Religion is a collection of cultural systems, beliefs, and world views that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. While religion is hard to define, one standard model of religion, used in religious studies courses, was proposed by Clifford Geertz, who simply called it a "cultural system". A critique of Geertz's model by Talal Asad categorized religion as "an anthropological category". Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world.
The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief system", but religion differs from private belief in that it has a public aspect. Most religions have organized behaviors, including clerical hierarchies, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural), and/or religious texts. Certain religions also have a sacred language often used in liturgical services. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerals, marriages, meditation, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religious beliefs have also been used to explain parapsychological phenomena such as out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences and reincarnation, along with many other paranormal experiences.
Some academics studying the subject have divided religions into three broad categories: world religions, a term which refers to transcultural, international faiths; indigenous religions, which refers to smaller, culture-specific or nation-specific religious groups; and new religious movements, which refers to recently developed faiths. One modern academic theory of religion, social constructionism, says that religion is a modern concept that suggests all spiritual practice and worship follows a model similar to the Abrahamic religions as an orientation system that helps to interpret reality and define human beings, and thus religion, as a concept, has been applied inappropriately to non-Western cultures that are not based upon such systems, or in which these systems are a substantially simpler construct.
Abrahamic religions
A group of monotheistic traditions sometimes grouped with one another for comparative purposes, because all refer to a patriarch named Abraham.
Bábism
- Azali
Bahá'à Faith
- Bahá'Ãs Under the Provisions of the Covenant
- Orthodox Bahá'à Faith
Christianity
- Western Christianity
- Anabaptists
- Anglicanism
- Baptists
- Calvinism
- Congregational churches
- Lutheranism
- Members Church of God International
- Methodism
- Moravians
- Nonconformism
- Pentecostalism
- Pietism
- Presbyterianism
- Quakerism
- Shakers
- Waldensians
- Eastern Christianity
- Ancient Church of the East
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Eastern Catholics (In full communion with Rome, but retaining a diverse array of Eastern liturgical rites; including the Maronites and Chaldean Catholics)
- Eastern Orthodox Church (Includes the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, and several other autocephalous churches and Patriarchates)
- Russian Orthodox Old Believers
- Eastern Orthodox Old Calendarists
- Oriental Orthodox (Includes the Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox, as well as a portion of the St. Thomas Christians)
Some of these groups consider themselves to be Christian, or to be derived from Christianity, but they are considered heterodox or heretical by mainstream Christianity. Some of them are no longer extant.
- Arianism
- Christadelphians
- Christian Gnosticism
- Christian Identity
- Christian Science
- Christian Universalism
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Iglesia ni Cristo
- Ebionites (no longer extant)
- Jehovah's Witnesses
- Jesuism
- Latter Day Saint movement
- Millerites
- Nontrinitarianism
- Messianic Judaism
- Marcionism (no longer extant)
- Rastafarianism
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Spiritual Baptists
- Swedenborgianism
- The Aquarian Church
- Unification Church
- Unitarianism (see also Unitarian Universalism)
- Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Gnosticism
Many Gnostic groups were closely related to early Christianity, for example, Valentinism. Irenaeus wrote polemics against them from the standpoint of the then-unified Catholic Church.
- Cerdonians (no longer extant)
- Colarbasians (no longer extant)
- Simonians (no longer extant)
- Bogomilism (no longer extant)
- Catharism (no longer extant)
The Yazidis are a syncretic Kurdish religion with a Gnostic influence:
- Yazidis
- Persian Gnosticism
- Mandaeism
- Manichaeism (no longer extant)
- Bagnolians (no longer extant)
- Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism
None of these religions are still extant.
