1. Religion

2. Warm Up Question
Which of the following religions is one that proselytizes, or actively seeks converts?
Judaism
Hinduism
Animism
Shamanism
Buddhism

3. Warm Up Question
A person who practices the Hindu religion would be most likely to
Visit a shrine built on the shore of a lake.
Pray five times a day.
Bathe in the Ganges River.
Make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

4. Warm Up Question
The faith that is most widely dispersed around the world is
Christianity.
Islam.
Shamanism.
Buddhism.
Judaism.

5. Warm Up- match the symbol to the religion
Hinduism
B. Shintoism
C. Islam
D. Buddhism
E. Taoism

6. Warm Up Question
Which of the following culture regions of the United States has the strongest historical connections to Lutheran Christian traditions?
The Rocky Mountains
New England
The Upper Midwest
The South
The Pacific Northwest

7. Warm Up Question
Europe’s Roman Catholic population is largely concentrated in the southern part of the continent. This is most likely due to
Protestants finding refuge in the north high mountains.
The influence of the Huguenots on the south.
Northern European areas that were never converted to Roman Catholicism.
Its proximity to Rome.
All of the above.

8. What is Religion and What Role does it Play in Culture?

9. Rise of Secularism Secularism –
indifference to or rejection of organized religious affiliations and ideas.
Agnostic- may believe in a higher power but not in religious affiliation
Athiest- disbelief in gods, will not affirm that gods may exist
Secular- indifferent to all religious affiliation
* worldwide, especially in the United States and Europe

10. Secularism 2002- Is religion very important to you?
30% of Canadians, 59% of Americans said yes
French government banned all religious symbols in public schools
Church membership dropped drastically in the Soviet Union under Communist rule
In the strongly Catholic regions of Southern Europe and Latin America, many people are dissatisfied with the papal teachings on birth control
The actual amount of people attending church has drastically declined
Participation in church activities by members has declined
Secularism is on the rise in the United States

11. How is Religion seen in the Cultural Landscape?

12. Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage
places or spaces people infuse with religious meaning.
Pilgrimage
purposeful travel to a religious site to pay respects or participate in a ritual at the site.

13. Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage
Vatican City
Pope John Paul II greeted pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square

14. Sacred Sites of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is sacred to three major religions:
Judaism (Western Wall) (bottom right)
Christianity (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) site of Jesus’ burial (bottom left)
Islam (Dome of the Rock) where Muhammad arrived from Mecca and then ascended into heaven. (bottom right)

15. Sacred Landscapes of Hinduism
Hinduism – pilgrimages follow prescribed routes, and rituals are followed by millions.
Varanasi, India on the
Ganges River where Hindus perform morning rituals.

16. Sacred Landscapes of Buddhism
Swedogon Pagodo in Yangon, Myanmar
Eight hairs of the Buddha are preserved under the dome (chedi)

17. Sacred Landscapes of Christianity
Catholic Churches
Are often located in the center of European cities, with spires reaching far above the other buildings.

18. Sacred Landscapes of Christianity
Protestant Churches
This church in Singapore is a Church of England church in a city surrounded by Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims

19. Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Represents Brazilian Christianity
This is the largest Art Deco statue in the world, and the 5th largest statue of Jesus in the world

20. The largest statue of Jesus in the world- Poland
108 Feet tall
Weighs 3 tons

21. Other notable religions

22. Sikhism
Monotheistic religion originating out of India in the 16th century.
Founded by Guru Nanak Dev
Sacred text: Adi Granth
Social manifestation: Five K’s to live by, very disciplined
Characteristics: no reincarnation, speak the Punjabi language
Most practiced in India (Punjab state), United Kingdom, United States, and Canada

23. Jainism
Polytheistic religion originating out of eastern India in the 6th century BCE.
Founded by Mahavira
Characteristics: belief in karma and reincarnation, strong emphasis on non-violence, rejects the Veda, Castes, and idea of a creator god.
Social manifestation: non-violence, follow 24 spiritual leaders, monks
Most practiced in India, United Kingdom, and United States

25. From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley

26. Shinto Mixed with Buddhism in Japan Ethnic religion
Focuses primarily on nature and ancestor worship
In the 19th century, the emperor of Japan made Shinto the state religion, and made himself the divine-right monarch
It wasn’t until the end of WWII when Japan separated Shintoism from the emperor, took his status away, and took away the state sanctioning of Shinto as their religion.
Number of adherents in Japan is between million.
The majority of Japanese observe both Buddhism and Shintoism.

