Ch. 7 The Geography Of Religion

monotheistic

belief in only ONE God

The distribution of religions is the product of what?

cultural diffusion (the spread of elements of culture from the point of origin over an area)

shiite

member of the Shia branch of Islam

orthodox

emphasize purity of faith and are generally not open to blending with elements of other belief systems

cultural hearth

focused geographic area where important cultural innovations begin and diffuse/spread from

Jainism

• emanated from Hinduism • trace roots back 25 centuries • rejects Hindu scriptures, rituals, and priesthood • Jains adhere to a strict asceticism (self-denial and austerity) • practice strict vegetarianism (no animal products) • 4 million followers

Hinduism

• world's oldest religion • no prophet or founder • lacks a standard set of beliefs, local forms • closely associated with India • Polytheistic with one supreme god, Brahman/Tolerant • individual or family-oriented practice • Caste System (type of social organization or hierarchy in which a person's occupation and position in life is determined by the circumstances of his/her birth)

fundamentalism

a movement to the return of the founding principles of the religion (literal interpretation of sacred texts and attempt to follow ways of a particular religious founder)

shaman

a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds (using magic to cure illness/ fortune telling)

sect

a relatively small group that has broken away from an established denomination (Amish sect)

How is religion linked to human life?

The milestones in the course of human life are observed and celebrated through religious rituals: - birth - coming of age (puberty) - marriage - death

Can proselytic religions grow out of ethnic religions?

Yes (Judaism to Christianity and Hinduism to Buddhism)

denomination

a division of a branch that unites a number of congregations into a single doctrinal, legal, and administrative body

branch

a large and basic division with a religion (Christianity has 3 major branches - Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox)

ethnic religions

appeal to a particular ethnic or tribal groups and does NOT seek converts (Hinduism and Judaism)

sacred spaces

areas recognized by religious groups as worthy of devotion, loyalty, esteem, or fear to the extend that they become sought out, avoided, inaccessible to the nonbeliever, and/or removed from economic use

polytheistic

belief in MULTIPLE Gods

Religion

human organization with a relatively structured set of beliefs and practices through which people seek mental and physical harmony with the powers of the universe

pilgrimages

journeys to a place of religious importance

Sunni

one of 2 main branches of Islam

mystical place

places said to exist in religious writings

universal/proselytic religions

religions that actively seek converts (Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism)

syncretic

religions that combine elements of 2 or more belief systems

Ecotheology

role of religion in habitat modification

secularization

the activity of changing something so its no longer under the control or influence of a religion

What purpose does religion serve in a culture?

(1) religions often try to accommodate/influence the powerful forces of nature, life, and death (2) religion helps people to make sense of their place in the world *religare (latin) = to fasten loosen parts into a coherent whole

Karma

(in Hinduism and Buddhism) sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence (reviewer as deciding their fate in future experiences)

In what form does religion appear on the cultural landscapes?

- structures for worship and for burial *generally, there is great variation in the types and profile of structures

The Indus-Ganga Hearth

- where Hinduism began before branching off into Buddhism

reincarnation

the rebirth of a soul in a new body

How does religion contribute to a culture's nonmaterial culture?

values serve as broad guidelines or principle in all situations to guide an individual perspective and direct their behavior

Taoic Religions

• Confucianism, Shinto, & Taoism - the faiths that center on Tao, or the force that balances and orders the universe • Shinto (an animistic religion) - Japan • Confucianism & Taoism - China • Taoic religions tend toward syncretism and have blended with Buddhism • 500 million followers

Islam

• Located on Middle East, North Africa, and Indonesia • Founded by Muhammad in 610 AD • Monotheistic (Allah) • Two branches - Sunni and Shiah/Shiite • Universal - missionary conversions

Judaism

• Monotheistic • Ethnic Religion • does NOT seek new converts • several branches • over 4,000 years old

Buddhism

• derived from Hinduism • against Caste System • shares some common beliefs with Hinduism • individual or family-oriented practice • fused with native ethnic religions, such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism to form syncretic versions of Buddhism in China and Japan • jointly 500 million and followers

Sikhism

• emanated from Hinduism • arose in the 1500s • Monotheistic • Merging of Hinduism of Islam • Adi Granth (holy book) • 23 million followers

Christianity

• world's largest religion • strongly linked to Judaism • monotheistic • Universal - missionary conversion * wide variety of beliefs within this religion

Animism/Shamanism

• indigenous religions collectively referred to as 'animism' • generally NOT organized, more of an ethnic religion common to a clan/tribe • follow oral traditions NOT holy books • Shamans serve as an intermediary between the people and the spirits • Hold that nonhuman beings and inanimate objects possess spirits or souls • NOT primitive, but complex belief system • 240 million adherents

The Semitic Religious Hearth

3 great monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) began among the Semitic peoples - these religions spread by relocation and expansion diffusion

What are the estimated distribution of religions by type?

58% Universal/proselytic Religions 26% Ethnic Religions 16% Other Religions *NOTE that the majority of religions seek converts (universal/proselytic)

What is the relationship between religion and the physical environment?

HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP since the primary function of many religions is the maintenance of their relationship with the environment

teleology

Judeo-Christian doctrine which states that the Earth was created especially for human beings, who are separate from and superior to the natural world