Fascinating Definition of All the Different Religions of the World

Now I know more about the world that surrounds me than I did yesterday

Thanks for taking the time to learn about others; you belong to the family of open-minded people of this world.

I enjoyed reading the content with the most open-minded eyes possible and without judgment or opinion because I knew it would ruin the experience of discovering how others go about their belief and practices. Which is rather more fulfilling than finding the differences between each other believes.

In your spiritual journey, if you decide to go for it, you will reach a point of understanding where you know that everything has something to teach you — But you will have to practice the Law of Detachment in order to observe more from a curiosity mindset than always react to things and events — Positive or negative.

Yet, I still want you to enjoy this content. The contents are notes from this new website I discovered a few nights ago, and I feel I should have known a while ago. But it is all good because I believe that everything comes at the right time. Please find the link to their website at the end of the article and enjoy.

The sunlight that touches us every day seems to have one color, but it is made out of all the colors — Bonaventure Barry

Anglicanism (or Episcopalianism) is the term associated with the common forms of worship, structure, and doctrine that developed over the course of the English Reformation. This began in 1534 C.E., when the king of England removed the pope of Rome as the head of the Church in England and placed himself in the position. Over the next 130 years, a struggle between Roman Catholicism and various strands of Protestantism continued in England, with Protestantism finally winning out, but in a unique form. The outcome was a unique blend of mainly Reformed Protestant doctrinal positions with Catholic-influenced forms, such as highly liturgical worship and an episcopal (that is, bishop-led) institutional structure. Thus, Anglicanism is thought of as a via media or middle way between Protestantism and Catholicism. Since the Reformation, Anglicanism has spread worldwide and been influenced by Evangelical, Catholic, and Liberal movements, resulting in a highly diverse tradition. Anglican faith and practice are informed by the Bible, the traditions of the Church, and human reason, by the Book of Common Prayer (the Anglican book of worship), and to a lesser extent the 39 Articles of Religion (England’s Reformation-era confession of faith). The Anglican Communion consists of geographically defined Anglican church bodies (called “provinces”) located worldwide, each of which is in communion with, but independent of, the Church of England. In the United States, the Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion.

The Baha’i faith was founded in the mid-19th century C.E. in Iran. In 1844 Siyyid ‘Ali Mohammad, a Shiite Muslim, proclaimed that he was “the Bab,” “the Gate,” a special sort of interpreter of the Quran with special religious insight and prophetic abilities; he was the “Hidden Imam.” The Bab’s prophetic message spread in Iran, which angered both the government and the Shiite leadership. He was arrested and then executed. One of the Bab’s disciples, Mirza Hoseyn ‘Ali Nuri, known as Baha’u’llah, spread the Bab’s teachings; these teachings eventually evolved into the Baha’i faith, and it is Baha’u’llah who is most typically known as the founder of the tradition. Baha’i propounds that God is utterly transcendent and ultimately unknowable to humanity. God’s manifestation is understood in Baha’i to come not just through the Bab and Baha’u’llah, but also through the world’s religious prophets, including Abraham, Moses, the Buddha, Krishna, and Muhammad. Baha’i sacred literature includes the writings and oral history of the Bab and Baha’u’llah. The Baha’i do not have any clergy; all spiritual authority is held by local and national councils called “Spiritual Assemblies.” Baha’i is open to all who accept the teachings of Baha’u’llah. Baha’i religious practices and rituals include daily prayer and devotions. Baha’i followers are expected to fast for nineteen days a year and participate in the Nineteen Day Feast. Essential Baha’i theological tenets include the unity of humanity and the unity of all religions with the ultimate goal of creating a unified humanity without racial, ethnic, class, or religious prejudice. Baha’i has spread to virtually every country in the world, and Baha’i temples can be found on every continent except Antartica.

