Introduction to World Religion and Beliefs System Q3 Module 3-4

This Learning Material is prepared for you to have a better

understanding of the topic. You will surely enjoy using this learning
material because it is self-directed and self-paced.

OBJECTIVES

Now that you know that you will be learning, let’s take a little time to know what is
expected from you. As a learner, you are expected to:
- Analyze the influences of religion to culture and society;
- Understand the influences of religion to culture and society;
- Explain the social scientific approach to the study of religion;
- Recall the history of Judaism;
- Discuss the core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related
issues;
- Study the significance of Judaism.

LESSON 1 – Influences of Religion to Culture and Society

Activity 1
Direction: Using the mind map below, list down all your ideas related to influences of religion to culture and
society. (Figure 1 & 2)

Similar to social institutions such as family and education, religion pervades many
aspects of our everyday lives. Many of us were born in a particular religion such as
Christianity or Islam and so participating in religious activities or believing in a particular

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view of God may have become unquestioned habits. That religion has become part of one’s identity renders
it not just as sacred character but personal too. In any case, in
what follows, we shall look into the following key elements of religion: worldview, spiritual world, sacredness,
community, central stories, rituals, ethical codes, and artistic expressions.

Religion contains a worldview. A worldview refers to a set of beliefs that is both coherent and
comprehensive. First, religion consists of beliefs. Beliefs generally refer to assertions, claims, or thoughts
about things that are held to be true. Beliefs are strictly speaking, mental states that advance claims or
knowledge about the world, and are expressible in the form of statements (or propositions). Second, a set
of beliefs forms a system when these beliefs are coherent; and they are coherent when they are consistently
interrelated, being interrelated, the beliefs in a system influence or affect one another. Lastly, a belief system
is comprehensive when it accounts for a wide range of phenomena (or events in the world) or when it deals
with a wide range of human concerns. Religion believes or assumes that there is a spiritual world or a
transcendent reality. As such, the spiritual world refers to what is sometimes also called transcendental world
or supernatural world. The sacred is contrasted with the ordinary, secular, or profane. While ordinary things
can be used as mere instruments to satisfy human interest, sacred things are treated with respect or
reverence. Some of these ethical codes are revealed by a God to chosen messenger; while some are
realized through a heightened form of spiritual activity like meditation. The community of believers usually
involves an organization consisting of a hierarchy of authorities. Religions have sacred writings, which
contain their main teachings or doctrines, central stories, ethical codes, and prophecies. Sacred writings
are divinely inspired. Religions have rituals, which include ceremonies that re-enact sacred stories. And
various activities, such as songs and dances that express praise or thanksgiving to God, gods, or a revered
teacher or prophet.

For our purposes, we shall examine certain approaches to the study of religions that are based on
certain academic disciplines. Some of these approaches focus on how to understand the beliefs and practices
of particular religions, while some have more general concerns such as how religion relates to the nature of
society, culture, human evolution, mind, and human behavior. The etymological meaning of the word
theology-based on its Greek origin namely theo, which means “God and logos which means “discourse” or
“study.”- “study of God”. Theology, however, is not just God, for it also studies in a systematic way the main
doctrines of a particular religion.

Religious Studies and Comparative Religion, Furthermore, if theology studies a particular

religion always from the inside, religious studies study different religions mostly from the outside.
Comparative religion refers to a branch of religious studies that is concerned with the systematic comparison
of the doctrines and practices of two or more particular religions.

Philosophy of religion deals with philosophical issues in religion. Philosophy of religion tries to
settle issues in religion solely by means of the human power of reasoning. This means, among others, that
the philosophy of religion justifies claims by the strength and coherence of arguments. Psychology, in general,
is defined as the study of “psychological and biological processes and behavior in humans and other animals”
(Encyclopedia Britanica 2013). Psychology of religion is the application of the different psychological
theories and methods to explain religious phenomena, which include the belief in God, religious experiences
and behaviors, and spirituality. In brief, it is the study of religious phenomena in so far as they may be
understood psychologically (Merkur 2005, 65). Sociology “studies human societies, their interactions, and
the processes that preserve and change them. It does this by examining the dynamics of the constituent
parts of societies such as institutions, communities, populations, and gender, racial, or age groups”
(Encyclopedia Britanica 2013).

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 Williams James (1842-1910) focused on the psychological process that occurs in a religious
conversion, when non-religious person becomes religious (Merkur 2005, 172).

