Chapter 6

Religion

Stonehenge
(England)

Distribution of Religions
Universalizing religions
Christianity Islam Buddhism

Ethnic religions
Hinduism Other ethnic religions

World Distribution of Religions

Fig. 6-1: World religions by continent.

World Population by Religion

Fig. 6-1a: Over two thirds of the worlds population adhere to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism. Christianity is the single largest world religion.

Christian Branches in Europe

Fig. 6-2: Protestant denominations, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy are dominant in different regions of Europe a result of many historic interactions.

Christian Branches in the U.S.

Fig. 6-3: Distribution of Christians in the U.S. Shaded areas are counties with more than 50% of church membership concentrated in Roman Catholicism or one of the Protestant denominations.

Religions of the United States

Statue of Buddha
Hong Kong, China

Variations in Distribution of Religions (1)

Origin of religions
Origin of universalizing religions Origin of Hinduism

Diffusion of religions
Diffusion of universalizing religions Lack of diffusion of ethnic religions

Diffusion of Universalizing Religions

Fig. 6-4: Each of the three main universalizing religions diffused widely from its hearth.

Diffusion of Christianity

Fig. 6-5: Christianity diffused from Palestine through the Roman Empire and continued diffusing through Europe after the fall of Rome. It was later replaced by Islam in much of the Mideast and North Africa.

Diffusion of Islam

Fig. 6-6: Islam diffused rapidly and widely from its area of origin in Arabia. It eventually stretched from southeast Asia to West Africa.

Diffusion of Buddhism

Fig. 6-7: Buddhism diffused gradually from its origin in northeastern India to Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and eventually China and Japan.

Shintoism & Buddhism in Japan

Fig. 6-8: Since Japanese can be both Shinto and Buddhist, there are many areas in Japan where over two-thirds of the population are both Shinto and Buddhist.

Variations in Distribution of Religions (2)

Holy places
Holy places in universalizing religions Holy places in ethnic religions

The calendar
The calendar in ethnic religions The calendar in universalizing religions

Holy Sites in Buddhism

Fig. 6-9: Most holy sites in Buddhism are locations of important events in Buddhas life and are clustered in northeastern India and southern Nepal.

Buddhist Temple
Bodh Gaya, India

Mecca, Islams Holiest City

Fig. 6-10: Makkah (Mecca) is the holiest city in Islam and the site of pilgrimage for millions of Muslims each year. There are numerous holy sites in the city.

Makkah during the Haj Pilgrimage

The Kaba stands at the center of the Great Mosque (al-Haran al Sharif) in Makkah.

Hindu Holy Places

Fig. 6-11: Hierarchy of Hindu holy places: Some sites are holy to Hindus throughout India; others have a regional or sectarian importance, or are important only locally.

Ritual Bathing in the Ganges River

Hindu pilgrims achieve purification by bathing in the Ganges.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar

The Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib) in Amritsar, India is the holiest structure for Sikhism.

Bahai Temple in Uganda

Cremation near Taj Mahal

Organization of Space
Places of worship
Christian worship Places of worship in other religions

Sacred space
Disposing of the dead Religious settlements Religious place names

Administration of space
Hierarchical religions Locally autonomous religions

Place Names in Qubec

Fig. 6-12: Place names in Qubec show the impact of religion on the landscape. Many cities and towns are named after saints.

Roman Catholic Hierarchy in U.S.

Fig. 6-13: The Catholic church divides the U.S. into provinces headed by archbishops. Provinces are divided into dioceses, headed by bishops.

Religious Conflicts
Religion vs. government policies
Religion vs. social change Religion vs. Communism

Religion vs. religion

Religious wars in Ireland Religious wars in the Middle East

Distribution of Protestants in Ireland, 1911

Fig 6-14: When Ireland became independent in 1937, 26 northern districts with large Protestant populations chose to remain part of the United Kingdom.

Catholic Protestors in Northern Ireland

Jerusalem

Fig. 6-15: The Old City of Jerusalem contains holy sites for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Boundary Changes in Palestine/Israel

Fig. 6-16: The UN partition plan for Palestine in 1947 contrasted with the boundaries that were established after the 1948-49 War. Major changes later resulted from the 1967 War.

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza

Political and Physical maps

Fig. 6-17: The West Bank and Gaza have been under Israeli control since 1967, and numerous Israeli settlements have been established there. The area includes three physical regions: the coastal plain, the hills, and the Jordan River Valley.

Section of Israeli Security Barrier

Fig. 6-1.1: A typical section of the security barrier built by Israel in the West Bank.

Israels Barrier in the West Bank

Fig. 6-1.2: The planned route of Israels security barrier in the West Bank includes many of Israels settlements in the territory.

The Temple Mount, Jerusalem

Temple Mount contains sites holy to both Jews and Muslims, including the Western Wall of the Second Temple, al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock.

Praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

Potala Palace, Lhasa Tibet