Religions of the World - an overview
What are the major religions of the world?
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism
Sikhism
Confucianism
Shinto
Questions to ask and answer to yourself
Which religious tradition do you know the
least about?
The most about? What do you know about
this religious tradition, and how do you know
it?
Do you have friends or relatives who are part
of a religious tradition other then your own?
Categorizing Religions:
- Ethnic vs. Universal
1. Ethnic: the religion of a particular
people or culture (e.g., Judaism, Shinto, Hinduism)
(tend to be localized and do not actively
seek converts)
2. Universal: a religion which sees its
message as true for all people (e.g., Christianity,
Islam, Buddhism) (have spread throughout the
world and tend to be very large in
population, have actively sought converts
from many cultures)
Categorizing Religions:
- Theistic vs. Non-theistic
3. Theistic: focus on a personal God
(mono-) or gods (poly-) (god =
supernatural "person,” spirit being)
(most common in western religions)
4. Non-theistic: Ultimate Reality or
ultimate goal of the religion does not
involve a personal god (impersonal
Ultimate Reality) (force or energy)
(found mostly in the eastern religions)
Categorizing Religions:
- Major vs. Minor
5. Major religions: Religions that are
high in population, widespread
throughout the world, the basis upon
which other religions were built and/or
otherwise highly influential
6. Minor Religions: Religions that are
limited in population, geographic locale
and/or influence
Categorizing Religions:
- Western vs. Eastern
Western: Religions
that developed west
of the Urals (e.g. in
the Near East and
Europe):
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Eastern: Religions
that developed east
of the Urals (e.g., in
India, China and
Japan)
Far East
India
– Hinduism – Shinto
– Buddhism – Confucianism
– Sikhism
–
–
Western and Eastern Religions in
Contrast:
Western/Christian
Eastern/Hindu
Time:
Linear/Singular
Cyclical/Repeating
Ultimate
Reality:
Monotheistic
(one personal god)
Poly- or non-theistic
(many gods or impersonal)
Afterlife:
Disembodied (one life then Embodied (many lives Judgment, heaven or hell) Reincarnation)
The Human
Condition:
(problem)
Solution:
(liberation)
Sin (separation from
God due to bad deeds)
avoid, eliminate, or
overcome sin (salvation)
Ignorance & Karma
(impurity of soul caused
by good and bad deeds)
elimination of ignorance
& karma (moksha)
Western and Eastern Religions in
Contrast:
Western/Christian
Eastern/Hindu
Encounter
With God:
God is heard (texts)
God is seen (images)
Mediated
through:
Prophets (messengers
Gurus (personal spiritual
of God, bring God to people)
God revealed in the world
Revelation/
through miraculous
Enlighten- historical & relational
ment:
Events (supernatural)
Relationship Dualistic
("I and Thou")
Between
Self & God:
guides, bring people to truth)
Gods revealed in nature;
abstract truths revealed to
the mind through wisdom
& philosophical ideas
Identity
("That art Thou")
Non classical religions
Primal indigenous (Animists) (Tribal)
includes shamanism and paganism. Oral canon
and lack of rigid boundaries between sacred and
secular
African Traditional based in Yoruba nation states
(West Africa)
African Diaspora Western hemisphere spread of
African tribal tradition (Vodoo in Caribbean and
South America)
Neo-Paganism; Druidism.
Hinduism
One of the world’s oldest faiths concentrated in South Asia;
Hindus; established 5,000 years ago.
Holy texts: Vedas
Center of the Faith is in Varanasi, India on the Ganges River
Caste System defines place usually based on profession;
Karma; Destiny is usually fixed; Cycle of life, death, rebirth…
Hindus may believe in one god or many gods: Brahman,
Shiva, Rama, Vishnu
Believers believe in “Reincarnation”
Buddhism
Offshoot of Hinduism; Buddhists; established 2,500 years ago
near Nepal border
Holy texts are Sutras/Vedas
Faith centered near Sarnath, India; Founded by Siddhartha
Guatama also called the Buddha
Rejected the Hindu idea of Castes
Correct way of living in order to reach Nirvana;
Karma-Destiny not fixed
Buddhists may believe in one god or many gods
Buddhist faiths- Theravada, Mahayana, Lamaism, and Zen;
Believers innovated a method of defense
Believers believe in “Reincarnation”
Sikhism1500’s – attempt to unify Hindu & Islam
NW India region of Punjab
Never cut beard or hair, wear turbans
Militant
"A Sikh is any woman or man whose faith
consists of belief in one God, the ten
Gurus, the teachings of the Guru Granth
Sahib and of the ten Gurus, who has faith
in the amrit of the tenth Guru, and who
adheres to no other religion."
--Rahit Maryada (Religion Facts)
Sikhism
Sikh at the Golden Temple of Amritsar, Punjab.
http://www.religionfacts.com/sikhism/
Belief systems in China
When did it begin? Who founded it? What were its beliefs?
