1. RELIGION Camila Restrepo and Sam Osorio

2. What is religion? A belief system and a set of practices that recognizes the existence of a higher power Helps people make sense of what their place is in the world Most complex and controversial aspects of human condition Core component of culture Root of conflict

3. Different types Universalizing (Proselytic) –Seeks new members and tries to convert many Ethnic –Identifies with a specific ethnic or tribal groups, doesn’t seek converts and has no missionaries –One place or one ethnicity Syncretism –A combination of two or more belief systems (hybrid) –Common in areas of colonization where Christianity blended with indigenous beliefs Orthodox –Emphasizes purity of the faith –Each religion has an Orthodox branch Polytheistic –Belief in more than one god or goddess Monotheistic –Belief in one god or goddess Animistic –Belief that inanimate objects (mountains, boulders, rivers, trees) have spirits

4. Religion Families Abrahamic –Christianity –Islam –Judaism Indian –Hindu –Buddhism –Sikhism African –Primal indigenous –African traditional –African Diasporic Far East –Taoism –Confucianism –Shinto Must know!

5. What is fundamentalism? Intolerance of other religions –Movements in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam –Wants to return to founding principles, or the literal interpretations of the text –Leads to violence! –Connected to Orthodox branches

6. Universalizing Religions Christianity Islam Buddhism Sikhism Baha'i People that practice a religion are known as adherents not followers

7. Christianity FounderJesus of Nazareth, 30 CE OriginPalestine (Jerusalem) now Israel Doctrine10 Commandments Diffusion1.Relocation 2.Contagious 3.Hierarchical Branches1.Roman Catholic 2.Protestant 3.Eastern Orthodox Holy BookBible Holy PlacesChurches, Jerusalem Landscape Impact1.Churches 2.Cemeteries 3.Administration 1.Paul, Mary, disciples, early missionaries 2.Spread to a couple of people 3.From the Roman Empire to the people

8. Christianity (con’t) Branches –1. Roman Catholic SW/East Europe, NE/SW North America and all of South America Sacraments: Eucharist…body and blood of Christ (go through pope) –2. Protestant NW Europe, highly clustered in North America Individuals can directly communicate with God (Martin Luther, Reformation) –3. Eastern Orthodox SE Europe, Middle East Ruled by Patriarchs from each region Split from RC teachings Landscape Impact –Churches RC: more elaborate and cathedrals Protestant: plain Orthodox: cathedrals with domes, Byzantine style –Cemeteries Bury the dead Not everyone is buried the same way, hierarchy –Administration RC: hierarchical Pope Archbishops Bishops Priests

9. Islam FounderMuhammad, 622 CE OriginArabian Peninsula, Mid-East, now Saudi Arabia Doctrine5 Pillars of Islam 1.Allah one true God 2.Pray 5x a day facing Mecca 3.Charity work 4.Fast (Ramadan) 5.Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca Diffusion1.Contagious 2.Relocation Branches1.Sunni 2.Shiite Holy BookQuran Holy Places1.Mecca 2.Medina 3.Jerusalem Landscape Impact1.Mosques 2.Administration 3.Calendar 4.Art World’s fastest growing religion 1.Military conquest 2.Missionaries

10. Islam (con’t) Branches 1. Sunni “people following the example of Muhammad” Succession: from the community 2. Shiite “sectarian” Succession: from the family line of Muhammad Holy Places 1. Mecca: birthplace of Muhammad 2. Medina: Muhammad’s tomb 3. Jerusalem: Muhammad’s ascension to heaven Landscape Impact Mosques Minaret tower: call to prayer Cemeteries: bury the dead Administration Local autonomy, no formal hierarchies Calendar Holy month of Ramadan Art Calligraphy

11. Buddhism FounderSiddhartha Gautama, 563 BCE OriginIndia/Nepal Doctrine Four Noble Truths Eight fold path DiffusionNo rapid diffusion Brought to China by trade routes Branches1.Mahayana 2.Theravada 3.Tibetan Holy BookNone Holy PlacesShrines 8 sacred sites Landscape Impact1.Pagodas: relic of Buddha 2.Calendar Holidays of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death 1.Mahayana 56%, less demanding, more encompassing 2.Theravada 38%, oldest branch, full time occupation as monks 3.Tibetan 6%

12. Other Universalizing Religions Baha’i –Grew out of Babi faith –Founder: Siyyd ‘Ali Muhammad –Doctrine: Believe that one of Bab’s disciples was a prophet of God –Function: overcome disunity in religions and establish a universal faith –Temple on every continent –Calendar 19 months with 19 days, 4 “extra” –Diffusion: Adherents persecuted and exiled to Iraq Sikhism −Founded in late 15 th century −Follows teachings of Guru Nanak −Monotheistic −Blend of Hinduism and Islam practices and beliefs −Diffused outward from Pakistan −High concentration in Punjab region of India −Holy site: Golden Temple −Holy book: Guru Granth Sahid

13. Ethnic Religions Hinduism Judaism East Asian: Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism Shamanism

14. Hinduism Largest ethnic religion Localized in India and Nepal Polytheistic No single founder Different paths to reach God: –Path of knowledge –Path of renunciation –Path of devotion –Path of action No central authority or holy book, no specific founder, no agreement on origins See the divine in everything and tolerant of other religions You are responsible for your own actions and you alone suffer the consequences Law of karma Dharma: duty in life Reincarnation Supreme being who has unlimited forms −Brahman Vedas, only written source for understanding religious life in ancient India

