1. Religion Key Issues Where are religions distributed?
Why do religions have different distributions
Concerned with the regional distribution of different religions and the resulting potential for conflict
Why do some religions have widespread distribution and others are tightly distributed?
Religions modify the landscape

2. Key Issue #1 Where are Religions Distributed?
2 types of religions
Universalizing; attempts to be global, appeal to all people
62% of world’s population
Ethnic; appeals to primarily one group of people living in one place
24% of world’s population

3. Universalizing Religions
Christianity
Islam
Buddhism
All 3 are divided into;
branches; large fundamental division within a religion
Denominations; a division of a branch that unites a number of local congregations in a single administrative body
Sects; relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination

4. Christianity More than 2 billion people, most widespread Branches
North and South America (90% of pop), Europe, Australia, some Africa
Branches
Roman Catholic; 52%, SW and E Europe, LA, NA
Protestant; 21%, NW Europe, NA
Eastern Orthodox; 10%, E and SE Europe

5. Islam 1.3 Billion people, Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia
½ live in Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India
Core of Islamic beliefs are 5 Pillars of Faith
1. There is only one God and it is Allah
2. prayer 5 times a day facing the city of Mekkah
3. Alms; gives generously to charity
4. Fasting; month of Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage; must go to Mekkah once in their life

6. Islam Branches Growth of Islam can be seen due to immigration
Sunni; 83% Indonesia has the largest numbers
Shiite; 16% - 30% of all Shiites live in Iran (90%), Pakistan and Iraq
Sunni Shia divide
Growth of Islam can be seen due to immigration

7. Buddhism 400 million – China, South Asia 4 Nobel Truths
All living being must endure suffering
Rebirth
Goal is to reach Nirvana
Nirvana is achieved through an Eightfold Path; rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation

8. Buddhism
Branches
Mahayana; 56% China, Japan, Korea
Theravada; 38% Cambodia, Laos
Tantrayana; 6% Tibet and Mongolia
Differs from others because someone can be both a Buddhist believer and a believer in other Eastern Religions

9. Origin of Universalizing religions
Christianity
Jesus died in Jerusalem around 30 AD; Teachings are found in the Bible; Referred to as Christ (Messiah); Died for humanity’s sins
Roman Catholic = Pope ; Eastern Orthodox = Patriarch
Hearth in Palestine, Southwest Asia
Islam
Muhammad was born in Mecca 570 AD; teachings are in the Quran
Caliph
Hearth in Southwest Asia
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama 563 BC Nepal; Buddha (awakened or enlightened one
Hearth in North Eastern India

10. Other Universalizing Religions
Sikhism; 25 million, South Asia in India and Pakistan
God is the one being or creator; who rules the universe by divine will. Only God is perfect, but people have the capacity for continual movement towards perfection
Baha’i; 8 million, dispersed through Africa and Asia
Overcome the disunity of religions and establish a universal faith through abolition of racial , class, and religious prejudice

11. Ethnic Religions More clustered distribution
Hinduism; 860 million, 3rd largest religion
97% are in India
Believe that it is up to the individual to decide what is the best way to worship God
Path of; Knowledge, renunciation, devotion, action
no book
Rigid caste system – 4 main groups and untouchables
Hindu Temples are small, housing shrines

12. Ethnic Religions Judaism Earliest of the three monotheistic religions
Romans forced the Diaspora – Spreading of Jewish people
Settled through Europe – Forced to live in ghettos
After Holocaust many migrated back to Israel

13. Other Ethnic Religions
Confucianism
China; stresses public service, behaving properly, and ancestor worship
Daoism
Balance of all things, emphasis on the mystical, harmony with nature
Shintoism
Ancient Nature based Japanese religion
Animism – Everything has a living spirit

14. Origins of Hinduism and Ethnic Religions
6th Century BC
India

15. Why do religions have different distributions?
Universalizing origins have a precise place of origin based on events in the life of a man
Ethnic religions have unknown or unclear origins, not tied to a single historic individual

16. Diffusion of Religions
Universalizing
Spread of religions
Pg. 196
All the Hearths are in Asia
Christianity (pg 197)
Combination of relocation diffusion and expansion diffusion; hierarchical and contagious
Missionaries, Key leaders, trade, military
Latin America = Roman Catholic from Spain; North America =Protestant from England, Migration of Irish

17. Diffusion of Religions
Islam (pg 197)
Armies Africa, Asia, Europe
Relocation diffusion (missionaries)
Buddhism (pg 198)
Emperor became Buddhist and then sent out missionaries
Trade routs (China)
Permeable barrier

18. Lack of Diffusion in Ethnic Religions
Lack missionaries
Mingling of ethnic and universalizing religions
Judaism exception
Diaspora and migration

19. Holy Places Universalizing religions Ethnic Religions Buddhist Islam
Shrines; city of birth; area where he reached perfect wisdom; tree he sat under; where he gave his 1st sermon; where he died; areas that miracles were practiced
Islam
Cities associated with Mohammad; Mecca- birthplace, Medina- tomb and where it gained steam; al-Ka’ba – built by Abraham; mosques; hajj
Ethnic Religions
Riverbanks and coastlines, Mt. Kailas, Ganges River,

20. Places of Worship Christian – Churches Muslim – Mosques
Hindu – Temples
Buddhist and Shintoist – Pagodas
Baha’i – house of worship

21. Sacred Space Burial Religious settlements Religious Place Names
Christians, Muslims, Jews = Cemetery
Hindu = cremation
Religious settlements
Utopian settlements; religion in every part of life
Early settlers
Religious Place Names
Toponyms; place names –ex – pg. 207

22. Why do territorial Conflicts Arise?
Taliban vs. Western Values
Taliban (religious student)
Imposed strict laws when in power; men beaten for shaving beard, stoned for adultery, thieves hands cut off, women wearing nail polish had fingers cut off
Believed they were called on by Allah to purge Afghanistan of sin and violence
Banned “Western, non-Islamic leisure activities; music, kites, tv, internet, sports

23. Why do territorial Conflicts Arise?
Hinduism vs. Social Equality
Rigid caste system: hierarchy assigned based on Hindu religion
4 castes; Brahmans – priests and top administrators, Kshatriyas – warriors, Vaisyas – merchants, Shudras – agricultural workers and artisans
Below them were untouchables; did work considered too dirty for other castes.

24. Religious Wars in Ireland
Republic of Ireland 92% Roman Catholic
1/6 of the Island is part of the United Kingdom
58% Protestant and 42% Roman Catholic
Poor economic conditions
6 countries voted to remain a part of the UK
Discrimination of Roman Catholics by Protestants exist throughout the society often turning violent
IRA – militant group dedicated to achieve national unity by whatever means necessary

25. Religious Wars in the Middle East
Crusades – Christians vs. Muslims
Jews vs. Muslims in Palestine
Read pages for a better look at conflicts