I.

Title: THE GLOBALIZATION OF RELIGION

II. Learning objectives:
At the end of the module, the students are expected to:
 define what is religion and globalization;
 identify the different world religions;
 compare and contrast the different religions;
 explain how globalization affects religious practices and beliefs;
 analyze the relationship between religion, global conflict and global peace;
and
 evaluate the impact of religion to globalization.
III. Introduction:
Religion has played a very important role in globalization. This discusses
more on “Sociology of Religion” and “Secularization.” However, contemporary
research issues are included so that this can be used to “interrogate” a
relationship between religion and globalization. Furthermore, the relationship of
the two has that sense of “substantial interpretation”-an interpretation based on
transcendental religion and an interpretation based on the relationship between
religion and culture. This does not deal totally the study of religion as such but
only a portion about religion as engaged with globalization. The focus of the topic
was: 1) The spread of religious traditions in the new territories;2.) The New
development of and by globalization within the existing religions. The contribution
of this topic also were;1.) The degree of “cross cultural historical orientation.”2.)
Globalization as that which allows religion to transcend from its traditional
roots.3.) Globalization as emphasized more on Western Modernization which
engages diverse historical areas and culture. The Two New Frontiers of this topic
are: 1. intersection between transnational immigrants; 2) and the “world religions”
which illuminate the complex relationship of the two; between the global south
and the global north; the east and the south. 2. Still on the process of developing,
growing and significant divergence in the global-local or glocal; world religions;
multi-cultural hybrids between the combinations like glocal; religious
transnationalism; and cross cultural connections.
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IV. Content
This starts with the presentation of the “world’s religion” and then relate it with the
verified concepts of globalization.
It is a religion based on the life and teachings of
1.CHRISTIANITY Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament. It
believes that Jesus is the Son of God and the saviour
of humanity who’s coming as the Messiah (the Christ)
was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Today, Christianity is the world's largest
religion, with over 2.4 billion adherents, known as
Christians. Worldwide, the three largest branches of
Christianity are the Roman Catholic Church, the
Eastern Orthodox Church and the various
denominations of Protestantism. Throughout history, it
weathered schisms and theological disputes that have
resulted in many distinct Churches and
denominations. The Roman Catholic and Eastern
Orthodox Churches broke communion with each other
in the schism of the 11th century; Protestantism came
into existence in the Reformation of the 16th century,
splitting from the Roman Catholic Church.
It is a religion based on an ancient
2.JUDAISM monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its
foundational text (part of the larger text known as the
Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral
tradition represented by later texts such as the
Midrash and the Talmud.
it is called “ancient monotheistic” because it
expresses the oldest covenantal relationship that God
have established with the Children of Israel. It is also

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 called as an ethno religious group because it includes
those born Jewish and converts to Judaism.
The Jewish population was estimated at about
14 million, or roughly 0.2% of the total world
population (2012). About 42% of all Jews reside in
Israel and another 42% reside in North America, with
most of the remainder living in Europe, and other
minority groups spread throughout South America,
Asia, Africa, and Australia.
It is a religion based on the Qur'an, monotheistic
3. ISLAM and Abrahamic. Qur’an means the verbatim religious
text of the word of God (Allāh) taught to Muhammad. It
is the teachings and normative example (called the
sunnah, regarding the accounts of God called hadith
of Muhammad (c. 570–8 June 632 CE), Muhammad is
considered as the last prophet of God. And anyone
who is adherent of Islam is called a Muslim
(sometimes spelled "Moslem").
Islam is the second-largest religion and the
fastest-growing major religion in the world. Converts
and immigrant communities are found in almost every
part of the world. With about 1.7 billion followers or
23% of the global population. Most Muslims are of one
of two denominations: Sunni (75–90%) or Shia (10–
20%). About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the
largest Muslim-majority country, 32% in South Asia,
the largest Muslim population of any region, 20% in
the Middle East, and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sizable Muslim communities are also found in Europe,
China, Russia, and the Americas.

