+

Religion

+Objectives for the Chapter

Identify the similarities and differences between universalizing and ethnic religions.

Identify the hearths, diffusion patterns, and significance of holy places for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

Analyze the basis of territorial conflicts between religions, religions and political systems, and religions and social change.

+Universalizing Religions

Three Main Universalizing Religions and Two Smaller: Bahá’í Buddhism (7.1%) Christianity (31.5%) Islam (23.2%) Sikhism

Diffusion of Religion Map

+Universalizing Religions

Buddhism – Mostly in China and SE Asia.

Siddharta Gautama became Buddha throughenlightenment.

Four Noble Truths1. Life brings suffering.2. Desire causes suffering.3. This suffering can be overcome and nirvana achieved.4. Nirvana is attained through an Eightfold Path, which

includes rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation.

Largest branches: Mahayana – China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam Theravada – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand

Worship at home or in temple

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/666

+Universalizing Religions

Christianity (33.3%) – 2.3 billion adherents Roman Catholic largest

branch, dominant Southwest and east in Europe, dominant in Latin America

Protestant – dominated by Baptists in Southeast US

Orthodox – 15 churches in East Europe and the Middle East.

Smaller branches - Coptic Church, Ethiopian Church, Armenian Church, Maronites, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

http://www.vaticanbank.com/

•Forgiveness of sins – belief in Jesus (Messiah) and his resurrection•One God; three elements

•Holy Trinity – Father, Son, & Holy Spirit

•Holy Book – Bible•Church

+Distribution of Christians in US

+Universalizing ReligionsIslam Half live in four countries outside

Middle East: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, & India.

Fastest growing religion

Five Pillars of Practice include profession of faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and completion of the hajj—pilgrimage to Mecca

• Two denominations split after Muhammad’s death:• Sunni (80%) –

• Geographically widespread• Recognized someone outside

Muhammad’s family as successor

• Shia (15%) – • Clustered in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan,

Bahrain and Pakistan• Successor should be from

Muhammad’s family or chosen by Muhammad

http://sacredsites.com/middle_east/saudi_arabia/mecca.html

Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Holy Book – Qur’anMuhammad – final prophet of GodMosque

+Universalizing Religions

Sikhism – Clustered in Punjab region of India. 23 million adherents Only God is perfect, but we can strive for growth through

taking responsibility and by devoting self to one God. Founded by the Guru Nanak in 15th century CE. Place of worship is known as a Gurdwara, and the scripture

is the Guru Granth Sahib. To live good life, keep God in heart and mind always, live

and work honestly and hard, treat others equally, be generous to those in need, and serve others.

Additional info from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ataglance/glance.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/people/nanak.shtml#h2

Guru Nanak

The Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab http://sacredsites.com/asia/india/amritsar.html

+Ethnic Religions

Hinduism

Confucianism

Daoism (Taoism)

Shintoism

Judaism (a unique case)

Ethnic African Religions

+Ethnic Religions

Hinduism (900 million) – 97% concentrated in India, and rest in Nepal. Individuals choose best way to worship God.

Path of knowledge, renunciation, devotion, and action. Existence is a cycle – reincarnation—strive for release from the

cycle. People start from different backgrounds, so what works for one

may not for another. No central book or authority. Different gods may be worshipped – Vishnu and Siva for example

—Brahman is the supreme spiritual source.

Hardwar (Haridwar) http://sacredsites.com/asia/india/hardwar.html http://www.sacred-destinations.com/india/gangotri.htm

Gangotri

+Ethnic Religions

Judaism 44% in US & 41% in Israel

Diaspora - any group that has been dispersed outside its traditional homeland, especially involuntarily (Dictionary.com)

Roots of Christianity and Islam found in Judaism

Based in Israel, known as Canaan and Palestine, with the arrival of Abraham.

First recorded religion to support monotheism. Judah, for which Judaism is

named is one of twelve original tribes descended from Jacob.

The Western Wallhttp://mosaic.lk.net/g-wall.html

•Holy book – Torah•Represents covenant between God and Abraham•Jewish populations are the chosen people•Synagogue

+

Cengage Learning

Jewish Diaspora

+Origins, Diffusion, and Holy PlacesWe need five groups to study one religion each:

Universalizing: Buddhism, Christianity, and IslamEthnic: Judaism and Hinduism

In your group, identify:

1. The origin of the religion

2. The historical pattern of diffusion (where did it spread)

3. The explanation for this pattern of diffusion

4. The sacred places in the religion, if applicable

Each group will need a spokesperson to present their findings to the class.

