Download 5 Major World Religions

5 Major World Religions
Religions of the World
Religions of the World
Religion
Followers
Christianity
1.9 billion
Islam
1.1 billion
Hinduism
781 million
Buddhism
324 million
Judaism
14 million
Types of Religions
• Monotheistic religions believe in one god.
• Polytheistic religions believe in many
gods.
• Animistic or traditional religions often
believe that different aspects of nature
have divine powers.
• HINDUISM is one of the
world's oldest religions.
• Over 2/3's of the world's
Hindus live in India;
large numbers reside in
Africa also.
• Hindus believe in many
gods, numbering into the
thousands. They
recognize one supreme
spirit called Brahman
("the Absolute.")
Hinduism
Hinduism
• Hinduism has many sacred books, the
oldest being a series called the "Vedas.“
• Traditional Hindu society was divided into
groups of four classes (or varnas). This was
known as the "caste system."
Caste System
Good Karma
OK Karma
Bad Karma
Untouchables
Hindu Philosophy
• The goal of Hindus is to someday join
with Brahman.
• Until that union takes place, believers are
in a continuous process of rebirth called
"reincarnation."
Hindu Gods
VISHNU
SHIVA
BRAHMA
Hinduism
Founder
Hinduism has no founder. The oldest religion, it may date to
prehistoric times.
How many
gods?
Many (all gods and goddesses are considered different
forms of one Supreme Being.)
Holy
writings
The most ancient are the four Vedas.
Beliefs
Reincarnation states that all living things are caught in a
cycle of death and rebirth. Life is ruled by the laws of
karma, in which rebirth depends on moral behavior
Types
No single belief system unites Hindus. A Hindu can believe
in only one god, in many, or in none.
Where
Hinduism is practiced by more than 80% of India's
population.
Buddhism
• Buddhism is the world's oldest universal religion
and it is the second fastest growing religion.
Buddhism
• Founding person of Buddhism is
Guatama, the Buddha
• The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist monk who
remains the leader of the Tibetans.
• Buddhism is a major religion in China,
Japan, India, and Tibet.
The Major Philosophy of Buddhism
• Love: without conditions
• Compassion: or feeling at one with the
person who is suffering
• Sympathetic Joy:Celebrate the happiness
of others, and do not resent their good
fortune.
• Impartiality: Treat everyone equally, and
do not use others for personal gain or to
win approval.
The Major Philosophy of Buddhism
• Buddhism states that existence is a continuing
cycle of death and rebirth called reincarnation.
• Each person's position in life is determined by
his or her behavior in the previous life. This is
known as their "karma" (also a Hindu belief).
Buddhism
• Basic Tenets of Buddhism
▫ The world is full of suffering
▫ Meditation is our only escape
▫ Nirvana is the ultimate goal
▫ Follow the Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path
• Right Understanding
• Right Thought
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Concentration
Buddhism
Founder
Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha, in the 4th or 5th
century B.C. in India.
How many
gods?
None, but there are enlightened beings (Buddhas)
Holy
writings
The most important are the Tripitaka, the Mahayana Sutras,
Tantra, and Zen texts
Beliefs
The Four Noble Truths: (1) all beings suffer; (2) desire—for
possessions, power, and so on—causes suffering; (3)
desire can be overcome; and (4) the path that leads away
from desire is the Eightfold Path (the Middle Way).
Types
Theravada (Way of the Elders) and Mahayana (Greater
Vehicle) are the two main types.
Where
Buddhism is the main religion in many Asian countries.
Monotheism
• Began in
Palestine with
the Jews
• Abraham is the
founder of:
▫ Judaism
▫ Christianity
▫ Islam
Judaism
Founder
The Hebrew leader Abraham founded Judaism around 2000
B.C. Moses gave the Jews the Torah around 1250 B.C.
How many
gods?
One
Holy
writings
The most important are the Torah, or the first five books of
Moses. Others include Judaism's oral tradition, the written
form of which is known as the Talmud.
Beliefs
Jews believe in the laws of God and the words of the
prophets. In Judaism, however, actions are more important
than beliefs.
Types
The three main types are Orthodox, Conservative, and
Reform. Conservative Jews follow most traditional
practices, but less strictly than the Orthodox. Reform Jews
are the least traditional.
Where
There are large Jewish populations in Israel and the U.S.
Monotheism
• Begun by Abraham about 2000 BCE
• Common Beliefs:
▫ God created the universe
▫ God continues to govern the universe
▫ The Ten Commandments were given to
Moses by God on Mt. Sinai and must be
followed
Judaism
• JUDAISM is a religion of just one people: the
Jews.
• JUDAISM was the first to teach belief in only
one God. Two other important religions
developed from Judaism: Christianity and
Islam.