The Baptist tradition is one of the largest of the Protestant Christian denominations. Most Baptist churches agree with the basic Protestant doctrines, but they stress the belief that only Christian believers should be baptized (called “believer’s baptism”) and that this baptism should occur by immersion, a practice they trace back to the early Church. Baptist churches have local church autonomy but are connected to each other through various associations. Most Baptists trace their heritage to early 17th-century C.E. differences with the Church of England and the subsequent decision to form Christian communities with local autonomy, an emphasis on believer’s baptism, and an understanding of the church as primarily a community of believers. The Baptist tradition would see massive growth in the United States during the Great Awakening in the mid-18th century, followed by an increased interest and effort in foreign missions. Within the Baptist tradition, there are several branches. In the U.S., a significant split occurred within the Baptist tradition along a north/south distinction in 1845 with the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention. There are still significant differences between northern and southern Baptists regarding theology, missions, and worship. The Baptist Church also has a strong tradition within black communities. Most Baptist churches tend to be evangelical in doctrine and vary greatly from extremely conservative to liberal socially and politically.

Most historians agree that Buddhism originated in northern India in the 5th century B.C.E. The tradition traces its origin to Siddhartha Gautama (or Gotama), who is typically referred to as the Buddha (literally the “Awakened” or “Enlightened One”). Siddhartha observed the suffering in the world and set out to find an antidote. Through meditation and analysis, he attained an enlightened state of being that marked the end of attachments (and therefore suffering), and ultimately, upon his death, release from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). The Buddha’s teachings are often summarized in the Four Noble Truths, which form the basis of the first sermon he delivered after attaining enlightenment, and the Eightfold Path, which provides a basic guide for how to live in the world. Over the course of its 2500-year history, Buddhism has experienced many schisms and modifications; there are currently three major branches of the tradition — the Theravada (“Doctrine of the Elders”), the Mahayana (“Great Vehicle), and the Vajrayana (“Diamond Vehicle,” often simply called “Tibetan Buddhism”), although there are many sects and groups within each of these branches. The Buddhist canon consists of a vast corpus of texts that cover philosophical, devotional, and monastic matters, and each of the major divisions of Buddhism has its own distinct version of what it considers to be canonical scriptures. Buddhism has spread from its roots in India to virtually every corner of the world, and in each place, it has spread it has adopted and adapted local practices and beliefs. Although Buddhism is a distinct religious tradition, many people in the contemporary West have adopted philosophical and practical aspects of Buddhism and incorporated them into their religious and social practices; thus there are people who identify themselves “Buddhist Christians,” “Buddhist Jews,” and “Buddhist Atheists.”

Christianity developed out of Judaism in the 1st century C.E. It is founded on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and those who follow him are called “Christians.” Christianity has many different branches and forms with accompanying variety in beliefs and practices. The three major branches of Christianity are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism, with numerous subcategories within each of these branches. Until the latter part of the 20th century, most adherents of Christianity were in the West, though it has spread to every continent and is now the largest religion in the world. Traditional Christian beliefs include the belief in the one and only true God, who is one being and exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the belief that Jesus is the divine and human Messiah sent to save the world. Christianity is also noted for its emphasis on faith in Christ as the primary component of religion. The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, including both the Hebrew scriptures (also known as the Old Testament) and the New Testament. Central to Christian practice is the gathering at churches for worship, fellowship, and study, and engagement with the world through evangelism and social action.

Some say Confucianism is not a religion, since there are no Confucian deities and no teachings about the afterlife. Confucius himself was a staunch supporter of ritual, however, and for many centuries there were state rituals associated with Confucianism. Most importantly, the Confucian tradition was instrumental in shaping Chinese social relationships and moral thought. Thus even without deities and a vision of salvation, Confucianism plays much the same role as religion does in other cultural contexts. The founder of Confucianism was Kong Qiu (K’ung Ch’iu), who was born around 552 B.C.E. in the small state of Lu and died in 479 B.C.E. The Latinized name Confucius, based on the honorific title Kong Fuzi (K’ung Fu-Tzu), was created by 16th-century Jesuit missionaries in China. Confucius was a teacher to sons of the nobility at a time when formal education was just beginning in China. He traveled from region to region with a small group of disciples, a number of whom would become important government officials. Confucius was not particularly famous during his lifetime and even considered himself to be a failure. He longed to be the advisor to a powerful ruler, and he believed that such a ruler, with the right advice, could bring about an ideal world. Confucius said heaven and the afterlife were beyond human capacity to understand, and one should therefore concentrate instead on doing the right thing in this life. The earliest records from his students indicate that he did not provide many moral precepts; rather he taught an attitude toward one’s fellow humans of respect, particularly respect for one’s parents, teachers, and elders. He also encouraged his students to learn from everyone they encountered and to honor others’ cultural norms. Later, his teachings would be translated by authoritarian political philosophers into strict guidelines, and for much of Chinese history, Confucianism would be associated with an immutable hierarchy of authority and unquestioning obedience.

