5 major religions

Christianity:
  • number of adherents: around 2.2 billion (largest in the world)
  • call them: Christians
  • geographic location: Europe, the Americas, southern Africa
  • denominations: Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Protestants (Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, many more)
  • founder: Jesus Christ (Christianity is Abrahamic in origin)
  • holy book: The Bible, especially the New Testament (gospels)
  • beliefs: Jesus is both human and divine - the Son of God; he led a virtuous life; he was crucified, died, buried, and resurrected; he ascended into heaven where he reigns w/God the Father 
  • clergy: the Pope is head of the Catholic Church, priests are local authorities
Islam:
  • number of adherents: 1.5 billion (second largest)
  • call them: Muslims
  • geographic location: Indonesia, Middle East, north Africa
  • denominations: Sunnis (75 - 90%), Shiites (10 - 20%)
  • founder: Muhammad  (570 - 632)
  • holy book: Qur’an (Koran)
  • beliefs: monotheistic, Abrahamic, Five Pillars (testimony, prayer, alms-giving, fasting, pilgrimage)
  • Muslims see their purpose in life as serving and submitting to Allah (God), and observing Islamic law 






Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Gun, Germs, and Steel

Guns, Germs, and Steel part 3

The Fall of the Roman Empire