World Religions

Essential Information

Distribution of Major World Religions

Essential Questions

•What is “religion”

•“commitment or devotion to an organized

system of beliefs, ceremonies and

practices”

•What is the PURPOSE of religion?

–Help people seek answers to enduring

questions

WHY?....

• ……fill in your own blanks

Things to keep in mind before beginning a

comprehensive review of World Religons:

• Psychologists deny that there

is a “religious” instinct

• Social environment

• Upbringing/conditioning

• Search for value/meaning in

life

• (both intellectual and

emotional)

• Religion is linked to

morality

• Morals vary from society

to society

• “learning about” and

“practicing” are two

different things…Practice

what you will, but you are

expected to “learn” about

them all

When did man first exhibit

“religious feelings?”

• Dreams & Visions

• Fears, Magic,

superstition….”the

little voice of right

and wrong”

• Burying the dead

with care and/or

ceremony

Physical Geography

• Natural barriers will delay the spread of some religions/ideas/ traditions

The Sky figured prominently in early

religions

―The Sun‖ was central to many

early religions

•Source of light, heat,

“life”

•Symbols of the sun

associated with

power/royalty

•Knowledge of the heavens

(astronomy) meant some

scholars could let rulers

know when solar events

would occur

The Moon and its phases did too…

• Early man paid attention to the sky

and to nature

• The “celestial bodies” and forces of

nature were mysteries

• Powerful

• Predictable (at least the sun, moon,

and seasons)

• “Awesome” to

contemplate…therefore:

Astronomy was

part of many

early religions

The sun and moon were

constant…nature changed

• Everything has a spirit

• Nature offered many “gods” and

“goddesses” for early man to worship and

respect

• Modern people refer to these non-organized

religious practices as “Pagan” religions

What is “Paganism?”

• Earth/nature based religion traced to Neolithic times through Middle Ages

• Earliest civilizations in Sumer, Greece and Rome would be classified as “pagan” religions

• Druids and “goddess” or “Mother Earth” worshippers

• “polytheistic” by definition….• http://library.thinkquest.org/28111/

Working Vocabulary for Our Study

• Theology:

• Ecclesiastical:

• Secular:

• Doctrine:

• Rituals:

• Deity:

• Denomination:

• Sect:

• Agnostic:

• Atheist:

• The study of religions

• Related to the church or clergy

• Related to worldly things

• Beliefs of a religion

• Ceremonial rites of a religion

• Any kind of god or goddess

• Subset of an organized religion• Implies the group broke away from a religion

• Believes humans can not know whether God exists

• Does not believe God exists at all

Belief in “gods” versus “GOD”

• POLYTHEISM

– The belief in many

gods

– Many ancient religions

were “polytheistic”

– Many tribal societies

worship nature gods

• MONOTHEISM

– The belief in only ONE

god

– Hebrews (Jews) were

the first monotheistic

group in ancient times

– Christians were next

– Muslims were next

This is a breakdown of the most popular religions

worldwide, based on the estimated number of adherents for

that religion (or non-religion).

1)Christians - 2,116,909,552

2) Muslims - 1,282,780,149

3) Hindus - 856,690,863

4) Buddhists - 381,610,979

5) Sikhs - 25,139,912

6) Jews - 14,826,102

And...

a) Others - 814,146,396

b) Non-Religious - 801,898,746

c) Atheists - 152,128,701

The source for this data is the CIA Factbook from 2005

Hinduism: Images and Symbols

1 2.

3. 4.

5.

1. ―Om‖ 2. ―Bindi‖

3. “Lotus” 4. ―Swastika‖

5. “Trishula”

Hinduism

• I. Oldest ―living‖ religion

A. Origins 4,000 years ago in earliest cities

of India

– No single founder/shaped by thousands of

years of different peoples and cultures

– A way of life

– ―polytheistic‖ BUT ―Brahman‖ is 1

spiritual force represented through many

gods

Hinduism

B. Basic Beliefs:

• Reincarnation- rebirth of the soul into another form

based on behavior of present life

• Karma- actions of life that will affect fate in the next life

• Dharma-religious and moral duties

• Caste System-rigid social ranking

• 3 Major Gods- BRAHMA (the Creator)

VISHNU (the Preserver)

SHIVA (the Destroyer)

In the basic Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu

and Shiva, the Hindu god Vishnu is the

preserver and protector of creation.