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 4. Hinduism It is a religion based on a “way of life” found in
India and Nepal. It is called the "oldest religion" in the
world referred to as Sanātana Dharma, "the eternal
law" or the "eternal way" beyond human origins.
This religion is a kind of fusion or synthesis of
various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse
roots and no founder. This "Hindu synthesis" started to
develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE, Template: As
before and after the Vedic times. The ritual practices
are puja (worship) and recitations, meditation, family-
oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and
occasional pilgrimages.
Hinduism is the world's third largest religion by
population, and the majority religion in India, Nepal,
Mauritius and Bali (Indonesia) with over one billion
followers.
5. THERAVADA BUDDHISM It is a Buddhism based on the teaching of Pāli
Canon. Pali, literally means "school of the elder
monks". So, these are collection of the oldest
recorded Buddhist texts, as its doctrinal core, but also
includes a rich diversity of traditions and practices
that have developed over its long history of
interactions with cultures and communities.
It is the dominant form of religion in Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and is
practiced by minority groups in Bangladesh, China,
Malaysia, Nepal, and Vietnam. In addition, the
diaspora of all of these groups as well as converts
around the world practice Theravāda Buddhism.
6.MAHAYANA BUDDHISM It is a Buddhism based on a term for
classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice.

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 Mahayana (Sanskrit for "Great Vehicle") is one of two
(or three, under some classifications) main existing
branches of Buddhism.The Buddhist tradition of
Vajrayana is sometimes classified as a part of
Mahayana Buddhism, but some scholars may
consider it as a different branch altogether.
Mahāyāna" refers to the path of the Bodhisattva
seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of all
sentient beings, also called "Bodhisattvayāna", or the
"Bodhisattva Vehicle". A bodhisattva who has
accomplished this goal is called a
samyaksaṃbuddha, or "fully enlightened Buddha".
Mahayana Buddhists teach that enlightenment can be
attained in a single lifetime, and this can be
accomplished even by a layperson. The Mahāyāna
tradition is the largest major tradition of Buddhism
existing today, with 53.2% of practitioners, compared
to 35.8% for Theravada and 5.7% for Vajrayana in
2010.
7.CONFICIANISM Confucianism, also known as Ruism, is a
system of philosophical and "ethical-sociopolitical
teachings" sometimes described as a religion.
Confucianism developed during the Spring and
Autumn Period from the teachings of the Chinese
philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE), who
considered himself a retransmitter of Zhou values.
Confucianism revolves around the pursuit of the
unity of the self and Tiān (Heaven, or the God of the
Universe.)
Rén, translated as "humaneness" or the
essence proper of a human being, is the character of

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 compassionate mind; it is the virtue endowed by
Heaven and at the same time what allows man to
achieve oneness with Heaven
8.TAOISM It is also called Daoism an spiritual,
philosophical and religious tradition of Chinese origin
that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (also
romanized as Dao). The term Tao means "way",
"path", or "principle", and can also be found in Chinese
philosophies and religions other than Taoism. In
Taoism, however, Tao denotes something that is both
the source of, and the force behind, everything that
exists.
9. SHINTOISM It is also called kami-no-michi, is an ethnic
religion of the people of Japan. It focuses on ritual
practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a
connection between present-day Japan and its ancient
past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified
in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon
Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese
writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but
rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology.
Shinto is the largest religion in Japan,
practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a
small percentage of these identify themselves as
"Shintoists" in surveys. This is because "Shinto" has
different meanings in Japan: most of the Japanese
attend Shinto shrines and beseech kami without
belonging to an institutional "Shinto" religion, and
since there are no formal rituals to become a member
of "folk Shinto", "Shinto membership" is often
estimated counting those who join organized Shinto

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 sects. Shinto has 81,000 shrines and 85,000 priests in
the country.

CONSIDERATIONS: BEYOND THE SECULARIZATION DEBATE

Religion being an inter- and cross- disciplinary science of learning was

brought about its importance in the contemporary times because it has with it the
context of philosophy, sociology, history and psychology. Each of this field has its
own organizational structure. Examples are; the (AAR) American Academy of
Religion; (ASR, 1938) Association for Sociology of Religion; (ASA, 1994)
American Sociology Association; (SSSR, 1948) Society for the Scientific Study of
Religion; (ISSR) International Society for the Sociology of Religion.

What is the dominant debate of these associations and societies? It is the

term “Secularization” in the modern world. There are about four (4) basic
questions need to be addressed; 1.) What is the scope of secularization? 2.)
What is the nature of secularization? 3.) as to what extent is the secularization
process? 4.) What parameters involved in secularization?

Grace Davie’s notion of Secularization is a “Vicarious Religion.”

