Religion Basics

Religion Basics

What is religion?

An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods?

What is the purpose of religion?

According to Richard Swinburne's article, Faith and Reason, found on Oxford Scholarship Online...

"The purposes of the practice of a religion are to achieve the goals of salvation for oneself and others, and (if there is a God) to render due worship and obedience to God. Different religions have different understandings of salvation and God. "

Open Ended

What do you think the purpose of religion is?

Beliefs

• Religions are made up of many different beliefs

• Belief: a feeling of being sure that someone or something exists or that something is true

• Beliefs can be similar or different across many religions

Types of Religion

• Monotheistic: believe there is only one god

• Polytheistic: believe there is more than one god

• Atheistic: lack belief or have a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods

Open Ended

What would be a key belief for monotheistic religions?

When describing a religion in class...

• We should use academic language

• When describing the being that different religions worship, we will use the following term

• Deity: a god or goddess

Prophets

• Many religions believe that certain humans act as messengers for a deity

• These messengers are called prophets

• Prophet: someone who declares publicly a message that he or she believes has come from God or a god

Review Questions

These questions will not be graded for accuracy, but rather completion. You must complete ALL questions for full credit. You must respond in the time allotted. If you are having technical difficulties, report this to your teacher right away.

Multiple Choice

What is the belief that there is only one god?

• Monotheism

• Polytheism

• Atheism

• Deity

Multiple Choice

What is the belief that there is more than one god?

• Monotheism

• Polytheism

• Atheism

• Deity

Multiple Choice

What is a god or a goddess?

• Belief

• Prophet

• Deity

• Religion

Multiple Choice

What is a feeling of being sure that someone or something exists or that something is true?

• Belief

• Prophet

• Deity

• Religion

Multiple Choice

What is a lack belief or have a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods?

• Monotheism

• Polytheism

• Atheism

• Deity

Multiple Choice

What is someone who declares publicly a message that he or she believes has come from God or a god

• Belief

• Prophet

• Deity

• Religion

Multiple Choice

What is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods?

• Religion

• Monotheism

• Deity

• Prophet

Poll

How confident do you feel in using the terms we've gone over today?

• Not at all

• Not very

• A little

• Very confident