1. Religion
Chapter 7

2. Religion
“a system of beliefs and practices that attempts
to order life in terms of culturally perceived
ultimate priorities.”
- Stoddard and Prorak
“perceived ultimate priorities” often translate
into a list of things a follower “should” do and
ways a follower “should” behave.

3. • Religion lies at the heart
of nationalism-e.g.
Middle East, Northern
Ireland, Bosnia, Kashmir,
Afghanistan, etc.
• Religion in many nonwestern areas practically
constitutes culture.
• Religious cultural
landscapes-churches,
temples, mosques,
shrines, cemeteries,
statues, veils, turbans,
beards and scars

4. Key Characteristics of Religion
• Set of doctrines or beliefs
relating to a god or gods.
• Structure or hierarchy of
officials
• Rituals for:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Birth
Death
Reaching adulthood
Marriage
Prayer
Routine services on a Fri,
Sat. or Sun.

5. • Impact of religioncalendars, holidays,
architecture, place names,
slogans on coins or flags.
• A major forces in
combating social ills and
promoting
– Education
– Medicine and health care
– The arts
• But also
–
–
–
–
Blocked scientific study
Oppressed dissidents
Supported imperialism
Kept women inferior

6. Religions are divided into
• Branches-a large and fundamental division within a
religion-such as Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox
branches of Christianity.
• Denomination-a division or a branch that unites a number
of local congregations into a single administrative bodyBaptist, Lutheran, Methodist denominations of
Protestantism
• Sect-has several meanings– A relatively small group that broke away from an bigger group
or
– An organized ecclesiastical body or
– A dissenting or schismatic religious body or
– A religious denomination-such as sects of Islam

7. Classifications of Religions
• Universalizing religions – religions that
actively seek converts because members believe
they offer belief systems of universal
appropriateness and appeal.
• Ethnic religions – religions whose adherents
are born into the faith and whose members do
not actively seek converts.

8. Classifications of Religions
• Monotheistic religions – worship a single deity.
• Polytheistic religions – worship more than one
deity, even thousands.
• Animistic religions – belief that inanimate
objects posses spirits and should be revered.

9. Religious Typology
• Monotheistic-belief in 1 god
• Polytheistic-belief in many
• Animistic-objects have
spirits-trees, mountains,
rivers
• Global or Universal-found
all over the world-see
converts-aim to be universal
• Evangelical-religions that
seek new converts
• Cultural religion-limited to a
national culture or a single
region-Shinto, Daoism, etc.

10. Religions of the World
• Shamanism –
a community faith tradition in which people follow their
shaman, a religious leader, teacher, healer, and visionary.

14. Where did the Major Religions
of the World Originate, and
How do Religions Diffuse?

15. From the Hearth of South Asia
• Hinduism –
originated in Indus River Valley over 4000
years ago.
* ritual bathing, karma, reincarnation
sacred text: Vedas
sacred sites: Ganges River
social manifestation: caste system
diffusion: through South Asia and into
Southeast Asia

16. Hinduism
• Ranks next in size after
Islam, but it the oldest
organized religion.
• No bureaucracy-but does
have holy men.
• Vedas or stories, but not a
book like the Qu’ran, Bible
or Torah.
• Concentrated in South Asian
hearth.
• Polytheistic-thousands of
gods-many cults-much
fragmentation.

17. From the Hearth of South Asia
• Buddhism –
splintered from Hinduism 2500 years ago.
Originated in a region from Nepal south to the
Ganges River area.
* anyone can achieve salvation, reach
enlightenment
founder: Siddartha (the Buddha)
sacred sites: stupas
diffusion: most strongly into Tibet in the
north and into East Asia

18. Buddhism
• Originated in India as a
reform movement of
Hinduism.
• Founded by Siddhartha
Gautama or the Buddha in
5th cent. BC.
• A strongly regional faith-it
remains strong in SE Asia,
China and Japan, but died
out in India.
• Four Noble Truths and the
Eight Fold Path are the
guiding principles.

19. Buddhism
is mixed with local religions in some places. In Japan,
Buddhism is mixed with the local religion, Shintoism.
Shinto Shrine
In Kyoto, Japan,
this Shinto shrine
is visible after
walking through a
torii – a gateway
usually formed by
two wooden posts
and topped by two
horizontal beams.