Rodney Stark’s notion of Secularization is a “folk Religion,” a “popular
Religion,” a” Contemporary Spirituality,” a “Superstition.”
In Western Europe “Secularization” is understood as “Paradigmatic”- a
phenomena of religion not subject to any global patterns.
In the United States “Secularization” is understood as “a global pattern of
religiosity” not a subjective parochialism.

Actually, the modern world is a concrete manifestation of secularization.

This is because there was a radical shift from the medieval world – a world where

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the religiosity among faithful have declined and there was an occurrence of
separation between the Church and the State.

In the Medieval Times, the Western people were not ignorant of God; a
must have faith in God Phenomenon. But, today to have faith in GOD is just an
option- meaning it’s up to you to believe or not to believe. In these sense
“Secularization” can be best understood as a shift of human condition to choose
or to have a choice even the unknown.” The ideas are as follows:1.) It is a post-
secular society (Jurgen Habermas and Ratzinger 2006, European concept)-
meaning a religion that was created by the Ancient and Medieval people makes a
return in many forms to the public from where it was cast out during the modern
era. In short, it is termed as “the religious fundamentalism.” In consequence,
there is now a public “Flagging” of the confession of faith. Example: We confess
that we believe and yet we do not practice what we believe.” Like in the case of
post-Soviet Russia, 82% Russians called themselves Orthodox but only 42% of
them are believers. Of the 50% Orthodox non-believers, 42% are atheists. In
Great Britain, religious “Flagging” was expressed as “believing without
belonging.” It is an active project (Secularization in Western Societies)-meaning
religion is not a product of cultural change, economic changes and of political
changes but simply of the outcome of social action. In short, religion is no other
than “social action.” This means religion is by product of cultural roles of
traditions and culture. The conventional idea of Secularization in the traditional
religion were of two dimensions: 1. institutional dimensions of religion- 2.
individual dimensions or religion.

GLOBALIZATION: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD

Every religion has its own contribution in the account of the “global” or the
so called “Globalization.” In fact, different religion has its own different definition
peculiar to the understanding of Globalization.

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 Sociology of religion defines globalization as “the universalization of an
institution”- meaning making in the long term applicable and adoptable
universally of their religion in the human history. (PARSON’s,1977)

Roland Robertson (1977) defined Globalization as follows; i) the

compression of the world. It means the accelerated pace of contacts among
cultures, peoples and civilizations; ii) the shrinking of the world; iii) the search for
fundamentals- meaning “no matter what world religions and fundamental
churches you are;”” No matter how separated the Church and the State are,” “No
matter how many dialogues done among RELIGIONS in the industrialized and
developing countries are.” Still Religion, in all these realities and events, tends to
return to the public domain where in that return, there occurs the de-privatization
of religion, a kind of Globalization’s space-time dimension. Instead of saying
Modern Age, in globalization it is called Global Age. etc.

The spatial dimension of globalization is the DE territorialism and

reterritorialization of religion. It is called ecumenical orientation of ecumenism of
transnational religion where religion forms a new form of attachment. It reshapes
the world’s religious geography through the increase of cross-cultural contact
lifting social relations from the ORIGINAL with the possibility of reconstructing,
creating and recreating the locality.

Various Relationship between Religion and Globalization. There was the

rise of religious nationalism; the return of religion into the public lives of people;
the proliferation of international terrorism; the increase of personalized individual
religiosity.

The two interpretation of Religion and Globalization; 1. It is the spread of

religion and other religious expression across the globe. That religion is the
product of a long term process of inter-civilization or cross-cultural interaction. 2.

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It is the place of religion with the context of globalization. It is the relational
impact of globalization upon religion; The two strategies of Religion in front of
Globalization; 1.) Cultural defense- meaning even a religion rejects globalization
from its trends, events and impulse, still this religion is shaped by globalization. In
fact, religion is forced to respond to a newly found situations-the other term is
resacralization; 2.) Active engagement- meaning religions engages the events,
trends and impulse of globalization; to this result it is interconnectivity and
intertwining of religious expressions.

Therefore, religion serves as an important bridgehead between pre-

modern and modern social formations. Globalization is a historical reality which
pace and influence crystallizes the religions in the historical development.
Globalization is a consequence of modernity; it is a result of second modernity; it
is the rise of the west within the world; it is the rise of Universalists philosopher
and world religions.

