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World Religions
Chapter 7
What is religion and what role does it play
culture?
• religion and language are the foundation of
culture: they confer and reflect identity.
• They're constantly changing.
• Interaction can sometimes lead to conversion
• through migration, missionary efforts, conquests,
the major religions of the world have diffused
• Cultural landscape is marked by religion.
• churches, mosques, cemeteries, shrines,
statues, symbols.
What is religion and what role does it play
culture?
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Religion proclaimed in - dress, personal habits (like beards and ritual scars)
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How & were display of religious beliefs reveal the inward structure.
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The Islamic Republic of Pakistan - 1991 passed a law making the the appointment to a
judges contingent on having a beard.
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Displays lack of power for women.
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Religion defined “The system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms
of culturally perceived ultimate priorities” Expressed in terms of "should" behavior based
on beliefs.
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For example eating, dress, “shouldness”
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Good life has rewards bad behaviors risk punishment.
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Commonalities among religions.
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Rituals, birth, death, attainment of adulthood, marriage, astronomical events Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity.
What is religion and what role does it play
culture?
• Secularism - prevails in some societies.
• Religion and organized form has become less significant.
• Although in secular societies, religion permeates art, history,
customs, and beliefs.
• Organized religion has powerful effect on human societies.
• Used to combat social ills, sustain the poor, promote the arts,
educate the deprived, advanced medical knowledge.
• Has blocked scientific study, encourage oppression,
supported colonialism and exploitation, condemned women.
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It is one of the most complex-and often controversial
aspects of the human condition.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Commonly classified into three categories.
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monotheistic religions , polytheistic, animistic religions.
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For most of human history animism and polytheism were dominant.
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3500 years ago monotheism in Southwest Asia emerges: Zoroastrians - modern day
Iran ..... (the Parsi)
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some believe Judaism Christianity and Islam can be traced to Zoroastrian
influences.
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Others believe Judaism was first.
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By 500 B.C.E. four major hearths of religion existed.
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Heart of Greek philosophy northern Mediterranean.
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Indus valley, Hinduism
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Eastern Mediterranean, Judaism
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Huang He River Valley, China.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Philosophies and religions diffuse from their hearths.
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Greatest number of adherents in the world today - Christianity and Islam: both influenced by
Judaism and Greek philosophy.
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World maps of religion today. All world religions maps are generalizations.
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1- Ex: India-predominantly Hindu .... 150 million Muslims also live in India.
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2- Traditional religious ideas influenced the practice of the dominant faith.
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3- many areas people have moved away from organized religion entirely.
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Ex: France - Roman Catholicism on map, but most French don't practice a particular
faith.
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The widespread religions share one characteristic in common: universalizing religions.
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They actively seek converts. View their beliefs is universal, and appealing.
Christianity Islam and Buddhism. Explains their widespread distribution. Most of
human history religions have not actively sought converts.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Ethnic religion-adherents born into the faith, converts not actively sought.
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Tend to be spatially concentrated.
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Principal exception-Judaism, adherence widely scattered, result of forced and voluntary
migrations.
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Hinduism - ranks third one of the world's oldest religions - over 4000 years
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unique does not have single founder, or a single theology, or any agreement on its origins
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Based on ancient practices from Indus Valley civilizations -Mohenjo-Daro, Harapa.
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Practices include: ritual bathing, reincarnation, long journeys after death.
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Aryans invaded Valley, named the diverse religions existing there Hinduism.
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Hinduism no longer associated with hearth in Pakistan.
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Found mainly in India, more of a cultural way of life then they said religion.
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Sacred places - Ganges River “Mama Ganga” Polytheistic religion, however many Hindus see
Hinduism is monotheistic. Brahman, all other deities part of the Brahman. Western academics-view as
ethnic religion
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Western academics see it as an ethnic religion because Hindus do not seek converts.
Historically Hindus migrated into Southeast Asia and their religion diffused.
Now more of an ethnic religion, has millions of adherents: South Asia, beyond India to
Bangladesh, Miramar, Sri Lanka, Nepal.
No central organization. Does not have an administrative structure. Does not have a
profit or single book.
The Vedas four holy books.
Conglomeration of beliefs, fundamental doctrine: karma is the idea of the
transferability of the soul, souls arranged in a hierarchy, ideal is to move upward, to
escape the cycle of reincarnation by unifying with the Brahman and acheive
enlightenment.
Reincarnation is the cornerstone of Hinduism. Doctrines closely connected to the
Indian caste system.
