Chapter 6 Section 3 Why do religions organize space in distinctive patterns?

Variations in Distribution of Religions (2) Holy places ◦Holy places in universalizing religions ◦Holy places in ethnic religions The calendar ◦The calendar in ethnic religions ◦The calendar in universalizing religions

Places of Worship Almost all religions have places to worship Some are more formal Some are less formal Some are only for a select few (only monks, priests, etc…) Some are open to anyone (churches, etc…)

Places of Worship Christians: churches, cathedrals, basilicas, house of worship Muslims: mosques, house of worship Buddhists: temples, shrines, and pagodas Hindus: temples, shrines Shintoists: temples, pagodas, shrines Baha’is: Houses of Worship, temples Jews: synagogues, temples

Places of Worship They vary in form, architecture, structure, materials, land use, land choice, etc… Ethnic places of worship often are more reflective of local culture and diversity They are more likely to vary from place to place Universalizing places of worship are more likely to be similar in form, materials, etc…

Places of Worship Christian churches- very important Holy places- sanctified- God’s space Houses of God Include images of God, Jesus and Biblical figures Attendance by all Christians is encouraged Often central, largest structures in towns Vary in how elaborate Vary according to branch and denomination- no single style, but most denominations and branches share similarities

Places of Worship Muslim Mosques: A space for community assembly Not a sanctified place of worship Organized in a central courtyard Minaret tower- a muzzan summons people to worship

Mecca, Islam’s Holiest City Fig. 6-10: 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 Makkah.

Places of Worship Hindu temples: Sacred structures for collective worship Less important than churches and mosques to Christians and Muslims respectively Temples are built to house shrines for particular gods rather than for congregational worship Much worship takes place individually at shrines or at homes or other places

Hindu Holy Places Fig. 6-11: 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.

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

Places of Worship Buddhist and Shintoist Pagodas: Very elaborate and delicate in appearance Contain relics important to Buddha for Buddhists Not designed for congregational worship but for individual prayer and meditation

Holy Sites in Buddhism Fig. 6-9: 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

Places of Worship Baha’i houses of worship: Open to adherents of all religions Include congregational services Put on all continents to represent that they accept all people

Baha’i Temple in Uganda

The Golden Temple in Amritsar The Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib) in Amritsar, India is the holiest structure for Sikhism.

Sacred Space Houses of Worship Burial Sites Holy places

Sacred Space Burial of dead in the ground: most Christians, Muslims, and Jews Often aligned in a certain way- Christians pointing toward Jerusalem, awaiting the return of Jesus Takes up a lot of space and puts strains on space and sanitation

Sacred Space Cremation of the dead: Hindus, some Christians, some eastern religions Exposure of bodies: Zorastrians (founded in Iran over 2000 years ago- monotheistic), Tibetan Buddhists (only cremate the exalted) Disposal of bodies at sea: practiced in parts of Southeast Asia Some cremations take place on the water- pyres

Cremation near Taj Mahal

Religious Settlements Some settlements are made just for a religion Israel Utopian Communities Communes Moravian communities Amish communities The first Mormon settlements in Utah Pilgrims in New England

Religious Toponyms Many place names come from religions Which ones can you think of?

Place Names in Québec Fig. 6-12: Place names in Québec show the impact of religion on the landscape. Many cities and towns are named after saints.

Administration of Space Some religions organize more than others Some organize space more than others for tighter control Roman Catholic Hierarchy: ◦Pope- Diocese of Rome ◦Archbishops- over a province (contains several dioceses) ◦Bishops- over a diocese (contains several parishes) ◦Priests- over a parish

Roman Catholic Hierarchy in U.S. Fig. 6-13: The Catholic church divides the U.S. into provinces headed by archbishops. Provinces are divided into dioceses, headed by bishops.

Administration of Space Some religions, universalizing and ethnic, push locally autonomous religions These are self-sufficient and interaction between churches or groups is confined to loose cooperation Islam is like this Protestant Christian Churches are like this Most ethnic religions are like this

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

Organization of Space Sacred sites/Places of worship/Burial sites relate to geography because they push: ◦Preservation of space ◦Visitation of spaces ◦Migrations toward/around spaces ◦Development of areas ◦Tension/conflict over areas