21. Shintoism
• A Japanese ethnic religion
based on animism and
shamanism.
• Was modified by
introduction of Buddhismclosely related today-many
Japanese practice both.
• Reverence for nature and the
land-emperor seen as divine.
• Belief in kami or spirits
• Used by militants as a
nationalistic religion in
1930s to unify the country in
war time.

22. From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow)
River Valley
• Taoism –
originated in China more than 2500 years ago
* oneness of humanity and nature
founder: Lao-Tsu
sacred text: “Book of the Way”
social manifestation: Feng Shui
diffusion: East Asia

23. Chinese Religions
• Confucianism-mainly a
philosophy of life founded
by K’ung Fu-tze in 6th cent.
BC
• Became a state religion of
China-emphasized duty,
social order and respect of
others
• Daoism or Taoism “the
Way” founded by Lao Zi,
a reverence and harmony
with nature-easily coexisted with Confucianism
and Buddhism

24. From the Hearth of the
Eastern Mediterranean
• Judaism –
originated in Southwest Asia about 4000 years ago.
* first major monotheistic religion, covenant
between God (one God) and Abraham (the chosen
people) sacred text: Torah founder: Abraham
sacred sites: Jerusalem (Western Wall), land
between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River
social manifestation: Zionism diffusion: into
European cities during the diaspora,
into N. America during WWII, into Israel over
last 50 years

25. Judaism
• One of the world’s oldest
religions
• Monotheistic religion that
evolved in Southwest Asia
• 3 branches-Orthodox,
Conservative and Reformed
• Not evangelical-does not seek
converts
• Concentrated in Israel, but
widely scattered in Middle
East, North Africa, Russia,
Ukraine, Europe and the
Americas

26. Shamanism & Traditional Religions
• Community faith and
traditional religion which
centers around a shamanreligious leader, healer,
visionary.
• Small isolated groups in
Africa, SE Asia, East
Asia and Native America
• Traditional religions in
Africa believe in a god
creator and provider as
well as spirits and an
afterlife.

27. From the Hearth of the Eastern
Mediterranean
• Christianity –
originated in Southwest Asia about 2000 years ago.
* monotheistic religion, follow teachings of Jesus to
achieve eternal life
sacred text: Bible
founder: Jesus (son of God)
sacred sites: Bethlehem, Jerusalem
split in the church:
* split into Eastern Orthodox and Roman
Catholic churches in 1054
* Protestant sect split off in 1400s and 1500s
diffusion: into Western Europe, and then world wide
during colonialism and after.

28. Christianity
• It has the largest number of
followers and is the most widely
dispersed with 1.6 billion or 40% of
the population
• Roman Catholicism is the largest
segment and is found in Europe,
North American and Latin America.
• Protestantism dominates in
Northern Europe, North America,
Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa.
• Eastern Orthodox is found in
Eastern Europe, Russia and
Ethiopia.

29. First Split in Christianity, 1054 CE
Western Roman empire = Roman Catholicism
Eastern Roman empire = Eastern Orthodox

30. •The Eastern Orthodox
Church makes up 14% of
Christianity and is a loose
collection of 14 selfgoverning churches in
Eastern Europe and the
Middle East.
•To the right are the spires
of St. Basil’s Cathedral in
the Kremlin of Moscow.
Notice the Orthodox cross
on the onion-domed spire.

31. •The Cathedral of the Assumption, Moscow

36. From the Hearth of the Eastern
Mediterranean
• Islam –
originated on Arabian peninsula about 1500 years ago.
* monotheistic religion, revelations Muhammad
received from Allah, Five Pillars.
sacred text: Qu’ran founder: Muhammad
sacred sites: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem
split in the church:
* shortly after Muhammad’s death, split into
Sunni Muslims (great majority)
Shi’ite Muslims (concentrated in Iran)
diffusion: across Arabian peninsula, across North
Africa, into Spain and also east into Southeast Asia

37. The Diffusion of Islam

38. Islam
• Islam is the 2nd largest and
fastest growing religion
with 1 billion followers.
• It has 2 main sects or
divisions-Sunni, the
majority and Shiite
centered in Iran & Iraq.
• It is dominant in North
Africa, Southwest Asia
and extends into Central
and Southeast Asia

40. Nation of Islam
• Founded in 1930s as an AfricanAmerican modified form of
Islam.
• Ideology of nationalism and
modified Islam founded on the
principle of freeing blacks from
white oppression.
• 1950s –60s Malcolm X his
militant speeches increased
followers
• Over 7 m. Muslims in the US,
about 1 million are Nation of
Islam Muslim.
• Louis Farrakhan’s anti-semitism
brought negative attention.

