Religion Flashcards
Definition of Religion
set of beliefs regarding the nature or existence of life, the origins of life, the nature of an afterlife, and other aspects of the supernatural or divine
system of beliefs shared by a group with objects for devotion, rituals for worship and code of ethics
Beliefs of Judaism
belief in one god
originated with Abraham and the Hebrew people
Yahweh was responsible for the world
preserved early history in the Old Testament
Beliefs of Christianity
monotheistic system of beliefs and practices
based on Old Testament and New Testament
Jesus is the savior and the son of God
Beliefs of Islam
monotheistic religion of Muslims
founded in Arabia in 7th century
based on the teachings of Muhammad in Koran
Beliefs of Hinduism
wide variety of beliefs and ritual practices
developed in the Indian subcontinent
roots in ancient Vedic, Buddhist practices
includes caste system
Beliefs of Buddhism
founded by Siddhartha Gautama
salvation through self-discipline and poverty and self-knowledge and elimination of greed
evolved from Hinduism in northern India and Nepal as result of strict hierarchy maintained by Hinduism
What is proselytizing
attempt to convert people to a religious belief or other cause
What is universalizing
religion that attempts to appeal to people in all locations
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism
Largest religions
Christianity is single largest religion 17% of world is Catholic 15% of world is Sunni Muslim 13% of world is Hindu 7% of world is Protestant
Ghetto
formerly the restricted quarter of many European cities in which Jews were required to live
Christian sects
Pentacostalists
Adventists
Quakers
Islamic sects
Shia: Muslim group that accepts only the descendants of Muhammed’s son-in-law Ali as the true rulers of Islam
Sunni: branch of Islam whose members acknowledge the first four caliphs as the rightful successors of Muhammad
Secularism
doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations
Syncretic religions
religions that blend together into a new religion
Cultural hearths
where most religions are born
Causes of religious conflict
religion v. social change
religion v. Communism
religious wars in the Middle East (Israel and Palestine)
religious wars in Ireland (Protestant populations chose to remain part of the United Kingdom)
Reincarnation
in Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding
Karma
sort of cosmic cause and effect principle
Dharma
law
Nirvana
in Buddhism it is the stillness of mind after the fires of desire have been extinguished
Sikhism
Indian religion founded by the guru Nanak in the Punjab region of northwest India
Wicca
pagan witchcraft
Shintoism
religion in Japan
related to Buddhism
focuses on nature and ancestor worship
Five Pillars of Islam
faith prayer charity fasting pilgrimage to Mecca (Hadj)
Sharia Law
Islamic code of law based on the words of Allah in the Qur’an
Yin-Yang
symbols of the valance of opposites in the universe according to Taoism
Four Noble Truths
summary of the Buddha’s teachings
- all life is full of suffering, pain and sorrow
- cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds
- only cure for suffering is overcome non-virtue
- way to overcome non-virtue is to follow Eightfold Path
Mecca
birthplace of Mohammad
site of many events in founders life
pilgrimage destination for millions of Muslims
Jerusalem (Islam)
location of the Dome of the Rock
site of a vision of Mohammad in which he was taken to heaven
Jerusalem (Christianity)
major events in Jesus’ life
Bethlehem
birthplace of Christ
Rome
important events in early Christian church
Lower Ganges Valley
early history of the life of Buddha
Mt. Khailas
god Siva lives there
Ganges River
purification baths possible here because it comes from the hair of Siva
major branches of Christianity
Protestant
Eastern Orthodox
Roman Catholic
Hadj
5th pillar of Islam – pilgrimage to Mecca
Christianity Hearth and Diffusion
hearth in Jerusalem
diffused from Palestine through the Roman Empire and continued through Europe after the fall of Rome
later to North and South America and Africa
Islam Hearth and Diffusion
hearth in Mecca
diffused rapidly and widely from Arabia and eventually stretched from southeast Asia to West Africa
Buddhism Hearth and Diffusion
hearth in Ganga Plain
diffused gradually to Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and eventual China and Japan
Hinduism Hearth and Diffusion
hearth in Punjab
diffused through India
cremation
practice of burning the dead
common with Hindus, Buddhists, Shintoists
Tibet
location of political conflict
atheist Chinese government is destroying Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and arresting its adherents
Northern Ireland
location of religious conflict
Protestants in N. Ireland want to stay part of UK and Roman Catholics want to be part of the Republic of Ireland
Ethnic Asian Religions
Shintoism
Daoism
Confucianism
Christian denominations in the US
Roman Catholic in Southwest and Northest Baptist in the South Methodist in the Mid-Atlantic Lutheran in the Upper Midwest Mormon in Utah
Zionism
movement to unite the Jewish people of the diaspora and establish a nation homeland for them in the promised land
Baha’i
universalizing religion practiced in parts of Africa and Asia
similar to Sikhism in that both advocate elimination of religious differences
Coptic Church
Egyptian Church recognized by both Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church
Latter Day Saints
founded by Joseph Smith
implemented principles of Book of Mormon
Jewish Holidays
Sukkot: Festival of Tabernacles in October
Yom Kippur: 10th day of the New Year
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
