Ch. 6—Religion KI 1: Where are religions distributed?

•List what you think are the most widespread religions in the world (Top 4 in order) and where you think they are distributed throughout the world.

Where are Religions Distributed?• The tension in scale between globalization and local

diversity is especially acute in religion • People draw their core values and beliefs from religion• Some religions are designed to appeal to all people,

others are designed to appeal to people in different geographic areas• Religious values help organize our cultural landscapes• Most religions require exclusive adherence (we can

learn other languages and still speak our native language)• Migrants take their religions with them and they retain

those religions

Universalizing Religions

• Attempt to be global and appeal to all people • About 58% of the world practices a universalizing

religion• 3 main: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism • Each of the three is divided into branches,

denominations, and sects• Many of the statistics from the chapter are

controversial because countries like the United States do not keep an official count of religious membership

Christianity

• More adherents than any other religion—over 2 Billion• Most widespread distribution—predominant religion in

North America, South America, Europe, and Australia, there are countries in Africa and Asia with a Christian majority• 3 major branches:

• Roman Catholic (51%)• Protestant (24%)• Orthodox (11%)• 14% belong to churches that do not fit into one of the 3

branches

Christianity• About 90% of people living in the western hemisphere are

Christian• 93% of people in South America are Roman Catholic vs. 40% in

North America

Islam• Religion of 1.3 Billion people—predominant religion in Middle

East from North Africa to Central Asia• About half of the world’s Muslims live in 4 countries outside

Middle East—Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India• The word Islam in Arabic means “submission to the will of God”• Adherents of Islam are known as Muslim• 5 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.

• 5 times daily, a Muslim prays, facing the city of Mecca as a direct link to God

• A Muslim gives generously to charity as an act of purification and growth• 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

(Mecca)

Islam

• Divided into two branches:• Sunni- 83%• Shiite- 16%, most live in Iran (90% of Iranians

and more than 50% of Iraq)• Muslim population in Europe and North America

has increased rapidly in recent times• France has largest population of Muslims in

Europe because of immigration from former colonies in North Africa

Buddhism• Nearly 400 million adherents—mainly in China and Southeast

Asia• 4 Noble Truths:

1. All living beings must endure suffering2. Suffering, which is caused by a desire to live, leads to reincarnation3. The goal of all existence is to escape from suffering and the endless

cycle of reincarnation into Nirvana, which is achieved through mental and moral self-purification

4. Nirvana is attained through an Eightfold Path, which includes rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation

• Buddhism differs from Christianity and Islam because adherents of Buddhism can also practice other Ethnic Religions (it does not require exclusive adherence)

• Religious functions are practiced mostly by Monks rather than the general public (vs. going to Church or to a Mosque)

Ethnic Religions• Hinduism—world’s 3rd largest religion, over 900 million

adherents• 97% of Hindus are concentrated in India• Most of remainder in Nepal and isolated groups in other

Southeast Asian countries (ex. Indonesia)• Hindus believe individuals decide the best way to worship

God—you choose your own path as long as you are true to yourself• Hinduism does not have a central authority figure or holy

book• 70% of Hindus worship Vishnu, 26% Siva

Other Ethnic Religions

• Outline the following religions in your notes:• Confucianism • Daoism (Taoism)• Shintoism• Judaism• Ethnic African Religions