Confucianism Emerges during Warring States Period (403 -221 B.C.E.) between Zhou /
Han
Trying to understand the chaos of period, Confucius concludes Mandate of Heaven was
lost due to poor behavior of the emperor and his subjects.. His plan for reestablishing
Chinese society to order emphasized the importance of harmony, order, and obedience
established through 5 basic sound relationships.
Emperor / subject: Emperor must be responsible in caring for subjects and
subjects must obey him
Father / son: Father takes care of son and son obeys father
Older brother / younger brother: Older brother cares for younger, and younger
obeys older brother
Husband / wife: Husband cares for wife, who in turn obeys him
Friend / Friend: Mutual care and obedience where equality is assumed
Superior man exhibits ren (kindness) li (sense of propriety) and xiao (filial piety, loyalty
to family)
Philosophical system based on obedience to emperor and patriarchal family structure for
social order
Confucianism
Good government dependent on moral officials (junzi) practicing benevolence,
humanity, virtue, to guide their behavior as public officials. Ignoring it meant loss of
mandate
Two elements of Dao to live a good life are
Duty to family and community applies to all persons & subordination of
personal interests to the broader needs of others
Maxim - “do not do unto others what you would not want done to you”
Organizes the societal canon of historical texts:
Book of Documents - emperors and ministers rulings and thoughts
Book of Changes - I Ching methods of predicting future
Book of Songs - poems of everyday life
Spring / Autumnal annals - practices and recordings of fertility and
harvest seasons
Rites and Rituals - Court philosophies and rituals
Shinto
“The Way of the
Gods”
Traditional religion
of Japan
Worship of nature
& ancestors
Complex set of
deities – inc.
Emperor
Judaism
Judaism: Monotheistic religion based in Covenant (agreement) with God that
he would provide for them as long as they obeyed him. (Chosen people)
Ten Commandments: rules for relationships among humans and with God
Belief as Chosen people, hence did not seek converts and limited its growth.
Influence on other major religions like Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism
makes it a significant “root religion’ Belief in coming of Messiah to restore
Jewish kingdom
Judaism
Oldest of the SW Asia Religions concentrated in Israel;
Jews; established 3,500 years ago
Holy text is the TaNaKh; Torah- first five books
Center of the faith is Jerusalem at the remains of a past
temple called the Western Wall
Star of David, Ten Commandments; Torah
God of Abraham and Moses - first of the interrelated
monotheistic faiths of SW Asia
Judaic faiths- Reform, Orthodox, and ultra Orthodox
Believers believe in a “Heaven”
Christianity
Second oldest of the SW Asia Religions concentrated in Israel;
Christians, established 2,007 years ago.
Holy text is the Bible
Center of the faith is Jerusalem at the point of Jesus’ execution and
burial- Church of the Holy Sepulcher outside the walls of ancient
Jerusalem
Cross or Crucifix
God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus; believers believe Jesus is the son
of God
For Christians, the story of the Jews is the Old Testament
Christian faiths- Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Lutheran, Armenian,
and others
Believers believe in a “Heaven”
Islam
Founded Mecca 622 CE by Muhammad
Visited by Gabriel while meditating,
decides he is last of the prophets and
true god Allah spoke to him through
Gabriel. Later insisted all other gods were
false. Followers, Muslims, people who
have submitted to will of Allah.
Alienates Mecca city leaders who fear
loss of pilgrims to Ka’aba temple site,
exile him (hijrah) in 622 to Yathrib.
Renames city Medina (city of Prophet)
Muslim community of converts called
umma. Leads converts in battle to
capture city of Mecca in 630 CE.
Destroys Ka’aba idols and proclaims it
holy structure of Allah
Five Pillars of faith are duties to
practice to show submission to will of
God
Faith: Declaration of one God Allah and
Muhammad as his messenger
Prayer: 5 times a day facing Mecca
Meuzzin calls people to prayer from
minaret tower
Alms: charity to the poor tax
Fasting: Month long Ramadan
Pilgrimage: One hadj to Ka’aba in life
Qur’an: holy book of Allah’s words
Sunna: proper living like Muhammad
Shari’a: body of law governing family
life, moral conduct, business and
community life
Spread of Islam
Where did it spread after Muhammad’s death?
Middle East, Northern Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia
How is Muslim government set up?
Caliph (successor or deputy selected by leaders of umma) rules caliphate
1st caliph was Abu-Bakr, close friend of Muhammad, followed by 3 successive
caliphs who had known the Prophet and were rightly guided by the Qur’an and
memory of Muhammad. They had conquered land from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Indus River by middle of 8th century
What factors contributed to the spread of Islam from 622 to the middle 8th
century?
