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Religious symbols in clock-wise order: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahá’í Faith, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Slavic neopaganism, Celtic polytheism, Heathenism (Germanic paganism), Semitic neopaganism, Wicca, Kemetism (Egyptian paganism), Hellenism (Greek paganism), Italo-Roman neopaganism.
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, beliefs and world views that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes to moral values. While religion is hard to define, one standard model of religion, used in religious studies courses, was proposed by Clifford Geertz, who simply called it a “cultural system.”[1] A critique of Geertz’s model by Talal Asad categorized religion as “an anthropological category.”[2] Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws, or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world.[3]
The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with “faith” or “belief system”, but religion differs from private belief in that it has a public aspect. Most religions have organized behaviours, including clerical hierarchies, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural) or religious texts. Certain religions also have a sacred language often used in liturgical services. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerals, marriages, meditation, music, art, dance, public service or other aspects of human culture. Religious beliefs have also been used to explain parapsychological phenomena such as out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences and reincarnation, along with many other paranormal experiences.[4][5]
Some academics studying the subject have divided religions into three broad categories: world religions, a term which refers to transcultural, international faiths; indigenous religions, which refers to smaller, culture-specific or nation-specific religious groups; and new religious movements, which refers to recently developed faiths.[6] One modern academic theory of religion, social constructionism, says that religion is a modern concept that suggests all spiritual practice and worship follows a model similar to the Abrahamic religions as an orientation system that helps to interpret reality and define human beings,[7] and thus religion, as a concept, has been applied inappropriately to non-Western cultures that are not based upon such systems, or in which these systems are a substantially simpler construct.
Contents
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Abrahamic religions[edit]
Main article: Abrahamic religions
A group of monotheistic traditions sometimes grouped with one another for comparative purposes, because all refer to a patriarch named Abraham.
Bábism[edit]
Main article: Bábism
Bahá’í Faith[edit]
Main article: Bahá’í Faith
See also: Bahá’í divisions
Christianity[edit]
Main article: Christianity
Main article: Roman Catholic Church
Main article: Protestantism
English Dissenters (also Nonconformists)
Strict Baptists (also Reformed Baptists)
Proto-Protestant groups:
Amyraldism (called “four-point Calvinism”)
Continental Reformed churches: such as the Swiss Reformed, Dutch Reformed, and French Huguenot churches
Quakers (“Friends”)
Stone-Campbell movement (called “Campbellites”)
Roman Catholic Church (called Roman Catholicism or “Catholicism”; subsisting predominantly in the Latin Church)
Liberation theology (Latin American Neo-Marxist Catholicism)
Swedenborgianism (or “The New Church”)Eastern Christianity
Church of the East (called “Nestorian“)
Eastern Catholic Churches : In full communion with and subject to the Catholic Communion and Roman Church, but retaining a diverse array of Eastern Christian liturgical rites; including the Maronites and Byzantine Catholics.
Oriental Orthodox Churches (called Non-Chalcedonian or miaphysite/”monophysite“): Includes the Armenian Apostolic, Coptic, Syrian Orthodox, Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches, as well as a portion of the St. Thomas Christians in India.
Orthodox Catholic Church (called “Eastern Orthodoxy” or Orthodoxy): Includes the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, and several other autocephalous and autonomous Churches.
Greek Old Calendarists (called “Genuine Orthodox” or “True Orthodox“)
Russian Old Believers (or “Old Ritualists”)
Other Christian[edit]
Certain Christian groups are difficult to classify as “Eastern” or “Western.”
No-longer-extant Christian groups[edit]
Gnosticism[edit]
Main article: Gnosticism
Many Gnostic groups were closely related to early Christianity, for example, Valentinism. Irenaeus wrote polemics against them from the standpoint of the then-unified Catholic Church.[8]
See also: List of Gnostic sects
Bosnian Church (no longer extant)
Cerdonians (no longer extant)
Colarbasians (no longer extant)
Simonians (no longer extant)
Bogomilism (no longer extant)
Catharism (no longer extant)
The Yazidis are a syncretic Kurdish religion with a Gnostic influence:
YazidisPersian Gnosticism
Manichaeism (no longer extant)
Bagnolians (no longer extant)Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism
None of these religions are still extant.