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was the founder of psychoanalysis, which generally claims that our
behaviors are largely controlled by our unconscious mind which contains our repressed sexual and violent
desires.

Carl Jung (1875-1961) was the founder of analytic psychology, the name given to Jung’s
psychological-therapeutic system which divides the unconscious mind into the personal and the collective.

Sociology of religion, on other hand, studies religious beliefs, practices, and organizations using
theories and methods of the discipline of sociology. The word “anthropology” means science of human beings
or humanity. Sociologist are primarily interested in examining the effects of religion on society. Influential
sociological theories of religion came from Karl Marx (1818-1893), Emile Durkheim (1858-1978), and Max
Weber (1864-19-20). One of the significant sociological findings of Max Weber was the significant
contribution of that the Calvinist religious ideas had on the development of the economic system of capitalism.
While for Marx religion is a creation of capitalism, for Weber it is the other way round—capitalism is largely
due to religion, more specifically, the Calvinist religion. Accordingly, Calvinists believed in predestination, the
view that God has already decided on who will enter heaven or not.

Anthropology has two major fields: physical anthropology, which studies the “origin, evolution,
and diversity of people,” and cultural anthropology, which studies “culture in all of its aspects and uses
the methods, concepts, and data of archaeology, ethnography and ethnology, folklore, and linguistics in its
descriptions and analyses of the diverse peoples of the world” (Encyclopedia Britanica 2013).

Edward Burnett Tylor (1832-1917), in his work Primitive Culture (1871), claimed that the
essence of religion or the minimum defining property of religion, is the belief in Spiritual Beings,” which he
called animism.

Cultural influence on religion. Two powerful cultural factors that work against spirituality in
Western Societies today are materialism and individualism, especially in combination. I have written about
their influence on health elsewhere. In promoting the importance in life of money and possessions,
materialism is a cultural antagonist of the spiritual, hindering or distorting its expression. Historically,
individualism was concerned with freeing the individual from social regulation, including by the church. But,
as sociologist have noted, it is two-edged sword: the freedom we now have is both exhilarating and
disturbing, bringing with it both new opportunities for personal experience and growth and the anxiety of
social dislocation. The hazards of individualism are growing as it become increasingly associated with the
belief that we are independent of others.

Morality is an important dimension of religious belief and practice. Values provide the framework for
deciding what is important, true, right and good, and so have a central role in defining relationships and
meanings. Consistent with what is known about well-being and with Durkheim’s ideas about social
integration, most societies have tended to reinforce values that emphasize social responsibility and self-
restraint and discourage those that promote self-indulgence and antisocial behavior. Virtues are concerned
with building and maintaining strong personal relationships and social affiliations, and the strength to endure
adversity. Vices are about the unrestrained satisfaction of individual desires, or the capitulation to human
weaknesses. Individualism and materialism reverse these universal virtues and vices, thus weakening one of
the core social functions of religion, one which is central to health and wellbeing.

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 Activity 2
Direction: Fill in the K and W columns before the lesson. Fill in the L column after the lesson.

LESSON 2 - Judaism

Activity 3

Direction: Arrange the 10 commandments by King James Version (KJV) chronologically by numbering from
1-10. Use separate sheet of paper for your answer.

_______ Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image
_______ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy
_______ Thou shall not kill
_______ Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s house and wife
_______ Thou shall not steal
_______ Thou shall not commit adultery
_______ Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor
_______ Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
_______ I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage
_______ Honour thy father and mother

A. Historical Background
Judaism traces its origin as an organized during the Bronze Age in West Asia and world
oldest religion and monotheistic religion that developed among the ancient Hebrews. Judaism
is that the complex phenomenon of a complete way of life for the Jewish people, comprising
theology, law, and innumerable cultural.