• Castes are sociall steps. The cast system locks people into a social class.
• Lowest of the classes, the Dalits or Untouchables. Could not enter temples,
excluded from schools, restricted to the most unpleasant tasks.
• Modernization of India plus the work of Mahatma Gandhi helped loosen social
barriers for the Dalits
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Diffusion of Hinduism.
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Before the advent of Christianity Hinduism diffuses into southeast Asia.
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When Islam and Christianity appeared Hindu thinkers attempted to integrate new teachings
into their religion.
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Ex: God's love for the poor and peacemakers.
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weakens the cast barriers.
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In Indonesia the island of Bali remains a Hindu outpost.
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It was a refuge for Hindu holy man, nobles, intellectuals.
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16th century Islam engulfs neighboring Java.
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In Bali Hinduism developed unique qualities mixed with Buddhism, animism, ancestor
worship.
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The cast system prevails in Bali. Lower castes outnumber higher 10 to 1, less divisiveness
as a result.
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Temples and shrines dominate cultural landscape. Religion is the heart of Balinese culture,
described as a celebration of life
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British colonialism transported thousands of Hindus to east and south Africa, the Caribbean,
South America, Pacific Islands. Because it is not a universalizing religion, relocation
diffusion lead to pockets rather than regions of Hinduism. ,
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
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Buddhism - emerge from Hinduism over 2500 years ago.
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Reaction to questions about Hinduism's teaching.
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Reformers question social and hierarchy. Siddhartha - Indian prince wealthy kingdom in
Nepal, founder of Buddhism. Came to be known as the Buddha, the enlightened one.
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Salvation, could be attained by anyone.
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Through knowledge elimination of greed, craving, and desire; complete honesty; and never
hurting another person.
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his death in 489 BC, faith grew slowly
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third century B.C.E. Emperor Ashoka begins spreading the religion. Spread south to Sri
Lanka, West towards the Mediterranean, North to Tibet, East to China, Korea, Japan,
Vietnam and Indonesia.
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Diffused to distant lands, began to decline in the region of it's origin.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
• Today it is not practiced Buddhism in India - it’s hearth
• Vietnam, Sri Lanka Southeast Asia Nepal Tibet Korea, China, and
Japan.
• Changed as it grew and diffused, develop regional characteristics.
• Estimated 347 million adherents
• Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism.
• Theravada stresses: monastic faith, salvation is a personal
matter, achieved through good behavior and religious
activities, services a monk or nun.
• Mahayana stresses: salvation achieved by appeals to super
human beings, holy sources of merit. Buddha is regarded as a
divine savior. Mahayana Buddhists don't serve as monks,
personal meditation and worship.
• Zen Buddhism.
• Has become a global religion.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse.
• Shinto is found in Japan, related to Buddhism. Nature
and ancestor worship.
• Between 100 and 118 million followers
• most Japanese observe both Buddhist and Shinto
beliefs.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse?
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From the Hearth to the Huang He River Valley
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Taoism beginnings are unclear
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contemporary of Confucius -" Lao-Tsu published the “book of the way”
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a proper form of political rule.
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oneness of humanity and nature - live in harmony with nature, the concept of FengShui.
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Organizing living spaces in order to channel the life forces that exist in nature in
favorable ways
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Geomancers -people who know the desires of powerful spirits and ancestors, dragons,
tigers, and other beings give advice on how to order things.
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Taoist virtues: simplicity, spontaneity, tenderness, tranquility.
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Competition, possession, pursuit of knowledge, are to be avoided.
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War, punishment, taxation, ceremonial ostentation, are all viewed as evils. The
best government is the least government.
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Lao-Tsu was worshiped as a god after his death. He would have disapproved of
this.
Where did the major religions of the world originate and
how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth to the Huang He River Valley
• Confucianism. Confucius lived from 551 two 479 BC E.
• Established the blueprint for Chinese civilization.
• Philosophy, government, education.
• Religion-belief in heaven and the existence of the soul, ancestor
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worship, sacrificial rights, and Shaman's.
The meaning of life lay in the present, service to one's fellow humans is
more important than worshiping spirits.
Confucianism is a philosophy of life. Urge the poor to assert
themselves, disliked supernatural mysticism, human virtues and abilities
should determine position and responsibility in society. (merit based)
He became revered as a spiritual leader after his death and temples were
built in his honor.
His sayings became the focus of education in China for 2000 years. 13
texts-Confucian classics were the guide to Chinese civilization.