28. Buddhism is mixed with local religions in some places
Buddhism is mixed with local religions in some places. In Japan, Buddhism is mixed with the local religion, Shintoism.
Shinto Shrine
In Kyoto, Japan, this Shinto shrine is visible after walking through a torii – a gateway usually formed by two wooden posts and topped by two horizontal beams.

29. From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley
Taoism –
originated in China more than years ago
* oneness of humanity and nature
founder: Lao-Tsu
sacred text: “Book of the Way”
social manifestation: Feng Shui
diffusion: East Asia

30. From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley
Confucianism –
originated in China about 2500
Years ago
* real meaning of life lay in the present
founder: Confucius
sacred text: “Confucian Classics”
diffusion: East Asia, Southeast Asia

31. Confucius
He urged the poor, who were suffering at the hands of their feudal lords, to assert themselves.
He argued that human virtues and abilities, not heritage, should determine a person’s position and responsibilities in society.
From his writings and sayings emerged the Confucian Classics, a set of 13 texts that became the focus of education in China for 2000 years.

32. Confucianism, with a little bit of Taoist and Buddhist, became China’s state ethic.
In government, law, literature, religion, morality, and many other ways, the Confucian Classics were the guide for Chinese civilization.

33. Scientology Founded by L. Ron Hubbard in the United States in 1954.
Practiced mostly in the United States and Europe
Sacred text: Dianetics
Characteristics: claim more a “technology” than a “religion”, belief in spiritual release and focus on dealing with daily activities and emotions

34. Protestant and Catholic Landscapes in the United States
Scandinavian Lutheran Church (on left)
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (on right)

35. Sacred Landscapes of Islam
Muslim Mosques
Dome of this mosque in Isfahan, Iran demonstrates the importance of geometric art evident in Muslim architecture.

36. The Hajj Pilgrims circle the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during the Hajj.

37. Religious Landscapes in the United States

38. What Role does Religion play in Political Conflicts?

39. Warm Up- match the symbol to the religion
Hinduism
B. Shintoism
C. Islam
D. Buddhism
E. Taoism

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

41. Conflicts along Religious Borders
Interfaith Boundaries
Boundaries between the world’s major faiths.
Example: Christian-Muslim, Israel-Palestine, Horn of Africa, former Yugoslavia
Intrafaith Boundaries
Boundaries within a single major faith.
Example: Sunni-Shi’ite Muslims , Northern Ireland

42. Interfaith Boundary in Africa
Several countries in Africa straddle the Christian-Muslim interfaith boundary.

43. Interfaith boundary conflict
Aftermath of WWI, British colonized the region that was previously controlled by the Jews, Romans, Christians, Muslims, and Ottomans.
The League of Nations recognized British control and called it Palestine. Therefore, the people living in the area were called Muslim Palestinians.
British wanted to establish a homeland for the Jews
Jews and Palestinians have been fighting

44. Landscapes of Settlements Israelis have had a policy of building settlements for Jews in the Occupied Territories

45. The Gaza Strip 1.6 million people living there
As of 2005, 1 million of the population were considered refugees. These people were the Palestinians who fled to neighboring Arab states as a result of the Jews gaining Israeli territory.
In 1967, the Arab-Israeli War broke out and Israel gained control of the lands in Gaza and the West Bank.
The Israelis have built many Jewish settlements in this area
Population is predominately Sunni Muslim
The Gaza Strip

46. Landscape of the Gaza Strip, 2005 In 2005, the Israeli government pulled out of the Gaza Strip, burning down Jewish settlements and handing control over to Palestinians.

47. The West Bank Muslims have worked hard for years to establish their own state here, along with the Gaza strip, however the Israeli government has control over the land.

48. The Horn of Africa

49. The Former Yugoslavia
Genocide
Ethnic Cleansing

50. Northern Ireland Identities are tied to Religion, but are deepened by:
Economics
colonial experiences
activity spaces (segregation)

51. Religious Fundamentalism and Extremism
a return to the basics of their faith.
found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and many other religions.
Religious extremism –
fundamentalism carried to the point of violence.
found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and many other religions.

52. Islamic Extremists and Jihad an Islamic holy war against the West

53. Christian Extremism… does it exist?
More a movement back to fundamentalism
Bombing of abortion clinics
Intolerance of homosexuality
Protestant Church
Arguing for prayer in public schools
Teaching “creationism” in science class
Roman Catholic Church
Disputes over birth control, family planning, abortion, and role of women in the religious bureaucracy
Holding mass in Latin