Religion a fundamental part of human culture

Can have a profound effect on human interaction with their environment and

other cultures

thereby shaping the development of a people’s cultural landscape

Religion

Although religious affiliation is on the decline in some parts of the world’s core regions, it still acts as a powerful shaper of daily life, from eating habits and dress codes to coming of age rituals and death ceremonies, holiday celebrations, and family practices in both the core and periphery

Geography and ReligionGeographers see that the process by which one religion diffuses across the landscape may conflict with the distribution of others – examples?

Geographers also observe that religion is derived in part from elements of the physical environment, and that religions, in turn, modify the landscape.

Geography and ReligionGeographers, though, are not theologians, so they stay focused on those elements of religion that are geographically significant:

Spatial connections:Distinctive places of origin

Extent of Diffusion

Process of Diffusion

Practices and beliefs that lead some to have more widespread distributions

Globalization and Local Diversity of Religion

Geographers find the tension in scale between globalization and local diversity especially acute in religion:

People care deeply about their religion

Religions values are important in how people identify themselves and organize their landscape

Migrants may assimilate in all ways BUT religion

DISCUSS: Has more modern technology and forms of communication increased or decreased religious tension?

Religion

Definitions:relatively structured set of beliefs & practices through which people seek mental & physical harmony with the powers of the universe.

Set of stones, symbols, beliefs, & practices that give meaning to the practitioner’s experiences of life though reference to an ultimate power of reality

A belief system and a set of practices that recognizes the existence of a power higher than humans

Religion

Religion encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and religious experience

Through rituals religion is celebrated (birth, marriage, death, etc.)

Religion doesn’t just explain natural forces but helps people make sense of their place in the world.

Religion is one of the most complex, and often controversial, aspects of the human condition.

Core component of culture

Often lies at the root of conflict

Definitive trait of a culture and highly territorial phenomenon with links to the spirit of a place, ethnicity, and nationality

ExampleVirgin of Guadalupe

Universalizing vs. Ethnic Religions

Universalizing ReligionsHave universal appeal and attract all people to their beliefs

Examples:Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

60% of world follows a universalizing religion

Universalizing religions have precise places of origin, based on events in the life of a man.

Universalizing religions can be broken down into:

Branches:Large fundamental divisions within a religion

Denominations:Groups of common congregations within a branch

Sects:Smaller groups that have broken away from a recognized denomination within a branch

Universalizing vs. Ethnic Religions

Ethnic religionsEthnic religions have unknown or unclear origins, not tied to single historical individuals

Attempt to appeal to only one group

One place or one ethnicity

Examples:Judaism, Hinduism

Types of Religions

PolytheisticBelief in more than one god, or goddessHinduism?? , Voodoo

MonotheisticBelief in one god, or goddessIslam, Christianity, Judaism

AnimisticCentered on the belief that inanimate objects, such as mountains, boulders, rivers, and trees, possess spirits and should therefore be revered.

Religion Families

AbrahamicChristianityIslamJudaismBaha’I faithRastafarianism

IndianHinduBuddhismSikhismJainism

Religion FamiliesAfrican

Primal Indigenous

African traditional

African Diasporic

Far EastTaoism

Confucianism

Shinto

Caodaism

Yiguandao (I-Kuan Tao)

Chinese folk

Religion Families

OtherJuche

Spiritism

Neopaganism

Ahl-E Haqq (Yarsan)

Yazidism

Scientology

Universalizing Religions

Christianity

Islam

Buddhism

Sikhism

Ba’hai

ChristianityLargest universalizing religion

2 billion adherents

Predominate in:North America

South America

Europe

Australia

FounderJesus of Nazareth

Date: 30 C.E.

OriginPalestine (Israel)

Doctrine10 commandments

DiffusionInitially

Relocation- Migration

missionaries

Expansion

Contagious- Roman Empire

BranchesRoman Catholic

Europe: SW, East

South America

North America = 40% (NW, SE)

Headed by PopeReceive grace from sacraments

Eucharist

ProtestantBaptist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc.

Europe: Northwest

North America= 28% (highly clustered)

Reformation- Martin Luther

Oct 31, 1517

Individuals could directly communicate with God

Eastern OrthodoxEurope: SE, East

Middle East

Ruled by Patriarchs

Split with Roman Catholic teachings after 8th century C.E.

On the map:

For the Mormons, Lutherans, and Baptists:

List and explain 2 reasons why they are dominant in their specific regions

How is this map incomplete?

