“ WE HUMAN CAN TOLERATE SUFFERING BUT WE CANNOT TOLERATE

MEANINGLESSNESS”
-DESMOND MPILO TUTU

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. IS BEING RELIGIOUS ENOUGH FOR A PERSON TO SUSTAIN A HEALTHY SPIRITUAL
LIFE?
2. IS RELIGION A BLESSING OR A CURSE FOR HUMANITY?
LESSON 1: DEFINING RELIGION

Topics
1. What is religion?
2. Common characteristics of religious Worldviews
3. The study of religion
4. Religion and spirituality
5. The major world religions
LESSON 2: RELIGION: BLESSING OR CURSE?

1. Lights and shadows

2. When religion becomes a curse
3. When religion is a blessing
CONTENTS Chapter 1: PILGRIMAGE TO SACRED SPACES: AN
OVERVIEW
• LESSON 1:Defining Religion
what is religion?
common characteristics of religious
worldviews
the study of religion
religion and spirituality
the major world religions
• LESSON 2: Religion: Blessing or Curse
Lights and Shadows
when Religion becomes a curse?
when religion is a blessing?
CHAPTER 2: INDIAN RELIGIONS CHAPTER 3 : EAST ASIAN RELIGIONS
• LESSON 3: Hindu Dharma • LESSON 5: Daoism
origins of Hindu dharma origins
geographical setting sacred texts
origins creed
sacred texts code
creed cult
code community
cult • LESSON 6: Confucianism
community origins
• LESSON 4: Buddhism sacred texts
origins creed
sacred texts code
creed cult
code community
cult
community
CHAPTER 4: MIDDLE EASTERN RELIGIONS
• LESSON 8: Judaism • LESSON 10: Islam
origins origins
sacred texts sacred texts
creed creed
code code
cult cult
community community
• LESSON 9: Christianity
origins
sacred texts
creed
code
cult
community