- "Religion is a range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements."
The belief in and worship of a supernatural controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
Religious Studies: A multidisciplinary field of study that explores the beliefs, practices, and historical and cultural contexts of various religions.
Theology: The study of the nature of God or gods, the relationship between God and the world, and the beliefs and practices of a particular religion.
Comparative Religion: The study of similarities and differences between different religions, with emphasis on the major religions of the world.
Eastern Religions: A group of religions and spiritual practices originating in Asia, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto.
Western Religions: A group of religions and spiritual practices originating in Europe and the Americas, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and indigenous religions.
Mythology: The study of myths and legends associated with a particular religion or culture, often providing insight into their worldview, culture, and ethics.
Ethics and Morality: The principles and values that govern human behavior, often influenced by religion.
Sacred Texts: The religious texts, scriptures, or holy books that guide the beliefs and practices of a particular religion.
Rituals and Ceremonies: The recurring practices and actions that are performed in the context of religious worship or celebration.
Beliefs and Doctrines: The fundamental beliefs, teachings, and tenets of a particular religion.
Spirituality: The subjective experience of an individual's relationship with the divine or the sacred, often defined by personal beliefs and practices.
Mysticism: The methods and practices used to achieve an individual's mystical or transcendent experience of the divine or the sacred.
Contemplative Practices: The practices used to cultivate a sense of mindfulness, self-awareness, and inner peace, often associated with meditation, prayer, or other spiritual practices.
Secularism: The rejection of religious beliefs and the strict separation of religion and state.
Atheism: The absence of belief in the existence of deities or gods.
Christianity: A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as described in the Bible.
Islam: A monotheistic religion based on the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the Quran.
Judaism: A monotheistic religion based on the belief in one God and the Hebrew Bible.
Hinduism: A complex religion with diverse beliefs, practices, and traditions originating from India.
Buddhism: A nontheistic religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha.
Sikhism: A monotheistic religion founded in India, emphasizing the importance of meditation and selfless service.
Shintoism: An animistic religion native to Japan, emphasizing the importance of nature, ancestors, and community.
Taoism: A Chinese philosophy and religion emphasizing the importance of harmony, balance, and the natural order.
Confucianism: A Chinese philosophy and religion based on the teachings of Confucius, emphasizing social harmony, ethics, and education.
Jainism: An Indian religion emphasizing the importance of nonviolence, self-discipline, and compassion towards all living beings.
- "Although there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion."
- "Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, or public service."
- "Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred texts, symbols, and holy places, that primarily aim to give life meaning."
- "Religions may contain symbolic tales that may attempt to explain the origin of life, the universe, and other phenomena; some followers believe these to be true stories."
- "Four religions—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—account for over 77% of the world's population."
- "92% of the world either follows one of those four religions or identifies as nonreligious."
- "The religiously unaffiliated demographic includes those who do not identify with any particular religion, atheists, and agnostics, although many in the demographic still have various religious beliefs."
- "A portion of the world's population, mostly located in Africa and Asia, are members of new religious movements."
- "The study of religion comprises a wide variety of academic disciplines, including theology, philosophy of religion, comparative religion, and social scientific studies."
- "Most definitively including the Abrahamic religions Christianity, Islam, and Judaism."
- "Nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings."
- "Traditionally, both faith and reason have been considered sources of religious beliefs."
- "Scholars have indicated that global religiosity may be increasing due to religious countries having generally higher birth rates."
- "Both faith and reason have been considered sources of religious beliefs."
- "Religious practices may include rituals, commemorations or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, matrimonial and funerary services..."
- "Although there is an estimated 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, nearly all of them have regionally based, relatively small followings."
- "Religion is a range of social-cultural systems that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements."
- "Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the divine, sacredness, faith, and a supernatural being or beings."
- "Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred texts, symbols, and holy places."