Religion: Definition and World Religions

Muslim people praying around the Kaaba in Mecca.

The Hajj

The Hajj is the most ritualistic obligation in Islam and one of the largest Muslim pilgrimages in the world. It takes place once a year across several sacred sites in and around the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia—the birthplace of Islam.

Satanism

Who is Satan? The popular image of Satan is a horned, red, demonic human figure with a pointy tail and sometimes hooves. To Christians, sinners are sent to his domain—hell—after death. Hell is described as an underground world dominated by fire and Sadistic demons under Satan’s command. Satan’s first appearance wasn’t in Christianity. He began […]

Wicca

WHAT IS WICCA? Wicca is considered a modern interpretation of pre-Christian traditions, though some involved claim a direct line to ancient practices. It may be practiced by individuals or members of groups (sometimes known as covens). Wicca also has some commonalities with Druidism in its environmental component, and is considered the inspiration of the goddess […]

Zoroastrianism

Zoroaster The prophet Zoroaster (Zarathrustra in ancient Persian) is regarded as the founder of Zoroastrianism, which is arguably the world’s oldest monotheistic faith. Most of what is known about Zoroaster comes from the Avesta—a collection of Zoroastrian religious scriptures. It’s unclear exactly when Zoroaster may have lived. Some scholars believe he was a contemporary of […]

The Bible

Old Testament The Old Testament is the first section of the Bible, covering the creation of Earth through Noah and the flood, Moses and more, finishing with the Jews being expelled to Babylon. The Bible’s Old Testament is very similar to the Hebrew Bible, which has origins in the ancient religion of Judaism. The exact […]

Islam

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide. Although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it the youngest of the major world religions.

Judaism

Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, founded nearly 4,000 years ago. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets.

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, or Carmel Mission, near Monterey, California, was established in June 1770, one of the largest Franciscan missions built along the California coast during the 18th century.

California Missions

Junipero Serra Although Spain claimed California as its territory in 1542, Spaniards didn’t try to occupy the land until the late 1700s. Around the time of the first missions, Spain had a considerable presence in Mexico. In 1769, the Spanish king ordered land and sea expeditions to depart from Mexico to California. He also sent […]

Mormons

Beliefs Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. was born in Vermont on December 23, 1805. When Smith was 14, he said he received a vision from God and Jesus that told him not to join any Christian denominational churches. Three years later, Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni appeared to him. Moroni revealed that Smith […]

Inquisition

Catharists The Inquisition has its origins in the early organized persecution of non-Catholic Christian religions in Europe. In 1184 Pope Lucius III sent bishops to southern France to track down heretics called Catharists. These efforts continued into the 14th Century. During the same period, the church also pursued the Waldensians in Germany and Northern Italy. […]

A painting from the Hudson River School: "View Towards the Hudson Valley" by Asher Brown

Transcendentalism

The Origins of Transcendentalism Transcendentalism has its origins in New England of the early 1800s and the birth of Unitarianism. It was born from a debate between “New Light” theologians, who believed that religion should focus on an emotional experience, and “Old Light” opponents, who valued reason in their religious approach. These “Old Lights” became […]

Christianity

Christianity Beliefs Some basic Christian concepts include: Who Was Jesus? Most historians believe that Jesus was a real person who was born between 2 B.C. and 7 B.C. Much of what scholars know about Jesus comes from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. According to the text, Jesus was born to a young Jewish […]