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The Role of Religion in Shaping Culture and Human Interaction

Explore the profound impact of religion on human culture, environment, and interaction with other cultures. Discover how religious beliefs and practices shape daily life, rituals, and traditions across different regions.

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The Role of Religion in Shaping Culture and Human Interaction

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  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. Religion • 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 • Example • Virgin of Guadalupe

  6. Types of Religions • Proselytic • Example: Christianity • seeks new members and aims to convert mankind • Ethnic • Example: Judaism • Identified with a particular ethnic or tribal group and doesn’t seek converts • Syncretic • Syncretism • Example: Brazil – Umbunda • Combines elements of two or more belief systems • Orthodox • Russian Orthodox • Emphasizes purity of faith, “right teaching”

  7. Types of Religions • Polytheistic • Belief in more than one god, or goddess • Hinduism?? , Voodoo • Monotheistic • Belief in one god, or goddess • Islam, Christianity, Judaism • Animistic • Centered on the belief that inanimate objects, such as mountains, boulders, rivers, and trees, possess spirits and should therefore be revered.

  8. Universalizing vs. Ethnic Religions • Universalizing Religions • Have universal appeal and attract all people to their beliefs • Examples: • Christianity, Islam, Buddhism • 60% of world follows a universalizing religion • Ethnic religions • Attempt to appeal to only one group • One place or one ethnicity • Examples: • Judaism, Hinduism • 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

  9. Religion Families • Abrahamic • Christianity • Islam • Judaism • Baha’I faith • Rastafarianism • Indian • Hindu • Buddhism • Sikhism • Jainism

  10. Religion Families • African • Primal Indigenous • African traditional • African Diasporic • Far East • Taoism • Confucianism • Shinto • Codaism • Yiguando • Chinese folk

  11. Religion Families • Other • Juche • Spiritism • Neopaganism • Ah-E Haqq • Yazidism • Scientology

  12. Fundamentalism • Intolerance of other religions • Today there are several movements in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam • Signals a return to founding principles, or literal interpretations of the text • Often leads to violence • Example: bombing of abortion clinics, 9-11

  13. Universalizing Religions • Christianity • Islam • Buddhism • Sikhism • Ba’hai

  14. Christianity • Largest universalizing religion • 2 billion adherents • Predominate in: • North America • South America • Europe • Australia • Founder • Jesus of Nazareth • Date: 30 C.E. • Origin • Palestine (Israel) • Doctrine • 10 commandments • Diffusion • Initially • Relocation- Migration • missionaries • Expansion • Contagious- Roman Empire

  15. Branches of Christianity • Roman Catholic • Europe: SW, East • South America • North America = 40% (NW, SE) • Headed by Pope • Receive grace from sacraments • Eucharist • Protestant • Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc. • Europe: Northwest • North America= 28% (highly clustered) • Reformation- Martin Luther • Oct 31, 1517 • Individuals could directly communicate with God • Eastern Orthodox • Europe: SE, East • Middle East • Ruled by Patriarchs • Split with Roman Catholic teachings after 8th century C.E.

  16. Christianity • Holy book • Bible • Holy places • Churches • Jerusalem • 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

  17. Landscape impact • Churches • Roman Catholic • More elaborate • Cathedrals • Protestant • More plain • Orthodox • Cathedrals, Byzantine style • Cemeteries • Christians bury their dead • Hierarchy in burials

  18. Islam • 2nd largest universalizing religion • World’s fastest growing religion • 1.3 billion people • Founder • Muhammad • 622 C.E. • Origin • Arabian Peninsula, Middle East • Doctrine • 5 Pillars of Islam • Allah one true God • Prayer 5x a day facing Mecca • Charity • Fast during Ramadan • Hajj- Pilgrimage to Mecca • Diffusion • Military conquest after Muhammad’s death • Then relocation diffusion through missionaries • Ex. North Africa • Ex. Indonesia- Arab traders

  19. Main Branches of Islam • Sunni • 83 % of Muslims • Middle East, Asia • “people following the example of Muhammad” • Succession of Muhammad • From the community • Shiite • 16% of Muslims • Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Oman, and Bahrain • Word for “sectarian” • Succession of Muhammad • Must come from familial line of Muhammad • Sufi branch • 1% of Muslims • More mystical dimension of Islam

  20. Islam • Holy Book • The Quran • Holy Places • Mecca • Birthplace of Muhammad • Medina • Muhammad's tomb • Jerusalem • Muhammad’s ascension • Landscape Impact • Mosques • Central, open-air courtyard • Minaret tower • Cemeteries- Burial of dead • Administration • Local autonomy • No formal religious hierarchy • Secular states • Calendar • Lunar calendar • 30 year cycle • 19 years with 354 days • 11 years with 355 days • Holidays • Holy month of Ramadan • Art • Calligraphy • Geometric design

  21. Buddhism • 3rd largest universalizing religion • Difficult to gage number • Can be Buddhist and other religion • 400 million adherents • China, SE Asia • Founder • Siddhartha Gautama • 563 B.C.E. • Origin • India/ Nepal • Doctrine • Four noble truths • 8-fold path • Diffusion • No rapid diffusion • Emperor Asoka 273- 232 B.C.E. • Trade routes brought it to China

  22. Branches of Buddhism • Mahayana • 56 % • China, Japan, Korea • Split from Theravada 2000 years ago • Less demanding • More encompassing • Theravada • 38% • Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand • Oldest branch • “way of the elders” • Full-time occupation, monks • Tibetan • 6% • Tibet and Mongolia

  23. Buddhism • Holy Book • none • Holy Places • Shrines • 8 sacred sites • All associated with the Buddha • 4 locations of miracles • Landscape Impact • Pagodas • Contain relic of Buddha • Not designed for congregational worship • Calendar • Holidays • Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death • Same day for Theravada monks • Different for others

  24. Other Universalizing Religions • Baha’i • 7 million adherents • Origin • Grew out of Babi faith • Founder: Siyyid ‘Ali Muhammad • Shiraz, Iran • 1844 C.E. • Doctrine • Believe that one of Bab’s disciples was a prophet of God • Function: to overcome disunity in religions and establish a universal faith • House of Worship • Temples on every continent • Calendar • Established by Bab • 19 months with 19 days, 4 “extra” • Diffusion • Followers persecuted and exiled to Iraq

  25. Sikhism • One 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 prophet • God 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

  26. 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

  27. Cultural Landscapes of Sikhism • Holiest Site: • The Golden Temple • In the Punjab region • Holy Book: • Guru Granth Sahib contains the teaching of all its prophets, called gurus

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