WORLD RELIGIONS

Geographers study religion because

the Earth is impacted Earth is impacted by people and their by people and their

religionsreligions.

World ReligionsWorld Religions

This study will present information about some

of the most popular world religions , but will not attempt to convince or persuade any one to accept the teachings of

any religion.

World ReligionsWorld Religions

Today, there are more than 10,000 distinct religions, of which 150 have one million or more followers.

There are over 33,830 Christian denominations or identifiable bodies of believers.

(World Christian Encyclopedia by David B. Barrett, 2001.)

We will focus on the following religions:

Hinduism (4000B.C.) Judaism (2500B.C.)Buddhism (500 B.C.)Christianity (4 A.D.) Islam (622 A.D.)Confusianism (550 B.C.)Doaism (440 A.D.)

Adherents:Adherents: Those who

practice or follow a religion.

Religion Adherents % Pop.

Hinduism 900,812,000 13.4%

Judaism 17,822,000 0.3%

Buddhism 360,939,000 6.0%

Confuscianism 5,254,000 0.1%

Daoism 20,000,000 0.35%

Christianity (All) 2,833,022,000 33.4%

World World ReligionsReligions

IN THE LAST 50 YEARS YEARS:

Muslims have increased 235%Christians have increased 47%Hinduism has increased 117%Buddhism has increased by 63%

Islam is the 2nd largest religion in France, Great Britain and the U.S.

HINDUISM4000 B.C.

Lord Vishnu

… is one of the most complex and oldest religions in the world.

… has no single founder unlike most major religions.

Hinduism …Hinduism …

… has many sacred texts, instead of just one. The Veda, one of the oldest, is a collection of 4 sacred writings.

… developed and changed over 3,500 years.

Hinduism …Hinduism …

Basic Beliefs of Hinduism

•Caste System: Ranked society into occupational classes.Brahmins—priests

Kshatriyas—soldiers and warriors Vaishyas—merchants, skilled

traders, farmers, laborers Sudra—unskilled laborers Untouchables—poor, discriminated

against; NOT part of system

• Beliefs based on the concept that human and animal spirits reincarnate, or come back to live many times in different forms.

• Belief that souls move up and down the class hierarchy depending on one’s karma (or the sum of their life’s actions, good and bad)

Hinduism and Buddhism were two

very important religions that

developed in ancient India. They both influenced Indian

civilization.

Different gods are forms of an all-powerful spiritual force.

The goal of life is to become one with this force or to reach Nirvana (the escape from cycle of reincarnation).

To a Hindu...To a Hindu...

An An IndianIndian

image ofimage ofBuddhaBuddha

He was born about 566 B.C.

After studying and reflecting, he believed that he had found the cure for human suffering.

Siddhartha Guatama or Buddha founded Buddhism.

individuals must free themselves from

desires. One should live a moral life One should avoid evil words and actions.

Buddha taught that...Buddha taught that...

• Buddha attracted many Buddha attracted many followers.followers.

•After his death, After his death, missionaries spread his missionaries spread his teachings across many teachings across many parts of Asia.parts of Asia.•Although Buddhism took Although Buddhism took root in other parts of root in other parts of Asia, it slowly declined in Asia, it slowly declined in India.India.

REVIEW:

1. Which religion is Which religion is stillstill

widely practiced in widely practiced in India today?India today?

2. What four beliefs What four beliefs do do Hinduism and Hinduism and

Buddhism Buddhism share?share?

2500 B.C.JUDAISM

The belief in or worship of more than one god.

The belief in the existence of only one

god.

MONOTHEISM:

POLYTHEISM:

The Hebrews recorded their laws in a sacred scrolls called the Torah.

According to the Torah, God made a covenant, or binding agreement, with Abraham to be the God of theHebrews.

Later, the Egyptian pharaoh made the Hebrews into slaves. Moses helped the Hebrews to escape.

The Hebrews were one of the groups that lived in the Fertile Crescent.

Torah ark, showing scrolls with embroidered cases and Torah crowns.

Finally, they set up the kingdom of Israel with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Israelites believed that God had promised them this land. Later, the kingdom split apart and both sections were conquered.

In time, Hebrew beliefs evolved into the religion we know as Judaism.

The Hebrews wandered in the desert for 40 years.