15. Hinduism (con’t) Four castes 1.Brahmans: priests 2.Kshatriyas: warriors 3.Vaisyas: merchants 4.Shudras: agricultural peasants Untouchables: outcasts Gandhi pointed out problems with system Govt legally abolished the untouchable caste Holy places organized into a hierarchy Geography of India: rivers, mountains Temples: home to one or more gods, not for congregational worship Pool for ritual baths Worship called Puja Arranged marriage Body cremated (reincarnation)

16. Judaism Believed to be the first monotheistic religion Founder - Abraham “parent” of Christianity and related to Islam One powerful God “chosen people”: God selected them to live according to his ethical and moral principles 10 commandments Rewarded for faith and punished for sins Holy book: the Torah Synagogue: house of worship, have an ark housing the Torah 6-pointed star symbol Most sacred site is the Wailing Wall All that is left of temples Gather to remember destruction and offer prayers

17. Judaism (con’t) Major holidays based on events in agricultural calendar To conduct full service: 10 adult males must be present Most Jews don’t live in Israel, most migrated to Europe Jews were persecuted by other nationalities Largest pop of Jews live in the U.S. (northeast) Branches −Orthodox: original teachings −Reform: adjust religion to more modern times −Conservative: most recent and most moderate Subgroups (b/c of Diaspora) −Ashkenazim: lived in Germany and France before Eastern Europe −Mizrachim: never left North Africa or Middle East −Sephardim: Spain or Portugal

18. East Asian Taosim –Laozi: people should live in harmony with nature and all aspects of their lives –Ying and yang, feng shui Confucianism –Confucius: system of morals and a way of life for Chinese –Focuses more on worldly life rather than ideas of heaven and hell Shintoism −Forces of nature are considered divine −From 1800s to post WW2, religion of Japan −Blends principles of Buddhism with local Japanese religion

19. Shamanism Follows a shaman: religious leader, healer, or truth knower Strongest in Africa Animism: belief that objects (trees, mountains, rivers) have divine sprits in them

20. Religious Issues Secularism vs Theocracy –Secular: move away from religion, indifferent to religion or reject it all together, Western democracies have secular principles –Theocracy: govt run by a religion, holy law is supreme, today: Iran

21. Interfaith vs. Intrafaith boundaries Interfaith –Divide space between two or more religions –Struggle over the same area –Ex: Nigeria, Islam is dominant in the north and Christianity in the south, lead to tensions for govt control Intrafaith −Divide space within one religion, often among denominations −Ex: Iraq, Sunni and Shiite Islam, fight for control of politics

22. Religion vs… Government conflict Groups oppose govt if policies conflict religious values or promote social change Social changesTaliban vs. Western values (Afghanistan ’96) Taliban= fundamentalist Muslims Banned western “leisure” activities, TV and internet Believed they had been called by Allah to rid Afghanistan of sin and violence CommunismBuddhism vs. SE Asian countries Buddhist hurt by Vietnam war, immolated themselves to protest policies of the South Vietnamese govt Current Communist govt have discouraged religion and allowed monuments to decay

23. Religion vs. Religion Rise of fundamentalism –Literal interpretation and strict and intense adherence to basic principles –Convinced that its religious opinion/view is THE right way –Condone violence against those that believe otherwise Northern Ireland −Became independent −North Ireland part of the UK −Catholics have been victimized −Joined the IRA: militant org dedicated to achieving Irish national unity in any way necessary

24. Conflict in Middle East Jews, Christians, and Muslims have fought for 2,000 years for control of Jerusalem and its surrounding region WHY? –Jews: “promised land”, once forced to leave –Christians: “Holy Land”, major events in Christ’s life –Muslims: most widely practiced religion in the region, Jerusalem is where Muhammad ascended to heaven

25. Israel and Palestine Issues Ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the early 20th century Ottoman Empire controlled Palestine for 4 centuries (1516-1917) After WW1, United Nations voted to partition Palestine and Britain took over, divided into two states: one Jewish, one Muslim When the British withdrew in 1948, war was declared on Israel In 1949, an armistice was signed that divided control of Jerusalem In 1956, 1967,1973: three more wars Israel returned Sinai to Egypt and Egypt “recognized” Israel’s right to exist Palestinian POV: Israel’s prime opponent 5 groups consider themselves Palestinians Palestinian Liberation Org: terrorist group that fights for Palestinians, Have been divided by a struggle for power; Fatah party and Hamas party Israeli POV: Considers self a very small country with a Jewish majority surrounded by a region of hostile Muslim Arabs Israelis still divided

26. BINGO! Universalizing Ethnic Abrahamic Fundamentalism The Bible Roman Catholic Pope Hajj Fasting (Ramadan) Sunni Shiite The Quran Minaret tower Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama Baha’i The Golden Temple Hinduism  Judaism  Law of karma  Untouchables  Wailing Wall  Ying and yang  Animism  Secular  Interfaith  Intrafaith  Jerusalem  Adherents  Westboro Baptist Church  Contagious diffusion  Succession of Muhammad  Four noble truths  Syncretism  Nigeria  Iran  Diaspora