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth to the Huang He River Valley
• 1949 Chinese government attempts to ban religion.
• Confucianism did not fade easily.
• It was so entrenched in Chinese culture that the
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government initiative did not have the desired effect.
Resentment among the population over practices of
destroying burial mounds led to major change in the
1970s.
• With the population growth of the Chinese, the
government has highly encouraged cremation
over burial the last decades.
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean
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Judaism- grew of the belief system of the Jews
• Semitic tribe living in Southwest Asia about 4000 years ago
• Abraham-from the city of Ur - in Mesopotamia credited with uniting his people to
worship one God.
• Covenant with God- Jews agreed to worship only one God, God agrees to protect his
chosen people.
• Moses leads the Jews from Egypt where they had been enslaved by the Pharaoh.
• In Canaan the tribe of Israel and the tribe of Judah divide.
• Israel is destroyed by enemies but Judah survived
• later conquered by the Babylonians in the Assyrians.
• Recruit to rebuild their headquarters in Jerusalem.
• Romans destroyed their city in the year 70, CE
• scatters the followers. Only a small presence remained on the shores of the
Mediterranean until the late 19th century.
• Judaism is not limited to a small territorial extent. Distributed throughout parts of the
Middle East and North Africa Russia Ukraine Europe as well as North and South
America.
• Of the worlds 18 million Jews, 40% live in United States, 40% live in Israel, less
than 5% in France, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia, and Argentina.
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean
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It is one of the world's most influential religions.
19 century reform movement-attempt to adjust Judaism's practices to current times.
Orthodox attempt to retain old practices.
Conservative movement of Judaism-lies in between Orthodox and Reform.
Diffusion of Judaism-after Roman destruction.
Diaspora-spatial dispersion of members of any ethnic group.
Zionism-the idea of the homeland rooted in the believe the Jews should not be absorbed
into other societies.
• After World War II - Jews begin to see their only hope for survival is establishing a
homeland on the shores of the eastern Mediterranean.
Goal of the Jewish state becomes reality in 1948-Israel Palestine, carved out of the
territory of the eastern Mediterranean by a United Nations resolution.
• Law of Return in 1950 - recognizes the rights of every Jew to emigrate to Israel.
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean
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Christianity - same hearth is Judaism and like Islam stems from a single founder: Jesus.
Christians believe Jesus to be son of God.
• Sent to earth to teach people how to live.
Split from Judaism
Christians celebrate Easter: the day they believe Jesus rose from the dead after
crucifixion-good Friday
Christianity splits into Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox.
Diocletian attempts to keep the Empire together as Rome weakens - by dividing it.
• eastern region called Constantinople
• Constantinople becomes the center of the Byzantine Empire.
Rome collapsed Byzantium thrived and Christianity prospered.
Eastern Orthodox Church suffers under the rule of the Ottomans in the late state 1300s.
Later the Soviet Union suppresses Eastern orthodoxy.
• Remains one of the three major branches of Christianity today.
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean
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Roman Catholics church claims the most adherence of all Christian denominations
• Ground is the center theology teaches the infallibility of the Popes interpretation of
Jesus' teachings.
• Power of the Roman Catholic Church peaked in the Middle Ages
• worked with monarchs to rule much of Western Europe
• 1300s the black death causes Europeans to question the role of religion in their
lives
• leads to the western schism in the 1300s - three people claim to be Pope.
• Later reformers include John Haas, Martin Luther, JohnCalvin
• led to the Protestant Reformation.
• Protestants are the third branch of Christianity
• Roman Catholicism accounts for nearly 40% of the members of the world's major
religions
Where did the major religions of the world originate
and how do religions defuse?
• From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean
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Diffusion of Christianity.
• The diffusion of Christianity occurred as a result of expansion and relocation
diffusion.
• After the fall of the Roman Empire contagious diffusion takes place.
• Eastern orthodox-contagious diffusion takes place from the hearth in Constantinople
to the north and northeast.
• Protestantism expanded through contagious diffusion. Northern and Central Europe
through hierarchal diffusion as political leaders converted.
• Worldwide diffusion of Christianity occurred during the era of European colonialism.
• Protestant refugees relocate to North America.
• conflict and oppression in Europe.
• Catholicism also spreads to Africa in the Philippines.
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Today Christian faith has over 33,000 denominations.
• Hundreds of which engage in aggressive and persistent proselytizing.