The Eastern Orthodox Church, a branch of Christianity also known as Eastern Orthodoxy, Orthodox Christianity, or the Orthodox Church, identifies its roots in the early Church, particularly as it developed within the Greek-speaking eastern branch of the Roman Empire. The Eastern Orthodox Church accepts the first seven Ecumenical Councils (which were held between 325 and 787 C.E.), and regards itself as the True Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is organized with an episcopal structure including the Four Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Jerusalem (the Patriarch of Constantinople is the first of equals) and consecrated bishops (whose lineage is believed to be traced back to Jesus’ apostles). Their worship is highly liturgical and extremely iconographic, both of which are central to the Church’s life, history, and practice. Their icons, which include depictions of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, biblical scenes, or saints, are believed to create a sense of the presence of God. Eastern Orthodoxy is strongly doctrinal and places great authority in the Bible, the Creeds (Apostles’ and Nicene), and the seven ecumenical councils. Like all other Christians, Orthodoxy is Trinitarian, believing that God exists in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

Hinduism is a collective term applied to the many philosophical and religious traditions native to India. Hinduism has neither a specific moment of origin nor a specific founder. Rather, the tradition understands itself to be timeless, having always existed. Indeed, its collection of sacred texts is known, as a whole, as Sanatana Dharma, “The Eternal Teaching.” It is thus a complex tradition that encompasses numerous interrelated religious doctrines and practices that have some common characteristics but which lack any unified system of beliefs and practices. Hinduism encompasses a number of major sects, as well as countless subsects with local or regional variations. On one level, it is possible to view these sects as distinct religious traditions, with often very specific theologies and ritual traditions; on another level, however, they often understand themselves to be different means to reach a common end. The Hindu worldview is grounded in the doctrines of samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect) and fundamentally holds that one’s actions (including one’s thoughts) directly determine one’s life, both one’s current life, and one’s future lives. Many, but not all, Hindus hold that the cosmos is populated by numerous deities and spiritual beings — gods and goddesses, or devas — who actively influence the world and who interact with humans. The tradition is typically divided into four major sects: Shaiva (devotees of the god Shiva), Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu), Shakta (devotees of the goddess), and Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all-encompassing, Brahman).

Pentecostalism and the Holiness Movement are charismatic religious traditions within Protestant Christianity that developed in the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States. Pentecostal and Holiness churches are often characterized by their emphasis on a post-conversion encounter with God through an experience called the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Though different in origin and organization, Pentecostal and Holiness churches have some commonalities. The Holiness Movement can be traced back to John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Holiness Christians believed that faith in Jesus included sanctification from sin and transition into a life of holiness. The Holiness Movement spread to the western and southern United States and urged followers to live by a strict moral code. Pentecostalism arose out of the Holiness Movement and can be traced back to the Azusa Street revival in 1906, which impacted a wide variety of Christians — black, white, and Hispanic, rich and poor — who sought a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit. Shortly thereafter, Pentecostal groups sprang up across the United States, in rural areas as well as urban neighborhoods. The Pentecostal worship experience often includes the act of glossolalia (or “speaking in tongues”). Besides speaking in tongues, Pentecostals also believe in the activity of other supernatural gifts such as prophecy and the ability to heal. Besides these unique characteristics, Pentecostal and Holiness churches adhere to basic doctrines and practices within the Evangelical and Fundamentalist branches of Protestantism including the authority of the Bible in matters of life and faith. In recent years, Pentecostalism has spread throughout the world.