TRANSNATIONAL RELIGION AND MULTIPLE GLOCALIZATIONS

There are two research agendas of religion in front of globalization:

1). Transnationalism (1990)- meaning when a group of people migrated from the
third world country is going to stay in the developing countries-the first world
countries. (Levitt and Khagram, 2007). Another meaning is, when new
immigrants does not assimilate themselves into the culture of the host countries
but simply maintained their links to their homeland. To this effect, there exists a
transnational tie, constructing, reproducing and preserving their religious culture
even if they are in the first world nations. 2) Deterritorialism of Religion- meaning
the movement of peoples including its faith across the globe. It is becoming
known of the unknown religious traditions of a particular faith. Ex. Just imagine
having a “Flores de Mayo” procession on the month of May in New York City,

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U.S.A. - this is a clear aspect of de-territorialism. Transnationalism of Religion- is
the spread and emergence and public presence of several Religions in the state.
As s critical other- a kind of people’s migration. Ex. Protestantism in the Latin
America; Islam in Europe; Islam in Scandinavian countries.
This transnationalism has blending of i) Religion Universalism and ii) Local
Particularism; 1). Religious Universalism- when immigrant communities make
their religion as central reference of their migration. So, here occurs the so called
“Religious Transnationalism”-meaning a religion going global. Ex. Rapid growth
of Christianity in global south as the most popular faith. Here, it increases the
connection of co-religionists locally and globally where their allegiance is not in
the original homeland but to their global religious community- a kind of
Transnational Transcendence of identities and boundaries.
2). Local Particularism- “Wherein a local ethnic group will maintain their values
and gain; that their said community as believers remained important for their
survival in the foreign land. Two effects of Transnationalism, in the end, to the
immigrants; 1) The person might adopt a cultural habit coming from the host
community; 2) The person might construct to the so called “Pure Religion.”
Transnational Religion- is the institutional transnationalism whereby
communities living outside the national territory of particular state maintaining
their attachments to their house churches or institutions. Ex. Orthodox
Christianity- they are in minority of the faith yet their “status quo” remained
unaltered.
The INTERPLAY and INTERFACE between religion and culture is the
Easternalization of the West or the Westernization of the East. This is a process
called Indigenization” or “Hybridization” or “Glocalization.” It is also the ability of
religion to IMMERSE and MOLD into different communities in ways that connects
it intimately with the local relations. Here, religion is BLENDING. The nature of
UNIVERSAL UNIFORMITY of religion from the different religious locality. This
what we call “Glocal Religion.” It is a "GENRE" of expression, communication
and legitimization of the different, collective and individual identities into one
locality in the Global world.

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 Private means through individuals and institutional avenues through
groups, the symbols and practice of the use of religious traditions, as a way of
recruiting membership, from the national group. In effect, it continues to form
religious community globally or without any specific geographical area. To blend
religious universalism with the local religions is what they call HYBRID of
globalization. Glocal Religion is the entire range of responses in front of
modernization and secularization.
In the religion of Christianity for example there are four concrete form of
Glocalization; 1) Indigenization- because, in effect, native people or ethnic
groups was connected to Christian faith; a sense of fusion between religion and
culture and all of them survived; 2) Vernacularization- because, in effect, the
Christian GREEK, LATIN and ARABIC Bible was vernacularized in order to have
all the access to the sacred; 3) Nationalization- because, it has consolidated one
nation to another nation with the same confession from the Eastern rite to
Western rite; 4) Transnationalism- because, it forced the people to identify with
its specific religious tradition coming from their homeland and adopt a universal
religion.

A. Portray for 20-30 minutes the different world religions.

Rubrics:
Originality - 30%
Costume - 30%
Stage Presence - 40%
100%

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 B. Interview at least 3-5 persons of different religions and summarize their
similarities and differences in terms of their involvement in globalization.
C. Write an annotated bibliography about the different world religions. Relate the
effects of globalization to each religion and each influence to one’s life.

VI. References:
Chapter 10 of textbook “Religion and Globalization “ by Victor Roudometof.
Chapter 43 of textbook “Religion and Global Conflict “ by Mark Juergensmeyer
Religion and Globalization: New Possibilities, Furthering
Challengeshttps://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/01/75121/religion-and-
globalisation-benefits-and-challenges/. Retrieved: May 23, 2017.

Source: CHED FACULTY TRAINING FOR THE TEACHING OF THE NEW GENERAL EDUCATION(GE)
CORE COURSES: SECOND GENERATION TRAINING

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