Geography of Religion. Do Now On a piece of Notebook Paper (NBP,) to be turned in, Please write a paragraph response to the following question. –Should.

Geography of Religion

Do Now

• On a piece of Notebook Paper (NBP,) to be turned in, Please write a paragraph response to the following question.– Should students learn about religion?

Why or why not? – You must give three reasons why you

agree or disagree.– Use ONLY Complete Sentences

Introduction to Religion

•Religion is a belief system and a set of practices that recognizes the existence of a power higher than humans.

Powerful influence on daily life.

Classifying Religions

• Proselytic religions actively seek new members and aim to convert all humankind.

• Ethnic religions are identified with a particular ethnic or tribal group and do not seek converts.

Classifying Religions

• Monotheistic religions believe in only one god and may expressly forbid the worship of other gods or spirits.

• Polytheistic religions believe there are many gods.

Classifying Religions

• Syncretic religions combine elements of multiple belief systems.

• Orthodox religions emphasize purity of faith and are not open to blending with other religious ideas.

• Fundamentalism is a movement to return to the founding principles of a religion.

Judaism, Christianity, & Islam

• All developed among the Semitic-speaking people of the deserts of the Middle East.

o Judaism: 4,000 years ago

o Christianity: 2,000 years ago

o Islam: 1,300 years ago

• Share a common hearth in southwestern Asia.

Judaism

• First monotheistic religion.o Belief in ONE god.

• Spread widely and rapidly.• Numerically small.

o Does NOT seek converts.• Holy book is called the Torah.• Widely dispersed throughout the world.• Approximately 13 million adherents.

Judaism

• Three major branches:

• ORTHODOX: Traditionalists who observe most ceremonial laws and dietary restrictions.

• CONSERVATIVE: Do not hold the importance of a Jewish political state, but emphasize the historical and religious aspects of Judaism.

• REFORM: Liberal wing; culture and race oriented with little consensus on doctrinal or religious belief.

Judaism

• Origin and Diffusion

o Ethnic Religion (origins of Christianity)o Diaspora: In 70 A.D., Romans forced Jews to

disperse throughout the world.o Ghetto: During the Middle Ages, a

neighborhood in a city set up by law to be inhabited only by Jews.

Judaism• Basic Precepts

o Belief in One Godo Torah - original 5

chapters of Bibleo Prophecy of Moseso Coming of the

Messiah still to come

o Atonement accomplished by sacrifices, penitence & good deeds

Jewish homeland

• Created 1948 from a British mandate from Palestine.

• Some people do not recognize its existence.

• Long history of conflict with Arabs, particularly Palestinians.

• Capital is Jerusalem, considered to be a holy place for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Christianity

• Monotheistic.• Evolved from

Judaism.• Moved east and

south of its hearth area.

• Routinely spread through force.

• European contact with the “New World” brought Christianity.

• World’s largest religion.

• Segmented into three separate churches:o Catholicso Protestantso Eastern Christians

• Catholicism - largest branch

o Headed by the Pope direct link to God

o Ceremonial - 7 sacraments baptism,

marriage, Eucharist, etc.

o Very traditional

Christianity

• Protestantism - (1517) Reformation erao No Pope needed

individual has direct link to God

o Grace through faith rather than sacraments forgiveness for sins

through indiv. prayers

o Spread though N. Europe and England arose same time as

1466 Gutenberg Bible and the printing press

Christianity

Martin Luther

• Eastern Orthodoxy - 5th Century splito Rivalry between

Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul) Rome remained

center for Roman Catholicism

o Rejected Roman Catholicism doctrine by 1054

officially splito National

Churches Russian, Greek,

Serbian Orthodox, etc.

Christianity

Islam• Spread in a manner

similar to Christianity.o Proselytic faith.

• Adherents are known as Muslims.

• Worship one god, called Allah.

• Founded by the prophet Muhammad.

• Holy book is the Qur’an (or Koran).o Basis for sharia, or

holy law.• Divided into two

major groups:o Shiite & Sunni

• Fastest growing world religion

Islam • Basic Preceptso Submission to the will

of God (Allah)o Lineage - Adam,

Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, & Mohammed (different lineage)

o Holy Book - Koran - built on Old Testament

o Five (5) pillars of faith

• 5 Pillars of Faith

o Creed:o “There is no

God but Allah”

o Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca

o Giving to the poor

o Month of Rammadan

o Pilgrimage to Mecca

Hinduism

• First religion to emerge (about 4,000 years ago).

• 800 million adherents.

• Closely tied to Indian culture.

• One supreme god: Brahman.• Many

manifestations are worshipped.

• Highly tolerant of other religions.

• Belief in reincarnation.

• Forms of worship vary regionally.

Buddhism• Appeared around 500 B.C.• Proselytic.• Evolved from Hinduism as a

reform religion.• Most widespread religion in

Asia.• Contains several regional

forms:o Tibetan Buddhismo Japanese Buddhism

Buddhism• Four noble truths:

• Life is full of suffering.• Desire is the cause of

this suffering.• Cessation of suffering

comes with the quelling of desire.

• Proper conduct and meditation permits the individual to overcome desire.

• Enlightenment is known as nirvana.

• Individuals who achieve nirvana are known as Buddhas.

Comparing Key Points:Focus on Judaism, Christianity, & Islam• ASSIGNMENTS:

o 1. Comparison of Monotheistic Religions (Grid)

o 2. Venn DiagramMust list at least 3 characteristics in each section.

Cultural Interaction

Religion & the Economy• Religion can guide commerce• Determine what crops are grown• Foods and beverages consumed• Types of employment

Religious Pilgrimage

• Pilgrimages are journeys to sacred places.

• Particularly important to follows of Islam, Hinduism, Shintoism, and Roman Catholocism.

Review Quiz Questions

Your group must create 10 questions from the religion unit. Your questions should:

• Vary in difficulty. You should have at least a few “easy” questions and a few “hard” questions.

• Vary in type. You should ask a combination of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions.

• Vary in content. You should cover all of the lectures and assigned readings equally.

Type your questions and save them to the flash drive. Put a * next to the correct answer for each question. Label with all group members’ names.

Check - Up

• Write the following answers on the same page as your Do Now.

• 1. Define religion.• 2. Identify one proselytic religion.• 3. What is the most widely

practiced religion in the world?• 4. How does religion relate to the

study of human geography?