The Hare Krishna movement — formally known as ISKCON, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness — is a semi-monastic religious movement based on Vaishnava Hinduism. In part modeled on the bhakti (loving devotion) movement of the 16th-century Hindu saint Caitanya, ISKCON was founded in 1965 C.E. by A.C. Bhaktivedanta, who moved to the United States from India with the intention of bringing “Krishna consciousness” to the West. Hare Krishna followers worship the Hindu god Vishnu in his earthly manifestation as Krishna. The ultimate goal of Hare Krishna devotion is to achieve “Krishna consciousness,” attained by strict ethical living and spiritual devotion, especially repetitive chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna/Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama/Rama Rama Hare Har.” ISKCON members typically observe a vegetarian diet (including no fish or eggs), do not gamble, ingest alcohol or drugs (including caffeine), and restrain from sex except within marriage for the purposes of procreation. The Hare Krishna tradition has two groups of devotees: “congregational members” and “temple-based” or full members. Congregational members practice the movement’s teachings in normal life at home and work and then worship at congregational temples. The full members live in Hare Krishna temples and lead ascetic lifestyles of devotion. The movement puts particular emphasis on the Bhagavad Gita and other Krishna-centered sacred texts.

Islam is a monotheistic religious tradition that developed in the Middle East in the 7th century C.E. Islam, which literally means “surrender” or “submission,” was founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as an expression of surrender to the will of Allah, the creator, and sustainer of the world. The Quran, the sacred text of Islam, contains the teachings of the Prophet that were revealed to him from Allah. Essential to Islam is the belief that Allah is the one and true God with no partner or equal. Islam has several branches and much variety within those branches. The two divisions within the tradition are the Sunni and Shi’a, each of which claims different means of maintaining religious authority. One of the unifying characteristics of Islam is the Five Pillars, the fundamental practices of Islam. These five practices include a ritual profession of faith, ritual prayer, the zakat (charity), fasting, and the hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca). Many Muslims are characterized by their commitment to praying to Allah five times a day. One of the defining characteristics of Islam is the primacy of sacred places including Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Muslims gather at mosques to worship Allah, pray, and study scripture. There is not a sharp distinction between the religious and secular aspects of life in Islam; all aspects of a Muslim’s life are to be oriented to serving Allah. Islam expanded almost immediately beyond its birthplace in the Arabian peninsula, and now has significant influence in Africa, throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Judaism is a religious tradition with origins dating back nearly four thousand years, rooted in the ancient near eastern region of Canaan (which is now Israel and Palestinian territories). Originating as the beliefs and practices of the people known as “Israel,” classical, or rabbinic, Judaism did not emerge until the 1st century C.E. Judaism traces its heritage to the covenant God made with Abraham and his lineage — that God would make them a sacred people and give them a holy land. The primary figures of Israelite culture include the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophet Moses, who received God’s law at Mt. Sinai. Judaism is a tradition grounded in the religious, ethical, and social laws as they are articulated in the Torah — the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Jews refer to the Bible as the Tanakh, an acronym for the texts of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Other sacred texts include the Talmud and Midrash, the rabbinic, legal, and narrative interpretations of the Torah. The contemporary branches of Judaism differ in their interpretations and applications of these texts. The four main movements within Judaism today are Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist, respectively ranging from traditional to liberal to religiously progressive in their application of the Torah. While diverse in their views, Jews continue to be unified on the basis of their common connection to a set of sacred narratives expressing their relationship with God as a holy people. Judaism tends to emphasize practice over belief. Jewish worship is centered in synagogues, which completely replaced the Second Temple after its destruction in 70 C.E. Jewish religious leaders are called rabbis, who oversee the many rituals and ceremonies essential to Jewish religious practice.

The Lutheran Church is the oldest Protestant Christian tradition, dating back to the Protestant Reformation and the person of Martin Luther. Lutherans are those Christians who choose to accept Martin Luther’s teachings. On October 31, 1517, Luther, a Catholic monk, posted his 95 Theses as a challenge to the doctrine and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, hoping to reform the practices he felt were inconsistent with scripture. When the conflict escalated to a distinct separation from the Roman Catholic Church, those who accepted Luther’s reforms became “Lutherans.” Based on Luther’s own writings, Lutherans still uphold Luther’s theological teachings such as sola scriptura (scripture as the primary authority for faith and life), justification by the grace of God alone, and salvation through faith in Christ alone. Luther’s many theological ideas have since been collected into the Book of Concord, which is still an authority in Lutheran doctrine and practice. Because of its initial grounding in the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran worship, more than many other Protestant traditions, has many elements similar to the Catholic style of worship. Lutheranism spread from Germany to most countries across the globe and has become one of the largest Protestant denominations.

