World Religions:
An Overview
Our Experiences
 What is your personal experience with other faiths?
 Have you experienced worship in a Synagogue?
Mosque? Hindu Temple? Buddhist Temple/Shrine?
 Do you have friends or acquaintances who are of another
faith?
 Have you traveled to a country with a predominantly
different religion than your own?
Religious Maps
from the Past
 Map #1: “Moral and Political Chart of the Inhabited
World “ from 1821
 “Entered according to act of Congress the 28th day of
Sept. 1821 by Wm. C. Woodbridge of the state of
Connecticut”
Religious Map
From the Past
 Map #2: An 1883 Religious Map of the world
 Divided into colors representing "Christians,
Buddhists, Hindus, Mohammedans and Pagans".
Our Religious World
Today
 Map # 3: Religions of the world, mapped by
distribution.
 Map as of 2008 survey
Religious Populations
Religion
Believer
s
% of World Population
Christianity
2.2 Billion
32%
Islam
1.6 Billion
23%
Hinduism
1 Billion
15%
Buddhism
500 Million
7%
Judaism
14 Million
0.2%
Folk or Traditional
Religions (African,
Chinese, Native
American, Australian
Aboriginal Religions)
400 Million
6%
Other Religions (Baha’I,
Jainism, Sikhism,
Shintoism, Taoism, Wicca,
Zoroastrianism, etc)
58 Million
<1%
Religious Groups
Majority or Minority?

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of the world’s people live in
countries in which their religious group makes up a
majority of the population.

Only about a quarter (27%) of all people live as religious
minorities. (This does not include subgroups, such as Shia
Muslims living in Sunni-majority countries or Catholics
living in Protestant-majority countries.)

Overwhelmingly, Hindus and Christians tend to live in
countries where they are in the majority. Fully 97% of all
Hindus live in the world’s three Hindu-majority countries
(India, Mauritius and Nepal), and nearly 9/10 Christians
(87%) are found in the world’s 157 Christian-majority
countries.
Christianity in the World
Judaism in the World
Islam in the World
Hinduism in the World
Buddhism in the World
Importance of Religion