Key Issue 2 Variations in Distribution of Religions

Key Issue #2 Variations in Distribution of Religions (1) Several major geographical differences btwn Universalizing & Ethnic religions. Locations WHERE the religions originated Processes by which they DIFFUSED from their place of origin to other regions Types of PLACES that are considered holy & calendar dates Attitudes toward modifying the physical

Origin of religions • Origin of Universalizing religions have precise places of origins based on events in the life of a specific person • Origin of Ethnic religions (Hindu religion) unknown/unclear origins, not tied to any 1 historical individual

Origin of Christianity • Founded on teachings of Jesus • WHERE: – Born in Bethlehem (4 CE) – Crucified in Jerusalem (30 CE) • Resurrection provided people with hope for salvation CE = the Common Era or after year 1 (used to be AD) BCE= Before the common era or before year 0 (used to be BC)

Origin of Islam • Same narrative as Judaism & Christianity Adam as 1 st man God of Abraham Descendants of Abraham (wife: Hagar son Ishmael) • Muhammad (570 CE) descended from Ishmael; had a revelation from the Angel Gabriel; wrote the Koran w/ God’s inspiration

Origins of Buddhism • Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (563 BCE) – Basic Idea: life is about Pain & Suffering – Goal: Achieve enlightenment as Siddhartha

Origin of other Universalizing Religions Sikhism: Guru Nanuk (founder) 500 yrs ago traveled widely Baha’i: est. in Iran 1900 s by The Bab Baha’u’llah claimed to be the messenger of God anticipated by The Bab

Origin of Hinduism (Ethnic) • No originating founder (Krishna? ) • 6 th c. BCE = word origin of Hindu or “India” • Earliest written records 1500 BCE • Artifacts date back to 2500 BCE

Diffusion of religions • Diffusion of universalizing religions: radiate from a hearth & diffuse along distinctive paths • Lack of diffusion of ethnic religions Typically stay CLUSTERED Diffusion Processes : relocation=migration (missionaries); expansion= snowballing effect; hierarchical=key leader contagious= fast sweeping

Diffusion of Universalizing Religions Each of the three main universalizing religions diffused widely from its hearth.

Diffusion of Christianity diffused from Palestine through the Roman Empire & continued diffusing through Europe after the fall of Rome. It was later replaced by Islam in much of the Mideast and North Africa. Diffusion TYPE?

Diffusion of Islam diffused rapidly and widely from its area of origin in Arabia. It eventually stretched from southeast Asia to West Africa.

Diffusion of Buddhism diffused gradually from its origin in northeastern India to Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and eventually China and Japan.

Shintoism & Buddhism in Japan Since Japanese can be both Shinto and Buddhist, there are many areas in Japan where over two-thirds of the population are both Shinto and Buddhist.

Judaism: ethnic exception • Spatial distribution of Jews differs from other ethnic religions. Practiced in MANY countries; not just its origin location WHY? Diaspora Pogroms Ghettoization

Variations in Distribution of Religions (2) • Holy places – Holy places in universalizing religions usually relevant to the life/lives of founder(s), widely distributed, not necessarily related to the environment – Holy places in ethnic religions less widespread distribution; derived from distinctive physical environment of its hearth. Cluster usually due to their connection to the physical geography of a particular place – Pilgrimage may be part of either.

Holy Sites in Buddhism Most holy sites in Buddhism are locations of important events in Buddha’s life and are clustered in northeastern India and southern Nepal.

Buddhist Temple Bodh Gaya, India

Mecca, Islam’s Holiest City Makkah (Mecca) is the holiest city in Islam and the site of pilgrimage for millions of Muslims each year. There are numerous holy sites in the city.

Makkah during the Haj Pilgrimage The Ka’ba stands at the center of the Great Mosque (al-Haran al Sharif) in M

Hindu Holy Places Hierarchy of Hindu holy places: Some sites are holy to Hindus throughout India; others have a regional or sectarian importance, or are important only locally.

Hindu: Ritual Bathing in the Ganges River Hindu pilgrims achieve purification by bathing in the Ganges.

Cosmogony • Ethnic religions differ from universalizing religions in their understanding of relationships between human beings & nature. • These differences derive from distinctive concepts of COSMOGONY: a set of religious beliefs concerning the origin of the universe. • MORE LIKELY TO Connect the physical environment with religious principles

The Calendar Universalizing and Ethnic religions have different approaches to the calendar – The calendar in ethnic religions • Typically has a more clustered distribution; partly b/c holidays are based on the distinctive physical geography of the homeland. – The calendar in universalizing religions • Major holidays relate to events in the life of the founder rather than the changing seasons of 1 particular place

Jewish Calendar • Major holidays based on events in the agricultural calendar of the religious homeland • Rosh Hashanah (New Years) • Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) both in Autumn • Pesach (Passover) Harvest season (1 st seasons fruit)

Solstice Significant in some ethnic religions Winter solstice – shortest day & longest night of the year (Dec. 21) Summer solstice – longest day & shortest night of the year – (June 21)

Universalizing Religions & the Calendar • Islam uses a lunar calendar so holy days vary as the calendar varies. 30 yr cycle has 19 years with 354 days & 11 years with 355 days This results in seasonal changes of holy days. • Christianity commemorates Christ’s resurrection on the first full moon following the spring equinox in late March. Not all observe Easter on the same day,

Key Issue #3: Organization of Space • Places of worship – Christian worship – Places of worship in other religions • Sacred space – Disposing of the dead – Religious settlements – Religious place names • Administration of space – Hierarchical religions – Locally autonomous religions