41. Government Impact on Religion
The Soviet Union:
- Had an official
policy of atheism
- Discouraged
religious practice
- Drew boundaries
for political
control that
separated ethnic
groups in small
areas

42. Armenia and Azerbaijan
Soviet Union’s divide-and-diminish plan

43. Disposition of the Deceased Each religion approaches the disposition of the deceased in
different ways, and cultural landscapes reflect the religious
traditions.
Hindu
crematorium
in
Mombasa,
Kenya

44. Religion’s impact in
history and culture is
evident in its centrality
in many places
Antwerp, Belgium

45. Hearths of Religion and Philosophy by 500 BCE

46. Hindu Temple –
Angkor Wat, Cambodia. This temple suffers from neglect
and destruction now, as Buddhism has supplanted
Hinduism in most of Cambodia.

47. Buddhist Stupas 72 stupas, each containing a sculpture of the Buddha in
meditation were built around 800 CE and still stand in
Borobudur, Indonesia.

48. Western Wall, Jerusalem

49. Jewish neighborhoods in European Cities
the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague, the Czech Republic

50. Switzerland concentrations of Catholics and Protestants
by canton and commune

51. Minaret
(for call to prayer)
stands on the Sabah
State Mosque
in Kota Kinabalu,
Malaysia

52. Diffusion of Islam
into Europe
large mosque in Paris,
France

53. Rise of Secularism
• Secularism –
indifference to or rejection of organized
religious affiliations and ideas.
- Where is secularism on the rise and why?

54. The Rise of Secularism
• World wide 4/6 billion
adhere to a religion
• Separation of Church & State
a new concept
• Today in the Developed
World religion has declined
in importance
• Secularism is most common
in urban, industrialized
nations
• Anti-religious ideologies like
communism discouraged
organized worship

55. Migration plays a large role in the diffusion
of religions, both universalizing and ethnic.
As Europe becomes more secular, migrants
from outside of Europe continue to settle in
the region. Imagine Europe 30 years from
now. Predict where in Europe secularism will
be the most prominent and where religious
adherence will strengthen.

56. How is Religion seen in the Cultural Landscape?

57. Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage
• Sacred Sites
places or spaces people infuse with religious
meaning.
• Pilgrimage
purposeful travel to a religious site to pay
respects or participate in a ritual at the site.

58. Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage
Vatican City-Pope John Paul II greeted pilgrims in St.
Peter’s Square

59. Sacred Sites and Rituals
At Saint Declan’s Holy Well in Ardmore, Ireland
Pilgrims hang scraps of clothing as offerings
This practice is common at sacred sites in Far Eastern
Russia

60. Sacred Sites of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is sacred to three major religions:
Judaism (Western Wall)
Christianity (Church of the Holy Sepulchre)
Islam (Dome of the Rock)

61. Sacred Landscapes of Hinduism
Hinduism – pilgrimages follow prescribed routes, and
rituals are followed by millions.
Varanasi,
India on the
Ganges River
where Hindus
perform
morning
rituals.

62. • The Ganges is a sacred river to Hindus, a symbol of life
without end. Pilgrims come from all over to bathe in its holy
waters.

63. • As Shiva destroys the Universe with fire, Hindus
cremate their dead.

64. Sacred
Landscapes of
Buddhism
Swedogon Pagodo in
Yangon, Myanmar
Eight hairs of the
Buddha are preserved
under the dome (chedi)

65. • Buddhism came to Tibet
from India in the 8th
century. Tibetan
Buddhism is a mixture of
Tantric and other
Mahayana teachings
developed further by
spiritual leaders or monks
called lamas.
• A prayer wheel contains a
mantra, a prayer or chant
that is repeated many
times. Each turn of the
wheel counts as a prayer
said and merit gained.