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Jews/Jewish people- known as the “People of the Book” and referred as ‘Child of Israel. They consider
themselves as the people chosen by God to serve as an exemplar of devotion in purity to humankind.
They were groups of Semites called Hebrews. Non-Jews, on the other hand, are called Gentiles in the
Hebrew Bible.
Hebrews- refers to those who accepted Yahweh as their God
Abraham – his original name is Abram, born in the City of Ur. This name means “Father of Multitude” known
to be the “Father of Faith” and “Father of All Nation”. His two sons Isaac and Ishmael and his story
can be read in Genesis 11-25. He was 99 years old when God appeared to him. The covenant made
by Yahweh to Abraham is sealed with the rite circumcision. Any male individual who submits himself
to the rite of circumcision becomes a member of the covenant community.
Promised Land- also called as Canaan, Israel, Palestine, Land of Jesus. This name was due to the belief
that God gave a promise to Abraham about a land flowing with milk and honey (Gen. 15:18)
Israelites/Israelites Jews - refers to the people whom the Hebrew Bible describes specifically as the
direct descendants of any of the sons of the patriarch Jacob (later called Israel) and his descendants
as a people are also collectively called "Israel".
Sarah- her original name is Sarai. It means “princess” or noble woman”. He bore a child after they have
entered a covenant with God. He is wife of Abraham.
Isaac- son of Sarah and Abraham. The heir to God’s Covenant and the ancestor of the Jewish people. Later
married to Rebecca and had a twin sons (Jacob and Esau)
Jacob- His name was changed to “Israel” which suggests “the one who wrestled with God”. The name Israel
symbolizes the profound relationship of God together with his people. His family was forced to settle
in Egypt because of famine. Among four different women, Jacob fathered twelve sons and one
daughter. His twelve sons become the twelve tribes of Israel.
Twelve Tribes
Reuben Gad
Simeon Asher
Levi Naphtali
Judah Joseph
Zebelun Benjamin
Issachar Dan
Joseph- he was the favorite child of Jacob. Sold by his jealous brother to the Egyptian Merchant. He has
the ability to see and interpret visions which he earned his place in court as a Vizier.
Moses – he is the son of Jochebed, a woman from a Levi tribe. His mother put him in a basket and sent
him down to the Nile river because there is a decree coming from the Pharaoh that all male child will
be put to death because of the growing number of the Israelites. Bithia, pharaoh’s daughter found
and rescued him. He has a good life in the hands of the Princess. He was called as “The Liberator”.
On Mount Horeb, God revealed himself to Moses in a burning bush and commanded him to save the
Israelites from Egyptian slavery.
Ramses- the Egyptian pharaoh refuse to release the Israelites so they suffer the “Ten Plagues”. One of it is
the first-born male child will die, sons of Israelites will be saved if they marked their door with a blood
of lamb killed as a sacrifice. In that fated night, lamb must be cooked and eaten with bitter herbs and
unleavened bread- this is known as the Passover- an important Jewish Festival
Exodus- the exit of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses (they cross the Red Sea) it became a part of
Jewish history that manifested Yahweh’s intervention to deliver his chosen people.

B. Books/Sacred Writings
The Jewish people have been called the “people of the Book” in reference to the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh
or Mikra) that has been the authority, guide, and inspiration of the many forms of Judaism that have evolved

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throughout the different periods of time and in various places Parrinder (1971). They had produced several
books and sacred writings and they are as follows.

Tanakh – the Hebrew Bible, constituting the entire canon of divinely revealed scripture in Judaism. Hebrew
bible (Old Testament) for Christians it contains 24 collection of books with 3 parts the following are:
Torah/Pentateuch (teaching or law), Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (writings)also called Written
Torah

1.Torah/Pentateuch - The term Torah means “teachings and instructions.” composed the first “Five Books”
of the Pentateuch traditionally believed to have been authored by Moses through divine instruction
in Sinai. It could mean as the whole body of Jewish laws or teachings. It narrates the history, religious
statues, and moral regulations for individuals and society, ceremonial rites and creation stories by
Yahweh, and the origin and growth of mankind.

Five Books are the following:

◘ Genesis (Origin) ◘ Leviticus ◘ Deutronomy
◘ Exodus ◘ Numbers

2. Prophets/Nevi’im - is one who was called by God to communicate His word to the King and to the
people. (One important Jewish belief- belief in the words of the prophets) and served as spokesperson
who criticize the hypocritical practices of Jewish rituals.

