Major World Religions
Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Confucianism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Sikhism
Animism
Two Types of Religion
Monotheism – One God
Mono = single, one, or alone
Polytheism – More than one
god or gods
Poly = many or multiple
Other Viewpoints
Atheism – Disbelief or lack
of belief in the existence of
God or gods. (Not a type of
religion, but an opposing
concept.)
Secularism – The belief
that life’s questions can be
answered apart from
religion.
Major World Religions
Christianity
Dominant in Europe, Latin America, North America
Members usually worship in a church
Bible is considered the sacred text
Multiple forms of the faith
Jerusalem is the sacred city
Jesus is the Son of God
Jesus is the prophet
Abrahamic Faith
Monotheistic
Islam
5 Pillars – faith, daily prayers, giving, fasting, pilgrimage
Jerusalem is a city considered holy by Islam
Members (Muslims) worship in a Mosque
Muhammad was the prophet and founder
Mainly practiced in the Middle East
Koran (Qur’an) is the sacred text
Allah (God) is the deity
Mecca is the holy city
Abrahamic Faith
Monotheistic
Judaism
God is the deity – Tetragrammaton, YHVH, Yahweh
The Torah is the sacred text (5 books of Moses)
Jerusalem is a city considered holy by Judaism
Worship in a synagogue or temple
Jesus is not the messiah
Abrahamic Faith
Yom Kippur
Monotheistic
Buddhism
Eight fold path to reach Nirvana – An Enlightened State
Take refuge in 3 jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Meditation is used to transcend worldly desires
4 Noble Truths – Suffering, Cause, Path, End
Sacred text is the Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
Practiced mainly in south and east Asia
Born with name Siddhartha Gautama
Buddha means the Enlightened One
Sacred city is Bodh Gaya, India
Bodhi Tree
Hinduism
Thought to be the oldest of the world’s major religions
Believe in karma and dharma within the Caste System
Believe in social hierarchy under the Caste System
Holi is an annual festival signifying good over evil
Ganges River – sacred site to cleanse sins
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the deities
Believe in reincarnation (Soul is reborn)
No single founder or date of origin
The Vedas are the sacred texts
Complex philosophies
Polytheistic
Hinduism
Confucianism
Grounded in ethical behavior and good governance
Sacred symbol is Yin-Yang – harmony and balance
3 Areas of Philosophy: Social, Political, Educational
Referred to as a religion, but is truly a philosophy
Influenced social order and social hierarchy
Sacred Site – The temple of Qufu in China
Based on the teachings of Confucius
Followers view it as a way of life
Sacred Text is the Analects
Sikhism
Sacred Site is Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
Communicate with God through meditation
Influenced by Islam and Hinduism
Forbids discrimination of any kind
Sacred city is Amritsar, India
Adi Granth is the sacred text
Khanda is the sacred symbol
Guru Nanak is the founder
Mainly found in India
Monotheistic
Animism – Indigenous Religions
Inanimate objects and natural events have spirits
Close relationship with the environment
Celebrate with music and dance
Shinto in Japan is the largest
Traditions are generational
Practiced mainly in Africa
Native Americans
Oral traditions
Polytheistic