- Sethianism
- Basilideans
- Valentinianism
- Bardaisan#Bardesanite school
- Neo-Gnostic Groups
- Ecclesia Gnostica
Islam
- Kalam Schools
- Ash'ari
- Maturidi
- Murji'ah
- Mu'tazila
- Kharijite
- Ibadi (Only surviving sect)
- Azraqi
- Haruriyyah
- Sufri
- Shia Islam
- Isma'ilism
- Mustaali / Dawoodi Bohra
- Nizari
- Ja'fari jurisprudence
- Twelver
- Akhbari
- Shaykhism
- Usuli
- Alawites
- Alevism / Bektashi Order
- Twelver
- Zaidiyyah
- Sufism
- Bektashi Order
- Chishti Order
- Mevlevi Order
- Mujaddidiyah
- Naqshbandi
- Jahriyya
- Khufiyya
- Ni'matullÄhÄ«
- Tariqa
- Qadiriyya
- Sufi Order International
- Sufism Reoriented
- Suhrawardiyya
- Tijaniyyah
- Universal Sufism
- Dances of Universal Peace
- Sunni Islam
- Hanafi
- Barelvi
- Deobandi
- Gedimu
- Yihewani
- Xidaotang
- Hanbali
- Maliki
- Shafi'i
- Restorationism
- Ahl al-Hadith
- Salafi movement
- Wahhabism
- Muwahhidism
- Ghair Muqallidism
- Quranism
- Quranism
- Tolu-e-Islam
- United Submitters International
- Black Muslims
- American Society of Muslims
- Five-Percent Nation
- Moorish Orthodox Church of America
- Moorish Science Temple of America
- Nation of Islam
- United Nation of Islam
- Ahmadiyya
- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
- Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam
- Other Islamic groups
- Yarsanism
- Al-Fatiha Foundation
- Canadian Muslim Union
- European Islam
- Ittifaq al-Muslimin
- Jamaat al Muslimeen
- Jadid
- Liberal movements within Islam
- Muslim Canadian Congress
- Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi
- Messiah Foundation International
- Progressive British Muslims
- Progressive Muslim Union
- Mahdavia
Sufi and Shia Sects
- Alevism
- Bektashi Order
- Moorish Orthodox Church of America
Druze
- Rabbinic Judaism
- Orthodox Judaism
- Haredi Judaism
- Hasidic Judaism
- Modern Orthodox Judaism
- Conservative Judaism
- Masorti
- Conservadox Judaism
- Union for Traditional Judaism
- Reform Judaism
- Progressive Judaism
- Liberal Judaism
- Karaite Judaism
- Samaritanism
Samaritans use a slightly different version of the Pentateuch as their Torah, worshiping at Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem, and are possibly the descendants of the lost Northern Kingdom. They are definitely of ancient Israelite origin, but their status as Jews is disputed.
- Falasha or Beta Israel
- Modern Non-Rabbinic Judaism
- Alternative Judaism
- Humanistic Judaism (not always identified as a religion)
- Jewish Renewal
- Reconstructionist Judaism
- Historical groups
Second Temple Judaism
- Essenes
- Pharisees (ancestor of Rabbinic Judaism)
- Sadducees (possible ancestor of Karaite Judaism)
- Zealots (Judea)s
- Sicarii
- Sects that believed Jesus was a prophet
- Ebionites
- Elcesaites
- Nazarenes
- Sabbateans
- Frankism
Black Hebrew Israelites
Rastafari movement
Mandaeans and Sabians
- Mandaeism
- Sabians
- Mandaean Nasaraean Sabeans
- Sabians of Harran
Shabakism
Indian religions
Indian religions are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent; namely Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism and religions and traditions related to, and descended from, them.
Ayyavazhi
Bhakti movement
- Kabir panth
- Ravidassia religion
- Sant Mat
Buddhism
- Nikaya schools (which have historically been incorrectly called Hinayana in the West)
- Theravada
- Sri Lankan Amarapura Nikaya
- Sri Lankan Siam Nikaya
- Sri Lankan Ramañña Nikaya
- Bangladeshi Sangharaj Nikaya
- Bangladeshi Mahasthabir Nikaya
- Burmese Thudhamma Nikaya
- Vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and disciples
- Burmese Shwegyin Nikaya
- Burmese Dwara Nikaya
- Thai Maha Nikaya
- Dhammakaya Movement
- Thai Dhammayuttika Nikaya
- Thai Forest Tradition
- Tradition of Ajahn Chah
- Thai Forest Tradition
- Vipassana movement
- Theravada
- Mahayana
- Humanistic Buddhism
- Madhyamaka
- Prasaá¹…gika
- Svatantrika
- East Asian MÄdhyamaka (Three Treatise school)
- Jonang
- Nichiren Buddhism
