religion: the geographic perspecive. hinduism chronologically, the oldest of the major religions...
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Hinduism
Chronologically, the oldest of the major religions Arose in Indus Valley, ~4,000 years ago No evolving bureaucratic structures Reincarnation Doctrines allied with India's caste system Modernization and Gandhi helped relax the
caste system
Hinduism Diffusion
Arose in what is now Pakistan No modern expansion diffusion Area overtaken by Buddhism and Islam Bali outpost has become a syncretic faith Relocation diffusion not the foci
Cultural landscape Hinduism is a way of life Building a temple gives good Karma… Shrine location important Visual AND emotional
Buddhism
Resurgence in India Buddha (Prince Siddhartha) spoke out against
caste system Diffusion
Grew slowly after Buddha’s death Fragmented today, but experiencing a revival Principals keep diffusing, notably in the Western
world Cultural landscape
The Bodhi tree Pagodas
Chinese religions
Taoism Confucianism Diffusion
Confucianism diffused early into the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Southeast Asia
Taoism = more local Chinese communist authorities leveled burial
mounds because they took up too much ground suitable for farming
Cultural landscape Confucianism and Taoism help expand impact
of Buddhist cultural influences
Judaism
The oldest major religion to emerge west of the Indus Valley
Diffusion Diaspora Sephardim The idea of a homeland developed into the ideology of
Zionism Israel created in 1948 by UN
Cultural landscape Synagogues, but no single architectural style Star of David appears on most Jewish graves The “Wailing Wall”
Christianity Jewish search for deliverance from Romans &
appearance of Jesus Paul’s role Eastern Roman Empire (Constantinople)
Eastern (Orthodox) Church still one of three major branches
The papacy, second branch Protestant movement
Diffusion A combination of expansion and relocation diffusion
during European colonialism Most widespread of the global religions Aggressive and persistent proselytism
Christianity
Cultural landscape Medieval Europe Imprint of death on the landscape
Uses more land for cemeteries than any other faith
Christianity
Religions and culture regions in the United States The Mormon culture region Christian culture regions better known
Islam
The youngest of the major faiths Religious and social disarray in Arab world Unifying religious faith and set of values Mecca became the spiritual center Believed strongly in education Still the heart of Arab culture Islamization
Islam
Regions and sects Division conflict
Sunnis: family and community to solve problems Shiites: Imam is “solver”
Imams—Shiite Muslims leaders whose appointments are regarded as sanctioned by Allah
Diffusion Trading expansions led to conflicts with Christianity
The Crusades Continues to attract converts Experiencing resurgence; expansion will continue Classic example of hierarchical diffusion
Islam
Cultural landscape Mosques dominate the urban landscapes Muslim architects very skilled Exquisite and distinct architecture
A symbol for faith and community Islam religion and culture are one
RELIGION, CULTURE, AND CONFLICT
Language and religion The most powerful cultural forces Religious beliefs and histories often divide
peoples with similar backgrounds Boundaries
Interfaith Boundaries
Nigeria Multilingual;
population ~110 million
North = Muslim; South = Christianity (and local religions)
Secession from south
Nigeria = fourth largest oil producer
Interfaith Boundaries
Sudan Muslim north and Christian south Sharia law The war has devastated the south; still raging
Interfaith Boundaries
South Asia Part of Britain’s colonial empire In 1947 a political boundary was establish between
Islamic Pakistan and multicultural India India proclaimed itself a secular federation and sporadic
religious conflict followed for 30 years 1980s, India
The Sikhs Holy shrine battleground Fundamentalism
The rise of fundamentalism is affecting virtually all religions today
Interfaith Boundaries
The former Soviet Union What did it used to be like? Discouraged religious practice Created a Christian-Muslim boundary Collapse of USSR = independence; but not always
good Kazakhstan poses the most serious potential spatial
problem
Interfaith Boundaries
Other interfaith boundaries Bangladesh Sri Lanka Southeast and Southwest Asia,
Catholics and a minority of Muslim Israel
Intrafaith boundaries
Europe A number of
countries have intrafaith boundaries
Most have religious or ethnic conflicts
Northern Ireland
Religious Fundamentalism
A worldwide drive by millions back to the “basics” (in whose eyes?) of religious faith Often born out of frustration “Tunnel Vision”
9/11 led to many American’s equating terrorism with Islam
Globalization and religions Fundamentalism creates mistrust
Religious Fundamentalism
Christian fundamentalism The Catholic church Christian fundamentalism most pronounced in Protestantism
Islamic fundamentalism Laws not equally applied Inconsistency breeds dissidence From Shah to Ayatollah 1970s and 1980s most significant Afghanistan under the Taliban
Jihad and Wahhabi Extreme Islamic fundamentalists who resort to violence
are relatively small in number
Religious Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism can unify AND divide US fundamentalist “preachers” Algerian conflicts Fundamentalism adds fuel to the fire of
interfaith and intrafaith boundaries Religious feelings can quickly be translated
into hostility and conflict
Resource
Video: Davis-EndangeredCultures A .zip file from the http://www.ted.org site!