Main article: Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism
Islam[edit]
Main article: Islam
See also: Islamic schools and branchesKalam (philosophical schools)
Main article: Ilm al-Kalam
Main article: Khawarij
Main article: Shia Islam
Main article: Sufism
Recent Sufi groups
Main article: Sunni Islam
Main article: Islamism
Main article: Quranism
United Submitters InternationalBlack Muslims
Main article: Black Muslims (disambiguation)
Main article: Ahmadiyya
Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of IslamOther Islamic groups
YarsanismSufi and Shia Sects
Druze[edit]
Main article: Druze
Orchonid Druze (in Lebanon, Syria, Israel…)
Dyayummar Druze (in Lebanon only)
Messaite Druze (possibly in any place)
Judaism and related religions[edit]
Main article: Judaism
See also: Jewish religious movementsRabbinic Judaism
Main article: Rabbinic Judaism
Humanistic Judaism (not always identified as a religion)
Reform JudaismKaraite Judaism
Main article: Karaite JudaismSamaritanism
Main article: Samaritans
Samaritans use a slightly different version of the Pentateuch as their Torah, worshiping at Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem, and are possibly the descendants of the lost Northern Kingdom. They are definitely of ancient Israelite origin, but their status as Jews is disputed.[9]Falasha or Beta IsraelNoahidism
Main article: Noahidism
Noahidism is a monotheistic ideology based on the Seven Laws of Noah, and on their traditional interpretations within Rabbinic Judaism. According to Jewish law, non-Jews are not obligated to convert to Judaism, but they are required to observe the Seven Laws of Noah.Historical groups
Black Hebrew Israelites[edit]
Main article: Black Hebrew Israelites
Rastafari movement[edit]
Main article: Rastafari movement
Mandaeans and Sabians[edit]
Shabakism[edit]
Main article: Shabak people § Religious beliefs
Indian religions[edit]
Main article: Indian religions
Indian religions are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent; namely Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, and religions and traditions related to, and descended from them.
Bhakti movement[edit]
Main article: Bhakti movement
Buddhism[edit]
Main article: Schools of Buddhism
Nikaya schools (which have historically been incorrectly called Hinayana in the West)
Daśabhūmikā (absorbed into Huayan)
Huayan school (Avataṃsaka)
East Asian Mādhyamaka (Three Treatise school)
Bangladeshi Sangharaj Nikaya
Bangladeshi Mahasthabir Nikaya
Burmese Dwara Nikaya
Burmese Shwegyin Nikaya
Burmese Thudhamma Nikaya
Vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and disciples
Sri Lankan Amarapura Nikaya
Sri Lankan Ramañña Nikaya
Sri Lankan Siam Nikaya
Thai Dhammayuttika Nikaya
Tradition of Ajahn Chah
Thai Maha Nikaya
Keizan line
Jakuen line
New Buddhist movements
Global variants of Buddhism
Din-e Ilahi[edit]
Hinduism[edit]
Main article: Hinduism
See also: Hindu denominations
Ayyavazhi (sometimes classified as an independent religion)
Satsang of Thakur Anukulchandra
The Osho or Rajneesh movementMajor schools and movements of Hindu philosophy
Main article: Hindu philosophy
Jainism[edit]
Main article: Jainism
Meivazhi[edit]
Sikhism[edit]
Main article: Sikhism
Namdhari (“Kuka Sikhs”)
Iranian religions[edit]
Main article: Iranian religions
Zoroastrianism[edit]
Main article: Zoroastrianism
Khurramites (syncretism with Shi’a Islam)
Gnostic religions[edit]
Bábí movement[edit]
Yazdânism[edit]
Main article: Yazdânism
East Asian religions[edit]
Main article: East Asian religions
Confucianism[edit]
Main article: Confucianism
Shinto[edit]
Main articles: Shinto and Shinto sects and schools
Shinto-inspired religions[edit]
Taoism[edit]
Main article: Taoism
Zhengyi Dao (“Way of the Right Oneness”)
Taipingjing-based movements
Shangqing School (“School of the Highest Clarity”)
Lingbao School (“School of the Numinous Treasure”)
Quanzhen School (“Way of the Fulfilled Virtue”)
Wuliupai (“School of Wu-Liu”)
Yao Taoism (Meishanism)
Faism (Redhead Taoism)
Xuanxue (Neo-Taoism)
Contemporary Taoism-inspired religions[edit]
Dudeism (The Church of the Latter-Day Dude)
Zenarchy (Kerry Wendell Thornley)
Other[edit]
Chinese[edit]
Korean[edit]
Vietnamese[edit]
Manchu[edit]
African diasporic religions[edit]
See also: African diasporic religions
African diasporic religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants in various countries of the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, as well as parts of the southern United States. They derive from African traditional religions, especially of West and Central Africa, showing similarities to the Yoruba religion in particular.
Mesoamerican religions[edit]
Main article: Mesoamerican religion
Indigenous traditional religions[edit]
See also: Paganism and Folk religion
Traditionally, these faiths have all been classified “Pagan”, but scholars prefer the terms “indigenous/primal/folk/ethnic religions”.