- Nichiren Shū
- Nichiren ShÅshÅ«
- Soka Gakkai
- Pure Land Buddhism
- JÅdo-shÅ«
- JÅdo ShinshÅ«
- Buddha-nature
- DaÅ›abhÅ«mikÄ (absorbed into Huayan)
- Huayan school (Avataṃsaka)
- Hwaeom
- Kegon
- Tiantai
- Tendai
- Cheontae
- YogÄcÄra
- East Asian YogÄcÄra
- Chan Buddhism
- Caodong school
- Zen
- SÅtÅ
- Keizan line
- Jakuen line
- Giin line
- SÅtÅ
- Linji school
- Rinzai school
- ÅŒbaku
- Fuke-shū
- Won Buddhism
- Kwan Um School of Zen
- Sanbo Kyodan
- Vajrayana
- Shingon Buddhism
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Bon
- Gelug
- Kagyu
- Dagpo Kagyu
- Karma Kagyu
- Barom Kagyu
- Drukpa Lineage
- Shangpa Kagyu
- Dagpo Kagyu
- Nyingma
- Sakya
- Jonang
- New Buddhist movements
- Shambhala Buddhism
- Diamond Way Buddhism
- Triratna Buddhist Community
- New Kadampa Tradition
- Share International
- True Buddha School
- Nipponzan-MyÅhÅji-Daisanga
- The Osho or Rajneesh movement
- Global Variants of Buddhism
- Buddhism in the United States
Din-e Ilahi
- Din-e Ilahi
Hinduism
- Swaminarayan
- Shrauta
- Lingayatism
- Shaivism
- Shaktism
- Tantrism
- Ananda Marga
- Smartism
- Vaishnavism
- Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- International Society for Krishna Consciousness
- Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- Hindu reform movements
- Arya Samaj
- Brahmo Samaj
- Ramakrishna Mission
- Satya Dharma
- Satsang of Thakur Anukulchandra
- Matua Mahasangha
- Hinduism in Indonesia
- Major schools and movements of Hindu philosophy
- Nyaya
- Purva mimamsa
- Samkhya
- Vaisheshika
- Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa)
- Advaita Vedanta
- Integral Yoga
- Vishishtadvaita
- Dvaita Vedanta
- Yoga
- Ashtanga Yoga
- Bhakti Yoga
- Raja yoga
- Karma yoga
- Jnana yoga
- Kundalini yoga
- Hatha yoga
- Siddha Yoga
- Surat Shabd Yoga
- Tantric Yoga
- Sahaja Yoga
Jainism
- Digambara
- Bispanthi
- Digambar Terapanth
- Kanji Panth
- Panth of Kanji Swami
- ÅšvÄ"tÄmbara
- Murtipujaka (Deravasi)
- SthÄnakavÄsÄ«
- Svetambar Terapanth
Meivazhi
- Meivazhi
Sikhism
- Khalsa
- Nihang
- Namdhari ("Kuka Sikhs")
- Ravidassia religion
- Sahajdhari
Iranian religions
Zoroastrianism
- Zurvanism
- Mazdakism
- Khurramites (syncretism with Shi'a Islam)
- Behafaridians
Gnostic religions
- Mandaeism
- Manichaeism
- Mithraism
Bábà movement
- Bábism
- Bahá'à Faith
- Azali
Yazdânism
- Alevi (this is contested; most Alevi consider themselves to be Shia or Sufi Muslims, but a minority adhere to the Yazdani interpretation)
- Yarsani
- Yazidi
East Asian religions
Confucianism
- Neo-Confucianism
- New Confucianism
Shinto
- KoshintÅ
- ShugendÅ
- Yoshida ShintÅ
Shinto-inspired religions
- Konkokyo
- Oomoto
- Seicho-no-Ie
- Shinmeiaishinkai
- Tenrikyo
- Zenrinkyo
Taoism
- Way of the Five Pecks of Rice
- Way of the Celestial Masters
- Zhengyi Dao ("Way of the Right Oneness")
- Way of the Celestial Masters
- Taipingjing-based movements
- Shangqing School ("School of the Highest Clarity")
- Lingbao School ("School of the Numinous Treasure")
- Quanzhen School ("Way of the Fulfilled Virtue")
- Dragon Gate Taoism
- Wuliupai ("School of Wu-Liu")
- Yao Taoism (Meishanism)
- Faism (Redhead Taoism)
- Xuanxue (Neo-Taoism)
Contemporary Taoism-inspired religions
- Yiguandao
- Dudeism
- Zenarchy (Kerry Wendell Thornley)
Other
Chinese
- Chan Buddhism
- Chinese folk religion
- Falun Gong
- Yiguandao (I Kuan-Tao)
- Mohism
- Xiantiandao
Korean
- Cheondoism
- Daejongism
- Daesun Jinrihoe
- Gasin faith
- Jeung San Do
- Juche
- Korean shamanism
- Suwunism
Vietnamese
- Cao ÄÃ i
- Äạo Bá»u SÆ¡n Kỳ HÆ°Æ¡ng
- Äạo Dừa
- Äạo Mẫu
- Hòa Hảo
African diasporic religions
African diasporic religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants in various countries of the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, as well as parts of the southern United States. They derive from African traditional religions, especially of West and Central Africa, showing similarities to the Yoruba religion in particular.
