Answers
Chapter 16
Religion and Non-Religion
Activities (p. 418)
1
Carefully outline the differences and similarities between animism, polytheism
and monotheism.
While animism and polytheism believe in more than one god, animism has no sense
of hierarchical importance as can be seen in polytheism. Polytheism does not limit
its gods to nature. In contrast, monotheism holds that there is only one creator: God
2
What is the one main ingredient of all the religions in this book?
All belief systems and religious traditions provide answers to the questions about
the meaning of life. They give individuals their identity and provide their ethical
system by which they try to live.
3
Discuss the need for ‘spirituality’ or ‘God’ or ‘divine beings’ in human beings.
The need for a concept of the divine, spirituality a god rests in people’s need to
believe that there is something beyond the human experience that is greater than a
person. This provides people with the answers to the meaning of life.
Activities (p. 420)
1
What are the four questions in the life that religion answers for human beings?
Who am I?
Why is there a universe?
Why is there suffering?
What happens after a person dies?
2
How do the answers to these questions affect how people live their lives? Or do
they ?
They affect people at an emotional and intellectual level. A person’s relationships
and place in society can also be affected, depending on a person’s involvement in a
religious community.
Oxford Studies of Religion ISBN 9780195568011 © Oxford University Press Australia
3
Religions also provide a guide to the behaviour of people as individuals. Why do
you think people need this? How does religion help in this regard?
Religion gives people an ethical framework on which to base their decisions.
4
Religion and the functioning of community have always been linked together.
How has this developed and why?
Religion can provide social cohesion, helping a society to maintain peace. Religion
also gives identity to a society, defining those who belong to that community.
5
Create in dot form a list of the contributions of religion to social cohesion. Give
examples.
Student answers will vary, but could include:






6
means of maintaining peace
gives identity to the individuals and to the society
forms key aspects of society such as laws
styles of architecture and art
may mandate dietary requirements
may mandate dress codes
‘Religions have been principally opposed to advancements in human thinking and
cultural achievement.’ Discuss with examples.
Student answers will vary.
The key phrase for students to consider in their responses is ‘principally opposed’.
Students should be able to show examples where this is not necessarily true as well
as those that can be substantiated. Noting the range of areas that religion influences
within society is a good starting point; for example, religion is closely intertwined
with culture in areas such as dress codes, music, dietary requirements, actions, laws
of behaviour, systems of government and social welfare systems. In all these ways
religion can provide a connection between the past and the present. Religion can
underpin rites of passage, education, literature and arts, important days of
celebration as part of the yearly calendar.
Whilst these are reasons that develop and underpin culture they take a long time to
establish and are not easy to undo, therefore they can work against change,
sometimes event prevent change.
Oxford Studies of Religion ISBN 9780195568011 © Oxford University Press Australia
Sometimes religious education support changes in thinking (such as Maimonides in
Judaism and Nargajuna in Buddhism) but other times religion has condemned
learning (such as Galileo’s ideas about the solar system). Often religion has opposed
the prevailing political and economic ideas in order to support those in need. In
scientific advancement religion often acts as the brake to make people stop and
think through the ethical issues involved, such as the new possibilities of cloning,
IVF and HIV/AIDS.
7
Use the map on page 420 to explain the distribution of different religious
traditions around the world. In your response include the following factors:
immigration, historical conquests, the changing global economy, conflicts,
missionary activity, and natural and human-made disasters.
Some religions have a strong geographical association (such as Hinduism in India or
Taoism in China). The expansion of Sunni and Shi’a Islam into surrounding regions
is an example of historical conquest. Sea transport would have facilitated
immigration of Muslims into the islands of Indonesia. In Africa, large areas are noted
as Christian, tribal and Muslim. Much of the distribution of Christians would be the
result of Christian missionary work during the age of expansion and colonisation.
This would also be the case in South America. Natural and human disasters serve as
focus for major relief operations. Relief efforts are often mounted by particular
religious groups. Their influence in the region of disaster may prove to be a lasting
presence of their religion in new areas.
Activities (p. 422)
1
Why are people searching for something other than what life gives them?
Life is not providing the answers to their search for meaning. There is the sense that
there must be something more. They are looking for personal fulfilment.
2
Have psychologists replaced religious leaders? How, and why or why not?
Student responses will vary. Example: In the sense that people find traditional
means of support from religious leaders inadequate, they seek the expertise of
modern forms of psychology and psychiatry.
Oxford Studies of Religion ISBN 9780195568011 © Oxford University Press Australia
3
‘Modern scientific and medical discoveries, as well as environmental
understanding, have left people feeling that religion doesn’t have answers for
them about how to think or act.’
a
Do you think this statement is true? Why or why not?
b
Are religions more able to handle these developments than others? Does
that mean they are more relevant and therefore should be followed?
Does this mean the end of religion?
Student responses will vary.
4
People are also said to belong to be looking for closer relationships with others as
a society. How does this statement compare with what religions say thy offer?
Discuss why these two concepts may be contradictory to each other,
Student responses will vary.
5
Debate: Divide into two groups and present arguments for and against the
proposition: Traditional religions cannot meet the demands of the modern
world.’ Present to class
Student responses will vary.
Activity (p.424)
‘New Age religions are means of avoiding the problems faced by the modern age’.
Discuss using examples.
Student responses will vary.
Activity (p. 427)
1
Define the following in your own words: Agnosticism, Atheism, humanism
Student definitions should be similar to the glossary terms on page 416.
2
Explain the difference between rational and scientific humanism.
Rational humanism was the forerunner of scientific humanism. It started by
emphasising human reason. Scientific humanism builds on this position using the
advances in scientific knowledge in order to develop their thinking.
Oxford Studies of Religion ISBN 9780195568011 © Oxford University Press Australia
3
Explain how all three non-religious practices in question 1 influence the
aspirations and behaviour of individuals.
Agnosticism: Agnostics believe that living a meaningful and purposeful life can be
achieved through human reason.
Atheism: Atheists argue for self-determination, human freedom and ethical
behaviour. Atheism uses the sciences, the study of history, etc., as a means of
providing appropriate strategies for achieving human aspirations and for acting
ethically.
Humanism: Human reason enables an individual to make decisions about actions.
Investigation, reason and study influence what it means to be human and
appropriate ways to live.
Activity (p. 428)
It has been argued that a system of thought, like science and mathematics, cannot
ultimately explain itself. It needs something outside in order for it to demonstrate the
truth 9for example, science’s application in technology and medicine). If this is so, can
the universe as a system understood by human thought really explain itself? Discuss in
groups.
Group discussion to be assessed by teacher.
Activity (p.429)
Complete the table
There are a variety of different ideas that could be included in the different cells of
this table. For instance, a religious response to transcendent would be the belief in a
greater power beyond the human which has been done for you.
Oxford Studies of Religion ISBN 9780195568011 © Oxford University Press Australia