  Religions are value systems  Involve formal or informal worship  Faith in the sacred/divine  Religions teach followers proper ethical behavior A. What is the purpose of religion?

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 B. STATE RELIGIONS Roman Catholicism Islam Protestantism (incl. Anglicanism) Eastern Orthodoxy Sunni Islam Shia Islam Buddhism

  Interfaith Boundaries  Boundaries between the world’s major faiths.  Intrafaith Boundaries  Boundaries within a single major faith. Conflicts along Religious Borders

 Interfaith Boundary in Africa

 Israel and Palestine

 C. SACRED SITES  Lakes  Caves  Rivers  Ganges  Jordan  Trees  Mountains  Ararat  Fuji  Sinai

 Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage

 1. Jerusalem is sacred to 3 religions: Judaism (Western Wall) Christianity (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) Islam (Dome of the Rock)

 D. CLASSIFICATION:  Monotheism:  Christianity  Islam  Judaism  Polytheism:  Hinduism  Japanese Shinto 1. Universalizing Religions:  Proselytizing/conversion  Christianity  Islam  Buddhism 2. “Ethnic” Religions:  Territorial/cultural identification  Judaism  Hinduism  Japanese Shinto 3. “Tribal” Religions (shamanism & animism)

Religions of the World Where are universalizing religions located? Where are ethnic religions located?

  an indifference to or rejection of religion  Agnostic: Not sure  Atheist: Sure there isn’t! SECULARISM

 The Soviet Union: -Had an official policy of atheism -Discouraged religious practice -Drew boundaries for political control that separated ethnic groups in small areas Government Impact on Religion

  Burial: Christians, Jews, Muslims  Cremation: Hinduism, Buddhism E. DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD

  Oldest major world religion (over 4,000 years old)  Religion +  Philosophical/social/economic /artistic elements  Caste system  Dharma: Law and duty  Ahimsa: do not harm a living being  Goal is union with Brahman, the universal soul HINDUISM

  Started as a Hindu reform movement (2,600 years old)  Rejects the caste system  Founded by Prince Siddhartha Gautama  “Buddha” means enlightened one  About million followers (India, China, Japan, Tibet, Nepal, S.E. Asia)  Goal: Nirvana, and end to samsara (cycle of death and rebirth) BUDDHISM

Mahayana: Buddha is divine, emphasis on meditation Theravada: Salvation through four noble truths, portion of life as a monk/nun There’s suffering, it comes from desire, you can end it, through the eightfold path Vajrayana: Dalai Lama as reincarnated Buddha

 Judaism was founded about 4,000 years ago (Abraham)  over 20 million followers  Ethical Teachings: Torah and Talmud (basis for all codes for Jewish law)  word of god (Yahweh) said to be revealed in the Torah (Old Testament of the Bible) JUDAISM  Sephardim (20%)  Iberian Peninsula – expelled 15th c.  ties to North Africa & Babylonian Jews  Ashkenazim (80%)  W. & C. Europe (Poland, Lithuania, Russia)  most Jewish migrants to U.S.

 Jesus was Jewish spread through the Roman Empire by hierarchical and contagious diffusion, then to the Americas through relocation diffusion. Ethical system: Ten Commandments over 1 billion Christians worldwide (most are Roman Catholic) denominations: Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Protestants, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Methodists, Born Again, Mormons CHRISTIANITY

 Mormonism  Founded by Joseph Smith in 1820  Forced migrations throughout the US  Book of Mormon as literal account  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints  Nontrinitarian (Father, Son, Holy Ghost are all separate beings)  Ordinances (includes baptism after death)  No alcohol/coffee/tea/tobacco  Missionary service  Polygamy (formally banned)

  Islam: submission to the will of Allah  over 1 billion followers  World’s fastest growing religion  the prophet Mohammed said to receive the holy book of the Q’uran from Allah (god) in about A.D. 610  Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, Muhammad is God's Messenger  Salat: ritual prayer five times a day  Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy  Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan  Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if one is able ISLAM

  Born of schism over Muhammad’s succession  Sunni: 75-80% of adherents  Mahdi: Muhammad’s successor yet to come  Shia: 11-12% of adherents  Mahdi: Already came but is hidden until judgment day  Separate literature (hadith-traditions) Islam: Sunnis and Shiites

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  Kung Fu-tzu  Compiler of traditional wisdom  A scholar who loves comfort is not worthy of the name.  No Churches or Clergy  Ancestor Worship  Basis for imperial Chinese social control CONFUCIANISM:

TAOISM:  First taught by Lao-tsu in 6 th c. B.C.  Tao – “The Way”  happiness lies in nature  religion and philosophy  Nonaction, effortless action

 traditional religion of Japan worship of nature & ancestors Shinto – “The Way of the Gods” Spirits (kamis)— family, rivers, trees, animals, mountains, sun, moon Torii – ceremonial gateway arches JAPANESE SHINTO:

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