- Batuque
- Candomblé
- Dahomey mythology
- Haitian mythology
- Kumina
- Macumba
- Mami Wata
- Obeah
- Oyotunji
- Palo
- Quimbanda
- SanterÃa (Lukumi)
- Umbanda
- Vodou
Indigenous traditional religions
Traditionally, these faiths have all been classified "Pagan", but scholars prefer the terms "indigenous/primal/folk/ethnic religions".
African
- West Africa
- Akan mythology
- Ashanti mythology (Ghana)
- Dahomey (Fon) mythology
- Efik mythology (Nigeria, Cameroon)
- Igbo mythology (Nigeria, Cameroon)
- Isoko mythology (Nigeria)
- Yoruba mythology (Nigeria, Benin)
- Central Africa
- Bushongo mythology (Congo)
- Bambuti (Pygmy) mythology (Congo)
- Lugbara mythology (Congo)
- East Africa
- Akamba mythology (East Kenya)
- Dinka mythology (Sudan)
- Lotuko mythology (Sudan)
- Masai mythology (Kenya, Tanzania)
- Southern Africa
- Khoisan religion
- Lozi mythology (Zambia)
- Tumbuka mythology (Malawi)
- Zulu mythology (South Africa)
American
- Abenaki mythology
- Anishinaabe
- Aztec mythology
- Blackfoot mythology
- Cherokee mythology
- Chickasaw mythology
- Choctaw mythology
- Creek mythology
- Crow mythology
- Ghost Dance
- Guarani mythology
- Haida mythology
- Ho-Chunk mythology (aka: Winnebago)
- Hopi mythology
- Inca mythology
- Indian Shaker Church
- Inuit mythology
- Iroquois mythology
- Keetoowah Nighthawk Society
- Kuksu
- Kwakiutl mythology
- Lakota mythology
- Leni Lenape mythology
- Longhouse religion
- Mapuche mythology
- Maya mythology
- Midewiwin
- Miwok
- Native American Church
- Navajo mythology
- Nootka mythology
- Ohlone mythology
- Olmec mythology
- Pomo mythology
- Pawnee mythology
- Salish mythology
- Selk'nam religion
- Seneca mythology
- Southeastern Ceremonial Complex
- Sun Dance
- Tsimshian mythology
- Urarina
- Ute mythology
- Wyandot religion
- Zuni mythology
Eurasian
- Asian
- Benzhuism (indigenous religion of the Bai people)
- Bimoism (indigenous religion of the Yi people)
- Bon (indigenous religion of Tibet)
- Chinese mythology
- Japanese mythology
- Korean shamanism
- KoshintÅ
- Manchu Shamanism
- Mun (Lepcha)
- Siberian Shamanism
- Tengrism
- Ua Dab (indigenous religion of the Hmong people)
- Vietnamese folk religion
- European
- Asatru
- Estonian mythology
- Eskimo religion
- Finnish mythology and Finnish paganism
- Marla faith
- Odinism
- Romuva
- Hungarian folk religion
- Sami religion (including the Noaidi)
- Wotanism
Oceania/Pacific
- Australian Aboriginal mythology
- Austronesian beliefs
- Balinese mythology
- Javanese beliefs
- Melanesian mythology
- Micronesian mythology
- Modekngei
- Nauruan indigenous religion
- Philippine mythology
- Anito
- Gabâ
- Kulam
- Polynesian mythology
- Hawaiian mythology
- MÄori mythology
- MÄori religion
- Rapa Nui mythology
- Moai
- Tangata manu
Cargo cults
- John Frum
- Johnson cult
- Prince Philip Movement
- Vailala Madness
Historical polytheism
Ancient Near Eastern
- Ancient Egyptian religion
- Ancient Semitic religions
- Canaanite mythology
- Canaanite religion
- Canaanite mythology
- Mesopotamian mythology
- Arabian mythology (pre-Islamic)
- Babylonian and Assyrian religion
- Babylonian mythology
- Chaldean mythology
- Sumerian mythology
Indo-European
- Proto-Indo-Iranian religion
- Historical Vedic religion
- Iranian mythology
- Armenian mythology
- Baltic polytheism
- Celtic polytheism
- Brythonic mythology
- Gaelic mythology
- Germanic polytheism
- Anglo-Saxon religion
- Continental Germanic religion
- Norse religion
- Greek polytheism
- Hittite mythology
- Persian mythology
- Roman polytheism
- Slavic polytheism
Hellenistic
- Mystery religions
- Eleusinian Mysteries
- Mithraism
- Orphism
- Pythagoreanism
- Gallo-Roman religion
Uralic
- Estonian polytheism
- Finnish polytheism
- Hungarian polytheism
Mysticism and occult
Esotericism and mysticism
- Hindu mysticism
- Tantra
- Vaastu Shastra
- Kabbalah
- Moorish Science Temple of America
- Moorish Orthodox Church of America
- Neoplatonism
- Melanin Spirituality
- Pythagoreanism
- Neopythagoreanism
- Sufism
- Theosophy
Western mystery tradition
- Hermeticism
- Builders of the Adytum
- Fraternitas Saturni
- Fraternity of the Inner Light
- Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
- The Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn
- Ordo Aurum Solis
- Rosicrucian
- Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
- Rosicrucian Fellowship
- Servants of the Light
Thelema
- A∴A∴
- Ordo Templi Orientis
- Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.)
