♥ Religious Structures

            Throughout the ages and throughout the world, people have been baffled by the unknown and the mysteries of life for which they have no prepared answer. Science has provided answers to some questions but these remain certain fundamental questions unanswered, and these have became the focus of human religious activities. There are different beliefs in the world like the Totemism - worship of plants and animals and Animism – belief in spirits and souls of natural objects. In the Philippines, Aetas of Negros Oriental believe in Enkantos and even some Christian Filipinos believe on it. As time goes by, beliefs of the people changes because science provide answers to it.

♥ Religious Organization

1.      Ecclesia

•  -  It has an elaborate formal bureaucratic structure

       1.  herarchy of church officials
       2.  well-developed dogmas and ritual

•   - Emphasis is placed on the sacraments and he creed
•   - It is generally tolerant of secular affairs but it is usually intolerant of other religious groups.

  - It determines and stabilizes the social orders.

  Ex. Catholic Church in Spain

          Anglican in England

           Islam in Saudi Arabia 



 2.      Sect

•      It is usually a group that has broken away from a parent church
•      Dogmas and rituals are less develope
•      It is intolerant of secular world and other religious groups.

     Ex. Seventh day Adventists

           Jehovah’s Witnesses

           Mormons

3.      Denomination

•         Relatively stable group possessing a fairly well-developed formal organization
•         It is tolerant of secular affairs and other religious groups

       Ex. Iglesia ni Kristo

             Protestant (Methodist, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists

             Philippine Independent Church(Aglipayan)

4.      Cult 

     

•      It is usually a small size group which is very loosely organized
•      The attraction centers around a dominant or charismatic leader.
•      It’s beliefs and rites deviate from the beliefs in the society

     Ex. Rizalista 

           Animists 

           Anti-Christ