendar with the influence of Christianity

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which divided time according to the birth of their Savior Jesus Christ. The world
has followed different Christian festivals throughout the year like Christmas and
the Holy week culminated with Easter celebration.
2. Literature – Most of the classic literature has religious influence implying
Christian teachings like Dante’s Inferno in ‘The Divine Comedy’ and Satan in the
‘Paradise Lost’ by John Milton.
3. Arts - All types of arts from architectural building designs of St. Peter’s Basilica
in Rome, ‘The Rock of Dome’ in Mecca up to the Sculpture of ‘Last Supper’ by Da
Vinci we will see the religious influences in the area of arts.
4. Knowledge – The importance of individual freedom with free speech propagated
by Western ideas which has roots from Christianity have penetrated the minds of
the people to explore their capability for inventions and development.
5. Language – English as the most highly used all over the world was propagated
by the West through the influence of Christian religion.
6. Beliefs – The concept of ‘Karma’ which was originally a Buddhist idea associated
with reincarnation but now has been reinterpreted and adopted even by some
Christian denominations.

What’s More?

Activity 1: Look the right spot!

Draw a world map and put a particular religion to its right geographical
connections. Make sure you can locate all the given religions – Christianity, Islam,
Judaism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Taosim.

Rubrics Score
Completeness 5
of the answer points

Presentation 5
of the map points

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Guide Questions;

1. Among the religions which you have placed in the map which is hardest to locate?
And the easiest one? Why?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. Do you agree that a nation should only have one official religion? Explain.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

What It Gives?

Activity 2- Big Benefits!

Place all the five major influences inside the letter B below. Put in the small
size all of which you think have given lesser and in the big area which have bigger
benefits in the society.

Jjgg Smaller Benefits ex. knowledge

1. ______ 2. _______ 3. _______

4. ______ 5. _________

Bigger Benefits

1. __________ 2. ___________ 3. __________

4. __________ 5. ___________

General Explanation: ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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Activity 3 When Religions Applied!
Complete the table by enumerating some of the benefits that your religion have
given you in your daily life.
Areas of Influence Situation in your life
Ex. Studies When I learn to be honest during exam.
1.

2.

CHECKING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

What I CAN Do?

A. Give the areas of culture being mentioned in the following word or phrase. Then
write the religion which associated with it.

Descriptions Areas of Culture Religion

The concept of ‘Karma’ 1. 9.
The popularity of English 2. 10.
The ‘Rock of Dome’ design located in Mecca 3. 11.
The ‘Inferno’ by Dante in Divine Comedy 4. 12.
The ‘Union with the nature’ 5. 13.
The divine origins of the emperor 6. 14.
The concept of democracy and capitalism 7. 15.
The regular festivals and holidays like Christmas 8. 16.

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 ENRICHMENT

Congratulations! You are almost done becoming an enlightened person. Kindly

answer the following questions based in your own personal understanding.

1. As student, how can you prove that your religion has really helped you?
_____________________________________________________________________________

2. In what area of your life that you feel must be improved as a person who believed in
the benefit of relationship with God?

3. Geographically Philippines is the only catholic country in Asia, why do you think
that majority of the Filipino remain catholic inspite of this situation?

Referrences:

Mga Sanggunian:
King, Jenny, “World’s Religions,” Worldlink Books. Phillipines.2002
Corduan, Winfried. “Guide to World Religions,” Intervarsity Press.USA.2006
Mcdermott, Gerald R. “World Religion- An indispensible Introduction, Thomas Nelson.USA.2011
Gaer, Joseph. “What the Great Religions Believe,”A Signet Book.USA1963
Fernando, Ajith.”Sharing the Truth in Love,”Discovery House.Philippines.2001
Gellman, Marc; Hartman Thomas, “Religion for Dummies,” Wiley Publishing, USA. 2002
Goldwag, Arthur. “Isms and Ologies,” Madison Park Press. USA.2007
Decker, Ed and Carlson, Ron. “Fast Facts on False Teachings,” CGM. Philippines.1994

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