Methodism represents a branch of Protestant Christianity that traces its heritage back to John Wesley and his attempts to bring revival within the Church of England in the early 18th century C.E. Methodism holds many of the basic Protestant Christian beliefs, including the inspiration and authority of scripture for faith and practice, the doctrines of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, and the necessity of grace to save humans from the consequences of sin. The two sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are also practiced. Wesley taught that Christians should strive to obtain the holiness of life (called “perfect love”) with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. He established a system of small group meetings that were designed to encourage and support fellow Christians in lives of faith. Methodism spread rapidly throughout the United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries through itinerant preachers. Since then, Methodist missionaries, focusing on both evangelism and service, have taken Methodism throughout the world.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), more commonly known as the “Mormon” church, is a religion derived from Christianity that traces its origins to Joseph Smith. Founded by Smith in 1830 C.E. in New York, Mormonism developed as a sectarian movement in a turbulent period of American religious history. Joseph Smith claimed to have been called by God to restore the church that Christ had established on the earth, but which had been lost after the deaths of the original apostles. Smith said that heavenly messengers, including John the Baptist, visited him and conferred upon him the divine authority to perform valid Christian baptisms. Later, Smith introduced the practice of plural marriage as part of his desire to reintroduce all biblical practices into the modern world. The Mormons moved several times during the 1830s and 1840s, often due to violent persecution and disputes with their non-Mormon neighbors. After Smith’s murder in 1844, the leadership of the church passed to Brigham Young, a dynamic organizer, and frontiersman who led the church to the relative isolation and security of the American West. The church abandoned polygamy in 1890, and gradually found a place within traditional American culture. Today, members of the church maintain strict dietary laws that prohibit the consumption of alcohol, tea, coffee, and the use of tobacco, and illegal drugs. The church is also known for its emphasis on traditional family life, a strong work ethic, and respect for authority and order. The Mormons also have distinct theologies including a unique doctrine of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit in which the three are separate entities, and continuing revelation through modern prophets.

New Age is an umbrella term used to describe an organization of diverse groups that share an enthusiasm for the creation of a new era (or “New Age”) exemplified by harmony and enlightenment. Even though there are no clear boundaries within the New Age community, several common themes unify the movement. The first is that the arrival of the New Age will initiate a heightened spiritual consciousness accompanied by social and personal transformation as demonstrated by the eradication of hunger, sickness, poverty, racism, sexism, and war. The second unifying theme is that individuals can get a foretaste of this enlightenment through personal spiritual transformation, healing, and growth. The New Age Movement grew in popularity during the 1970s and 1980s through the teachings of David Spangler and other metaphysical religious groups, but it has existed in various forms since the 2nd century C.E. Beginning with Gnosticism, New Age ideas have continued through a variety of groups including Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and the teachings of Helena Blavatsky. New Age ideas have many different origins from a variety of places, but most of them can be traced to Eastern religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and other ancient religious traditions. New Age groups are often distinguished by their occult practices of psychic readings, tarot cards, yoga, meditation strategies, and astrology. Many New Age groups also believe in various natural healing practices and traditional medicines including acupuncture, herbal therapy, natural foods, and spiritual healing. Even though there is no standard doctrine within the New Age Movement, many of their teachings focus on individual autonomy, relativism, and spiritualism.

