Religious Realms. World Population by Religion Fig. 6-1a: Over two-thirds of the world’s population belong to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism

Religious Realms

World Population by Religion

Fig. 6-1a: Over two-thirds of the world’s population belong to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. Christianity is the single largest world religion.

Major Religious Hearths

Diffusion of Universalizing Religions

Fig. 6-4: Each of the three main universalizing religions diffused widely from its hearth.

Introduction

People are less willing to tolerate or accommodate differences in religious matters than any other aspect of culture

Proselytic or Universalizing religions sometimes grow out of ethnic religions—Christianity from Judaism

The Semitic religious hearth

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all arose among Semitic-speaking people

All three arose from the margins of the southwestern Asian deserts

Judaism, the oldest, originated about 4,000 years ago probably along the southern edge of the Fertile Crescent

Later, Judaism acquired dominion over lands between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River — territorial base of modern Israel


About 2,000 years later, Christianity arose as a child of Judaism from this same area

Islam arose about seven centuries later in western Arabia, partly from Jewish and Christian roots

Religions spread by both relocation and expansion diffusion Expansion diffusion can be divided into

hierarchical and contagious subtypes Hierarchical diffusion — ideas are implanted at

top of a society, leapfrogging across the map taking root in cities

Use of missionaries involves relocation diffusion


Christianity spread through the Roman Empire using the existing splendid road

system Clearly reflected hierarchical expansion

diffusion Early congregations were established in

cities and towns Temporarily established a pattern of

Christianized urban centers and pagan rural areas

Diffusion of Christianity

Fig. 6-5: Christianity diffused from Palestine through the Roman Empire and continued diffusing through Europe after the fall of Rome. It was later replaced by Islam in much of the Mideast and North Africa.


Scattered urban clusters of early Christianity were created by relocation diffusion Missionaries moved from town to town bearing

news of the emerging faith Missionaries often used the technique of

converting kings or tribal leaders Some expansion was militaristic — reconquest

of Iberia, invasion of Latin America Christianity spread farther by contagious

diffusion, also called contact conversion

Diffusion of Christianity This is St Mary’s

Anglican Cathedral in a primarily Muslim nation. Constructed under British rule in 1894, it catered to English residents and missionized among the locals. Services are also in Tamil, a Dravidian language of southern India

Diffusion of Christianity

Tamils were brought to Malaya as indentured labor to work in mines and plantations during the colonial era. Many Hindu Tamils were of a low caste or even untouchables in India. Christianity, without proclaimed social divisions, was and remains attractive to downtrodden peoples.

Religious culture regions

Christianity A Universalizing religion World’s largest in both area and

number of adherents—about 1.9 billion Long fragmented into separate

churches Greatest division is between Western

and Eastern Christianity


Eastern church dominated the Greek world from Constantinople (Istanbul) Coptic Church—originally the nationalistic religion of the

Egyptians, and today is the dominant church of the highland people of Ethiopia

Maronites — Semitic descendants of seventh-century heretics who retreated to a mountain refuge in Lebanon

Nestorians — live in the mountains of Kurdistan and India’s Kerala State

Eastern Orthodoxy — originally centered in Greek-speaking areas

Converted many Slavic groups Later split in a variety of national churches—

Russian, Greek, Ukrainian, and Serbian


Western Christianity initially identified with Rome and Latin-speaking areas Most notable split was the Protestant

breakaway of the 1400s and 1500s Tended to divide into a rich array of sects Denominational map of the United States

and Canada reflects fragmented nature and complex pattern of religious culture regions


American frontier a breeding ground for new religious groups

United States displays less regionalization of faiths but can still see in small scale “Bible Belt”—lies across the South, Baptist

and other conservative fundamentalist denominations dominate

Utah is core of Mormon realm


Lutheran belt — stretches from Wisconsin through Minnesota and the Dakotas

Roman Catholicism — dominates southern Louisiana, the southwestern borderland, and heavily industrialized areas of the Northeast