Prophets
Joshua Samuel Isaiah Ezekiel
Judges Kings Jeremiah
Minor Prophets
Hosea Zephaniah Haggai
Amos Zechariah Malachi
Jonah Joel Micah
Nahum Obadiah Habakkuk

3. Ketuvim/Writings - contains works of poetry, temple ritual, private prayer, philosophical explorations,
and other canonical works the following are:
Psalm Ruth Daniel
Proverbs Lamentations Ezra-Nehemiah
Job Ecclesiastes Chronicles
Song of Songs Esther

Talmud (Oral Torah) - it means “study”. It contains all the studies and interpretations done by Jewish
rabbis or teachers of Torah. It is an authoritative collection of rabbinic interpretations of the sacred
scriptures. It contains materials of law and moral codes. The Talmud contains the Mishnah and
another text known as the Gemara.
a. Mishnah- compilation of oral law or a resentment of the law by respected opinion. (Compilation
of Talmud)
b. Gemara - it examines the legal and ethical commentaries on the Mishnah

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Midrash- examines the nonliteral meanings of the Tanakh. They are mostly stories that relay to words,
themes, or stories in the Tanakh, which aim to make these words, themes, or stories more clear and
related to a person’s life.

C. Beliefs and Doctrines

In Judaism, actions are more significant than beliefs. However, while Judaism has no dogma, there
is definitely a place for belief within the religion since it focuses on the worship to one God, the practice of
good deeds, and the love of learning.
For the Jews, there is one everlasting god who created the universe in its entirety and remains to be
the master of it. Human Beings were created by God, provided them the capacity to decide what is right and
wrong, and gave them the freedom and responsibility for their own actions. Humans have the ability to
restrain their evil intentions because of their propensities for both good and evil.
For Jews, all human beings created equal. God can communicate with humans through revelations,
humans also communicate to him by means of prayer and meditations.

Articles and Faith

It was proposed by the eminent medieval Jewish philosopher Moshe ben Maimon (also known as
Rambam or Moses Maimonies) during the latter part of 12 century C.E as an appendix to his commentary in
Mishnah. According to him, it is the minimum requirements of Jewish belief as listed in his Thirteen Principles
of Faith.

Jewish Principles of Faith

1. God exist.
2. God is one and unique.
3. God is incorporeal
4. God is eternal.
5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
7. Moses prophecies are true, and Moses was the best of the prophets.
8. The Written Torah and therefore the Oral Torah got to Moses.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
11. God will reward the great and punish the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

The Ten Commandments

Set of absolute laws given by God to Moses at the biblical Mount Sinai that shall govern the life of
every Israelite. Most scholars consider this period as the official beginning of Judaism as an organized and
structured belief system. These laws are twice mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Exodus (20:2-
17) and Deuteronomy (5:6-21). Inscribed on two stone tablets, these commandments present God’s
complete and enduring standard for morality. It includes instructions to venerate only one God, to honor
one’s parents, and to observe Sabbath as holy day.

D. Worships and Observances

Sabbath (Shabbat)
The most important day in the Jewish calendar because it commemorates God’s completion of the
creation of the universe and his rest day toil.

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It begins a few minutes before sunset on Friday and runs until an hour after sunset on Saturday. At Friday
sundown, Sabbath candles are lighted and Kiddush (‘sanctification”) is recited over wine or grape juice.

The Days of the AWE

Tishri- is the seventh month in the ecclesiastical years of the Jewish calendar. * The first ten days
of Tishri are called the “Days of AWE” where the first two days comprise the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and
the tenth day as the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). All Jews must undergo self-reflection and make amends
for all the sins they have committed.

Rosh Hashanah is also a day of judgement wherein God assesses one’s deeds and
decides what lies ahead of him or her following year. These deeds are recorded in the “Book of Life” and
sealed on Yom Kippur. Work is not permitted during the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah
marks the starts of the ten day penitence leading to the Yom Kippur and is distinguished from other days by
blowing a ram’s horn trumpet (shofar) in the synagogue and eating apples dipped in honey which is symbolic
for a sweet new year.

Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar that brings the period of repentance
to its conclusion. The eve of the day is called Kol Nidrei (all vows) which are the opening words of a prayer.
The words and music of the Kol Nidrei is said to be the most powerful single item in Jewish Liturgy. A day of
fasting and praying for absolution of one’s sins, it provides every Jew an opportunity for both personal and
communal repentance. One must refrain from eating and drinking, even water. Symbolizing purity, it is
customary for the Jews to wear white during holiday. An entire day is spent in the synagogue while reciting
prayers.

Pilgrimage Festivals
During the golden days, the Torah commanded the ancient Israelites to go to Jerusalem on the three
pilgrimage festivals and participate in the worship at the Temple also called as Shalosh Regalim, these are
Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). These festivals spiritualize
human life and merge nature and history during a divine pattern.

