World Religions

A Quick Overview

Warning!

The following is all very rough

Statements are almost always gross
oversimplifications of the beliefs of various
people
Use the following as an encouragement to
seek out more information and to learn!
BCE (Before Common Era) = B.C.
CE (Common Era) = A.D.

Hinduism

Hinduism

Based largely in India and Nepal

Nearly 1 billion adherents
Goes back to the Second Millienium BCE
(1700BCE, maybe older)
Hindus were named simply for being the
people who lived in the Indus Valley
o

"Indian Religions" would be a more accurate name

Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism arose in a

Hindu context

Diwali: Festival of Lights

Hinduism

Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God

which manifests in a variety of forms and
persons
Believes in a cycle of birth, death, and
rebirth until release (moksha) is attained
This cycle is controlled by Karma, "a moral
law as impersonal and inevitable as gravity"
(Bowker)
Well-known sacred texts include the Vedas,
the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads

Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Tamil Nadu

Buddhism

Buddhism

Founded in India (present-day Nepal), but

now largely exists in China, Japan, Vietnam,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, etc.
370 million followers
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the
Buddha, "the awakened one" in about the
6th century BC
Can be seen as a "reforming" movement in
Hinduism

Buddhism...

Belief in gods or God is

unimportant
Two major types of
Buddhism: Theravada
and Mahayana
Mahayana is the larger
group; includes Zen and
Tibetan Buddhists (Dalai
Lama)

Zen founder meditating

Buddhism: Four Noble

Truths
1. Life is suffering/impermanent
2. The cause of suffering is desire, particularly
for permanence
3. There is release from this state of suffering
4. Follow the eightfold path: Right views, right
intent, right speech, right conduct, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness,
and right concentration

Prayer Flags in Kathmandu

Judaism

Judaism

Abraham: 1750BC, Moses 1250BC

Found now in United States, Israel, and
elsewhere
About 13 million Jews now (some religious,
many not)
o

6 million killed in the Shoah (Holocaust)

Closely related to Christianity (Jesus was

Jewish) and Islam

Mount Sinai

Judaism

Shema: Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God,

the LORD is one. (Dt. 6.4)
"A book religion" - Rabbi Steinberg
The Tanakh (Old Testament) includes the
Torah, the 5 books of Moses, or "teaching"
The Talmud includes the Oral Torah and the
debates of the Rabbis
A living out of the covenant relationship
between the Jewish people and God

Studying the Talmud

Judaism: Concept of Ethical

Monotheism
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin says, quoting a

Jewish prayer, that "the goal of Jewish

existence is 'to perfect the world under the
rule of God'"
God's primary demand is moral behavior
Hillel summary of Judaism, told on one foot.

Christianity

Christianity

Founded c.30AD
2 billion Christians (Largest Religion)
o

1.2 billion Catholics; 800 million Protestants; 275

million Eastern Orthodox

Found in N. and S. America, Africa, Europe,

and Asia
Jesus was a Jewish Carpenter executed by
the Romans
Jesus summary: Love God and neighbor
Early Christians: "Jesus is Lord"

Saint Ananias Church in Syria

Christianity

Salvation is a result of Jesus' death and

resurrection
God is a "trinity": God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Spirit
The Pope is the head of Catholic Christians;
Protestants and Eastern Orthodox have no
single leader

Islam

Islam

Islam means "submission" or "peace"

Muhammad (570-632AD) had first vision in
610AD. These "visions" (not necessarily
sight) continued for 20+ years and were
recorded and make up the Qur'an.
There are over 1 billion Muslims in the
world, found in the Middle East (only 20%
Arab), Africa, Asia, Europe, and N. America
Islam may be the fastest growing religion

Kaaba in Mecca

Islam

Besides the Qur'an, the Hadith contain

stories and teachings of Muhammad's life
Sharia is the "path" for Muslims to follow
Muhammad is considered the perfect
Human being, though not divine
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are prophets,
but Muhammad is the final prophet
Sufism is the "mystical" branch of Islam,
focused on the love of God

Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan

Five Pillars of Islam

Testimony (Shahadah): "There is no god but

God (Allah) and Muhammad is his prophet"

Prayer (Salah): Ritual prayer 5 times daily
Charity (Zakat): giving of wealth to the poor
Ramadan: fasting for the month, sunrise to
sunset (lunar month of 1st Qur'anic
revelation)
Pilgrimage (Hajj): Every Muslim who is able
must make pilgrimage to Mecca

Kaaba in Mecca during Hajj 2008

A Brief Note on Judaism,

Christianity, and Islam

Negev Desert

Judaism, Christianity, and

Islam...
These three religions have in common:
Arose in a desert context
All believe in a Creator God
Share a belief in revelation (God reveals
himself to humans)
All concerned with justice and judgment

Other Religions
Jainism: Indian, arose 6th Century BCE,
ahimsa
Shinto: localized, religion focused on ritual
Taoism: Philosophy of Lao Tzu; Chinese
folkloric religion
Sikhism: Indian, arose as an attempt at
reconciling Islam and Hinduism
Confucianism: often seen as a philosophy not a
religion

Sources

Bowker, John. Oxford Dictionary of World

Religions.
Bowker. God: A Brief History.
BBC Religions page at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
Smith, Huston. The World's Religions.
Young, William A. The World's Religions.