Paganism represents a wide variety of traditions that emphasize reverence for nature and a revival of ancient polytheistic and animistic religious practices. Some modern forms of Paganism have their roots in 19th century C.E. European nationalism (including the British Order of Druids), but most contemporary Pagan groups trace their immediate organizational roots to the 1960s, and have an emphasis on archetypal psychology and a spiritual interest in nature. Paganism is not a traditional religion per se because it does not have any official doctrine, but it does have some common characteristics joining the great variety of traditions. One of the common beliefs is the divine presence in nature and the reverence of the natural order in life. Spiritual growth is related to the cycles of the Earth and great emphasis is placed on ecological concerns. Monotheism is almost universally rejected within Paganism and most Pagan traditions are particularly interested in the revival of ancient polytheist religious traditions including the Norse (northern Europe) and Celtic (Britain) traditions. Many Pagan traditions are intentionally reconstructionist in that they aim to revive many of the lost rituals of the ancient traditions, including holy days and seasonal celebrations. Besides Nature, many Pagans also worship a variety of gods and goddesses, including spirits that can represent national and local heroes as well as deceased family members. In this sense, many Pagans try to honor their ancestry and ancestors. Some Pagan traditions include ritual magic, but this practice is not universal.

Presbyterian and Reformed churches both trace their heritage back to the 16th century C.E. and the reformer John Calvin. Calvin’s writings formed much of what is still the basis of both Presbyterian and Reformed religious thought. Calvin did most of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland, and from there the Reformed movement spread throughout Europe. The Presbyterian Church traces much of its history from England and Scotland, where John Knox brought Reformed thinking. Presbyterian and Reformed Churches maintain much of the basic Protestant doctrine but are distinct for their adherence to Reformed theology and their unique structure of church government, which stresses leadership representation by both church congregants and ministers. Presbyterians get their name from this Presbyterian form of structure, which grants authority to elected lay leadership. These lay leaders, called elders or presbyters, partner with ordained ministers to govern congregations. In this, Reformed traditions have two forms of governance: Presbyterian polity (rule by ordained assemblies) and Congregationalist polity (rule by leaders within the congregation). Reformed theology stresses the majesty and holiness of God expressed as love through the creation and redemption of the world. This is related to the Reformed theology of election (also called predestination), which claims that God elects the people of God for salvation. Reformed doctrine also places high authority on scripture as the primary source of instruction regarding faith and practice. Presbyterian and Reformed churches have both gone through numerous periods of splits and reunification, and have spread throughout the world primarily through missionary activity and migration.

Protestantism is one of the three major branches of Christianity, along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. It shares with all other Christians core beliefs in the doctrines of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, the necessity of grace to save humans from the consequences of sin, and the centrality of Jesus’ death and resurrection for salvation. Composed of hundreds of denominations with an expansive variety of doctrines, rituals, and religious practices, Protestantism formed from the split with Roman Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century. Led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others, the reformers broke from the Roman Catholic Church due to abusive ecclesiological structures and theological differences. Protestants share an adherence to the centrality of scripture (both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament) as well as a doctrine of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Different Protestant denominations have to varying degrees, maintained or rejected Roman Catholic forms of worship. Anglican and Lutheran churches have maintained liturgies and rituals similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, whereas other denominations, such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and United Church of Christ, have developed less liturgical forms of worship. Most Protestants practice baptism and communion as key rites of Christian initiation and ongoing devotion. Though originating in Europe, Protestant Christianity has spread across the globe through missionary activity and now has members from nearly every country, race, and ethnicity.

Roman Catholicism is a worldwide religious tradition of some 1.1 billion members. It traces its history to Jesus of Nazareth, an itinerant preacher in the area around Jerusalem during the period of Roman occupation, in the early 30s of the Common Era. Its members congregate in a communion of churches headed by bishops, whose role originated with the disciples of Jesus. Over a period of some decades after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the bishops spread out across the world to form a “universal” (Greek, katholikos) church, with the bishop of Rome (traced to the apostle Peter) holding primacy. Today Vatican City — and specifically, Saint Peter’s Basilica — stands over the grave of Peter, and the pope is considered Peter’s successor. Catholic Christianity began as a persecuted religious community, illegal in the Roman Empire in its earliest days, but within some three hundred years and with the conversion of the Emperor’s Constantine, it became legal and eventually was recognized as the official religion of the Empire. With the decline and fall of Rome in the 5th century, the Roman Church assumed both temporal and spiritual authority in the West; it thus had an enormous influence on the development of the art and culture of the western world through the Middle Ages. Today, its growth is fastest in Africa, South America, and Asia.