Pesach- It is the eight-day festival that originally marked the beginning of the barley harvest. Its principal
purpose is to commemorate and recreate the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. A festive meal is celebrated
wherein the story of Exodus is narrated by the heads of the family to the children.

Shavuot – It is a two-day festival that was originally a celebration of the wheat harvest. It commemorates
the revelation of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.

Sukkot – It is the nine-day festival commemorating the autumn harvest and the forty years of Israelites
stay in the desert wilderness subsisting solely on the bounty of God.

Other Important Days

1. Hanukkah (Festival of Lights or Feast of Dedication)- is a celebration to commemorate the victory
of Jewish fighters against Seleucid Empire in 165 BCE.
2. Purim (Feast of Esther)- celebrates the deliverance of the Jews during the Persian Empire specifically
from the vizier Haman who wanted to annihilate all Persian Jews as recorded in the Book of Esther.

Halakha - set of rules and practices that govern their everyday living. “the path that one walks”. These are
Jewish religious laws derived from the “Oral Torah” and “Written Torah” including 613 rules (mitzvot in

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Hebrew) which include the ten commandments written on two stone tablets. Jewish laws contain directions
on how to revere God and treat other people and animals.
It instructs Jew what to do as they wake up in the morning, what foods to eat, what clothes to wear, who
to marry, and how to observe Sabbath and holy days. When properly observed, Halakha increases one’s
spirituality as even mundane acts becomes essential to his/her existence.
Synagogue - Jewish temples or worship, instruction, and community fellowship that contains separate
rooms designed for specific activities such as praying and studying. In Orthodox Judaism, men and women
sit separately at the synagogue; Reform Judaism, they sit altogether in temples.
“Ark of the Covenant” – an ark inside a temple is generally placed during a manner that when people face
the ark, they're facing the direction of Jerusalem.

Temple- David conquered Jerusalem around 1003 BCE, and made it his capital. Bringing with him the “Ark
of the Covenant”, David intended to build a temple to become the first and fixed place to worship for the
Jews. However, God told David that it would be one of his sons who will have the privilege of accomplishing
this task.
The Hebrew Bible acknowledged Solomon, David’s son as builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem
around 1000 BCE which was also known as “Solomon’s Temple”. Within temple, the most important room
was the “Holy Holies” where the “Ark of the Covenant” was kept. The ark contained the tablets of the Ten
Commandments and the Pentateuch.
The first temple became the focus of Jewish worship for 400 years until Nebuchadnezzar II and
Babylonians completely destroyed the structure in 587 BCE. Allegedly located in Temple Mount or Mount
Zion, the remains of the First Temple has never been found and the “Ark of the Covenant” has continuously
been shrouded in the mystery.
In 353 BCE, the Jews began to rebuild their temple under the Persian King Darius who ratified their
effort. The Second Temple was completed in 349 BCE that was substantially altered under Herod around 20
BCE and destroyed by Romans in 70 CE. Presently this is the famous “Western Wall” (Wailing Wall or Kotel)
that has been a popular site of prayer and pilgrimage for the Jews throughout many centuries.
For Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, a Third Temple will be established before the coming of the
Messiah. Prophesized in the Book of Ezekiel, it will be known as “Ezekiel’s Temple” that will become a lasting
structure and serve as permanent abode of the God of Israel. The concept of Messiah (anointed one) in
Judaism pertains to a great political human leader descended from David who shall accomplish prearranged
things in the coming future, such as bringing the Jews to Israel, rebuilding new temples in Jerusalem and
establishing law as the law of the land.

E. Subdivisions
Orthodox Judaism
Is the most traditional of modern Judaism that adheres to the authority of the entire Torah as given
to Moses by God at Mount Sinai. The Torah is the sole authority that must be strictly followed until the
present time. It rejects all other Jewish movements as undesirable deviations from the original Jewish
religion.

Reform Judaism
Liberal or progressive Judaism it is considered the most liberal expression of Judaism that subjects
religious laws and customs to human judgment. It developed due to internal changes in Judaism as well as
other factors operating within the society. This domination sought to adhere to the original teachings of
Judaism while allowing some changes in their traditions. For example: services were permitted to be
conducted in mixed Hebrew and English, no longer conducted solely in the Hebrew language. Women were

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also accorded equality in terms of sitting together with men in synagogues and allowing them to become
rabbis unlike other denominations.

