World Religions

Mythology

A body or collection of tales belonging to a people and addressing their origin, history, and heroes. It explains the actions of gods and goddesses or the cause of natural phenomena and includes supernatural elements. Most people are familiar with Greek and Roman tales.

Islam

A monotheistic religion, founded by Muhammad that emerged in the Arabian peninsula during the 7th century. One of the three major western religions, means submission to the will of allah, people who practice this faith are called Muslims (one who has submitted). Teachings like the Five Pillars of the Muslims are found in the Koran or Quran.

Christianity

A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

Hinduism

A polytheistic religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms. One of the oldest religions in the modern world, dating back over 4000 years. This religion is unique among the world's religions in that it does not have a single founder, a single theology, or agreement on its origins.

caste system

A system in India that gives every Indian a particular place in the social hierarchy from birth. Individuals may improve the position they inherit in the caste system in their next life through their actions or karma. After many lives of good karma, they may be relieved from the cycle of life and win their place in heaven.

Buddhism

Belief system that started in India in the 500s BC. This religion teaches that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire and suffering ceases when desire ceases. Enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth (reincarnation). Following the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths to achieve enlightenment is associated with this religion.

Confucianism

Confucianism is a way of life taught by Confucius in the 6th-5th century BCE. Sometimes viewed as a philosophy, sometimes as a religion, Confucianism is perhaps best understood as an all-encompassing humanism that neither denies nor slights heaven. Confucianism has been followed by the Chinese for more than two millennia. It has deeply influenced spiritual and political life in China; its influence has also extended to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

divine right of kings

Doctrine that states that the right of ruling comes from God and not people's consent

reincarnation

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding

Chinese Religion

Not an organized, unified system of beliefs and practices. It has no leadership, headquarters, founder, or denominations. Instead, "Chinese religion" is a term describing the complex interaction of different religious and philosophical traditions that have been influential in China. Chinese religion is composed of four main traditions: Chinese folk religion, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.

monotheism

The belief in and worship of only one God

polytheism

The belief in many gods

Judaism

The first major and oldest monotheistic religion. It originated with Abraham and the Hebrew people. According to Jewish teaching, Abraham and God have a covenant in which the Jews agree to worship only one God, and God agrees to protect his chosen people, the Jews. They preserved their early history in the Old Testament. Laid the foundation of both Christianity and Islam

Sunni

The largest branch of Islam. After the death of Muhammad, Muslims who accepted Abu Bakr as the first Caliph became known as Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah or "the people of tradition and unification" in order to differentiate them from the Shia, who rejected Abu Bakr's authority in favor of Muhammad's cousin Ali as the next Caliph.

Atheism

is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

Roman Catholicism

The official state of religion in Europe before Protestant reformations came into place. Roman Catholics believed that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified; they believed that Jesus Christ founded the church to carry the salvation that he brought for his people. Catholics also believed that the church had faithfully preserved the teachings of Christ. Branch of Christianity based in Rome, Italy and led by the Pope. it is popular in Latin America, southern Europe and areas of Africa that used to be French, Spanish or Portuguese colonies.

Protestant Religions

The religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church but resulted in the creation of new splinter churches. The split of the Roman Catholic Church resulted in the 'protesters' forming several new Christian denominations, including the Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican Churches, among many others.

Theism

a belief in one or more supernatural deities

Shiite

a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam that regards Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, as the legitimate successor of Muhammad, and disregards the three caliphs who succeeded him.

tribal religions

a sub-form of Ethnic Religions, generally defined by their association with a small group and is usually closely tied to the natural world.