(Vishnu is the embodiment of mercy and

goodness and represents the omnipresent power

that preserves the universe and maintains the

cosmic order)

Hinduism

C. Sacred Texts: VEDAS and Upanishads contain the

central Hindu teachings

Bhagavad-Gita has ethical ideas central to Hinduism

D. Customs:

– Ahisma: (nonviolence) all living things are aspects of brahman and deserve respect

– Caste system: rigid social ranking, outlawed but still “there”

– Ganges River: sacred river, “River= Soul”

– Cow: sacred animal

Hinduism

• E. Spread/Influence:

– Mostly India and a few other Asian

nations

– Influenced Buddhism (founder was Hindu

prince)

– Symbols part of popular culture

Symbols and Images of Buddhism1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shindharmanet.com/images/wheel.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.shindharmanet.com/shinbasics/etiquette.htm&h=490&w=439&sz=10&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=lZhwOZwHCvpyXM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsymbols%2BBuddhism%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DSUNA,SUNA:2006-43,SUNA:en%26sa%3DX

• The Dharma Wheel (wheel of life) has eight

spokes, signifying each of the steps in the

Eightfold path.

II. Buddhism

A. Origins : Siddharta Gautama “the

enlightened one” (Buddha) founded it in India

– did not stay in India, moved to China, Tibet, Korea

B. Basic Beliefs:

– Life is a cycle of death and rebirth

– NIRVANA: state of bliss/escape from cycle of

rebirth

– Religion does NOT stress the belief in a supreme

being or in powerful gods

– *personal enlightenment is the goal and it comes

from WITHIN each person

Buddhism

C. Sacred Texts: Tripitaka is the Buddhist holy

book with the core beliefs of the Buddha….

*Four Noble Truths*

1. ―All living holds suffering‖

2. ―Suffering is related to/caused by

GREED‖

3. ―Suffering ends when GREED stops‖

4. ―Stop Greed by living a proper life‖

One lives a proper life by following the 8 fold

path……

• Right views

• Right aspirations

• Right speech

• Right conduct

• Right livelihood

• Right effort

• Right mindfulness

• Right contemplation

• “Understand the 4

noble truths” and

“commit to he 8 fold

path”

• “Live a moral life,

avoid evil words and

actions”

• “Meditate to achieve

enlightenment”

Buddhism

D. Customs:

– No formal places of worship

– Individual religion

– More “open” and accepting of all humans

regardless of social position

– *equal opportunity religion* because it is really a

quest for “self-understanding”

E. Influence/Spread of Buddhism:

China, Tibet, Korea and Japan

Images and symbols of:Judaism

Judaism

III. Judaism

A.Origins: Hebrews were first people to worship a

single, all powerful god

– Judaism began 4,000 years ago

– Founder was Abraham around 1300 BC

B. Basic Beliefs:

• Monotheism

• Covenant: promise between God and Hebrews that

God would love and protect Hebrews if they obeyed

his laws

• LAWFULNESS: God established moral laws and

agrees to be fair to those who obey them

III. Judaism

• History: idea that God is changing the world

and leading humanity to a better life

• Sabbath: special day of rest and prayer

– Jews observe it from dusk on Friday

through Saturday

• C. Sacred Text: Torah

– A group of ancient writings called the Old

Testament that tells the story

http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/363_Transp/Orthodoxy/Orthodoxy.map

The Jewish world in the Eastern Hemisphere around

1500…….

