1. Religion
Religion is a system of beliefs and practices that help people make sense of the universe and their place in it
Why would people need to make sense of their world?

2. Deity – a deity is a god
Monotheistic – a belief in one (mono) god
Polytheistic – a belief in more than one god
Atheistic – a belief that there are no gods

3. Religion and identity How does religion shape the identity of a person?

4. How does religion shape the identity of a community?

5. Ritual – behaviors regularly practiced that often have personal or symbolic meaning

6. Piety – means to be deeply devoted to a religion
Two types of religions and the difference between the two is how they get followers and at what scale
Universalizing religion –
(Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism) these are closely associated with a key individual who established the religion.
Welcomes all people as potential members
May actively work to get converts

7. Ethnic religion Civil religion
Membership in an ethnic religion is usually conferred by birth
Rarely use missionaries to increase numbers
Judaism, Hinduism, Shintoism (Japan)
Civil religion
When religious ideas, symbols and rituals are part of the political culture of an area.

8. Abrahamic Faiths
Religions that have a historical association with Abraham
Abraham lived in the Middle East in the 19th century BCE
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are often classified as Abrahamic faiths

9. Buddhism and Hinduism are Vedic faiths
Buddhism and Hinduism are Vedic faiths. The Vedas are India’s oldest sacred writings and influenced the development of Hinduism
Buddhism separated from Hinduism

10. Judaism 13 million Jews world wide
Israel is the only country in which the majority of the population is Jewish
Abraham is the patriarch (male head)
Torah is holy book

11. Christianity Largest world religion with 2.3 billion adherents
Promises forgiveness and eternal life through belief in Jesus
Many different forms of Christianity
Western Christianity – Roman Catholics based in Rome. Broke into Protestant faiths in 1500’s
Eastern Christianity – Eastern Orthodoxy based Constantinople (Istanbul)

12. Islam Second largest religion
1/5 of world’s population calls themselves Muslims
Fastest growing religion in the world
Muhammad is the founder. Born in 570 CE in Mecca (Saudi Arabia)
God is called Allah
Holy book – Qur’an
Sunnis – largest and most wide spread. Believed that after Muhammad’s death someone outside his family could succeed him

13. Islam
Shiites – believed that Muhammad’s successor should be someone from his family.

14. Hinduism Largest ethnic religion in the world.
Most Hindus live in South Asia, specifically India
Great diversity of religious beliefs and practices
Belief in reincarnation – existence is a cycle and souls are immortal.
Karma is an important element of reincarnation
Brahman is the supreme spiritual source
Hinduism has a large number of gods and goddess, each expressing different qualities of Brahman

15. Buddhism
Prevalent in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. (also mixes with Confucianism)
Founder is Siddhartha Gautama (6th century)
He had a privileged life and when he saw suffering he felt the need to give up his life of comfort and seek a way to end human suffering
He attained enlightenment by meditating (Buddha means enlightened one)
Oldest Buddhist document is the Tripitaka

16. Buddhism
Buddhists believe that suffering is linked to reincarnation and that to escape the cycle of reincarnation you need to achieve Nirvana
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are:
Life brings suffering
Desire causes this suffering
This suffering can be overcome and nirvana can be attained
Disciplining the mind and body by practicing proper thinking and behavior ends this suffering and leads to nirvana
Three major branches of Buddhism – Theravada, Mahayana and Tantrayana.

17. Sikhism
Smallest of the universalizing religions (23 million adherents)
Guru is an inspired religious teacher
Sikh means disciple
Guru Nanak ( ) founded Sikhism
Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak experienced a divine (god like) revelation and began teaching and establishing Sikh communities
Is influenced by Buddhism and Islam
Believes in one creator and emphasizes the importance of karma
Holy book is – Guru Guanth Sahib - contains hymns revealed to Guru Nanak and other gurus.