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World Religion Where are religions distributed? Why do they have different distributions?
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The Paradox of Religion All religions hold peace as the highest value. Loving thy enemy is common to all religion So why is so much conflict centered around religion? Geographers are concerned with distribution of religion and the potential for conflict
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Globalization vs. Local Diversity People care deeply about their religion and draw core values/beliefs from it Some designed to appeal to all people, while others appeal to geographically limited areas Religious values are a mark of culture and ways people organize the landscape Most religions require exclusive adherence, adopting a universal religion comes at the expense of a local religion Unlike language, you can only have 1 religion. Like language, people carry religion with them when they migrate Assimilated people usually lose native language before religion
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Universalizing vs Ethnic Religions Universalizing- attempt to be global, appeal to all people. Ethnic- appeals primarily to 1 group of people in 1 place. 62% universalizing, 24% ethnic, 14% no religion
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Universalizing 3 main ones- Christianity, Islam, Buddhism Branch- large and fundamental division within a religion Denomination- division of a branch that unites a number of congregations in a single body Sect- small group that has broken away from a denomination
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Examples Religion- Christianity Branch- Protestant Denomination- Baptist Sect- Southern Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention R- Islam B- Sunni, Shi’ite D- American Muslim Mission S- Nation of Islam
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Christian Branches 3 main branches- Roman Catholicism (52%), Eastern Orthodox (10%), Protestant (21%)- 27% not part of these 3 branches, including 5% nonreligious Christians Protestant/Catholic areas sharply divided Over 2 billion people worldwide call themselves Christian
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Western hemisphere 90% of West is Christian 5% other, 6% nonreligious Latin Am 93% Catholic, N. America 29% Among Protestants in US, Baptists largest, followed by Methodists, Pentecostal, and Lutheran Catholics in US concentrated in NE and SW
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Smaller branches Egyptian Coptic/Ethiopian- from 4 th century, when shipwrecked Christian slaves converted Ethiopian king About 10 million in Ethiopia Armenian church originated in Antioch, members concentrated in Lebanon, Armenia, NE Turkey and SW Azerbaijan
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Smaller branches Maronites- a small Christian sect concentrated in Lebanon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) consider themselves an independent branch 3% of Americans, mostly Utah, some in Canada
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Islam 1.3 billion Muslims, mostly in Middle East from N. Africa to Central Asia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India Islam means “submission to the will of God”, has a similar root to the word “peace”
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5 Pillars of Islam 1. There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet 2. Pray 5 times/day, facing Mecca 3. Alms giving (charity) 4. Fasting during Ramadan 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca if able
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Branches of Islam 2 main ones- Sunni (orthodox) and Shi’ite (sectarian) Sunni 83%, Shi’ite 16% Shi’ite concentrated in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan Muslims in W. Europe a legacy of colonialism and immigration. E. Europe- Ottoman Empire 5 million Muslims in N. America
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Nation of Islam Aka “Black Muslims” started in 1930’s in Detroit Led by Elijah Muhammad, advocated a separate nation within the US for themselves Malcolm X converted to orthodox Islam after a pilgrimage to Mecca, assassinated 1965
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Buddhism 400 million adherents Mainly in China and SE Asia 4 Noble Truths: 1. Life is suffering 2. Suffering is caused by desire 3. To eliminate suffering, eliminate desire 4. To eliminate desire and achieve Nirvana, follow the Noble Eightfold Path- right beliefs, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, meditation
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Buddha
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Buddhist Branches Theravada “little raft” (38%), Mahayana “big raft” (56%), tantrayana “yoga” (6%) Buddhists can adhere to more than one Eastern religion.