Judaism
• Jews think that God will send a Messiah (a
deliverer) to unite them and lead them in
His way.
• Christians believe that Jesus was the
Messiah. The Jewish people do not agree;
they anticipate His arrival in the future.
• Judaism teaches that death is not the end
and that there is a world to come.
Judaism
• The "Torah," the first five books of the Hebrew
Bible, is the most important Jewish scripture.
• It contains the basic laws of Judaism.
• Another important book is the "Talmud," serving
primarily as a guide to the civil and religious
laws of Judaism.
Judaism
• The Jewish house of worship is called a
synagogue.
• Rabbis (spiritual leaders) conduct services,
act as interpreters of Jewish laws, and deliver
sermons.
• Today there are over 18 million followers of
Judaism scattered throughout the world. A
large number of those people live in the
Jewish nation of Israel. Over six million live
in the United States.
Jewish Philosophy
• God is one and unique
• God is the creator
• God is transcendent
• God is immanent.
• God is lawgiver
• God is personal
• We have the obligation to worship
• The Torah is God's law
• God is judge
• The Messiah will come.
Western Wall
Star of David
Christianity
Founder
Jesus Christ, who was crucified around A.D. 30 in
Jerusalem.
How many
gods?
One
Holy
writings
The Bible
Beliefs
Jesus taught love of God and neighbor and a concern for
justice.
Types
In 1054 Christians separated into the Eastern Orthodox
Church and the Roman Catholic Church. In the early 1500s
the major Protestant groups (Lutheran, Presbyterian, and
Episcopalian) came into being. A variety of other groups
have since developed.
Where
Through its mission work, Christianity has spread to most
parts of the globe.
Christianity
• The early Hebrews who eventually
developed into the Jewish religion became
the foundation of Christianity.
• Jesus, or the Messiah, was a Jewish boy
who disagreed with some of the Jewish
principles of his day began to profess a
new way of thinking.
• This eventually led to the beginning of the
Christian religion.
Christianity
• Christianity started about 2000 years ago about
the same time of Jesus.
• The central point of Christian belief is that God,
the Father, entered into human history as the
Son, Jesus of Nazereth, and arose as the Holy
Spirit.
Christian Philosophy
• God is the Creator of the universe. There is one
God, Who is Three PersonsFather, Son and Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is both fully man and fully God. He was
born of the Virgin Mary
Crucified, resurrected from the dead, and
ascended to the Father.
Christian Philosophy
• Sin and Evil are realities in our existence.
• The Bible is the Holy Book that records God's
revelation.
• All believers are promised life everlasting.
• The leader of Christianity was Jesus, and the
followers was his 12 disciples.
Christianity
• Christians believe the Old and New
Testaments of the Bible are holy books. The
first four books of the New Testament were
written by followers of Jesus.
Christianity
• Some branches of Christianity are: Roman
Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern
Orthodox.
Orthodox Christianity
Saint Basil’s
Icons
Islam
Founder
Muhammad, who was born in A.D. 570 at Mecca, in Saudi
Arabia.
How many
gods?
One, Allah
Holy
writings
The Koran (Qu’ran)
Beliefs
The Five Pillars, or main duties, are: profession of faith;
prayer 5 times a day; charitable giving; fasting during the
month of Ramadan; and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once.
Types
Almost 90% of Muslims are Sunnis. Shiites are the secondlargest group. The Shiites split from the Sunnis in 632 when
Muhammad died.
Where
Islam is the main religion of the Middle East, Asia, and the
north of Africa.
Islam
• ISLAM is the name given to the religion
preached by the prophet Muhammad in
the 600s A. D.
• The Islamic religion started in the area
known as Palestine in the year 600AD.
• It has about 850 million followers, most of
them in the region north and east of the
Mediterranean Sea.
ISLAM
• The Muslim name for God is Allah.
• Muhammad was a camel driver from Saudi
Arabia
• The Angel Gabriel gave Muhammad The Koran
in the desert in the 7th Century CE. It is the
Muslim holy book.
• He started his religion in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
This is the holiest city in Islam.
ISLAM
• Muslims worship in a mosque
• Muslims must follow the Five Pillars of Islam:
▫
▫
▫
▫
▫
Stating the Faith
Prayer 5 times/day facing Mecca
Charity to poor
Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Fast during Ramadan
Islamic Philosophy
• Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of
testing and preparation for the life to come.
• Angels record good and bad deeds.
• People should behave themselves and help
others, trusting in Allah's justice and mercy for
their reward.
Islam
• Muslims pray five times daily in their mosques
(churches).
• While praying, they face the holy city of Mecca
(in Saudi-Arabia) and sometimes kneel with
faces to the ground.
• All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage
(trip to a sacred place) to Mecca at least once in
their lifetime.
Islam
Dome of the Rock
Mecca
Crescent and Star