Key Question What is religion, and what role does it play in culture? © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

According to Stoddard and Prorak, religion is “A system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities.” Religions set standards for how people “should” behave. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Religion, and What Role Does It Play in Culture?

Religions manifests itself in many ways: Worship Prayer Rituals Take place through regular intervals Birth, marriage, and death Attainment of adulthood Secularism is the indifference to or rejection of religion. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Religion, and What Role Does It Play in Culture?

Key Question Where did the major religions of the world originate, and how do religions diffuse? © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Monotheistic religions: single god Polytheistic religions: many gods Animistic religions: inanimate objects possess spirits © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse?

Major types of religion: Universalizing religions: Actively seek converts Believe that they offer universal appropriateness and appeal Christianity, Islam, Buddhism Ethnic religions: Adherents are born into the faith Do not actively seek converts Spatially located, Judaism the exception © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse?

Hinduism One of oldest religions; over 4000 years Originated in the Indus River Valley Ganges (sacred river) Ancient practices include ritual bathing and reincarnation Polytheistic © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of South Asia

Buddhism Splintered from Hinduism 2500 years ago Siddhartha Approximately 347 million adherents Shintoism Japan Focused on nature and ancestor worship © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of South Asia

Taoism Lao-Tsu worship Tao-te-ching Feng Shui Confucianism Confucius 551 to 479 BCE Confucian Classics © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Huang He River Valley

Judaism Teachings of Abraham Orthodox and reformed Diffusion of Judaism Diaspora Zionism © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

Christianity Teachings of Jesus Split from Judaism Church split led to Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church Protestant reformation challenged fundamental Roman Catholic teachings © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

Diffusion of Christianity European Colonialism in the sixteenth century 33,000 denominations © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

Islam Founder Muhammad Sacred text is the Qu’ran (Koran) Five pillars of Islam Shi’ite and Sunni © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

Diffusion of Islam Kings used armies to spread faith across Arabian Peninsula. Islam later spread by trade billion followers worldwide; is fastest-growing religion. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse? From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

Indigenous and Shamanist Indigenous – Local in scope – Reverence for nature – Passed down through tribes Shamanism – Community faith – Follow the practices and teachings of the shaman © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse?

The Rise of Secularism Indifference to or rejection of organized religious affiliations and idea Varies greatly from country to country and within countries. Antireligious ideologies can contribute to the decline of organized religions. Church membership figures do not accurately reflect active participation. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Where Did the Major Religions of the World Originate, and How Do Religions Diffuse?