Religious zeal
Well-disciplined, organized armies and tactically superior commanders
Weakness of Byzantine and Persian empires
Treatment of conquered peoples. Forbid conversions, so people retained
religions. No poll tax required and viewed Jews and Christians as monotheistic with
written codes like Muslims (people of the book)
Islam
Youngest of the SW Asia Religions concentrated in the lands of modern Saudi
Arabia and Israel; Muslims; established 1,400 years ago
Holy text is the Qu’ran or Koran
Center of the faith is Mecca at the Kaaba in the Great mosque of Mecca; also
Medina and Jerusalem are important
Clothing is very important to observant Muslims- Abaya, Sheedor, Hajib, Burqa
God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and believers believe Mohammed is the
messenger of Allah or God
For Muslims, Christians and Jews are the people of the Book; Symbol used by
some may be the use of the crescent moon and star
Islamic faiths- Sunni and Shiite (Shia) and others
Believers believe in a “Heaven”
Islamic Split
What led to a split in the caliphate?
Muhammad’s son-in-law’s death (murdered by rivals) triggers civil war leading to family
known as Umayyads taking control
What two groups emerged in this division and what were their contentions?
Sunni - Most Muslims accepted Umayyad’s rule, believing caliph should be selected by
leaders of Muslim community (umma) Sunni means “followers of Muhammad’s example”
Shi’a - believed that the caliph should be a relative of the Prophet and rejected Umayyad’s
authority.
Shi’a means “party of Ali” and they sought revenge for Ali’s death
Although united by religion the caliphate fragmented politically.
Sufi form as reaction to luxurious lives of later caliphs by pursuing life of poverty and
devotion to a spiritual path. Typical of other religious ascetics in Buddhism and Christianity
Islam / Women & Culture
Patriarchal System but women
could inherit property, divorce
husbands, and engage in business
ventures.
Example: Muhammad’s first wife
Outlawed female infanticide and
provided dowries for brides.
Qur’an and shari’a recognized
descent through male lines. Thus,
strict control of social and sexual lives
of women to ensure legitimate heirs.
Male polygamy, female monogamy
Veiling of women and women
accompanied by servants or
chaperones
Ulama (people with religiouios
knowledge) and qadis (judges) spread
Islam throughout dar al-Islam
Madrasas (formal education institutes)
help to spread values & attract scholars
Persian culture adopted in literature,
philosophy, science and arts.
Rubiyat by Omar Khayyam, Arabian
Nights passed on orally and written in
Persian language
Hindi numerals adopted (Arabic
numerals) for mathematics from India
Plato’s philosophy / Islamic teaching
Ibn Khaldun wrote history of world
Nasir al-Din model for astronomy
Animistic
Generally used in traditional societies
Often belief in the divine forces of nature
God of the Sun, Moon, Wind, etc.
Usually in remote areas of the world such as the
Amazon river Basin, Indigenous peoples of North
America, Aboriginals of Australia, and others
Sometimes also referred to as Pagans in some
cultures
Ethnic
Religions that have
strong territorial and
cultural group identification,
usually one become a member by birth or
by adoption of a complex lifestyle and
cultural identity,
not merely by a statement of faith
(Fellman, 157)
Cultural Landscape
Christian structures
Roman Catholics – cathedral is literally the
house of God, so the focal point and large
Protestant Structures
Buildings are
merely a place
to assemble
Amish & Mennonite
Islamic Mosques
Imposing, but not sanctified, a place of
gathering
Hinduism
Usually
dedicated to one
deity
Varanasi on the
Ganges River is the
holist city in
Hinduism and is over
3,000 years old. As
the sun rises each day
worshipers come to
the ghats (steps) to
perform rituals, such
as washing
themselves, drinking
the river water, and
making floating
offerings.
To die here is to be
released from the
cycle of life -- from
reincarnation and
reborn. If possible,
Hindus want to die
here, and then be
burned on one of two
funeral ghats -which are clearly
identified by the large
piles of firewood.
www.uwec.edu/.../India/India/Varanasi-ghats.htm
Baha’i
Are building
temples around the
world to emphasize
the universality of
the religion
For the N. American
India
Buddhism
Not designed
for
congregational
worship
Todaiji Temple
Nara period, constructed 745
Shintoism
Not designed
for
congregational
worship
The Nachi Shrine is a Shinto/Buddhist multiplex. Indigenous
practices of Shinto gradually incorporated imported
practices of Chinese Buddhism. The syncretic history of
Japanese religion can be seen in the evolving architecture
of sacred spaces
Can we all get along?
Which ones do you
know?
How has religion
shaped culture?
How have different
religions treated
each other?
They are (clockwise):
Pentagram (Wicca and
others)
Wheel of Dharma
(Buddhism)
Star of David (Judaism)
Omkar (Hinduism)
Chalice (Unitarian)
Ying and Yang (Daoism)
Cross (ChristianReformed)
Star and Crescent (Islam Ottoman)
Summary Questions
What did you find most interesting or
surprising?
What did you find most confusing?
What would you like to know more
about?
Why? Why? Why?