Religion 101 What is Religion Beliefs in a

Religion 101

What is Religion? • Beliefs in a higher power or spirits • Set of moral beliefs, way of life • Way to explain the unexplainable – Cosmogony • Monotheistic vs. Polytheistic

Organizing Religion • Universalizing Religion – Goal: globalization – Revolve around a founder – Not limited to one culture – Proselytism • Ethnic Religion – Does not look to spread – Origins are unknown – Tends to be limited to one geographic area

Classification Examples • Universalizing Religions – Christianity – Buddhism – Islam • Ethnic Religions – – – Hinduism Judaism Daoism Shintoism Animist religions

Organizing Religion • Hierarchical vs. Autonomous religions • Organization – Branch • Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox – Denomination • Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian – Sect • Cults, ultra-orthodox

Major Universalizing Religions: • Christianity • Islam • Buddhism

Christianity • World’s largest religion – Over 2 billion members • Origins – Begins with teachings of Jesus – Spreads with relocation and contagious diffusion at first – Later spreads through hierarchical when Constantine converts to Christianity in 380 AD

Islam • 1. 3 Billion adherents • Concentrated in Mid East, N Africa and Asia • Built on five pillars (beliefs) • Two major branches – Sunni – Shia • Spreading to Europe and North America

Buddhism • Roughly 365 million • Based on 4 noble truths • Hard to make an accurate count • Not an exclusive religion like Christianity or Islam

Major Ethnic Religions • Hinduism – Roughly 80 percent of India – Polytheistic – Reincarnation • Judaism – One of the oldest organized religions – Diffused only due to relocation diffusion – Closely related to Christianity and Islam

Religious Organization of Space • Places of Worship – Christianity: Churches – Islam: Mosques – Hindu: Temples • Burial – Burial in the ground – Cremation

Religious Conflict: Religion vs. Government • The Taliban – Sharia Law – Banning western influences • British vs. Caste System – Hindu Caste System – British and Christian missionaries • Communism vs. Eastern Orthodox – Banning religion in USSR

Religious Conflict: Religion vs. Religion • Interfaith Boundaries • Enclave and Exclave • The Middle East – Holy land for Islam, Judaism and Christianity – Crusades – Israel vs. Palestine • India vs. Pakistan • Sri Lanka • Northern Ireland