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Other Universalizing Sikhism- 25 million, mostly in Punjab region of India Kind of a combo of Islam and Buddhism Sikhs wear turbans and never cut beards/hair Baha’i- 8 million, dispersed mostly in Asia and Africa Baha’u’llah wanted to overcome disunity and establish universal faith by abolishing class, race, and religious prejudices
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Ethnic religions Hinduism- 860 million, 3 rd largest 97% in India It is up to you to decide the best way to worship God 4 paths- knowledge, renunciation, devotion, and action 68% Vishnu, mostly west 27 % Shiva, mostly north and east
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Ethnic Religions Confucianism emphasizes li, or “correct behavior”, 5 relationships A series of ethical principles like following traditions and fulfilling obligations Taoism- seek the Tao, or “way”. Only by avoiding daily activities and introspection can a person live in harmony with the universe. Split into many sects
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Ethnic Religions Shintoism- ethnic religion of Japan- originally worshipped forces of nature Transmitted orally until 5 th century when introduction of Chinese script Eventually deceased emperors and ancestors became more important gods than nature After WW2 Emperor forced to renounce his divinity
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Ethnic Religions Judaism- Most in Israel and US Israel 1 st majority Jewish state since biblical times Jesus born a Jew, Islam, Christianity have roots in Judaism Founded by Abraham about 4000 yrs ago when he moved from Iraq to Canaan 1 st monotheistic religion
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Ethnic Religions Patriarch Jacob (Judaism, Israel). Jacob had 12 sons. 10 sons plus 2 grandsons= 12 tribes of Israel who marched out of Egypt under Moses Each tribe got a piece of Canaan 10 tribes lost after they were forced to migrate to Assyria 721 BC
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Ethnic Religions African Religions- 100 million people, 12% of Africa are animists. Animism- plants, rocks, forces of nature have conscious life and spirit 1 supreme god and many other gods under him Orally transmitted Losing ground to universalizing religion
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Why do religions have different Distributions? Origin of Religions Diffusion of Religion
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Origin and Diffusion of Universalizing Religions All 3 based on life of a man Buddhism 2500 yrs old, Christianity 2000 yrs old, Islam 1500 yrs old Born between 8 and 4 BC
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Christianity Jesus born between 8 and 4 BC Crucified by Romans ~30 AD Story of Life/works spread by 4 gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (New Testament) “Christ” is a title and means ‘anointed one’, from Greek “Christos”, from Hebrew “messiah” 3 days after death rose from dead
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Christianity Last Supper was Jewish Passover seder, meal Catholics- God conveys Grace through 7 sacraments- Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Anointing of the sick, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Eucharist Transubstantiation- bread/wine literally becomes blood and flesh of Christ- a miracle
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Christianity Split w/ Eastern Orthodox starts with division of Roman Empire Final Split in 1054- Great Schism Reject Catholic teachings after 700s AD Protestantism originated w/ the Reformation in 1517 when Luther nailed the 95 theses up- response to Catholic corruption
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Origin of Islam Abe married Sarah- no son Married Hagar- son Ishmael Sarah son- Isaac Sarah told Hagar to take a hike Hagar/Ishmael end up in Mecca Muhammad born 570 AD At 40- married an older rich lady God spoke to him through angel Gabriel
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Islam Began to preach in Mecca, but they weren’t hearing it. 622 moved to Medina- hijra conversion Returned to Mecca w/ army Medina means “city of the prophet” Shi’ite follow caliph who is of Muhammad’s blood line, Sunnis believe any Muslim can be caliph Sunni/Shi’ite split ~670AD
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Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama was a prince, born about 563BC 4 trips out at 29 1. old age 2. disease 3. death 4. monk and withdrawal from the world
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Buddhism After 6 years of solitude, emerged from the forest as the Buddha “enlightened one” Theravada focuses on wisdom, Mahayana focuses on compassion
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Other Universalizing Sikhism founded about 500 years ago Baha’i founded early to mid 1800’s
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Hinduism Ancient- Hindu artifacts date to 2500 BC Earliest Hindu writing 1500 BC 1400 BC- Aryan invasion Word Hinduism originated in 6 th century BC While universalizing religions have a hearth and spread out, ethnic religions remain clustered in 1 location
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Diffusion of Christianity Missionaries- individuals who help transmit a religion through relocation diffusion Paul was most important missionary and a disciple of Jesus Diffused along Roman roads and sea routes First towns, then country “Pagan” means countryside in Latin Roman Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity in 313- official religion of Empire in 380
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Islam Also diffused through relocation diffusion- through conquest and intermarriage Rapid diffusion from Portugal to Indonesia
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Buddhism Diffused very slowly until Asoka, emperor of Magadhan Empire (273-232 BC) adopted it 1 st spread to Sri Lanka, then SE Asia, China, Japan. By the time it got to Japan it was no longer dominant in India
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Others Sikhs remain clustered in Punjab province India Baha’i built a temple on every continent in 20 th century
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Mixing Independent Christian churches exist in Africa that mix traditional and Christian beliefs Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism have mixed in China Buddhism and Shinto mix in Japan Mauritius- ex of diffusion of ethnic religion- Hinduism
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Judaism An ethnic religion diffused all over the world because of expulsion of Jews from Canaan in 70 AD by Romans- diaspora Ghetto- section of city in Europe closed off- Jews live there
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Holy Places 8 sites in Nepal/India holy for Buddhists- locations important in Buddha’s life Bo tree has become holy and has diffused to Buddhist countries Mecca holy to Muslims- Ka’ba- a stone thought to have been given to Abraham by Gabriel- meteor? Medina- #2 for holiness #3 is Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
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Holy places Sikh- Golden Temple at Amritsar Pilgrimmage- a religious journey Tirtha- pilgrimmage for Hindus
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