Judaism was Judaism was monotheisticmonotheistic, , teaching a belief in one God. teaching a belief in one God. The Hebrews also believed The Hebrews also believed that God had chosen them that God had chosen them as his people.as his people.

The laws of Judaism are The laws of Judaism are called the called the Ten Ten CommandmentsCommandments. They . They describe how people should describe how people should behave toward God and behave toward God and toward each othertoward each other..

The Hebrews also believed that God had chosen them as his people.

Moses receives the Ten Commandments. This is an illustrationin the 12th Century Winchester Bible.

Review:

1. What were two lessons taught by the prophets?

2. What were three beliefs of Judaism?

However, Jewish reformers called Zealots wanted independence. When the Jews revolted, the Romans drove them out of their homeland. During this time, a new religion emerged. Its founder was a Jew named Jesus and he was born around 4 B.C. He called himself the son of God.

Generally, ancient Rome allowed its citizens to worship as they pleased.

Jesus among his followers.

•He believed in the Jewish idea of one God and accepted the Ten Commandments.

•He preached new ideas and claimed that he was “Christ,” the promised savior who would save humankind from its sins.

•Many Jews and Romans worried that Jesus was dangerous and he was arrested by the Romans.

Jesus said that he was the messiah, or savior sent by God.

Jesus was tried and executed Roman- style:nailed to a cross and left to die.

After Jesus died, his followers spread his teachings. They became the first Christians. At first, Rome persecuted the Christians. Still, Christianity continued to spread. Many people found comfort in the belief that Jesus redeemed them from sin and offered them the possibility of a better life after death. Jesus had welcomed all people, including the poor and the troubled.

In A.D. 313, the emperor of Rome, Constantine, ended the persecution of Christians.

Eighty years later, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire.

GROWTHGROWTHOFOF

CHRISTIANITYCHRISTIANITY

Christianitygradually spread

throughout the

Roman empire.Apostles

carried the teachings

of Jesusacross the

region.

REVIEW:

1. What messages did Jesus preach?

2. In which year did Christianity

become the official religion of the Roman empire?

According to the Koran, the sacred text of the Muslims, Allah (God) sent his angel Gabriel with a command to Muhammad to spread the message of Islam. Muhammad spent the rest of his life spreading the word of Islam.

In 622 A.D., a new religion called Islam arose in Arabia.

Soon thousands of people adopted Islam. People who practice Islam are called Muslims. Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe in one god, Allah. Allah is compassionate and all-powerful.

Five Pillars of Islam

AlmsgivingHajj (Pilgrimage)Prayer five times a dayRamadanRecitation of Creed

Muslims must pray every day and are expected to fast, or go without food, from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan.

Islam teaches that people are responsible for the way they behave.

Daily prayers arerequired of Muslims.They must kneel on clean ground, so they use a pray cloth or rug. Men and women do not pray together.

Muslims are supposed tohelp the poor and visit the holy city of Mecca. If Muslims follow Islamic teachings, they will have eternal happiness after death.

Muslims believe that the Qu’ran contains the word of God,so it is the final authority in all matters. It also provides a complete guide to life.

The sacred book of Islam is the Quran (sometimes spelled Koran).

Over time, Muslims developed a system of law, called the Sharia. The laws teach people how to behave in family life, business, and other aspects of the community.

In this way, Islam is both a religion and a way of life. The Qu’ran, the Sharia, and the Arabic language helped unite all Muslims.

All

All Muslims accept five basic duties called the Five Pillars of Islam.

Review:

1. What do the Quran and the Sharia teach?

2. Name three duties of Islam.

Riseof

Confuscianism

•A code of conduct to live by•A philosophy of life to live

by rather than a religion (no church, clergy, gods or life after death.

Confuscianism

Confuscianism

The Five RelationshipsHusband and wifeParent and childElder and younger brotherRuler and subjectFriend to friend.

Key Concepts:• Filial Piety—the greatest of

virtues• Respect and obedience

given to parents• Li—polite behavior expected

of all

Rise of

Daoism

•Lao-Tse, the founder •Means “The Way”•Symbol: Yin and Yang

represent “balance” between all things in nature.

Religion has been the comforter of mankind throughout the ages, from the cavemen to the present day. It helps people put orderinto chaos and for many, it helpsexplain what happens after death. Most religions preachpeace, yet religion has been the cause of many wars.