Geography of Religion

Religion in All Cultures

Key culture trait

Binds many societies together

Gives meaning to people’s lives

Religion and Geography

Religions differ from place to place

Religions produce cultural traits that can be mapped

Religions can greatly affect the cultural landscape; EX: religious buildings and sacred locations marked where certain types of behavior are required

Religion and Geography

Religion is an important part of many people’s identity and connection to a certain place

Religion can have more indirect effects on the landscapeEx: Christian tradition of burying the

dead requires use of some land for cemeteries.

Religion and Geography

Religious differences are a key component of many conflicts around the worldEx: Conflicts between Hindus and

Muslims in India; Catholics and Protestant in North Ireland

Ex: Conflicts between Jews and Muslims in Palestine

Religion

Provides a rhythm to daily lifeShapes distinctive cultural patternsRemains important around the world, though it

has declined in some areas (many people have become secular: non-religious) (Europe); many have become secular as the development of modern technologies and science have caused some to question the beliefs of traditional religion.

Religions are either

Monotheistic: believe in worship of one supreme god or deity

Polytheistic: believe in worship of many gods or deitiesMono: means one/Poly: means many

Theism: means belief in the existence of god

Three Main Types of Religion

1. Ethnic Religions- focus on one ethnic group and generally have not spread into other cultures; shaped by old beliefs, legends, and customs; followers tend not to seek to convert people to their beliefs; practice their religion as part of their ethnic heritage (Hinduism, Confucianism)

Three Main Types of Religion

2. Animist Religions- people believe in the presence of the spirits and forces of nature; polytheism- belief in many gods; essential part of most of these religions; often considered ethnic religions because particular peoples practice them; common in many traditional societies and likely were practiced before more modern types of religions became common

Three Main Types of Religion

3. Universalizing Religions- seek followers all over the world; hope to appeal to people of many different cultures; more than half the world’s people follow these religions (Christianity and Islam- are both universalizing); may have missionaries- people who help spread the religion; ultimate goal is to spread their beliefs to the entire world; most rapidly growing religions

How do Universalizing and Ethnic Religions Differ?

Universalizing Appeal to people

everywhereIndividual founder

(prophet)Message diffused

widely (missionaries)

Followers distributed widely.

Holidays based on events in founder’s life.

EthnicHas meaning in

particular place only.Unknown source.Content focused on

place and landscape of origin.

Followers highly clustered.

Holidays based on local climate and agricultural practice.

Religion vs. Belief System

A religion is based on one’s worship of a particular god or set of gods.

A belief system is a set of ideas that one accepts and lives by but is not based on worship of a god or a set of gods.

World ReligionsWorld Religions

HinduismSacred Text: The Vedas, Bhagavad

GitaSacred Sites: the Ganges River, the

city of VaranasSacred Creature: the CowSpecial Days: Festival of Holi (Spring),

Diwali (Festival of Lights- Autumn)

Images of Hinduism

World Belief SystemWorld Belief System

BuddhismSacred Text: the pali CanonSacred Site: BodhgayaSacred Objects: Statues of the Buddha

Special Days: Buddha Day (Full Moon of May)

Images of Buddhism

World ReligionsWorld Religions

JudaismSacred Text: the TorahSacred Site: JerusalemSacred Symbol: Star of DavidSpecial Days: Passover (Spring),

Rosh Ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur (Late Autumn or Winter, Hannakuh (December)

Images of Judaism

World ReligionsWorld Religions

Christianity Sacred Text: the Bible Sacred Sites: Bethlehem, Jerusalem Sacred Symbol: the cross Special Days: Christmas (December 25th, or January

6th), Easter (Spring)

Images of Christianity

World Belief SystemWorld Belief System

ConfucianismSacred Text: The AnalectsSacred Symbol: Yin-yangSacred Site: Confucian TempleSpecial Day: Teacher’s Day

(August/September)

Images of Confucianism

World ReligionsWorld Religions

IslamSacred Text: The Qur’anSacred Objects: The Qur’an/Prayer

RugsSacred Sites: Mecca, Medina,

JerusalemSpecial Days: Fast of Ramadan (Entire

1st month of the Islamic Year), Eid Al-Fitr (end of Ramadan), Eid Al-Adha (at the end of the hajj

Images of Islam