Religion

1. Religion Chapter 6

2. Where are Religions Distributed? • Very few religions can claim large numbers of adherents • Geographers distinguish between 2 kinds of religions • Universalizing religion- a religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular region • Ethnic religion- a religion w/ a relatively concentrated spatial distribution whose principles are likely to be based on the physical characteristics of the particular location in which its adherents are concentrated

4. continued • 62% of World’s pop. Adhere to a universalizing religion • 24% to an ethnic religion • 14% to no religion

5. Universalizing Religions • The 3 main universalizing religions are Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism • Each can be divided into branches, denominations, and sects • Branch- a large and fundamental division within a religion • Denomination- a division of a branch that unites a # of local congregations in a single legal and administrative body • Sect- a relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination

6. Christianity • More than 2 billion adherents, by far most popular religion and the most widely distributed • Predominate religion in North America, South America, Europe, and Australia • Some countries in Africa and Asia also have a Christian majority

7. Branches of Christianity • 3 major branches- Roman Catholic (52%), Protestant (21%), and Eastern Orthodox (10%) • In Europe, Catholicism is the dominant Christian branch in the SW and Central, Protestantism in the NW, and Eastern Orthodoxy in the East and SE

8. continued • Regions of Catholicism and Protestantism sometimes have sharp boundaries even when they run thru the middle of a country • The Netherlands and Switzerland have approx. equal % of Catholics and Protestants, but he Catholics are concentrated in the south, and Protestants in the north

9. continued • The Eastern Orthodox branch is a collection of 14 self-governing churches in Eastern Europe and the Middle East • more than 40% belong to the Russian Orthodox Church • Romanian church has 20% of all Orthodox Christians

10. Christianity in the Western Hemisphere • 90% of Western Hemisphere people are Christian • Fairly sharp boundary between branches of Christianity • In Latin America, 93% are Catholic, but only 29% in North America • In North America, Catholics are clustered the SW and NE United States and in Quebec

11. continued • In the US there are 83 million Protestants (28% of population) • 35 million are Baptists (mostly in southeast) • Other large groups include Methodists, Pentecostal, and Lutheran

12. Islam • About 1.3 billion followers • Predominant religion of the Middle East from North Africa to central Asia • However, half of all Muslims live in 4 countries outside the Middle East • Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India • Islam translates as “submission to the will of God” • Followers are called Muslims which translates as “one who surrenders to God”

13. Five Pillars of Faith • There is no god worthy of worship except the one God, the source of all creation, and Muhammad is the messenger of God • Five times daily, a Muslim prays, facing the city of Makkah, as a direct link to God • A Muslim gives generously to charity, as an act of purification and growth

14. continued • A Muslim fasts during the month of Ramadan, as an act of self-purification • If physically and financially able, a Muslim makes a pilgrimage to Makkah

15. Branches of Islam • Has 2 important branches: • Sunni (from Arabic word for orthodox) -83% of all Muslims • Shiite (from Arabic word for sectarian) -sometimes written Shia in English -16% of all Muslims -nearly 30% of all Shiites lives in Iran, 15% in Pakistan, and 10% in Iraq -Shiites are 90% of the pop. In Iran, and more than half in Azerbaijan, Iraq, Oman, and Bahrain

16. Islam in North America and Europe • Islamic population of North America and Europe is growing at a rapid pace • Muslims make up 5% of pop. In Europe • France has the largest Muslim pop., about 4 mill. • Why do you think that is? • Legacy of French colonization in N. Africa

17. continued • In 1990, there were only a few hundred thousand Muslims in North America • Today there are more than 5 million • Has much to do with the Nation of Islam, or Black Muslims as they are sometimes called

18. Buddhism • Has 400 million adherents • mostly in China and SE Asia • Buddhism has 3 major branches based on differing interpretations of statements by founder Siddhartha Gautama • Mahayana- 56% -primarily in China, Japan, and Korea • Theravadists- 38% -Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand • Tantrayanists- 6% -Tibet and Mongolia

