Geography of Religion
Dec 15, 2015
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.
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.