+Similarities & Differences – Ethnic and Universalizing Religions Origins –

Universalizing: precise origins, based on life events of a man, hearths in South/Southwest Asia

Ethnic: unknown origins, not tied to single individuals

Diffusion – Universalizing: followers spread word (relocation – missionaries; influence

by leader – hierarchical; contact btn believers/nonbelievers—contagious) Ethnic: Limited diffusion, lack of missionaries, impacted by expansion of

other religions – most likely contagious and relocation

Holy places – Universalizing: associated with the founder’s life Ethnic: often associated with the environment For Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists pilgrimage is significant

+Holy Places - Pilgrimage

Pilgrim’s Progress – Link to National Geographic interactive site on holy places for different religions.

+Religious Conflict

Pressure to change

Modernism Supports scientific

thought and knowledge Roots in Enlightenment

Secularization Push away from influence

of religion

Fundamentalism – literal interpretation and strict adherence to principles of a religion- A way of maintaining a

clear cultural identity

- Not necessarily violent

Religious law and social space

+Religious Conflicts

Religion vs. Social Change

Taliban and Western Values – 1996 - Afghanistan imposed strict laws based on their interpretation of the Koran Islamic Traditionalism – movement that favors

premodern Islam and resists Westernization

Hinduism and Social Equality - caste system (distinct hereditary social order) social rights limited for lower castes

+Religious Conflicts

Religion vs. Political System Soviet government made the first state effort to

eliminate religion (brief respite during WWII and Stalin’s rule).

China is an atheist state but has grown more accepting of religions. But, they only recognize five religions, and citizens must register the religion they practice.

+Religious Conflicts

Religion vs. Religion: tend to see conflicts over:

1. Boundaries and territory – Ex. Northern Ireland (Protestants vs. Roman Catholics) Ex. West Bank Boundary in Israel

2. Important religious sites – Sacred space – space that has special religious significance Ex. Middle East (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) – Jerusalem,

Western Wall

From Economist.com

+Controlling the Holy Land – What to Focus On

1. Important years: 1. Under the Ottoman Empire until its dismantlement at the

end of WWI.

2. Given to Britain to control from 1922 -1948 by the League of Nations.

3. 1948 – Israel becomes a state, British troops leave,

4. 1948-1949 - war with neighbors—West Bank and Gaza Strip become geographic units – armistice line Jordan controls West Bank and East Jerusalem

+Controlling the Holy Land – Important Dates

4. 1967 (Six Day War) – Israel attacks Egypt, Syria, and Jordan join in – gains Sinai peninsula, Gaza Strip from Egypt, Golan Heights from Syria, and West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan

5. 1979- Peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, Egypt gets Sinai peninsula back in exchange for recognizing Israel.

6. 2012 – Palestine gains non-member observer state status with the UN. Gains access to membership in different international organizations.

+British Mandate

Transjordan had limited autonomy in 1923

+Controlling the Holy Land – What to Focus On

1. Jews, Muslims and Christians have fought for 2,000 years to control the same strip of land. It is a place of religious significance for all three religions.

2. Key Issues Explained

3. Contested areas:1. West Bank – barrier between Israel and West Bank goes into West

Bank

1. Mapping an Occupation

2. Gaza Strip– Troops and settlers withdrew in 2005, but after Hamas gained control of the area Israel tightened blockades.

3. Golan Heights – Israel maintains control of this strategic piece of land

4. Jerusalem – sacred in all three religions; Western Wall is under the Al Aqsa Mosque.

+West Bank

+West Bank

+Jerusalem before and after 1967

+Review Understand the basic description of the various religions we discussed

in class. Which ones are ethnic religions? Universalizing? What’s the difference?

What patterns do you notice in the origin, diffusion, and holy places for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, if any?

What three types of conflicts can potentially occur based on religion? What are examples of each kind? (Just focus on the Israel / Palestine case since we didn’t get to discuss the others fully)

Spend time understanding the complexities of conflict in the Holy Land. Why is there a conflict? What are the claims different groups make? What are key dates? How can we apply geography to understanding the conflict?

Other terms: caste system, diaspora, Islamic traditonalism, fundamentalism, pilgrimage, sacred space, secularization, syncretic religion, civil religion