19. continued • Very difficult to get an accurate count of Buddhists because very few people participate in Buddhist institutions • Religious functions done by monks, not by the public • Also difficult because Buddhism is not exclusive • It is possible to be a Buddhist and another eastern religion at the same time • Not allowed by Christianity and Islam

20. Four Noble Truths • The foundation of Buddhism is represented by Four Noble Truths • All living beings must endure suffering • Suffering, which is caused by a desire to live, leads to reincarnation (repeated rebirth in new bodies or forms of life)

21. continued • The goal of all existence is to escape from suffering and the endless cycle of reincarnation into Nirvana (a state of complete redemption), which is achieved through mental and moral self-purification • Nirvana is attained thru an Eightfold Path, which includes rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation

22. Ethnic Religions • The largest ethnic religion is Hinduism with more than 860 million followers • Most other ethnic religions are much smaller and are found in Asia and Africa

23. Hinduism • Hinduism is the world’s third most popular religion • 97% of Hindus can be found in India • Most of the rest live in Nepal • Hindus comprise more than 80% of the population of both countries

24. continued • Hindus believe that it is up to the individual to decide the best way to worship God • There are many paths to reach God such as the path of knowledge, the path of renunciation, the path of devotion, and the path of action • You follow your own path and your own convictions as long as they are in harmony with your true nature • You are responsible for your own actions and you alone suffer the consequences

25. continued • Hinduism does not have a central authority or a single holy book • People worship how they see fit • The average Hindu has allegiance to a particular god or concept within a broad range of possibilities • The most popular manifestation is Vaishnavism (68%), which worships Vishnu, a loving god incarnated as Krishna

26. continued • Next is Sivaism (27%), which worships Siva, a protective and destructive god • Shaktism is a form of worship dedicated to the female consort of Vishnu and Siva • Geographically speaking, Siva and Shakti worship is concentrated in the north; Shakti and Vishnu in the east; Vishnu in the west; and Siva with some Vishnu in the south

27. Other Ethnic Religions • Ethnic religions are practiced by several hundred million people in East Asia, esp. in China and Japan • The non-exclusive beliefs of Buddhism allows adherents to also subscribe to other religious beliefs • Confucianism and Daoism (Taoism) are popular with many Buddhists

28. Confucianism • Confucius was a philosopher and teacher in Lu • Sayings emphasized the importance of Li, which means “correct behavior” • Confucianism prescribed a series of ethical principles for orderly conduct of daily life such as following traditions, fulfilling obligations, and treating others with respect

29. Daoism (Taoism) • Organized by Lao-Zi about the same time Confucius lived • Whereas Confucius emphasized everyday life, Lao-Zi’s writings emphasized mystical and magical aspects of life • Daoists seek dao (tao) which means the “way” or the “path” • The virtuous draw power (de or te) from being absorbed in the dao • Dao can’t be comprehended using reason and knowledge • Split into sects, many acting like secret societies • Banned by communist in 1949

30. Shintoism • Distinctive ethnic religion of Japan • Originally forces of nature like the sun and moon were divine • Gradually, deceased emperors and ancestors replaced natural forces as divine • In the late 1800s the emperor made Shintoism the official state religion of Japan and made himself divine • After WWII the Allies made Emperor Hirohito denounce his divinity

31. Judaism • About 15 million Jews worldwide • 6 million in the US and 5 million in Israel • In the US, Jews are concentrated in large cities, esp. in NY • Jews are a majority in Israel • Even though the number of adherents is relatively small, Judaism has a substantial role in Western civilization because Christianity and Islam both have roots in Judaism

32. continued • The Old Testament recounts the ancient history of the Jewish people • The first recorded religion to preach monotheism • Belief that there is only one God • Consider themselves God’s “chosen”

33. Ethnic African Religions • About 100 million Africans follow a traditional ethnic religion known as animism • Belief that objects, such as plants and stones, or natural events, like thunderstorms and earthquakes, have a discrete spirit and conscious life • Rituals are passed by word of mouth and there are very few written documents • Seem to be based on monotheistic principles, as there is one supreme God, but there are many other lesser divinities under God

34. continued • Recent decline in number of animists is due to the increase in the number of Christians and Muslims in Africa • Africa now 46% Christian and 40% Muslim