Christianity

Holy bookBible

Holy placesChurchesJerusalem

Landscape impactChurches

Roman Catholic

More elaborate

Cathedrals

Protestant

More plain

Orthodox

Cathedrals, Byzantine style

CemeteriesChristians bury their dead

Hierarchy in burials

Administration Roman Catholic *hierarchical

Pope Archbishops- Province Bishops- Diocese Priests- Parish

Mormons- hierarchical

Calendar Roman/ Protestant

Gregorian calendar

Orthodox Julian calendar

Holidays Easter= death and resurrection of Jesus

Christmas= Birth of Jesus

Islam2nd largest universalizing religion

World’s fastest growing religion

1.3 billion people

FounderMuhammad

622 C.E.

OriginArabian Peninsula, Middle East

Doctrine5 Pillars of Islam

Allah one true God

Prayer 5x a day facing Mecca

Charity

Fast during Ramadan

Hajj- Pilgrimage to Mecca

BranchesSunni

83 % of Muslims

Middle East, Asia

“people following the example of Muhammad”

Succession of Muhammad

From the community

Shiite16% of Muslims

Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Oman, and Bahrain

Word for “sectarian”

Succession of MuhammadMust come from familial line of Muhammad

DiffusionMilitary conquest after Muhammad’s death

Then relocation diffusion through missionaries

Ex. North Africa

Ex. Indonesia- Arab traders

IslamHoly Book

The Quran

Holy PlacesMecca

Birthplace of Muhammad

MedinaMuhammad's tomb

JerusalemMuhammad’s ascension

Landscape ImpactMosques

Central, open-air courtyard

Minaret tower

Cemeteries- Burial of dead

AdministrationLocal autonomy

No formal religious hierarchy

Secular states

CalendarLunar calendar

30 year cycle19 years with 354 days

11 years with 355 days

HolidaysHoly month of Ramadan

ArtCalligraphy

Geometric design

Islam in the US

Islam has had a presence in the US through the Nation of Islam, also known as the Black Muslims

Founded in Detroit in 1930 and led for more than 40 years by Elijah Muhammad

Today is led by Louis Farrakhan

Buddhism3rd largest universalizing religion

Difficult to gage numberCan be Buddhist and other religion

400 million adherents

China, SE Asia

FounderSiddhartha Gautama

563 B.C.E.

OriginIndia/ Nepal

DoctrineFour noble truths

8-fold path

BranchesMahayana

56 %

China, Japan, Korea

Split from Theravada 2000 years ago

Less demanding

More encompassing

Theravada38%

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Oldest branch

“way of the elders”

Full-time occupation, monks

Tibetan6%

Tibet and Mongolia

DiffusionNo rapid diffusion

Emperor Asoka 273- 232 B.C.E.

Trade routes brought it to China

Buddhism

Holy Booknone

Holy PlacesShrines

8 sacred sites

All associated with the Buddha4 locations of miracles

Landscape ImpactPagodas

Contain relic of Buddha

Not designed for congregational worship

CalendarHolidays

Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death

Same day for Theravada monks

Different for others

Other Universalizing Religions

Baha’I 7 million adherents

OriginGrew out of Babi faith

Founder: Siyyid ‘Ali Muhammad

Shiraz, Iran

1844 C.E.

DoctrineBelieve that one of Bab’s disciples was a prophet of God

Function: to overcome disunity in religions and establish a universal faith

House of WorshipTemples on every continent

CalendarEstablished by Bab

19 months with 19 days, 4 “extra”

DiffusionFollowers persecuted and exiled to Iraq

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYqI4BLETjo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

SikhismOne of the smaller universalizing religions

25 million adherents

Founded in the late 15th century in present day Pakistan

Lahore

Follows teachings of Guru Nanak

Chief religious prophetGod revealed himself to Nanak

One Creator, people have capacity for improvement on earth

Sikhs mean disciple in Hindi

Monotheistic

Syncretic religion?Blend of Hinduism and Islam practices and beliefs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drcCaFRraM0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Diffusion of Sikhism

Diffused outward from its origin in Pakistan, particularly towards northern India

Sikhs have a global diaspora today and are especially prominent in the U.S., Canada, the UK, former British colonies of East Africa, and Australia

High concentration of Sikhs exist in Punjab region

Straddles Northwestern India and Northern Pakistan

Cultural Landscapes

Holiest Site:The Golden Temple

In the Punjab region

Holy Book:Guru Granth Sahib contains the teaching of all its prophets, called gurus