The Midwest a thoroughly mixed zone —Methodism generally the largest single faith

Some experts believe American culture is becoming homogenized religiously, with weakening regional contrasts


Geographer Roger Stump points to a twentieth-century trend toward religious regional divergence Baptists in South Lutherans in upper Midwest Catholics in Southwest Mormons in the West Each dominate their respective regions more

today than at turn of century Each has long-standing, strong infrastructure

Terms:

Branch – large fundamental division Denomination – division of a branch

that unites as a single legal and administration

Sect – small group that has broken away from an established denomination

Christian Branches in Europe

Branches: Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox

Islam

Monotheistic, universalizing faith claims 1.1 billion followers

Located mostly in the desert belt of Asia and northern Africa, extends as far east as Indonesia and the Philippines

Biblical figures, such as Moses, Abraham, and Jesus are venerated in Islam

Most important prophet and founder is Muhammad —lived about 14 centuries ago

The Koran — Muslim holy book, contains a code of morals and ethics, and promises an afterlife for the faithful

Diffusion of Islam

Origin – Mecca 613 a.d. Prophet’s death in 1632

Military expansion Combined with hierarchical diffusion

(social) Created an Arab empire Trade as important as religion Culture, not just religion

Diffusion of Islam

Fig. 6-6: Islam diffused rapidly and widely from its area of origin in Arabia. It eventually stretched from southeast Asia to West Africa.

Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam Adherents are expected to pray five

times daily at established times Give alms to the poor Fast from dawn to sunset in the holy

ninth month Make at least one pilgrimage to the

sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia Profess belief in Allah, the one god

Islam

Two major sects prevail Shiite Muslims — 11 percent of Islamic total in

diverse subgroups Form the majority in Iran and Iraq Major fundamentalist revival now occurring

under Iranian leadership to throw off Western influences, and restore the purity of the faith

Political tension with the potential for severe disruption is spreading

Strongest among Indo-European groups

Islam

Two major sects prevail Sunni Muslims — represent Islamic

orthodoxy forming the large majority Strength is greatest in the Arabic-

speaking lands Non-Arabic Indonesia now contains

world’s largest concentration Large clusters occur in western China,

Indo-European Bangladesh, and Pakistan

Distribution of Shia (Shite) and Sunni Muslims

Buddhism

Derived from Hinduism began 25 centuries ago

Reform movement grounded in the teaching of Prince Siddhartha — the Buddha

He promoted the four “noble truths” Life is full of suffering Desire is the cause of this suffering Cessation of suffering comes with the quelling of

desire An “eight-fold path” of proper personal conduct

and meditation permits the individual to overcome desire

Nirvana — reached when one has achieved a state of escape and peace, which is attained by very few

Hinduism

Closely tied to India and its ancient culture. It is an Ethnic Religion

Claims about 750 million adherents Polytheistic religion involving the

worship of a myriad of deities Linked to the caste system — rigid

segregation of people according to ancestry and occupation

Hinduism

Believe in ahimsa — veneration of all forms of life

Belief in reincarnation No set standard of beliefs prevails,

and the faith takes many local forms Includes very diverse peoples

The faith straddles a major ethnic/linguistic divide

Includes both Indo-Europeans and Dravidians

Judaism Monotheistic faith Parent of Christianity, and closely

related to Islam Certain Hebrew prophets and leaders

are recognized by Christians and Muslims

Does not actively seek converts and has remained an ethnic religion

Has split into a variety of subgroups, partly as a result of forced dispersal

Judaism

Ethnic religion Forced from Israel in Roman times and lost

contact with other colonies Jews resided in Mediterranean lands were called

the Sephardim and in central and Eastern Europe. Large-scale migration of Jewish residing in Europe

to America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

During Nazi years, perhaps a third of the entire Jewish population of the world was systematically murdered

Judaism

Europe ceased to be primary homeland and many survivors fled overseas to Israel and America