35. Origin of Religions • Universalizing religions have precise places of origin based on the life events of a man • Ethnic religions have unknown or unclear origins, not tied to single historical individuals

36. Origin of Universalizing Religions • All three Universalizing religions can be traced back to the actions and teachings of a single man since the start of recorded history • Buddhism 2500 years ago • Christianity 2000 years ago • Islam 1500 years ago • Specific events also led to the creation of different branches of these religions

37. Origin of Christianity • Founded on the teachings of Jesus who was born b/w 8 and 4 BC in Bethlehem and was crucified in Jerusalem about 30 AD • Jesus was a Jew who organized a small band of disciples and preached the coming of the Kingdom of God • Judas  Last Supper  crucifixion  empty tomb • Christians believe Jesus died to atone for human sins, he was raised from the dead by God, which gives people hope for eternal salvation

38. continued • Roman Catholics accept the teachings of the bible and the interpretation of those teachings by the Church hierarchy • God conveys grace to humans thru seven sacraments -Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Anointing the sick, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Eucharist • Catholics believe that the bread and wine used during Eucharist miraculously become the body and blood of Christ while maintaining the appearance of bread and wine • Called transubstantiation

39. continued • In 1054 a split occurred in the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in the creation of Eastern Orthodoxy • Great Schism • Eastern Orthodox churches accept the 7 sacraments, but rejects other doctrines added by the Catholic Church after 8th century

40. continued • Protestantism originated with the Reformation in the 16th century • Started with Martin Luther and the 95 theses in Wittenberg Germany in 1517 • Believed that humans receive salvation thru faith rather than sacraments performed by the church

41. Origin of Islam • Traces its story through the line of Abraham and his second wife Hagar and her son Ishmael (who were banished after Abraham’s first wife, Sarah, had Isaac) • Hagar and Ishmael wandered thru the desert until they reached Makkah • Muhammad was one of Ishmael’s descendants

42. continued • Muhammad was born in 570 and received his first revelation from God when he was 40 • The angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to him • Muhammad suffered persecution in Makkah and was commanded by God to emigrate to Yathrib in 622 • His emigration from Makkah to Yathrib (later renamed Madina, “the City of the prophet”) is known as the Hirja • Marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar

43. continued • The difference b/w Shiites and Sunnis has to do with the succession of Muhammad • Read about it on page 190

44. Origin of Buddhism • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama • Son of a Lord in Nepal • Lived a life of privilege • Gautama’s life changed after a series of 4 trips • 1st trip he encountered a decrepit old man • A disease ridden-man on the second • A corpse on the third • A monk on the 4th who taught him about withdrawal from the world

45. continued • Gautama believed he could no longer live his privileged life • At 29 he left his palace and lived in the forest for the next 6 years • Experimented with diff. types of meditation • Emerged as the “enlightened one” of the Buddha • Spent the next 45 years preaching across India

46. continued • Theravada Buddhists believe that Buddhism is a full-time occupation, and you must renounce worldly goods and become a monk to be a good Buddhist • Mahayana Buddhists claim that their approach to Buddhism can help more people because it is less demanding and all-encompassing

47. Origin of Other Universalizing Religions • Sikhism and Bahai are much more recent universalizing religions • Sikhism about 500 years ago by Guru Nanak in South Asia • Bahai was established in Iran during the 19th century and met strong opposition from Shiites • In 1850 the leader and 20000 followers were executed • The prophet was exiled to Baghdad

48. Diffusion of Religions • The hearths of the 3 main universalizing religions are all based on the lives of the key individuals

49. Diffusion of Christianity • First spread from hearth in Palestine thru relocation diffusion • Missionariescarried the teachings of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire along the network of Roman roads • Spread widely thru the empire thru contagious diffusion-- daily contact b/w believers and nonbelievers • Pagan actually translated as “countryside”

50. continued • When the Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity in 313, it spread thru hierarchical diffusion • Theodosius proclaimed it he official religion in 380 • In later centuries Christianity diffused into Eastern Europe thru the conversion of kings