Religion A particular system of faith and worship A system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities

Religion is mixed in with ethnicity, nationalism, and culture Religious cultural landscapes - churches, temples, mosques, shrines, cemeteries, statues, veils, turbans, beards and scars Shinto torii in Japan Both Religion and language are the foundation of culture. Religion confers identity In less developed nations it is a binding force and a guide for daily routine Languages aren’t changed by persuasion, but RELIGION CAN BE Missionaries of evangelical religions travel all over the world.

Key Characteristics of Religion Set of doctrines or beliefs relating to a god or gods Structure or hierarchy of officials Rituals for: Birth Death Reaching adulthood Marriage Prayer Routine services on a Fri, Sat. or Sun. Mosque in Nigeria

Impact of religion Calendars, holidays Architecture place names slogans on coins or flags Promoting education Social reforms Blocked scientific study Supported imperialism Kept women inferior Muslims at prayer in France

Religions are divided into Branches-a large and fundamental division within a religion Denomination-a division of a branch that unites a number of local congregations into a single administrative body - often based on theological understandings Sect-has several meanings- A relatively small group that broke away from an bigger group An organized ecclesiastical body A dissenting or schismatic religious body

Classifications of Religions Universalizing religions – religions that actively seek converts because members believe they offer belief systems of universal appropriateness and appeal. Ethnic religions – religions whose adherents are born into the faith and whose members do not actively seek converts.

Classifications of Religions Monotheistic religions – worship a single deity. Polytheistic religions – worship more than one deity, even thousands. Animistic religions – belief that inanimate objects posses spirits and should be revered.

Religious Typology Monotheistic, Polytheistic, Animistic Global or Universal-found all over the world-seek converts-aim to be universal Evangelical-religions that seek new converts Cultural religion-limited to a national culture or a single region Judaism is not considered a cultural religion due to its global dispersal Cultural religions-Hinduism in India, Shinto in Japan, Confucianism and Daoism in China

Numbers are not exact since East Asia has many unregistrered Christians.