Founded by L. Ronald Hubbard in 1954, The Church of Scientology considers his teachings, including the popular book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, as its essential texts. Scientology teaches that the human mind is often restricted by its subconscious thoughts (the “reactive mind”) and needs to be freed from negative thoughts (called “engrams”) under the direction of a counselor (called an “auditor”) in order to release its everlasting spirit (“thetan”). Once all of the engrams have been removed, the Scientologist is able to live spiritually free, a state called “Clear.” The Church of Scientology functions through its autonomous churches and through missions. There are nearly 8,000 Churches of Scientology, Missions, and related organizations with over 20,000 full-time staff in 164 countries. Each church is locally governed and licensed to teach Scientology using its standardized materials and methods. In a few countries, the Church has been forced to litigate the issue of its religiosity, either affirmatively or in response to alleged criminal activities. The Church has prevailed in most of these cases, and its religious bona fides have been recognized in most contexts. Some of these decisions, including decisions by the Cassation Court in Italy and the High Court in Australia, have established the standards regarding religious recognition that all religions must meet.

Shia Muslims account for approximately 15 percent of the total Muslim population in the world. Shiism has the greatest influence in the contemporary world in Iran where nearly 90 percent of Muslims are Shiite, but Shia is also the majority in Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen. The division between the Shia and Sunni is rooted in disputes over the proper succession of leadership after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 C.E. The Shia maintain that the rightful successor of the Prophet was his cousin and son-in-law, Ali. Shia especially reveres a succession of scholars (called Imams). The Imam is regarded by Shia Muslims to be both a political and a spiritual leader. Although Shia and Sunni Muslims agree on many doctrinal and ritual matters, the Shia hold past Imams and saints in particularly high regard. The most important of these figures are memorialized by often elaborate tombs, which have become important pilgrimage places and objects of devotion. Shia put particular emphasis on the death of Ali; he was assassinated in 661, in Najaf, Iraq, which has become an important place of pilgrimage for Shia. Another very significant figure is Husayn, Muhammad’s grandson, who was murdered in Karbala (Iraq) in 680; Shia commemorates this event each year on Ashura, a day of mourning recognized throughout the Shia world, and, particularly, by pilgrimages to Karbala.

The Sikh tradition was founded by Guru Nanak in the late 15th century C.E. in the Punjab region of what are today India and Pakistan. According to Sikh beliefs, the same revelatory spirit inhabited Guru Nanak and his nine successors. Today, this spirit can be found in the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib, the foundational scripture of the Sikh tradition. The Guru Granth Sahib’s hymns describe and praise God, and provide moral guidance for all Sikhs. Sikhs reject ideas of divine incarnations and hold that liberation results from being absorbed into God. Sikhs also reject the social doctrine of caste and adhere to practices of equality in worship and life. The centers of Sikh worship are known as gurdwaras (“house of the Guru”) and langar (communal refectory). All Sikhs must enter a gurdwara with bare feet and a covered head. A Sikh worship service includes prayer and singing hymns from scripture. The service is concluded by the distribution of karah prasad, a sacramental food made of flour, butter, and raw sugar that is shared by all to demonstrate equality and the rejection of caste. Sikhs attempt to live balanced lives of worship, work, and charity centered on community. Besides gurdwara worship, festivals are also important community activities.

Sufism is a Muslim movement whose followers seek to find divine truth and love through direct encounters with God. Sufism arose from within Islam in the 8th-9th centuries C.E. as an ascetic movement. The movement may have been given (or taken on) the name Sufism because of the course wool garments they wore as a mark of their rejection of worldly things; Sufis have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celibacy. Sufism developed religious practices focusing on strict self-control that enable both psychological and mystical insights as well as a loss of self, with the ultimate goal of mystical union with God. The Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the mastery of Sufism’s philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual practices intended to help them realize union with God, such as distinct forms of ritual prayer (dhikr, literally “remembrance”), including the recitation of God’s names, as well as bodily rituals such as those practices by the so-called “Whirling Dervishes,” a Turkish Sufi order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning.

