WORLD RELIGIONS

RELIGION – set of beliefs in an ultimate reality and a set of practices used to express those beliefs.Key component of culture

CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGION THAT UNITE FOLLOWERS:Special celebrationWorship stylesSacred textsSymbolssites

TERMS:ANIMISM – belief that spirits inhabit natural

objects and forces of natureATHEISM – disbelief in the existence of any

godMONOTHEISM – belief in one godPOLYTHEISM – belief in more than one godSECULARISM – belief that life’s questions

can be answered apart from religious beliefSECT – subdivision within a religion that has

its own distinctive beliefs and /or practices

WHY STUDY RELIGION:Shapes how people interact with one anotherShapes how people dressShapes how people eat

DIFFUSION OF RELIGION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD CAUSED BYMigrationMissionary workTradeWar

PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPULATIONIslam – 22%Christianity – 33%Sikhism – 0.4%Buddhism – 6%Hinduism – 13%Judaism – 0.2%Confucianism – 6%Nonreligious or atheist – 15%Other religion – 7%