THE FIVE MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS

HINDUISM 840 million polytheistic found mainly in India

BUDDHISM polytheistic 400 million found mostly in Asia

JUDAISM monotheistic follow the laws of Moses various sects -including Orthodox, and Hasidic 5.7 million in Israel 5.2 million in US others scattered around the world (diaspora)

CHRISTIANITY over 2 billion Christians three branches - Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant monotheistic found worldwide

DIVISIONS OF CHRISTIANITY 12 Disciple/Apostles became the bishops of the early church In 1054 a.d. the Great Schism or split between East (Greek) and West (Latin) branches of Christianity happened The bishop of Rome became leader of the Roman Catholic Church & influenced Western Civilization Eastern churches (Greek, Russian, Coptic) are not as common in the West

Christianity - Protestant Reformation 1517 a monk named Martin Luther starts the Protestant Reformation, questioning some of the Catholic Church’s practices. Others followed making a wave of different denominations or sects of Christianity.

ISLAM Followers are Muslims 1.6 billion Two sects- Sunni and Shi’a growing fast highly concentrated in Middle East (Asia) also in America, Europe, Asia, Africa

Islam Split When Mohammed, founder of Islam, died in 632 there was a dispute over who would then lead the faith Two groups emerge Shi’a and Sunni