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Major World Religions
World Cultures
The 5 major world Religions
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Christianity
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism
Judaism
• Other world religions:
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Baha‘i
Confucianism
Jainism
Shinto
Sikhism
Taoism
Zoroastrianism
Top Ten Organized Religions of the
World
• Statistics of the world's
religions are only very
rough approximations.
• Aside from Christianity,
few religions, if any,
attempt to keep statistical
records; and even
Protestants and Catholics
employ different methods
of counting members.
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Christianity 2.1 billion 33.0%
Islam 1.5 billion 21%
Hinduism 900 million14%
Buddhism 376 million 6%
Sikhism 23 million 0.36%
Judaism 14 million 0.22%
Bahaism 7 million 0.1%
Confucianism 6.3 million 0.1%
Jainism 4.2 million 0.1%
Shintoism 4 million 0.0%
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Other Religions
Baha‘i: a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ‫ع‬Alī
(called Bahaullah) teaching the essential worth of all
religions, the unity of all races, and the equality of the
sexes.
Confucianism: the system of ethics, education, and
statesmanship taught by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher
and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor
worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought
and conduct.
Jainism: a dualistic religion founded in the 6th century b.c. as
a revolt against current Hinduism and emphasizing the
perfectibility of human nature and liberation of the soul,
esp. through asceticism and nonviolence toward all living
creatures.
Shinto: the native religion of Japan, primarily a system of
nature and ancestor worship.
Other Religions (cont.)
Sikhism: a monotheistic religion, founded in the Punjab
c1500 by the guru Nanak, that refuses to recognize the
Hindu caste system or the Brahmanical priesthood and
forbids magic, idolatry, and pilgrimages.
Taoism: the philosophical system evolved by Lao-tzu and
Chuang-tzu, advocating a life of complete simplicity and
naturalness and of noninterference with the course of
natural events, in order to attain a happy existence in
harmony with the Tao.
Zoroastrianism: an Iranian religion, founded c600b.c.by
Zoroaster, the principal beliefs of which are in the
existence of a supreme deity, Ahura Mazda, and in a
cosmic struggle between a spirit of good, Spenta Mainyu,
and a spirit of evil, Angra Mainyu. Pre-Islam
Bibliography
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The Major Faiths (concise table)." Infoplease. © 2000–2007 Pearson
Education, publishing as Infoplease. 25 Aug. 2011
<http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921143.html>.
Top Ten Organized Religions of the World." Infoplease. © 2000–2007
Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 25 Aug. 2011
<http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904108.html>.