66. Sacred
Landscapes of
Christianity
Catholic Churches
Are often located in the
center of European cities,
with spires reaching far
above the other buildings.

67. Spanish Catholic names are found in the South West

68. French
Catholic
names are
common in
Quebec

69. Sacred
Landscapes of
Christianity
Protestant Churches
This church in
Singapore is a Church
of England church in
city surrounded by
Buddhists, Hindus,
and Muslims

70. • Roman Catholicism is
the largest branch of the
Christian faith. The
Vatican in Rome is the
headquarters of the
Papacy and a powerful
symbol to Catholics
around the world.
• European cities were
dominated by the spires
of great cathedrals and
churches until the 20th
century.

73. Day of the Dead
Altar in Notre Dame
de Chicago.

74. United Kingdom
Of Great Britain
England’s Cross of St. George
Scotland’s cross of St. Andrew

75. The cross of St. George on
The flags of Denmark,
Norway and Finland.
•.

76. Religious Landscapes in the United States

78. Protestant & Catholic Landscapes in the United
States
Scandinavian Lutheran Church
St. Mary’s Catholic Church

79. A public bus in Port-au-Prince,
Haiti
Store front church in
Toronto, Canada

80. Sacred Landscapes of Islam
Muslim Mosques-Dome of this mosque in Isfahan, Iran demonstrates
the importance of geometric art evident in Muslim architecture.

81. The Hajj-Pilgrims circle the holy Kaaba in the Grand
Hajj
Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during the Hajj.

82. •.
The Dome of the Rock, with its gilded dome and octagonal
base, stands in Jerusalem.
After the Great Mosque at Mecca and the Prophet’s tomb at
Medina, it is Islam’s third holiest site.
According to Muslim tradition, the rock at its center was
the point from which the Prophet Muhammad visited
heaven one night in 619.

83. The Dome of the Rock

84. Review states of the Middle East & North Africa Before the Test

85. •The crescent, seen on
top of many mosques,
originally signified the
waxing of the moon.
It is associated with
special acts of
devotion to God.
•The star and crescent
appear on many flags
of countries that are
mainly Muslim.

86. Pakistan
Turkey
Saudi Arabia

88. What Role does Religion play in Political
Conflicts?

89. Conflicts along Religious Borders
• Interfaith Boundaries
– Boundaries between the world’s major faiths.
• Intrafaith Boundaries
– Boundaries within a single major faith.

90. Interfaith Boundary in Africa

91. Israel & Palestine

92. Landscapes of Settlements
Israelis have had a policy of building settlements
for Jews in the Occupied Territories

93. Landscape of the Gaza Strip, 2005
In 2005, the Israeli government pulled out of the Gaza Strip, burning
down Jewish settlements and handing control over to Palestinians.

94. The West Bank
with a the proposed security
wall, parts of which the
Israeli government has
already built.

95. The Horn of Africa
Amharic (Coptic)
Christianity is in
central Ethiopia
Islam diffused into
the Horn of Africa
Indigenous religions
remain in pockets

96. The Former Yugoslavia
Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing

97. Identities are tied to
Religion, but are
deepened by:
Economic- colonial
experiences &
activity spaces
(segregation)
Boal’s studies in
Northern Ireland
demonstrate that
solving a religious
conflict is typically
not about theology; it
is about identity
Northern Ireland

98. Religious
Fundamentalism & Extremism
• Religious fundamentalism –
a return to the basics of their faith.
found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
• Religious extremism –
fundamentalism carried to the point of violence.
found in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

99. Islamic Extremists and Jihad
an Islamic holy war against the West

100. Boal’s studies in Northern Ireland demonstrate that
solving a religious conflict is typically not about
theology; it is about identity. You are assigned the
potentially Nobel Prize-winning task of “solving” the
conflict either in Northern Ireland or in Israel and
Palestine. Using Boal’s example, determine how you
can alter activity spaces and change identities to create
the conditions for long-lasting peace in one of these
major conflict zones.

101. The End