African[edit]
Main article: African traditional religionsNorthern Africa
Berber religionWest Africa
Ashanti mythology (Ghana)
Efik mythology (Nigeria, Cameroon)
Odinani (Nigeria, Cameroon)
Isoko mythology (Nigeria)
Yoruba religion (Nigeria, Benin)
Ifa Afa FaCentral Africa
Bushongo mythology (Congo)
Bambuti (Pygmy) mythology (Congo)
Lugbara religion (Congo)East Africa
Akamba mythology (East Kenya)
Dinka religion (Sudan)
Lotuko mythology (Sudan)
Masai mythology (Kenya, Tanzania)
Oromo religion (Ethiopia)Southern Africa
Lozi mythology (Zambia)
Tumbuka mythology (Malawi)
Zulu religion (South Africa)
American[edit]
Main article: Native American mythologyNorth American
Ho-Chunk mythology (aka: Winnebago)
Zuni mythologySouth American
Eurasian[edit]Asian
Benzhuism (indigenous religion of the Bai people)
Ua Dab (indigenous religion of the Hmong people)
Vietnamese folk religionEuropean
Oceania/Pacific/Maritime Southeast Asia[edit]
Aluk Todolo (indigenous religion of the Toraja people)
Kaharingan (indigenous religion of the Dayak people)
Marapu (indigenous religion of the Sumba people)
Pemena (indigenous religion of the Karo people)
Sunda Wiwitan (indigenous religion of the Sundanese people)
Cargo cults[edit]
Main article: Cargo cults
Historical religions[edit]
Further information: Prehistoric religion and History of religion
Most historical religions were polytheistic, but some, such as Atenism, were much closer to monotheism.
Ancient Near Eastern[edit]
Main article: Ancient Near Eastern religions
Indo-European[edit]
Main article: Proto-Indo-European religion
Hellenistic[edit]
Main article: Hellenistic religion
Uralic[edit]
Mysticism and occult[edit]
Esotericism and mysticism[edit]
Main articles: Esotericism and Mysticism
Western mystery tradition[edit]
See also: Esoteric Christianity, Christian mysticism, Jewish mysticism, and Islamic mysticism
Occult and magic[edit]
Main articles: Occult § Occultism, and Magic (paranormal)
Modern paganism[edit]
Main article: Modern paganism
See also: List of Neopagan movements
Syncretic[edit]
Ethnic[edit]
See also: Ethnic religion
New religious movements[edit]
Main article: List of new religious movements
Race-based[edit]
See also: Ethnic religion
Black[edit]
White[edit]
Native American[edit]
New Thought[edit]
Main article: New Thought
Shinshukyo[edit]
Main article: Japanese new religions
Left-hand path religions[edit]
Main article: Left-hand path and right-hand path
Our Lady of Endor Coven (or Ophite Cultus Satanas)
Post-theistic and naturalistic religions[edit]
Others[edit]
Parody or mock religions[edit]
Other categorisations[edit]
By demographics[edit]
Main article: Religious demographics
By area[edit]
Further information: Religion geography
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Jump up^ (Clifford Geertz, Religion as a Cultural System, 1973)
Jump up^ (Talal Asad, The Construction of Religion as an Anthropological Category, 1982.)
Jump up^ “World Religions Religion Statistics Geography Church Statistics”. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
Jump up^ “Key Facts about Near-Death Experiences”. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
Jump up^ Harvey, Graham (2000). Indigenous Religions: A Companion. (Ed: Graham Harvey). London and New York: Cassell. Page 06.
Jump up^ Vergote, Antoine, Religion, belief and unbelief: a psychological study, Leuven University Press, 1997, p. 89
Jump up^ “Irenaeus of Lyons”. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
Jump up^ “Samaritans”. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
Jump up^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions(Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 1112. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
Jump up^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions(Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 1001. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
Jump up^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions(Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 997. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
Jump up^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions(Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 1004. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
^ Jump up to:a b “Welcome to Jainworld – Jain Sects – tirthankaras, jina, sadhus, sadhvis, 24 tirthankaras, digambara sect, svetambar sect, Shraman Dharma, Nirgranth Dharma”. Jainworld.com. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
Jump up^ Smith, Christian; Joshua Prokopy (1999). Latin American Religion in Motion. New York: Routledge, pp. 279-280. ISBN 978-0-415-92106-0
Jump up^ Melton, J. Gordon (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religions(Seventh edition). Farmington Hills, Michigan: The Gale Group, Inc., p. 841. ISBN 0-7876-6384-0
External links[edit]
Wikiversity has learning resources about Beyond Theism
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