Conservative Judaism
Seek to conserve the traditional elements of Judaism while at the same time allows for modernization
that is less radical than Reform Judaism.
Gradual change in law and practice is allowed only if such occurrence is in harmony with Jewish tradition. It
falls halfway between the two major denominations.
Reconstructionist Judaism- Reconstructionist dates back to 1922 when Mordecai Kaplan founded the Society
for the Advancement of Judaism. This sect believes that Judaism is a religious civilization that’s constantly
evolving.

Hasidism or Hasidic Judaism

Emerged in Germany during the 12th century and it was largely a spiritual movement that gives prime
importance to asceticism (relating to or having a strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure)
and experience as a result of love and humility before God. During the 18th century, modern Hasidic
movements were started in Poland by Baal Shem Toy (Master of the Good Name) as a reaction to the
excessive legalistic nature of Judaism during that time.

Kabbalah
Is another mystical form of Judaism that attempts to penetrate deeper into God’s essence itself. They
believe that God moves in mysterious ways, they also hold that genuine knowledge and understanding of
that inner process is achievable.
Zorah (Splendor or Radiance)- important commentary on the Torah that underpinned kabbalah that first
appeared in Spain in the 13th century.

F. Selected Issues
Women in Judaism
Women’s role in the Jewish religion is determined by the Tanakh, the “Oral
Torah,” and Jewish customs. Mishnah instructs that women must follow nearly all the negative
commandments except trimming the beard and viewing a dead body. Women must also follow all positive
commandments not structured by time but are exempted from those that are restricted by time.
Women from laws they find difficult or impossible to perform given their traditional domestic roles,
such as giving birth, taking care of the family, and accomplishing household chores. In addition, women have
the right to be consulted on matters concerning marriage. Judaism offers tremendous respect to roles given
to women as wives and mothers. Even Jewishness or the question of Jewish self-identification is passed
down through the mother.

Orthodox Judaism, there exist different roles for men and women in their religious lives. For example, it
is sufficient for any woman to understand the practical nature of the Torah, but she is traditionally excused
from furthering her education beyond that knowledge. However, provision for education for Jewish women
has progressed rapidly in the past century. One interesting phenomenon in Judaism is the concept of agunot
or married women who wish to divorce their husbands but whose husbands decline to do so. In Orthodox
Judaism, only the husbands are given this privilege.

Conservative Judaism has acted upon several areas that enable women to actively participate in Jewish
rituals thereby minimizing legal disparity between men and women.

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Reform Judaism affirms that men and women should be equal in terms of performing their duties within
the Jewish community. Prayer books have been revised in order to avoid words and pronouns that appear
male in character. Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs must be placed side by side whenever they are mentioned
in prayer books. While men and women generally sit separately in most synagogues, Reform Judaism has
allowed women to sit together with men.

Jewish Diaspora and Zionist Movement

In the 16th and 17th centuries, there had been calls to persuade the Jews to return to Palestine.
During the late 18th century, the Haskalah (“Jewish Enlightenment”) movement promoted Jewish
assimilation to Western secular culture (Parrinder 1971). In the early 19th century, the idea of Jewish
returning to Palestine was kept alive by Christian millenarians or believers of divine intervention that will
ultimately bring a new world order.
At the end of the nineteenth century, the Hungarian journalist and political activist Theodor Herzl
founded the Zionist movement that advocated the return of Jews to Eretz Yisrael or “Land of Israel.” The
word zion, also a Jewish synonym for Jerusalem, derived from the name of a mountain where Solomon’s
Temple in Jerusalem was located. Originally secular in nature, supporters of this movement are called
Zionists.
The Zionists believed that Jews as the chosen people of God will be reunited from dispersion or exile
back to their rightful homeland. The dispersion of Jewish communities outside Israel that have continually
occurred since ancient Judaism 63 history is called diaspora. Eventually, Zionist activities in the US became
influential in garnering American congressional and presidential support that led to the creation of the state
of Israel in 1948. Since that time of establishment, the Zionist movement has come to promote the
development and protection of Israel.