Has about 14 million adherents throughout the world

Nearly 7 million live in North America

Hinduism Hinduism has splintered into diverse

religious, some regarded as separate religions Jainism — ancient outgrowth, claiming perhaps 5

million adherents Traces its roots back over twenty-five centuries Reject Hindu scriptures, rituals, and priesthood Share Hindu belief in ahinisa and reincarnation Adhere to a stern asceticism

Sikhism — arose in the 1500s, in an attempt to unify Hinduism and Islam

Centered in the Punjab state of northwestern India Has about 19 million followers Sikhs practice monotheism and have their own

holy book, the Adi Granth

Buddhism

Today the most widespread religion in Asia Dominates a culture region from Sri Lanka to

Japan and from Mongolia to Vietnam Universalizing religion

Formed composite faiths as it fused with ethnic faiths especially in China and Japan

Fused with Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism Southern Buddhism dominant in Sri Lanka and

mainland Southeast Asia retains greatest similarity to original form

Special variation known as Lamaism prevails in Tibet and Mongolia

Buddhism

Difficult to determine number of adherents because of tendency to merge with native religions — estimates range from 334 million to over 500 million people

In China, has enmeshed with local faiths to become part of an ethnic religion

Outside China, remains one of the great universalizing religions in the world

Animism

Retained tribal ethnic religion of people around the world

Today, adherents number at least 100 million

Animists believe certain inanimate objects possess spirits or souls Spirits live in rocks, rivers, mountain peaks,

and heavenly bodies Each tribe has its own characteristic form of

animism A Shaman — tribal religious figure usually

serves as the intermediary between people and the spirits

Animism

To some animists, objects do not actually possess spirits, but are valued because they have a potency to serve as a link between people and the omnipresent god

Animism can be a very complex belief system Sub-Saharan Africa is the greatest surviving

stronghold of animism Along the north edge Islam is rapidly winning

converts Christian missionaries are very active throughout

the area

Animism

Animism in the Western Hemisphere Umbanda — kept alive by descendants

of African slaves in Brazil has 30 million followers

Santeria — is found mainly in Cuba Survives beneath a facade of nominal

Roman Catholicism in Cuba

Secularism

In much of Europe religion has declined Today, number of nonreligious and

atheistic persons worldwide is about 1 billion

Typically displays vivid regionalization on a variety of scales

Areas of religious vitality lie alongside secularized districts in a disorderly jumble

Causes of retreat from religion A government’s active hostility toward a

particular faith or religion Failure of religions oriented toward the need of

rural folk to adapt to the urban scene

Sacred space

Includes areas and sites recognized as worthy of devotion, loyalty, fear, or esteem Notion occurs in many different cultures, past

and present the world over B.C. Lane says—”an ordinary place made

extraordinary through ritual” May be sought out by pilgrims or barred to

members of other religions Often contain the site of supposed

supernatural events or viewed as abode of gods

Jerusalem

Sacred Space

Jerusalem is sacred space to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. It contains the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) leading to the site of Christ’s crucifixion.

According to Jewish tradition, the sealed Golden Gate (far right) is where the Messiah will enter the city and bring redemption. Ruins of the City of David are at the southwest corner of the wall.

Sacred Space: Sample of it’s Use

Muslims are buried at the foot of the wall; Jews on the Mount of Olives in the foreground; and, Christians in the valley between. The golden Dome of the Rock covers the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac and Mohammed ascended to heaven.

It also occupies the site of the First and Second Temples built by Kings Solomon and Herod. All that remains is the sacred Wailing Wall.