The followers of Sunni Islam, one of the two major branches of the tradition (the other is Shi’a), make up approximately 80 percent of the Muslim population in the world. The Sunni are the majority in most Islamic countries outside of Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain. Sunna — translated variously as the “trodden path,” “the way,” “example,” or “habitual practice” — refers to the example or path of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers. The Sunni and Shi’a both trace their differences to the 7th century C.E., when disagreements over the successor to the Prophet Muhammad arose. The Sunni maintain that the Muslim community was to select the Prophet’s successor (caliph) to lead, whereas the Shi’a believe the Prophet chose his son-in-law, Ali, to be his successor. Although Sunnis and Shi’as agree on many theological and practical matters, the Sunni are typically seen as putting more emphasis on the power of God and his determination of human fate, and are often understood to be more inclusive in their definition of what it means to be a Muslim. The Sunni tradition has placed great emphasis on the role of religion in public and political life, with great weight placed on the Shariah (Islamic law) as the standard for a broad range of social issues — marriage, divorce, inheritance, commerce, and so on.

Taoism, also known as Daoism, is an indigenous Chinese religion often associated with the Daode jing (Tao Te Ching), a philosophical and political text purportedly written by Laozi (Lao Tzu) sometime in the 3rd or 4th centuries B.C.E. The Daode jing focuses on dao as a “way” or “path” — that is, the appropriate way to behave and to lead others — but the Daode jing also refers to Tao as something that existed “before Heaven and Earth,” a primal and chaotic matrix from which all forms emerged. Taoism did not exist as an organized religion until the Way of the Celestial Masters sect was founded in 142 C.E. by Zhang Daoling, who based the sect on spiritual communications from the deified Laozi. The Way of the Celestial Masters and other later sects of Taoism engaged in complex ritual practices, including devotion to a wide range of celestial divinities and immortals, and thousands of Taoist religious texts were produced over the centuries. Taoists also engaged with Chinese politics in a variety of ways throughout Chinese history. At one time, scholars in both China and the West distinguished philosophical from religious Taoism, but more recently a continuity of belief and practice between these has been recognized. In both, a harmonious relationship between nature, humanity, and the divine is emphasized, and both are concerned with appropriate behavior and ways of leading and governing others. The term “Tao” has a number of meanings. Taoist religious sects were persecuted in China during the 19th and 20th centuries, but are currently undergoing a revival. Western interest in Taoism has, for the most part, been confined to the Daode jing, but in both the West and in the East, there is considerable interest in practices which, while not “Taoist” per se, are often associated with Taoism, ranging from fengshui to taiji quan to acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Zen is the Japanese form of the Sanskrit word dhyana, “meditation,” and is a school of Buddhism which has had significant impact in Japan and Europe and America. Founded in China in the 6th century C.E. as the Ch’an school of Mahayana Buddhism, it was exported to Japan in the 12th century C.E. and gradually developed its own unique, indigenous character. The Indian scholar/monk Bodhidharma is traditionally attributed with transferring the tradition from India to China. The essence of Bodhidharma’s teachings is that one does not need to study sacred texts, worship deities, or do elaborate religious rituals to achieve enlightenment. Rather, one needs to break through the boundaries of conventional thought using meditation and experience the world as it truly is in the moment. Zen maintains that this was the way the Buddha himself attained enlightenment. Zen teaches that all humans have the capacity to attain enlightenment because we all have an inherent Buddha-nature; indeed, we are all already enlightened beings, but our true potential has been clouded by ignorance. According to some Zen traditions, this ignorance is overcome through a sudden breakthrough — called satori — during meditation in which the true nature of reality, and our experience of it, is revealed. Different Zen sects, of which Rinzai and Soto are the major two, have developed various methods to achieve this enlightenment, including the practice of zazen (“just sitting” meditation). Despite the apparent simplicity of the message of Zen, training is arduous and requires guidance from a master. In Japan Zen became popular among the warrior samurai for its focus on discipline and self-control; Zen also informs the practice of various arts, such as calligraphy, painting, garden design, and archery. Beginning in the 20th century a popularized version of Zen has become spread throughout the world and influenced many in both the United States and Europe, where it has been incorporated into everything from motorcycle maintenance to cooking to professional sports.

I leave you in peace and love, Go forth and rejoice.

Bonaventure Barry