Holocaust
The term Holocaust is of Greek origin that means “sacrifice by fire.” In history, Holocaust pertains to
the methodical, bureaucratic, and state sponsored persecution and execution of around six million Jews
undertaken by the Nazi regime and its collaborators from 1933 to 1945. For the Hitler-led Nazis, the Germans
were racially superior and considered themselves as the master race as compared to the Jews who were
seen as inferior people. Hitler’s police chief, Heinrich Himmler, also believed in Aryan superiority leading to
the enslavement and extermination of “non-Aryans” and the inferior race (Perry 1988). He was one of the
German officials directly responsible for the holocaust. The Nazis also targeted Jewish children for
extermination to create a biologically pure Aryan society.
The killing of Jewish children aimed to prevent the emergence of a new generation of European Jews.
As a result, about one and a half million children were murdered all across Europe.

Anti-Semitism
The term anti-Semitism pertains to hostility towards and discrimination against the Jewish people
that was strongly felt in France, Germany, Poland, and Russia in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The term was popularized in Germany around 1870s. The most common manifestations of anti-Semitism
were the many violent riots or pogroms undertaken against the Jews. The planned extermination of the
entire Jewish race during the time of the holocaust was the most extreme form of anti-Semitism. Other forms
of anti-Semitic activities include the persecution and massacre of Jews throughout history.
More than a thousand synagogues were burned and over seven thousand Jewish businesses were destroyed
or damaged. The event was known as Kristallnacht or “Night of Broken Glass,” referring to the shards of
broken glass that littered the streets.

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 Activity 4

Directions: Connect the letters to reveal some of the books/sacred text of Judaism. The first one is done
for you. Use separate sheet of paper for your answer.

References
Printed Materials
Mabaquiao Jr. N. M. Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems Phoenix Publishing House, pp 6-40.
Sampa E. M. (2017) Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Science REX Book Store, First Edition p. 2
Mirriam Webster Dictionary (1828) Encyclopedia Britanica (2013)
Ong, Jerome A. et.al (2016). Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems, 1253 Gregorio Araneta
Avenue, Quezon City, Vibal Group, Inc. pp.46-64
Jr. Mabaquiao, Napoleon M.PhD, (2016). Introduction to World Religion and Belief Systems, 927 Phoenix
Bldg, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila Phoenix Publishing House (Pandayon Series). pp 44-73

Electronic/Website
Effect of Religious Practice on Society. Retrieved September 29, 2020 from
https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/186/10/culture-spirituality-religion-andhealth-looking-big-picture
http://marripedia.org/effects_of_religious_practice_on_society
Encyclopædia Britannica . January 23, 2020. Judaism. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Judaism
Bible Hub. King James Bible (2012). Exodus 20: 2. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from
https://biblehub.com/kjv/exodus/20.html
A&E Television Networks. January 5, 2018. Judaism. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from
https://www.history.com/topics/religion/judaism

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 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education - Region III
Division of San Jose City
TONDOD HIGH SCHOOL - SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
SY 2021-2022

UNIFIED LEARNING ASSESSMENT TEST

Introduction to the World Religion Belief System
Quarter 3 Week 3-4
I. Written Works
Direction: Choose the letter that corresponds to your answer from the statements below. Write your
answers on other sheet of paper.