Sacred space

Conflict can result of two religions venerate the same space

Example of conflict in Jerusalem Muslim Dome of the Rock — site of

Muhammad’s ascent to heaven Wailing Wall — remnant of greatest

Jewish temple Cemeteries also generally regarded

as type of sacred space

Sacred space

Sacred space is receiving increased attention in the world An internationally funded Sacred Land

Project began in the middle 1990s Goal — to identify and protect such sites In the United Kingdom alone, 5000 sites

have been cataloged Includes — ancient stone circles, pilgrim

routes, and holy springs

Sacred space

Sacred space is receiving increased attention in the world Mystical places — locations unconnected with

established religion where some people believe extraordinary, supernatural things can happen

“Bermuda Triangle” Some include the expanses of the American

Great Plains Some ancient sacred spaces never lose or they

regain the functional status of mystical place —example of Stonehenge in England

Native American Burial grounds

Culture Regions

Religious Regions Religious Diffusion Religious Ecology Cultural Integration in Religion Religious Landscapes











The Semitic religious hearth Islamic faith spread in a militaristic

manner Followed the command in the Koran Arabs exploded westward across North Africa

in a wave of religious and linguistic conquest Turks, once converted, carried out similar

Islamic conquests Muslim missionaries followed trade routes

eastward to implant Islam hierarchically in the Philippines, Indonesia, and interior China


Tropical Africa is the current major area of Islamic expansion

Diffusion successes in Sub-Saharan Africa and high birthrates in the older sphere of dominance has made Islam the world’s fastest-growing religion

The lndus-Ganges Hearth

Second great religious hearth lies on the plains fringing the northern edge of the Indian subcontinent Lowland, drained by the Ganges and

Indus rivers Gave birth to Hinduism and Buddhism


Hinduism is at least 4,000 years old Originated in the Punjab, from where it

diffused to dominate the subcontinent Missionaries later carried the faith in its

proselytic phase, to overseas areas Most converted regions were

subsequently lost


Buddhism began in the foothills bordering the Ganges Plain about 500 B.C. For centuries remained confined to the Indian

subcontinent Missionaries later carried it to other countries

and regions China — between 100 B.C. and A.D. 200 Korea and Japan — between A.D. 300 and 500 Southeast Asia — between A.D. 400 and 600

Tibet — A.D. 700 Mongolia — A.D. 1500

Developed many regional forms and died out in its area of origin

California

Diffusion of Buddhism

Buddhism arrived with Asian migrants in the early 19th century and has become increasingly important with each subsequent immigrant group.

This is the Fo Kuang Shan Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, an emerging Asian Suburban area near Los Angeles.

Diffusion of Buddhism

Hsi Lai means “coming to the west.” Replicating a Taiwan temple and practicing Pure Land Buddhism, this ten building complex trains both monks and nuns and offers an array of programs for Asians and non-Asians alike. The foreground Field of Merit represents rice paddies, recalling hard work and devotion.

Barriers and time-distance decay

Religious ideas weaken with distance from places of origin and time

Most religious barriers are permeable, but weaken and retard religious spread Partial acceptance of Christianity by various

Indian groups in Latin America and the western United States

Served as a camouflage under which many aspects of tribal religions survived

Permeable barriers are normally present in expansion diffusion


Most religions become modified by older local beliefs as they diffuse spatially

Absorbing barriers — example of China Christian missionaries to China expected to

find fertile ground for conversion Chinese had long settled the question of

what is basic human nature Believed humans were inherently good and

evil desires represented merely a deviation from that state


Evil desires could be shrugged off and people would return to the basic nature they shared with heaven

Christian idea of original sin left the Chinese baffled

Chinese could not understand the concept of humankind being flawed or their impossibility to return to godhood

Many concepts of Christianity fell on rocky soil in China

In the early twentieth century some Chinese became Christians in exchange for the rice missionaries gave them


Religion can act as a barrier to the spread of nonreligious innovations

Religious taboos can function as absorbing barriers Can prevent diffusion of foods and drinks Mormons are forbidden to consume products

containing caffeine Some Pennsylvania Dutch churches prohibit

cigarette smoking, but not the raising of tobacco by member farmers for commercial markets

Documents

Religious Realms. World Population by Religion Fig. 6-1a: Over two-thirds of the world’s population belong to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism