Knowledge of the religious affiliation of the population helps to better understand the features of the economic and social geography of different countries of the world. The role of religion in society today continues to be very significant.

It is customary to single out tribal, local (national) and world religions.

Also in primitive society the simplest forms of religious beliefs arose - totemism, magic, fetishism, animism and the cult of ancestors. (Some elementary religions have survived to our time. So, totemism was widespread among the Melanesians, American Indians).

Later, complex forms of religions appeared. They arose most often among any one people, or among a group of peoples united in a state (this is how local religions arose - Judaism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism, etc.).

Some of the religions have spread among the peoples of different countries and continents. These are world religions - Islam and Christianity.

Buddhism is the oldest world religion exists mainly in its two main varieties - Hinayana and Mahayana, to which Lamaism should also be added.

Buddhism originated in India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC. The founder of the doctrine is Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, known to the world under the name of Buddha (i.e. "awakened, enlightened").

There are many Buddhist centers, temples and monasteries in India, but still in India itself Buddhism did not become widespread and turned into a world religion outside of it - in China, Korea, and in a number of other countries. He did not fit into the social structure and culture of society, as he rejected caste, the authority of the Brahmins, religious ritualism (Hinduism was most widespread in India).

In the II century. Buddhism penetrated China and became widespread, having existed there for about two millennia, having a great influence on Chinese culture. But it did not become the dominant religion here, which was Confucianism in China.

Buddhism as a world religion reached its most complete form in Tibet in Lamaism (during the late Middle Ages - in the 7th-15th centuries). In Russia, Lamaism is practiced by the inhabitants of Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia.

Currently, there are about 300 million adherents of this religious teaching.

Christianity is considered to be one of the world religions, meaning both its influence on the course of world history and the extent of its spread. The number of adherents of Christianity is approaching 2 billion people.

Christianity arose in the 1st century. n. e. in the east of the Roman Empire (on the territory of the modern state of Israel), which absorbed the entire empire at that time, when civilization based on slavery was already declining. By the 60s. 1st century n. e. there were already several Christian communities in addition to the very first, Jerusalem, which consisted of disciples gathered around Jesus.

Christianity today - a collective term that includes three main areas: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism, within which there are many different faiths and religious associations that arose at different times throughout the two thousand-year history of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox Church, etc.).

Catholicism(Catholicism) - the most significant branch of Christianity. It exists as a strictly centralized church headed by the Pope (who is also the head of state).

Protestantism- arose in the era of the Reformation (XVI century) as an anti-Catholic movement. The largest areas of Protestantism are Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Methodism, and Baptism.

In 395, the Roman Empire split into western and eastern parts. This contributed to the isolation of the Western Church, headed by the Bishop of Rome (Pope) and a number of Eastern churches, headed by patriarchs - Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria. Between the western and eastern branches of Christianity (Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches) a struggle for influence unfolded, which ended in their formal break in 1054.

By that time, Christianity had already turned from a persecuted faith into a state religion. This happened under the emperor Constantine (in the 4th century). Orthodoxy of Byzantine origin established itself in the east and southeast of Europe. Kievan Rus adopted Christianity in 988 under Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. This step had important consequences for the history of Russia.

Islam- the second world religion after Christianity in terms of the number of followers (1.1 billion people). It was founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. on Arab tribal religions (in Arabia, in Hijaz).

Islam served as a powerful impetus for the development in a short historical period of such a phenomenon, which is denoted by the concept of " Muslim world". In those countries where Islam is widespread, it plays an important role as a religious doctrine, a form of social organization, and a cultural tradition.

Of the many religious systems in the modern world, Islam remains one of the most significant forces.

Confucianism emerged in Ser. 1st millennium BC in China as a socio-ethical doctrine expounded by the philosopher Confucius. For many centuries it was a kind of state ideology. The second local (national) religion - Taoism - is based on a combination of elements of Buddhism and Confucianism. To date, it has survived only in certain areas.

Hinduism means more than just the name of a religion. In India, where it has become widespread, it is a whole set of religious forms, from the simplest ritual, polytheistic to philosophical-mystical, monotheistic. Moreover, it is a designation of the Indian way of life with a caste division, including the sum of life principles, norms of behavior, social and ethical values, beliefs, cults, rituals.

The foundations of Hinduism are laid in the Vedic religion, which was brought by the Aryan tribes who invaded the Ser. II millennium BC. e. The second period in the history of Indian religion is the Brahmin period (I millennium BC). Gradually ancient religion sacrifice and knowledge evolved into Hinduism. Its development was influenced by those that arose in the VI-V centuries BC. e. Buddhism and Jainism (teachings that denied the caste system).

Shintoism- the local religion of Japan (along with Buddhism). It is a combination of elements of Confucianism (observance of the cult of ancestors, patriarchal foundations of the family, respect for elders, etc.) and Taoism.

Judaism was formed in the 1st millennium BC. among the people of Palestine. (In the 13th century BC, when the Israelite tribes came to Palestine, their religion consisted of many primitive cults common to nomads. Only gradually did the religion of Judaism, in the form in which it is presented in the Old Testament, arise). Distributed exclusively among Jews living in different countries world (the largest groups are in and). The total number of Jews in the world is about 14 million people.

At present, most of the people living in different countries and different social conditions consider themselves believers - Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. - or do not belong to any of the existing churches, but simply recognize the existence of some higher power - the world mind.

At the same time, it is a fact that today a significant part of people are not religious, that is, they are people who do not profess any of the existing religions, consider themselves atheists or agnostics, secular humanists or freethinkers.

The spread of world religions in the 90s. 20th century

Christianity spread among the peoples of Europe and in other parts of the world, settled by immigrants from this part of the world.

Catholicism is the dominant religion in Latin America and the Philippines; There are significant groups of Catholics in the USA and Canada (French Canadians), as well as in some African countries (former colonies).

In many countries of the African continent, as a rule, both Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism, since in the recent past these states were colonies) and traditional local beliefs are represented.

There is also Christianity of the Monophysite persuasion in and partly in Egypt.

Orthodoxy spread in the east and southeast of Europe among the Greeks, and the southern Slavs (,). He is professed by Russians, Belarusians,

There are countless religions in the world. Some of them have long been forgotten, and some are only gaining momentum. And which of them is the oldest religion on earth?

Which religion is recognized as the most ancient?

When determining the most ancient faith, several facts must be taken into account. There are some religions, the mention of which remained only in old traditions and legends. Among these are the religions of the Incas and Aztecs. This is a developed religion, which has many followers in its ranks. The Inca faith is rich in a variety of gods. This is due to the military activities of the tribes. When new peoples were captured, deities from the traditions and legends of the captives were added to the existing religion. Due to the possibility of the emergence of new deities, this belief did not disappear without a trace, but simply transformed into new currents.

Of the existing ones, one of the first was the religion of the Sumerians. It was distinguished by many gods, each of which had its own followers, called the Anunnaki. They were priests who helped ordinary people communicate with their idols and conveyed the wishes of the gods to the people.

The oldest of the world's religions is Judaism, born on the teachings of Vedism. It is based on religion, which later laid the foundation for Christianity. But the imperfection of the existing gods and the many contradictory statements of this religion served to make it one of the shortest.

What is the latest religion to appear?

The concept of "young" is very relative, because when the count goes on for millennia, several centuries does not matter much. That is why the most early faith“Islam” seems to us to have long been known and widespread.

The belief is based on serving Allah, a Muslim puts the teachings of God above his own wishes. Nowadays, Islam is quite popular, Muslims live in 50 countries of the world. Almost a quarter of the world's population are Muslims. This religion appeared in the seventh century AD, when the prophet Mohammed received the first verses of the Koran. The common teaching is more than thirteen centuries old, but the younger religions of modern times are not known.

The popularity of this belief is due to strict rules and a righteous lifestyle. Many children are born in Muslim families, which is why there are more and more adherents of Islam. A mullah serves to communicate between God and man. He conducts rituals and reads prayers, whether it be nikah, ayah or other ceremonies.

When did early Christianity appear?

The current reckoning begins from the Nativity of Christ, therefore the beginning of the first century AD in the lands of the Eastern Mediterranean is considered the birth of Christianity.

Before the advent of this religion, people worshiped many mythological deities. In Christianity, there is one God who will understand and forgive everyone if a person sincerely repents of his misdeeds. It combines all the positive qualities of pre-existing deities.

Christianity is based on the suffering and pain of Jesus Christ, who chose this path in order to atone for human sins. That is why the path to true enlightenment lies through suffering. The one god is ready to accept any person of any faith, if he really wants it. A Christian is associated with a peace-loving wanderer who preaches the path of truth and wants to help every lost soul.

Thanks to its peaceful teachings, Christianity gained great popularity and became one of the three most widespread beliefs in the world along with Islam and Buddhism. Now this religion is divided into three currents:

1. orthodoxy;
2. Catholicism;
3. Protestantism.

What ancient religions existed before?

Buddhism is another equally old religion. It originated in the fifth century BC. The appearance of Buddhism was preceded by a change in the teachings and basic provisions of Brahmanism.

This faith is based on the doctrine of erasing the boundaries between closed castes and divisions of society. All people are equal before God, regardless of their material wealth and position. Buddhism originally appeared in India, but quickly spread to other countries such as China, Mongolia, Tibet and others. In the modern world, almost half a million people are considered adherents of Buddhism.

Other less popular ancient religions include Finnish deities in Finland, the Canaanite faith, and Atonism. On the shores of the island of Crete, the Minoan religion was known, headed by the goddess of nature. The Assyrian people worshiped the god Ashur.

Mithraism was popular in European lands. Its spread became possible thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Mithra is the god of heaven and justice.

What is the oldest faith in the world?

Some believe that Hinduism is the very first religion. He combined pagan deities and the foundations for the birth of Christianity. At one time, Hinduism was as popular as the three most widespread religions in our time.

In the third century BC, the Tengrian religion, which originated in Central Asia, was known. It is based on belief in the spirits of ancestors. The teachings were passed down from generation to generation, although there is no written confirmation of this fact.
Buddhism appeared in the fifth century BC, which also makes this belief one of the oldest.
Zoroastrianism is considered one of the first beliefs. There is no exact data on the origin of this religion, although the first mention of it appeared in the sixth century BC in the lands of Iran. The first written references appeared around the first century BC, but then Zoroastrianism was already considered an ancient faith. The main sacred collection of religious laws is the Avesta. This book is written in a now dead language. The main god is Ahura Mazda, the creator of the whole world. He sent to earth only one prophet - Zarathustra.

One of the oldest religions, dating back tens of millennia, is and. This belief was common among most peoples on earth, for example, among the Siberian Yakuts. Shamanism is based on the unity of man and nature, and the shaman acted as a link between them, he knew how to communicate with spirits and apply methods traditional medicine. This belief had a greater impact on the formation of culture and lifestyle of people.

It is possible that earlier religions also existed, but due to the lack of written evidence, this cannot be proven.

Whether you go to the mosque on Fridays, attend synagogue on Saturdays, or pray at church on Sundays, religion has touched your life in one way or another. Even if the only thing you've ever worshiped is your favorite couch and TV best friend, your world has still been shaped by other people's religious beliefs and practices.
People's beliefs influence everything from political opinions and artwork to the clothes they wear and the food they eat. Religious beliefs have repeatedly quarreled peoples and inspired people to violence, they also played an important role in some scientific discoveries.
It is no news to anyone that religion has a very strong influence on society. Every civilization, from the ancient Maya to the Celts, had some sort of religious practice. In its earliest forms, religion provided society with a system of beliefs and values ​​according to which it could reproduce and educate the youth. In addition, it also helped to explain the processes and phenomena of such a beautiful and so complex and sometimes frightening world around.
Evidence of some rudimentary religion has been found as far back as Neolithic artefacts, and although religion has evolved greatly from the primitive rites of the time, no faith really dies. Some, such as the Druid worldview, continue to live to the present, while others, such as the ancient Greek and Roman religions, live on as part and parcel of something. certain aspects later Christianity and Islam.
Below we have made a small overview of 10 religions. Despite their ancient origins, many of them have strong parallels with the major modern religions.

10: Sumerian Religion

Although there is anecdotal evidence indicating that humans may have been practicing religion as early as 70,000 years ago, the earliest reliable evidence for a religion that had taken shape dates back to around 3500 BC. That is, by the time the Sumerians built the world's first cities, states and empires in Mesopotamia.
Of the thousands of clay tablets that are found in the areas where the Sumerian civilization was located, we know that they had a whole pantheon of gods, each of which “managed” its own sector of phenomena and processes, that is, people explained to themselves by the grace or wrath of a particular god that could not be otherwise explained.
All the gods of the Sumerians had a "binding" to specific astronomical bodies, they also controlled natural forces: for example, sunrise and sunset were attributed to the sparkling chariot of the sun god Utu. The stars were thought to be the cows of Nannar, the deity of the Moon, who traveled the sky, and the crescent moon was his boat. Other gods represented such things and concepts as the ocean, war, fertility.
Religion was a central part of the life of Sumerian society: the kings claimed to act on the will of the gods and thus performed both religious and political duties, and sacred temples and giant terraced platforms known as ziggurats were thought to be the dwellings of the gods.
The influence of the Sumerian religion can be traced in most of the existing religions. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the earliest surviving piece of ancient Sumerian literature, contains the first mention of a great flood, which is also found in the Bible. And the seven-tiered Babylonian ziggurat is probably the same Babel Tower that quarreled the descendants of Noah.

9: Ancient Egyptian Religion

In order to be convinced of the influence of religion on the life of Ancient Egypt, just look at the thousands of pyramids located in the region. Each building symbolizes the belief of the Egyptians that a person's life continues even after death.
The reign of the Egyptian pharaohs lasted approximately from 3100 to 323 BC. and consisted of 31 separate dynasties. The pharaohs, who had a divine status, used religion to maintain their power and subjugate absolutely all citizens to themselves. For example, if a pharaoh wanted to gain favor with more tribes, all he had to do was adopt their local god as his own.
While the sun god Ra was the main god and creator, the Egyptians recognized hundreds of other gods, about 450. Moreover, at least 30 of them received the status of the main deities of the pantheon. With so many gods, the Egyptians were uncomfortable with a true coherent theology, however they were bound by a shared belief in an afterlife, especially after the invention of mummification.
The manuals, called "coffin texts", gave those who could afford this manual in funeral arrangements the assurance of immortality. The tombs of wealthy people often contained jewelry, furniture, weapons, and even servants for a fulfilling life after death.
Flirt with Monotheism
One of the first attempts to establish monotheism occurred in Ancient Egypt when Pharaoh Akhenaten came to power in 1379 B.C. and declared the sun god Aten the only god. The pharaoh tried to erase all mention of other gods and destroy their images. During the reign of Akhenaten, the people put up with this so-called "Atenism", however, after his death he was declared a criminal, his temples were destroyed, and his very existence was deleted from the records.

8: Greek and Roman Religion

Gods of Ancient Greece

Like the Egyptian religion, the Greek religion was polytheistic. Although the 12 Olympian deities are most widely recognized, the Greeks also had several thousand other local gods. During the Roman period of Greece, these gods were simply adapted to Roman needs: Zeus became Jupiter, Venus became Aphrodite, and so on. In fact, much of Roman religion was borrowed from the Greeks. So much so that the two religions are often referred to collectively as the Greco-Roman religion.
The Greek and Roman gods had rather nasty personalities. They were not alien to jealousy, anger. This explains why people had to make so many sacrifices in the hope of appeasing the gods, making them refrain from doing harm, instead helping people, doing good deeds.
Along with sacrificial rites, which were the primary form of Greek and Roman worship, festivities and rituals occupied an important place in both religions. In Athens, at least 120 days of the year were holidays, and in Rome, not much was done without first performing religious rituals that guaranteed the approval of the gods. Special people they followed the signs sent by the gods by watching the chirping of birds, weather events, or the entrails of animals. Ordinary citizens could also question the gods in sacred places called oracles.

Rite Religion
Perhaps the most impressive feature of Roman religion was the importance of ritual in virtually every aspect of daily life. Not only were the rituals performed before every senate meeting, festival, or other social event, they also had to be performed flawlessly. If, for example, a prayer was found to be misread before a government meeting, then any decision made during that meeting could be invalidated.

A religion based solely on nature, Druidism emerged from shamanic practices and witchcraft in prehistoric times. Initially, it was distributed throughout Europe, but then concentrated in the Celtic tribes with their advance towards the British coast. It continues to be practiced today among small groups.

The main idea of ​​Druidism is that a person must perform all actions without harming anyone, even himself. There is no other sin than harming the Earth or others, the Druids believe. In the same way, there is no blasphemy or heresy, since man is incapable of harming the gods, and they are able to protect themselves. According to Druid beliefs, people are only a small part of the Earth, which in turn is a single living being, inhabited by gods and spirits of all kinds.

Although Christians tried to suppress Druidism for its polytheistic pagan beliefs and accused its followers of performing cruel sacrifices, the Druids were actually a peaceful people who practiced meditation, reflection, and awareness rather than sacrificial acts. Only animals were sacrificed, which were then eaten.
Since the entire religion of Druidry was built around nature, its ceremonies were associated with the solstices, equinoxes and 13 lunar cycles.

Somewhat similar to the pagan faith of Wicca, Asatru is a belief in the pre-Christian gods of northern Europe. Dating back to the beginning of the Scandinavian Bronze Age around 1000 BC. Asatru took many of the ancient Scandinavian Viking beliefs, and many of Asatru's followers continue to reproduce Viking customs and traditions, such as sword fighting.
The main values ​​of religion are wisdom, strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, energy and the importance of family ties with ancestors. Like druidism, Asatru is based on nature, and all worship is tied to the change of seasons.
Asatru states that the universe is divided into nine worlds. Among them are Asgard - the kingdom of the gods and Midgard (Earth) - the home of all mankind. The connection of these nine worlds is the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The main god and creator of the universe is Odin, but Thor, the god of war, the defender of Midgard, was also highly respected: it was his hammer that the Vikings depicted on their doors to drive away evil. The hammer, or Mjollnir, is worn by many Asatru followers in the same way that Christians wear a cross.
Tax exemption
Although some aspects of Asatru may seem implausible to the uninitiated, it is becoming more and more widespread throughout the world. In addition to being a registered religion in Iceland and Norway, it is tax-exempt in the United States.

To be fair, it needs to be clarified that, technically, Hinduism is not just one religion. Under this concept, in fact, many beliefs and practices come from India.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in existence, with roots dating back to around 3000 BC. Although some of its supporters argue that the doctrine has always existed. The scriptures of the religion are collected in the Vedas, the oldest known religious works in the Indo-European languages. They were collected approximately between 1000 and 500 BC. and are revered by the Hindus as eternal truth.

The overarching idea of ​​Hinduism is the search for "moksha", belief in fate and reincarnation. According to Hindu ideas, people have an eternal soul, which is continuously reborn in different incarnations, according to its lifestyle and actions in previous lives. Karma describes the consequences that result from these actions, and Hinduism teaches that people can improve their destiny (karma) through prayer, sacrifice, and various other forms of spiritual, psychological, and physical disciplines. Ultimately, by following righteous paths, the Hindu can be freed from rebirth and attain "moksha".
Unlike other major religions, Hinduism does not claim any founder. It is not traced its connection with any particular historical event. Today, almost 900 million people around the world consider themselves Hindus, with the majority of them living in India.

4: Buddhism

Buddhism, which originated in India around the 6th century BC, is similar to Hinduism in many ways. It is based on the teachings of a man known as the Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautama and grew up as a Hindu. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe in reincarnation, karma, and the idea of ​​attaining total liberation—Nirvana.
According to Buddhist legend, Siddhartha had a rather closed youth and was amazed when he discovered that the people around him seemed to experience such things as grief, poverty and disease. After meeting a group of people seeking enlightenment, Siddhartha began looking for a way to end human suffering. He fasted and meditated for a long time, and finally achieved the ability to break out of the eternal cycle of reincarnation. It was this achievement of 'bodhi' or 'enlightenment' that led to him being now known as the Buddha or 'Enlightened One'.
Four Noble Truths: (chatvari aryasatyani), the four truths of the Holy One is one of the basic teachings of Buddhism, which is followed by all its schools.
1. All existence is suffering.
2. All suffering is caused by human desires.
3. Renunciation of desires will end suffering.
4. There is a way to end suffering - the Eightfold Path.
Buddhism does not place too much emphasis on the deity, self-discipline, meditation and compassion are much more important. As a result, Buddhism is sometimes regarded more as a philosophy than a religion.
Path
Like Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are more philosophy than religion. Both originated in China in the 5th - 6th centuries BC. both are actively practiced in China today. Taoism, which is based on the concept of "Tao" or "The Way", greatly values ​​life and promotes simplicity and a relaxed approach to life. Confucianism is based on love, kindness and humanity.

Another religion originating from India. Jainism proclaims the achievement of spiritual freedom as the main goal. It originates from the lives and teachings of the Jains, spiritual teachers who have reached the highest level of knowledge and understanding. According to the Jain teachings, the followers of religion can achieve freedom from material existence or karma. As in Hinduism, this liberation from reincarnation is called "moksha".
Jains also teach that time is eternal and consists of a series of upward or downward movements that last for millions of years. During each of these periods, there are 24 Jainas. Only two of these teachers are known in the current movement: Parsva and Mahavira, who lived in the 9th and 6th centuries BC, respectively. In the absence of any higher gods or a creator god, followers of Jainism revere Jain.
Unlike Buddhism, which condemns suffering, the idea of ​​Jainism is asceticism, self-denial. The Jain lifestyle is governed by the "Great Vows" which proclaim non-violence, honesty, sexual abstinence, renunciation. Although these vows are strictly observed by hermits, Jains also follow them according to their abilities and circumstances, with the aim of self-development along the 14-stage path of spiritual growth.

While other religions have had short periods of monotheism, Judaism is considered the world's oldest monotheistic faith. The religion is based on what the Bible describes as agreements between God and some of the founding fathers. Judaism is one of three religions that trace their origins to the patriarch Abraham, who lived in the 21st century BC. (The other two are Islam and Christianity.)
The Five Books of Moses enter the beginning of the Hebrew Bible, forming the Torah (Pentateuch), the Jewish people are the descendants of Abraham and will one day return to their country of Israel. Therefore, the Jews are sometimes called the "chosen people."
The religion is based on the ten commandments, which are a sacred agreement between God and people. Along with 613 other guidelines contained in the Torah, these ten commandments define the believer's way of life and thought. By following the laws, the Jews show their commitment to the will of God and strengthen their position in the religious community.
In rare unanimity, all three major world religions recognize the Ten Commandments as fundamental.

Zoroastrianism is based on the teachings of the Persian prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, who lived between 1700 and 1500 BC. His teachings are revealed to the world in the form of 17 psalms called Gathas, which make up the Holy Scripture of Zoroastrianism, known as the Zend Avesta.
A key aspect of the Zoroastrian faith is ethical dualism, the constant struggle between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu). Personal responsibility has great importance for the Zoroastrians, since their fate depends on the choice they make between these two forces. Followers believe that after death, the soul comes to the Bridge of Judgment, from where it goes either to heaven or to a place of torment, depending on which deeds prevailed during life: good or bad.
Since positive choices are not so difficult to make, Zoroastrianism is generally seen as an optimistic belief: Zarathustra is allegedly the only child who laughed at birth instead of crying. Zoroastrianism is currently one of the smallest of the world's major religions, but its influence is widely felt. Christianity, Judaism and Islam have all been shaped by his postulates.

Religion has existed for as long as humanity has existed. In the course of life, people in one way or another encounter it. There is no single religion in the modern world. They differ from each other in dogma and cult, peculiarities of dogma and church structure, in the number of flocks, time and place of origin. The most important conquest of the 20th century. became the principle of freedom of conscience, according to which each person decides whether to profess his religion or remain an unbeliever.

Currently, most religious scholars speak of such established creeds as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism, Jainism, Taoism and Bahaism. None of the world religions during its coexistence was able to maintain internal unity. Each has undergone numerous splits and consists of various branches that have a single historical foundation.

The oldest religion Hinduism is the fruit of five thousand years of development of the religious thought of India. It has no founder or prophet, no spiritual hierarchy and unified canons. Rather, it is a way of life or culture than an orderly religious tradition. Hinduism is a conglomerate of different trends, movements, religious schools and sects, is a kind of "parliament of religions". In Hinduism, there is no dualistic (dual coexistence of two different states that are not characteristic of unity, for example, God and the devil, spirit and matter, etc.) perception of the world. Truth appears to the Hindu as a hierarchical system of minor truths. Moreover, in this hierarchy there is no place for lies, since even delusion is a state of only a lower order.

There are no heretical forms in Hinduism, as there is no orthodoxy.

A product of Hinduism in the public sphere is the caste system. According to its regulations, the whole society is divided into brahmin priests, kshatriya rulers and warriors, vaishya farmers and merchants, sudra artisans and hired workers. The untouchables do the dirtiest work. The caste status of a person is assigned to him for life. Each caste has its own truth, its own duty, according to which its life is built. An attempt to change one's social status, according to Hinduism, is meaningless, since it is the objective result of karma - the sum of all actions and their consequences committed by a living being.

Karma is the destiny of man. Therefore, India does not know the peasant wars or workers' uprisings well known to us from the history of other countries, there were no revolutions in India either. Even the struggle of the Indians for independence assumed a non-violent character.

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. In the beginning, Hindus worshiped gods who personified the forces of nature. The main carriers of Hinduism in the ancient period - the nomadic tribes of the Aryans - invaded the territory of Hindustan at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. The ancient Aryans did not know the temple cult, so the main Hindu ritual of that period was the fire rite. Later, during the transition of the Aryans to settled life and with the formation of the first Hindu states, Hinduism also changed. This stage of his development is called Brahmanism. A trinity is put forward as the supreme gods: Brahma the creator; Vishnu the protector; Shiva is the destroyer of the world. Therefore, Hindus can be divided into several areas: Vishnuites, who revere Vishnu (they also include well-known Krishnaites in Russia); shaivites - they worshiped Shiva, as well as shoktists who worship female deities.

In the IV-VI centuries. Brahmanism undergoes some transformation under the influence of Buddhism. The methods of achieving the spiritual ideal and Hinduism are also changing. If earlier it was necessary to engage in meditation, study the scriptures, and be an ascetic in order to achieve unity with a Brahman, then in modern Hinduism, in order to achieve unity with Krishna, one must be a bhakta (loving), i.e. love god. This path is much more accessible and suitable for both the Brahmin and the Shudra - the lower class.

Hinduism is contradictory: the heights of religious thought are combined in it with ridiculous (in our opinion) prejudices and the most primitive magic, ideological tolerance - with inertia in ritual and social life.

At the beginning of this century, the number of Hindus exceeded 900 million people. Of these, more than 90% are in South Asia. Most of the Hindus live in India - this is 850 million people, or 80% of the country's population.

Buddhism younger than Hinduism and genetically related to it. It arose in the VI-V centuries. BC. as a protest against the norms of the caste system, Brahmin rituals and the dominance of the priesthood. The founder of Buddhism was a real historical figure - Prince Sizdhartka Gautama, nicknamed Buddha ("enlightened"). The purpose of his religion, the Buddha considered the deliverance of man from suffering. According to the teachings of Buddhism, a person's life in the world is an endless stream of rebirths (samsara), determined by a combination of non-material particles (drachmas). Buddhists do not believe in the transmigration of souls and reincarnation, rejecting the very existence of an immortal soul. The purpose of Buddhism is to interrupt the flow of rebirths. Buddhism claims that the essence of life is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire and attachment. Therefore, its most important principle is non-resistance to evil by violence. Any resistance to injustice, according to the social teaching of Buddhism, is meaningless, since it excites passions that lead to suffering.

The Buddha called on his followers (adepts) to uproot all their desires and attachments, thereby internally freeing themselves from the shackles that human life. The state of holiness, in which there is no place for greed, intrigues, hatred, i.e. complete inner freedom is called nirvana.

The basic idea of ​​Buddhism was formulated in the Buddha's sermons on the "four noble truths". The first truth says that existence is suffering that every living being experiences and is eternally doomed to. The second truth states that the cause of suffering is desire, hatred, envy, and so on. The Third Noble Truth says that if the causes of anxiety are removed, suffering will cease. The fourth truth indicates the so-called middle path, avoiding both extreme self-restraint and endless enjoyment.

Following this path (the path of the Buddha) leads to the achievement of inner peace, when a person can control his thoughts and feelings, when he is friendly, full of compassion and sympathy for all living beings.

Even during the life of the Buddha (Buddha ended his earthly life in the 80th year, in the 44th year of his teaching, near the city of Kushinagar in Nepal), a community of followers formed around him - monks. For laymen who did not take monastic vows, five commandments were defined: do not kill, do not lie, do not steal, do not commit adultery, and do not drink alcohol. Most Buddhists are vegetarians, or abstain from eating meat if they can refuse. There are five vegetables that are not eaten because their smell is believed to attract evil, namely: garlic, onion, leek, spring onion, chives.

By the beginning of our era, there were two main directions in Buddhism that exist to this day. They are hinayama (narrow path) and mahayama (broad path). Hinayama adherents scrupulously follow the principles of early Buddhism, consider the Buddha a historical figure, and believe that only monks can achieve nirvana. Ritualism in Hinayama is quite simple. This direction is followed by a third of the Buddhists of the world (Sri Lanka, Miami, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia).

About two-thirds of Buddhists adhere to the Mahayama direction (China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, etc.). Lamaism is considered a variety of Mahayama, characterized by a developed cult, complex rituals, deification of the Buddha. Here, great importance is attached to rituals, black and white magic, with the help of which one can achieve nirvana. On the territory of Russia - in Buryatia, Tuva, Kalmykia, the majority of believing Buddhists belong to Lamaism.

Jainism- a contemporary of Buddhism VI-V centuries. to yae. Its emergence is another attempt to reform Hinduism, making it more democratic. Jainism rejects the caste system and gender discrimination, does not recognize the authority of the Vedas (the holy scriptures of Hinduism), opposes the worship of the gods, does not recognize the existence of God the Creator. Most (95%) of them live in India.

Confucianism and Taoism originated in China in the 5th-6th centuries. BC. as philosophical and ethical teachings, which eventually transformed into a religion. Confucianism focuses on the formation of norms of human behavior in the family and society, requiring unconditional obedience of the younger to the elder, the student to the teacher, and the subordinate to the boss. Confucianism cultivates chivalry.

The supreme deity of the Confucian pantheon is Sky (Tian). The ruler of China is perceived as the son of Heaven, the father of the nation. The ideal society, according to Confucius, consists of two layers - tops and bottoms: the first think and manage, the second - work and obey. The system of Confucian virtues includes philanthropy, filial piety, respect for learning, etc. as a result, the desire to get an education.

The founder of Taoism is Lao Tzu. Taoism requires its adherents to humbly follow the general flow of life without resisting it. Taoist priests practice numerous magical rites, divination, and are engaged in healing. Special meaning In Taoism, it is given to the achievement of physical immortality. It is realized by harmonizing the internal forces of the body with the help of proper nutrition, special gymnastics (qigong), and the regulation of sexual energy.

Most Chinese are not limited to just one of these religions. The religion of the Chinese is a combination of three teachings: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Their alloy is called the Chinese traditional religion - San-jiao. The total number of adherents of Confucianism, Taoism and the Chinese form of Buddhism is estimated at about 300 million people, accounting for about a quarter of China's population. Confucianism is also practiced by approximately 5 million Koreans in the Republic of Korea.

Judaism- the first monotheistic (recognizing monotheism) religion in the history of mankind, which arose in the Middle East in the 2nd millennium BC. Judaism arose and developed among the pastoral tribes of the Jewish people. Jews believe in one God - the creator of the universe and man, in immortality human soul, posthumous reward, paradise and realm of the dead, God's chosen people. According to the views of the Jews, God made a covenant (contract) with the Jews, according to which he delivered them from Egyptian slavery and settled them in Palestine (the Promised Land). In turn, the Jews are obliged to honor God and fulfill his commandments. Therefore, Judaism is a religion of law, and Jews must observe numerous religious precepts. First of all, ethical - the famous ten commandments (do not make yourself an idol, do not kill, do not steal, do not covet your neighbor's wife and property, etc.). In addition, for them there are complex norms of everyday behavior, marriage regulations, food prohibitions. Judaists are waiting for the coming of the heavenly deliverer - the Messiah, who will make a righteous judgment on the living and the dead. The righteous are promised eternal life in heaven, while sinners are doomed to suffer in the afterlife.

The holy scripture of the Jews is the Tanakh, which consists of three parts: the Torah (Pentateuch of Moses), Nebiim (Prophets) and Ketubim (Scripture). An important role in Judaism is also played by the Talmud - a set of treatises on cult and religious and legal issues. The Talmudic prescriptions almost completely replaced the ritual practice that existed before 70 AD, when the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, built by Solomon, and evicted the Jews from Palestine. Since it was impossible to restore the Temple, the Jews abandoned the complex temple ritual and began to build synagogues - houses of religious meetings, and the place of priests was taken by rabbis - teachers of religious law, who also perform judicial functions.

Currently, more than 14 million Jews live around the world, most of them in the USA, Israel (more than 80% of the population) and the CIS.

Another religion that emerged in the Middle East around the same time as Judaism was Zoroastrianism, the founder of which, which gave it its name, was the prophet Zarathushtra. Zoroastrianism is a dualistic religion, which is based on the concept of confrontation in the world of Good and Evil principles. The world, according to the Zoroastrians, is a battlefield between Good and Evil, and a person must choose which side he is on. After the decisive battle, which, according to the Zoroastrians, is already approaching, the righteous will go to heaven, and evil and its minions will be cast into hell. An important role in the Zoroastrian cult is played by fire, which is attributed to purifying power, hence the second name of the Zoroastrians - fire worshipers.

In the VI-VII centuries. Zoroastrianism was the state religion of Iran; there were many adherents of this doctrine in the territory of today's Azerbaijan. Everything changed with the invasion of Islam. Now there are about 300 thousand Zoroastrians, most of them live in India and Iran. However, this doctrine had a noticeable impact on the spiritual life of many peoples. Elements of Zoroastrianism can be identified in both Christianity and Islam.

Approximately one third of the world's population Christians. Christianity was born at the beginning of the 1st century. in the Middle East. One can judge its place in the fate of mankind by the fact that the countdown of the new era started from the Nativity of Christ, from the time of the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of this religion.

Christianity originated among the Jewish people and is genetically related to Judaism. Christians recognize the God of Judaism (for them it is God the Father), the authority of the Tanakh (Old Testament), believe in the immortality of the soul, heaven and hell. This is where the similarity ends.

If the Jews are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah, then the Christians believe that he has already come to them: he was Jesus Christ,

Son of God. The God of Christians is one in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. Most followers of Christianity revere Jesus Christ as the God-man, combining two natures: divine and human. They recognize the virgin birth of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. Thus, the idea of ​​the incarnation belongs to Christianity, i.e. combination of the ideal, spiritual, divine and bodily principles in the image of Jesus Christ.

By his martyrdom on the cross, he atoned for the sins of the people. God in Christianity is not a dead idol or an unattainable ideal, it was a living person who preferred suffering, abuse and gave his life for all the people in the world. Unlike other religions that call to come to God, in Christianity God came to man. The main commandment of Christ to people is the commandment of love for neighbor, patience and forgiveness.

At present, Christianity has broken up into a large number of competing directions. The first major church schism took place in 1054 and led to the formation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which differ from each other in terms of doctrine, cult and organization. For example, Catholics are organizationally united, the head of their church is the Pope. In turn, Orthodoxy is divided into 15 autocephalous (independent) churches: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Russian, Cyprus, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Polish, Czechoslovak, Helladic, Albanian, American. There is no complete unity between Orthodox and Catholics on the calendar issue. There are differences in the dogmatic area.

In Catholicism, all the clergy are celibate, while in Orthodoxy only monks adhere to it.

Catholicism became the spiritual basis of Western civilization, and Orthodoxy - Eastern, Slavic. If Catholicism is a supranational church, then Orthodoxy, on the contrary, managed to merge closely with each of the peoples that converted it to Christianity. Among Russians, Greeks, Serbs, the church and the national idea, the church and the state are inseparable, one is perceived as a continuation of the other. A special branch of Orthodoxy is the Old Believers. Disagreements with the official church concern mainly the ceremonial side.

Currently, there are more than five times fewer Orthodox Christians than Catholics. They make up about 9% of all Christians and 3% of the world's population. Followers of Catholicism unite 50% of Christians in the world - this is more than 17% of the world's population.

In the XVI century. As a result of the Reformation, Protestantism broke away from Catholicism. At the forefront, Protestants put the direct communication of believers with Christ through the Bible, without the mediation of priests. The cult in Protestantism is extremely simplified and cheapened, there is no worship of the Mother of God and saints, there is no veneration of relics and icons. Salvation, as Protestantism teaches, is achieved by personal faith, and not by the performance of rites and good deeds. There is no institution of monasticism in Protestantism either, it does not represent a single whole either in dogmatic or organizational terms and is divided into many currents. The earliest Protestant denominations are Anglicanism, Lutheranism and Calvinism.

In Anglicanism, the head of the church is the King of England, and in matters of doctrine, the decisive role belongs to Parliament, whose upper house includes Anglican bishops. Lutheranism got its name from its founder Martin Luther (1483-1546). In Lutheran churches - kirchs - there are no murals, images, but the crucifix is ​​preserved. Pastors and bishops are elected. There is no sharp boundary between the clergy and the laity, since the principle of universal priesthood is recognized. The centers of Lutheranism are Germany and the Scandinavian countries, as well as the USA.

Calvinism (reformism) occupies the most radical position in Protestantism. Founded by the French theologian John Calvin (1509-1564). Calvinism completely eliminated the church hierarchy. The Calvinist Church consists of communities independent of each other - congregations governed by councils. Images in churches are not allowed, the cross has ceased to be an attribute of the cult, there are no sacred vestments, there is no altar. In Calvinism, a dogma is adopted in which the main criterion for the salvation of a person is the role that he occupies in society. Therefore, for the salvation of the soul, it is not faith or good deeds that is needed, but labor. Thus, if a person is rich, pious and respected, his salvation has already been granted. Most of the Calvinists live in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Germany, France (Huguenots), USA, South Africa and Indonesia.

Islam, a religion influenced by Judaism, arose at the beginning of the 7th century. in Hijaz among the tribes of Western Arabia and during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (570-632) became a famous and influential spiritual achievement of the era.

If Christianity began its history as a sect of Judaism, then Islam appeared immediately as a separate religion, and there were no Jews among its followers. Muhammad did not believe that he was preaching a new religion, he believed that he was restoring the original, pure religion that Jews and Christians had corrupted. Islam shares with Judaism and Christianity the basic ideas about God the Creator.

In Islam, God Allah is one. For Muslims, he is incomprehensible and great, it is only known about him that he is merciful and merciful.

In this religion there is no abundance of strict prohibitions and petty prescriptions of Judaism and the asceticism and moralism of Christianity. Every Muslim must believe in Allah as the only God and accept Muhammad as his Prophet. Islam does not know the priesthood - all Muslims are equal before Allah. The clergy - mullahs are simply experts in the doctrine and are usually chosen by the believers themselves.

Islam is not only a religion and way of life, but also politics. He does not know the division into secular and spiritual. In an Islamic state, Allah himself should rule. Islam is an integral system of values ​​that form the ideology, psychology, certain forms of culture, the way of life and thinking of both each believer and the entire Muslim community.

The holy book of Islam is the Koran, containing the creeds of this religion. Based on the meaning of being - this is faith and worship of Allah - the main dogmas of faith are formed: faith in Allah, faith in the Day of Judgment; belief in predestination; faith in scriptures; faith in the messengers of Allah.

At present, the number of Muslims exceeds 1 billion people, this is the majority of the population in 35 countries of the world. Islam is the most dynamically developing religion in the world. Over the past 100 years, the proportion of Muslims in the world's population has grown from 13% to 19%.

Led short review of the main religions of the modern world testifies that the dogmas of each of them put at the forefront kindness, non-violence, the desire to protect their followers from vices (do not kill, do not steal, etc.), faith in love for one's neighbor, etc. At the same time Almost from the moment religions appeared, there was intolerance towards non-believers. Intolerance has been the cause of many wars, conflicts, various religious and national persecutions. The intolerance of society is a component of the intolerance of its citizens. Bigotry, stereotypes, racial slurs are concrete examples expressions of intolerance that take place daily in people's lives. This phenomenon only leads to reciprocal intolerance, it forces people who are subject to it to look for ways out, and often such manifestations are aggressive, even cruel acts. The idea of ​​tolerance has a long history. Moses (XII century BC, Middle East): “Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, nor his servant... anything that is thy neighbor's." Confucius (VI-V centuries BC, China): “Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself, then there will be no dissatisfied people either in the state or in the family.” Socrates (V-IV centuries BC, Greece): How many arguments there were, but all were overturned, and only one stands firm: that it is more dangerous to injustice than to endure, and that one should not seem like a good person, but be a good one both in private affairs and in public - and this is the main concern in life. The moral gospel commandments are imbued with universal human values, respect and a sense of compassion for man, without which there can be no tolerance for all living things. The spiritual emancipation of man, along with his economic and political freedom, was defended by the best thinkers of the past, they are preached by the progressive minds of the present.

The most important task today should be to protect people, especially the younger generation, from the negative impact of national and religious extremism. The experience of the historical past must be in demand. The structure of Russia before the October Revolution can serve as an example in many ways. It is important to maintain unity and stability in our multinational state, strengthening peace and harmony. We make the mistake of repeating patterns Western countries when blurred national traditions. The trend towards integration of developed countries reveals that they are corroded from within by the rust of separatism, extremism and terrorism. Countering extremism in Russia is to strengthen national and religious foundations life. The peaceful coexistence of various confessions with the seniority of the Russian state-forming people must be ensured.

The report on religion, summarized in this article, will tell you about the features of the most common religions in the world.

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If we talk about how many religions there are in the world, then this question is quite difficult to answer. The fact is that every day there are more and more new denominations. Not to mention sects. But the main trends can be identified.

• Christianity

Christianity was founded by Jesus Christ. Scientists believe that faith was founded in the distant 1st century BC. She appeared in Palestine. But some argue the following fact: people knew about Christianity even earlier, almost a thousand years before the officially recognized date.

Christians are divided into Orthodox Catholics and Protestants. The postulates of faith determine the existence of God in three guises - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. She preaches faith in saving death, in the phenomenon of reincarnation, evil and good, which is represented by the guises of angels and the devil. Protestants and Catholics believe that after death a person's soul is judged in purgatory. Here it is decided where a person will go: to hell or heaven. Rites are performed with pomp and beauty. Protestants, on the other hand, do not believe in it. They believe that faith in the salvation of the soul alone guarantees entry into heaven. Their ceremonies are not as magnificent as those of Catholics or Orthodox. They believe in sincerity, which is much more important than bombast.

This religious denomination is the most ancient. The history of this religion has more than 2.5 thousand years. India is considered the birthplace of Buddhism, and its founder is Siddhartha Guatama. He independently comprehended the faith and began to share it with others. His teachings formed the basis of the sacred book Tripitaka. Buddhists believe that the main thing in a person's life is good karma, the state of which improves by doing good deeds. Everyone must walk their own path to purification on their own through pain and deprivation.

• Islam

This is the youngest world religion, it appeared only in the 7th century BC. Her homeland is the Arabian Peninsula, inhabited by Greeks and Turks. Islam has a holy book, the Quran. It contains the basic laws of the confession. As in Christianity, there are such directions here: Shiaism, Sunitism and Kharijitism. Sunnis believe in the four caliphs of the Prophet Mohammed and, in addition to the Koran, believe holy book prophet's instructions. Shiites and Kharijites believe that the blood heirs of Mohammed or his close associates can continue the prophetic mission.

Islam recognizes the existence of Allah, the Prophet Mohammed and life after death. Muslims believe that after death a person can be reborn into anything. They without fail pray in the mornings and evenings, repeating prayers 5 times.

• Confucianism

This religious denomination arose in the middle of the 1st millennium BC in China. Its founder is Confucius. Confucianism was a socio-ethical doctrine, and for many centuries it was the state ideology.

• Hinduism

Hinduism is not just a religion, it is a way of life that includes caste division, life principles, norms of behavior, ethical and social values, beliefs, rituals and cults. This belief was brought to India by the Aryan tribes in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC.

We hope that the report on religion helped you find out what religions are and how many there are in the world. And you can leave your message about religion through the comment form below.