1. Based on its etymology, this word means “the study of God.”

A. Theology B. Religious Studies C. Comparative Religion
2. These studies different religions of the world usually “from the outside.”
A. Comparative Religion B. Theology C. Religious Studies
3. This is a branch of religious studies that systematically compares the doctrines and practices of the
different world religions.
A. Theology B. Religious Studies C. Comparative Religion
4. These deals with issues like whether the existence of God can be adequately proven and whether the
existence of evil can be adequately demonstrated to be compatible with the goodness and power of God.
A. Psychology of Religion B. Sociology of Religion C. Philosophy of Religion
5. Religion contains___________________, which refers to a set of beliefs that is both coherent and
comprehensive.
A. a worldview B. a philosophy C. an ideology
6. Religion regards certain things as _______________, which are contrasted with ordinary or secular things.
A. practical B. useful C. sacred
7. He is the founder of psychoanalysis who saw religion as a childish illusion that serves as a mechanism for
people to deal with their helplessness and anxiety.
A. William James B. Carl Jung C. Sigmund Freud
8. He saw religion, particularly the Protestant Church of Calvinism, as the one that created capitalism.
A. Karl Marx B. Max Weber C. Emile Durkheim
9. He saw the essence of religion, or the minimum defining property of religion, as “the belief in Spiritual
Beings,” which he called animism.
A. Karl Marx B. Edward Burnett Tylor C. Emile Durkheim
10.He was the founder of analytic psychology who saw religion as a way of making persons whole.
A. Sigmund Freud B. William James C. Carl Jung
11.Conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong.
A. Morality B. Values C. Behavior
12. A doctrine that the interests of the individual are ought to be ethically paramount.
A. Individualism B. Materialism C. Idealism
13. A doctrine that the only or the highest values or objectives lie in material well-being and in the furtherance
of material progress.
A. Individualism B. Materialism C. Idealism
14.. Immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society.
A. Behavior B. Vices C. Moral
15.Behavior showing high moral standards.
A. Virtue B. Value C. Vice
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16. What do you called Hebrew that they believed in one God?
A. Capitalism B. Imperialism C. Monotheism D. Polytheism
17. Who saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and received the 10 Commandments?
A. Abraham B. Isaac C. Jacob D. Moses
18. Who is the Father of Multitude” Known to be the “Father of Faith” and “Father of All Nation”?
A. Abraham B. Isaac C. Jacob D. Moses
19. What do you call the laws given by God to Moses at the biblical Mount Sinai?
A. Beliefs and Doctrines C. Sacred Writings
B. Articles and Faith D. The Ten Commandments
20. What change of events led to the building of the Second Temple?
A. Nebuchadezzar realized the need to reconstruct Judah
B. Solomon conveyed the Ark of the Covenant from its tent.
C. The Jews drove Antiochus and the Greeks from Jerusalem
D. The Persians captured Babylon and let the Jews go home
21. Which holiday represents the Jewish New Year?
A. Hanukah B. Passover C. Rosh Hashanah D. Shavuot
22. What is the seventh month in the ecclesiastical years of the Jewish calendar?
A. Pesach B. Shavuot C. Sukkot D. Tishri
23. Which movement would be least likely to accommodate aspects of modern secular life?
A. Conservative Judaism C. Reform Judaism
B. Orthodox Judaism D. Reconstructionism
24. Which of the following is NOT a preparation on the day preceding Yom Kippur?
A. additional prayers C. giving charity
B. asking for forgiveness D. fasting
25. Which of the following is the mystical form of Judaism that attempts to penetrate deeper into God’s
essence itself and believe that God moves in mysterious ways?
A. Halakha B. Kabbalah C. Shavuot D. Synagogue
26. Which of the following does not belong to the group in the twelve tribe of Israel?
A. Asher B. Ezekiel C. Levi D. Simeon
27. The following are Pilgrimage of Festivals, which of the following is a festival that Celebrates and
commemorates the revelation of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai?
A. Pesach B. Shavuot C. Sukkot D. none of the above
28. Which of the following is an example of philosophers that are found in the book of Nevi’im?
A. Jeremiah B. Joel C. Obadiah D. Zechariah
29. Which of the following is a set of rules and practices that govern their everyday living “the path that one
walks”?
A. Halakha B. Kabbalah C. Shavuot D. Synagogue
30. Why do Jews consider the Western Wall in Jerusalem a sacred place?
A. It was built by King Solomon
B. It was part of the Second Temple
C. It was where many Jews died in rebellion against Rome
D. It was constructed with the stones that held the Ten Commandments

II. PERFORMANCE TASK

Direction: Answer the following questions:
1. Is the belief in God necessary in a religion? Is it possible to have a religion even without the belief in
God? Explain your answer.
2. What do you think is the common influences of religion to culture and society?

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 3. What do you think is the relationship between culture and society? Explain?
4. How do the basic tenets of Judaism underpin the importance of actions for the Jewish people?
5. Outline the importance of the synagogue to the Jewish community.
6. Explain how keeping the 10 commandments might affect the way Jews live their daily lives?
7. All Jews should believe the same things and practice the same traditions. Do you agree? Give reasons
to support your answer and show that you simply have considered different points of view?
8. How is Jewish history reflected in the observances and holidays of Judaism?

Scoring Rubric

Prepared by:

PRINCESS MELANIE J. SOMERA

Subject Teacher

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I. 1. A
2. C
3. C
4. C
5. A
6. C
7. C
8. a
9. b
10. c
11. a
12. a
13. b
14. b
15. a
16. C
17. D
18. A
19. D
20. D
21. C
22. D
23. C
24. C
25. B
26. B
27. B
28. A
29. A
30. D

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