1. Functions of Religions

2. These are:
• Promoting social solidarity and social control
• Legitimation
• Social adaptation
• Consecrating life’s event
• Emotional security
• Social functions
• Latent or unintended functions

3. World’s major religions

4. World Major Religions
Religion Founder/Year
Founded
Country of
Origin
No. of followers Doctrines, Tenets, OT
teachings
1. Baha’i Mirza Husayn ‘Ali
Nuri- 1844
Baghdad 5 million Oneness of god and humanity,
equality for all universal
education
2. Buddhism Siddharta Gautama
(Buddha) 5th and 6th
century
Southern
Nepal
307 million Meditation and righteous actions
3. Confucianism Confucius 5th and 6th
century
Chin Unvertain Relationship between individuals,
their families, and society bases
on li an jen
4. Catholicism Apostle Peter Rome 980 million Gospel of Jesus Christ
5. Hinnduism 1500 BC India 648 million Vedaand Upanishads
6. Islam Prophet Mohammaed Saudi Arabia 840 million Worshipers of Alla
7.Judaism Abraham,Isaac and
Jacob
Judea 18 million Belief in a monotheistic god

5. 8.Orthodox
Eastern Church
5th century Split from
roman Catholic
Church
158 million Biblical scriptures and
tradition guided by the holy
spirit
9. Protestantism
a. Baptist
John Smith and
Roger Williams
England 31 Million Authority stems from the bible
b. Church of Christ Presbyterians Kentucky 1.6 Million Belief in New Testaments
C. Church of
England
King Henry VII Enlgand 6000 in US Supremacy of the bible
d. Episcopal Church SamuelSeabury as
1st Bishop
US 2.7 million Book of common prayers and he
bible
e. Lutheran Church Bases Ion the
writings of Martin
Luther
Delaware 8 million in US Bible teachings, salvation
through faith ethics
f. Methodist Church Rev. John Wesley US 13.5Million Follow the bible interpreted by
the traditions and reason
g. Pentecostal
Churches
Methodists and
Protestants of 1st
decade of 20th
Century
U.S 3.5 Million in
US
Same with Methodist

6. Persistence of religion
• Religious beliefs are a major integral component oh how people view themselves.
• People believe that their religion links them directly to God and other deities
• Religion permeates all aspects on one’s life. It provides rituals for life’s major
transition in life like birth, coming of age, marriage, puberty, pregnancy and death
• It teachers reward beyond one’s ability to imagine which are associated with
salvation, horrendous eternal punishments for the unsaved and the mechanism
which people become saved.

7. • It is often the source of one’s moral codes. It delineates God’s expectations
for the behavior of each believer
• It provides an understanding of the universe. It teachers what believers can
expect after death; it explains the origin of the world’s life form; the earth
itself and the rest of the universe.
• The religious community gives unquestioning belief in their owns faith
group’s teachings

8. Related Social concepts on religion
1. Folk-Catholicism
2. Split-level Christianity
3. Faith healing
4. Occult
5. Invisible or Private religion
6. Fundamentalist revival
7. Electronic Church