JCE Religious Education

Lesson 1: Introduction to Religion

Religion is a way of life which involves a special and close relationship between man and a supernatural power. World religions include Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Judaism, Jainism, Shintoism, and African Traditional Religion.

Religions can be classified as theistic (believing in the existence of God or gods) or non-theistic (not believing in the existence of God or gods). We can tell that a religion exists in an area by observing religious features, such as religious symbols, places of worship, people wearing religious clothing, and the behaviour of religious people.

Religion benefits a community in several ways: it helps people to help each other, and it gives people a sense of belonging.

Lesson 2: Origins of World Religions

Different religions have places of origin, which they regard as very important — these may be places where the founder was born, lived, started their ministry, preached, or was buried. Followers visit these places for spiritual enrichment, believing that being there brings them closer to their Supreme Being. Such places of origin help religious followers revive their faith; they are treated as holy places where spiritual power can be gained and sins forgiven.

People are exposed to world religions in various ways, such as reading books, interacting with people from other religions, or observing religious rituals and ceremonies being carried out.

Lesson 3: Dimensions of Religion

Just like anything that exists, a religion has qualities that make it unique and complete. These qualities are referred to as dimensions. According to Professor Ninian Smart, a religion should have seven dimensions in order to be considered a complete religion.

Dimension	What it covers
Ritual	Ceremonies, worship practices, and religious observances
Doctrinal	The core teachings and beliefs of the religion
Mythical	Sacred stories that explain the religion's origins and worldview
Ethical	The moral code and rules for living guiding followers' behaviour
Social	The community and institutions the religion is organised into
Experiential	Personal spiritual feelings and experiences of followers
Material	Physical objects such as buildings, art, and sacred texts

These dimensions each play an important role in the life of a follower: they bring the follower closer to the Supreme Being, uplift their faith, and encourage a good relationship both with the Supreme Being and with other people. The dimensions are important because they mould the life of followers, directing, guiding, and monitoring how they should live in relation to others.

Lesson 4: The Role of Religion

Religion provides personal identity through beliefs and values — expressed through dress code, naming, and values such as showing compassion, forbidding premarital sex, diet, and music. Members of different religions also reflect a social identity through the way they dress, their food, their beliefs, and their practices.

Religion is connected to social, economic, and political concerns, playing both positive and negative roles in these areas.

Positive roles of religion include offering love, caring for the sick and poor, providing spiritual counselling to the broken-hearted, and providing health and educational facilities such as schools and hospitals, as well as running orphanages and hospices.

Negative roles of religion can include encouraging polygamy, and discouraging followers from taking health precautions such as visiting hospitals, taking health drugs, or using condoms. Such negative roles can contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV.