Religion
a system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities
Monotheistic Religion
belief system in which one supreme being is revered as creator and arbiter of all that exists in the universe
Zoroastrianism
religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster
Polytheistic Religion
belief system in which multiple deities are revered as creators and arbiters of all that exists in the universe
Animistic Religion
the belief that inanimate objects, such as hills, trees, rocks, rivers, and other elements of the natural landscape, possess souls and can help or hinder human efforts on Earth
Universalizing Religion/Proselytic Faith
a belief system that espouses the idea that there is one true religion that is universal in scope; adherents often believe that their religion represents universal truths , and in some cases great effort is undertaken in evangelism and missionary work
Ethnic Religion
a religion that is particular to one, culturally distinct, group of people; adherents do not actively seek converts through evangelism or missionary work
Hinduism
one of the oldest religions in the modern world, dating back over 4000 years, and originating in the Indus River Valley of what is today part of Pakistan; unique among the world's religions in that it does not have a single founder, a single theology, or
Reincarnation
a second or new birth
Caste System
the strict social segregation of people - specifically in India's Hindu society - on the basis of ancestry and occupation
Sikhism
a belief system which blends Hindu traditions with Islamic monotheistic traditions
Buddhism
religion founded in the sixth century BCE and characterized by the belief that enlightenment would come through knowledge, especially self-knowledge; elimination of greed, craving, and desire; complete honesty, and never hurting another person or animal;
Shintoism
located in Japan, related to Buddhism, focuses particularly on nature and ancestor worship
Taoism
religion believed to have been founded by Lao-Tsu and based upon his book entitled "Tao-te-ching," or "Book of the Way," Lao-Tsu focused on the proper form of political rule and on the oneness of humanity and nature
Feng-Shui/Geomancy
the Chinese art and science of placement and orientation of tombs, dwellings, buildings, and cities; positioned in an effort to channel flows of sheng-chi ("life-breath") in favorable ways
Confucianism
a philosophy of ethics, education, and public service based on the writings of Confucius and traditionally thought of as one of the core elements of Chinese culture
Judaism
religion with its roots in the teachings of Abraham, who is credited with uniting his people to worship only one god; according to Jewish teaching, Abraham and God have a covenant in which the Jews agree to worship only one God, and God agrees to protect
Christianity
religion based on the teachings of Jesus; according to Christian teaching, Jesus is the son of God; placed on Earth to teach people how to live according to God's plan
Islam
the youngest of the major world religions, based on the teachings of Muhammad, born in Mecca; according to Islamic teaching, Muhammad received the truth directly from Allah in a series of revelations during which Muhammad spoke the verses of the Qu'ran, t
Sunni
adherents to the largest branch of Islam, called the orthodox or traditionalist; they believe in the effectiveness of family and community in solution of life's problems and they differ from the Shiites in accepting the traditions of Muhammad as authorita
Shi'ite
adherents of one of the two main divisions of Islam; also known as Shiahs, they represent the Persian variation of Islam and believe in the infallibility and divine right to authority of the Imams, descendants of Ali
Shamanism
community faith in traditional societies in which people follow their shaman - a religious leader, teacher, healer, and visionary
Secularism
the idea that ethical and moral standards should be formulated and adhered to for life on Earth, not to accommodate the prescriptions of a deity and promises of a comfortable afterlife
Mormonism
a term used to describe religious, ideological, and cultural aspects of the various denominations of the Later Day Saints movement
Sacred Sites/Sacred Space
place or space people infuse with religious meaning
Religious Toponym
refers to the origin and meaning of the names of religions
Minaret
tower attached to a Muslim mosque, having one or more projecting balconies from which a crier calls Muslims to prayer
Hajj/Hadj
the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad
Interfaith Boundaries
boundaries between the world's major faiths
Intrafaith Boundaries
boundaries within a single major faith
Enclave
a country or part of a country mostly surrounded by the territory of another country
Exclave
a country which is geographically separated from the main part by surrounding alien territory
Genocide
The systematic killing or extermination of an entire people or nation
Ethnic Cleansing
the mass expulsion and killing of one ethnic or religious group in an area by another ethnic or religious group in that area
Theocracy
a state whose government is under the control of a ruler who is deemed to be divinely guided, or of a group of religious leaders
Religious Fundamentalism
religious movement whose objectives are to return to the foundations of the faith and to influence state policy
Religious Extremism
fundamentalism carried to the point of violence
Shari'a Law
the system of Islamic law, sometimes called Qu'ranic law; unlike most western systems of law that are based on legal precedence; based on varying degrees of interpretation of the Qu'ran
Jihad
a doctrine within Islam; commonly translated as "Holy War," represents either a personal or collective struggle on part of Muslims to live up to the religious standards set by the Qu'ran
Cargo Cult Pilgrimage
belief that western goods had been traded to them by ancestral spirits