Review: Patterns in Religion

1. Review: Patterns in Religion

2. East Asia • 8000-600CE- Ancestor worship (China and Japan); Spirits of nature (China); philosophies- Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism (Qin)-; Shamanism; Mandate of Heaven; Religion spread along Silk Road • 600-1450 CE- Mahayana Buddhism (East Asian version) viewed Buddha as divine; Tang – Buddhism dominated; Song- Neo Confucianism (revival of Confucianism); Ancestor worship; Leaders- Mandate of Heaven; Religion spread along Silk Road • 1450-1750- Influence of Buddhism on the samurai; Neo-Confucianism; Religion spread through trade by merchants

3. East Asia • 1750-1914- Christianity spread by European missionaries; Japan- state sponsored Shintoism; ancestor worship • 1914- Present- Atheism in China (Communism); Shintoism in Japan during WWII- banned as state religion after war; sects of Buddhism; Christianity

4. Western Europe • 8000-600CE- Polytheism (many gods); Animism; Monotheism (Roman Empire); Christianity and Judaism • 600-1450- Christianity spreads; Crusades (1096); Catholic Church powerful economic entity; Pope leader of Church; Great Schism between east/west Christianity • 1450-1750- Protestant Reformation (Martin Luther/95 theses) and Catholic Reformation; Formation of Jesuits; Inquisition- kill heretics; religious wars between Protestants and Catholics; England (Anglican Church) Scientific Revolution (Deism)- less religious

5. Western Europe • 1750-1914- Increasing belief in Deism and Atheism due to Enlightenment/Scientific Revolution; • 1914-Present- Armenian (Christians) Genocide during WWI; Holocaust- genocide against Jews; Christianity; Freedom of Religion; Influx of Muslim population to west

6. Eastern Europe • 8000-600CE- Animism; Polytheism; Christianity; Judaism • 600-1450- Great Schism; Orthodox Christianity (esp. Russia); Emperor and Patriarch head of the orthodox church; some influence of Islam (trade contacts) • 1450-1750-Orthodox Christianity- supported the Tsar • 1750-1914- Continued strong belief in Orthodox Christianity; Persecute Jews- pogroms

7. Eastern Europe • 1914- Present- Atheism in Soviet Union (Stalin); Christian revival (Orthodox Christianity); more religious freedom in 1990s

8. South Asia • 8000-600CE- Vedic Religion; Caste system; Hinduism; Birth of Siddhartha Gautama and Buddhism- reaction to caste system of Hinduism; Reign of Ashoka- made Buddhism popular • 600-1450- Classical period- religion flourished; Brahmins not as powerful; Islam comes to India (900 and on); Delhi Sultanate- spread of Islam- religious toleration

9. South Asia • 1450-1750- Mughal Dynasty in India (Islamic); caste system; Hinduism still majority religion • 1750-1914- British colonization begins; missionaries enter and try to spread Christianity- not very successful; British outlaw sati; Islam and Hinduism practiced • 1914-Present-Becomes second largest Muslim nations; conflicts between Muslims and Hindus split of India –> Muslim Pakistan

10. Latin America • 8000-600CE- Animism and polytheism; Olmec, Chavin, and Mayan civs • 600-1450- Animism and polytheism; Incas; Aztecs (1434-empire) • 1450-1750- Attack by the Europeans; Missionary dominant force to conversion- forced conversions; African belief systems due to slave trade arrive in Americas

11. Latin America • 1750-1914- Christianity (Catholicism) dominates; Pope is an important figure; • 1914-Present- Christianity dominates/ more of a limited role due to secularism

12. Middle East • 8000-600 CE- Polytheism; Zoroastrianism- animist religion, battle b/n good and evil (Persia) • 600-1450- Muhammad received revelation from Allah in 610; birth and spread of Islam; Sunni/Shi’ite split; acceptance of people of the book (Jews and Christians); anyone can convert (Malawi); Sharia- Islamic laws; Umma- religious community; Ulama- religious scholars; Late Abbasid period- Sufi Islam- (mystical side of Islam) spread by wandering ascetics, spread Islam to South/SE Asia

13. Sunnis vs. Shi’ites • Muhammad died before choosing a successor • Caliph: successor to the prophet, combines religious and secular duties and authority in one person • Controversy over who should rightfully be caliph • Shi’ites: only a descendent of the family of Muhammad may be caliph • Sunni: any member of the umma (Muslim community) could be caliph • Sunni is larger branch • led to frequent, bloody conflicts that mirrored the political power struggle between family clans to control Muslim lands

14. 1450-1750-Ottoman Empire (Islamic leaders); tolerant of non-Muslims (pay special tax); multi-religious empire • 1750-1914- Ottoman Empire (Islamic); Tanzimat reforms- religious tolerance, some secularization; school allowed for women • 1914-Present- WWI Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turks; Fundamentalist Islam; Anti-west ideology; Sinni vs Shi’ites conficts; Anti-Israel after creation of Jewish state in Palestine

15. Africa • 8000-600CE- Polytheism and animism (worship of life forces); 1st c – Christianity spread to Egypt- Coptic Church; 1st c Christianity in Ethiopia and Nubia • 600-1450- Native practices of polytheism and animism; Spread of Islam into North Africa (700s); 15th c spread of Christianity into Sub-Saharan Africa by the Portuguese; Ethiopia Christian church only church in Sub Saharan; Mansa Musa Mali King makes pilgrimage to Mecca(1324)

16. 1450-1750- Christianity continues in Ethiopia; Many people in the north, Sub-Saharan and eastern coastline areas were Muslim, but many native religions remained quite strong. Songhay empire (Muslim) • 1750-1914- Imperialism by European countries, Christian missionaries convert native Africans; Islam, Christianity, animism, ancestor worship syncretism • 1914-Present- Islam, Christianity, animism, ancestor worship syncretism; Atheism; Tribal Conflicts (Sudan)