Jews have been persecuted and marginalized for hundreds of

years. Many places were “Closed to Jews”…see map below

Christianity

Christianity

• Basic Beliefs

– Monotheistic faith based on Judaism

– Certain basic beliefs shared with Judaism

• Only one God

• Live after Death

• People are equal before God

• History is in Old Testament

Christianity

• Basic Beliefs Unique to Christianity

– That the prophet Jesus of Nazareth was the Son

of God

– That the birth, life, death and resurrection of

Jesus was a sacrifice for the forgiveness of

human sin

– Jesus’ message was that people should love

each other as God loves them all

Christianity

• Sacred Text: Holy Bible

– Consists of the Hebrew Old Testament

– And the New Testament (66 books and gospels)

– Controversial history of eliminating other

books from the “final draft” of the Bible

– Many councils met to codify official Christian

doctrine and eliminate alternative teachings

Christianity

• Customs:

– Sunday is the Sabbath

– Worship in Churches

– Sing, pray, and read from the Bible

– Observe holidays such as Easter and Christmas

– Catholic and Orthodox groups perform rituals

Christianity

• Spread and Influence

– After years of persecution and executions of

Christians, it becomes the official religion of

the Roman Empire and spreads through Europe

– Becomes a global religion with over a billion

people belonging to any of the many Christian

Churches

Priest—Parish Head of the church

Patriarch

All members of the clergy

could not marry

Greek

Latin -- language of the

Church

Priest can marry

Excommunicate Stopped using Icons for a

while – against the 10

commandments

Split within Christianity

Catholic

Pope

those who chose to ignore

the orders of the Church

Eastern Orthodox

Islam

Islam

Origins:

• Followers are called Muslims

• The prophet Muhammad founded it in the

holy city of Mecca (Saudi Arabia) in 610

AD

• Message of Allah (GOD) reveaaled to

Mohammad by the Angel Gabriel

Islam

Basic Beliefs:

• Monotheistic

• Accept the revelations of earlier prophets:

Abraham, Moses and Jesus

• Muhammad is the last and greatest of the

prophets

• All people are equal before God (not racist)

• All Muslims must follow the 5 pillars

Islam

•Belief in ONE true God (Allah)

•Daily Prayers 5 times

•Alms (charity) to the poor

•Fast from during the month of Ramadan

•Make a hajj (sacred visit) to Mecca

Islam

Sacred Text is the Koran (Qua’ran)

• The sound of the the Koran being called from

a tower is the first and last thing a Muslim

hears everyday of their lives

• Koran provides an outline for creating a

JUST life : worship, laws, family, behaviors,

work, business practices, economic

systems,etc

Islam

Customs:

• traditional toleration for both Jews and

Christians as “people of the book”

• Ceremony in Mecca is walking around the

Kaaba (shrine with a sacred black stone)

• No special day of rest, but Fridays all males

must attend prayers at a mosque

Islam

• Customs

– Art does not picture man or God but lots of

geometric shapes and patterns

– Religion is LIFE..no separation of religion and

government or law

• Called “Sharia” or divine law by strict Islamic states

– Dietary Restrictions: no pork , alcohol or drugs

– Life and property of all citizens in an Islamic

country are sacred whether the person is Muslim

or not

Islam

•Spread/Influence of Islam:

•Approx. 1 billion Muslims (more NON-ARAB

muslims than Arab)

•During 7th and 12th centuries Muslims had great

economic and political power as Islam spread in major

trade zones from Africa to Asia

•Linked by Arabic language, currency, and faith

•History of religious conflict with Jews and Christians

marked by cooperation and conflict

Confucianism*

Shintoism*

Shinto•Ancient (500 BC) religion unique to Japan

•Mixture of nature worship, fertility cults,

divination techniques, hero worship, and

shamanism

•Comes from Chinese words “Shin Tao” or “The

way of the Gods”

•Shinto has no real founder, no written scriptures,

no body of religious law, and only a very loosely-

organized priesthood

Shinto

•“Kami” are gods that created the Japanese Islands

•Shinto gods are not like the God of monotheistic

religions, they are related to nature/food/water

•Also are abstract and creative energies

•Believed that the imperial rulers of Japan were

descended from these gods

•Most Shinto believers are followers of

Confuciansim

“Cultural Diffusion” and religion

• Buddhism + Taoism = ZEN Buddhism

• Hinduism + Sufism = Sihkism

• Roman Catholicism + traditional African

religions (Yoruba in Nigeria)= Santeria

Review the Essentials

How has the geography of religion evolved over

the centuries, and where has it sparked wars? Our

map gives us a brief history of the world's most

well-known religions: Christianity, Islam,

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Selected

periods of inter-religious bloodshed are also

highlighted. Want to see 5,000 years of religion in

90 seconds? Ready, Set, Go!

http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html