- Typhonian Order
Christian mysticism and esotericism
- Anthroposophy
- Archeosophical Society
- Behmenism
- Christian Kabbalah
- Martinism
Occult and magic
- Alchemy
- Ceremonial magic
- Enochian magic
- Goetic magic
- Chaos magic
- Illuminates of Thanateros
- Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth
- Hoodoo (Rootwork)
- New Orleans Voodoo
- Kulam - Filipino witchcraft
- Pow-wow
- Seiðr - Norse sorcery
- Magick (Thelema)
- Witchcraft
Modern Paganism
Syncretic
- Adonism
- Church of All Worlds
- Church of Aphrodite
- Feraferia
- Neo-Druidism
- Reformed Druids of North America
- Neoshamanism
- Neo-völkisch movements
- Technopaganism
- Wicca
- British Traditional Wicca
- Gardnerian Wicca
- Alexandrian Wicca
- Central Valley Wicca
- Algard Wicca
- Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca
- Blue Star Wicca
- Eclectic Wicca
- Celtic Wicca
- Saxon Wicca
- Dianic Wicca
- McFarland Dianic Wicca
- Faery Wicca
- Correllian Nativist Tradition
- Georgian Wicca
- Odyssean Wicca
- Wiccan church
- Covenant of the Goddess
- British Traditional Wicca
Ethnic
- Armenian Neopaganism
- Baltic Neopaganism
- Celtic Neopaganism
- Finnish Neopaganism
- Germanic Neopaganism
- Hellenismos
- Kemetism
- Roman Neopaganism
- Semitic Neopaganism
- Slavic Neopaganism
- Taaraism
- Zalmoxianism
New religious movements
- Creativity
- Huna
- Native American Church
- Raëlism
- Scientology
- Unitarian Universalist
New Thought
- Christian Science
- Church Universal and Triumphant
- Divine Science
- Religious Science
- Unity Church
- Jewish Science
- Seicho-no-Ie
Shinshukyo
- Church of World Messianity
- Happy Science
- Konkokyo
- Oomoto
- PL Kyodan
- Seicho-No-Ie
- Tenrikyo
Left-hand path religions
- Satanism
- LaVeyan Satanism
- Theistic Satanism
- Our Lady of Endor Coven (or Ophite Cultus Satanas)
- Demonolatry
- Luciferianism
- Setianism (Temple of Set)
Post-theistic and naturalistic religions
- Discordianism
- Ethical Culture
- Some forms of freethought (e.g. North Texas Church of Freethought)
- Jesusism
- Naturalistic Pantheism (e.g. World Pantheist Movement)
- Yoism
Fictional religions
Parody or mock religions
- Church of Euthanasia
- Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Pastafarianism)
- Church of the SubGenius
- Dudeism
- Iglesia Maradoniana
- Invisible Pink Unicorn
- Jediism
- Kibology
- Landover Baptist Church
- Last Thursdayism
Others
- Cult of the Supreme Being
- Deism
- Eckankar
- Fourth Way
- Goddess movement
- Humanism
- The New Message from God
- Nuwaubian Nation
- Open-source religion
- Plurationalism
- Spiritism (Spiritualism)
- Subud
- Universal Life Church
Other categorisations
By demographics
- List of religious populations
By area
- Religion in Africa
- Religion in Asia
- Religion in Australia
- Religion in Europe
- Religion in North America
- Oceania / Pacific
- Religion in South America
- Religion by country
- List of state-established religions
- Buddhism by country
- Christianity by country
- Roman Catholicism by country
- Protestantism by country
- Hinduism by country
- Islam by country
- Ahmadiyya by country
- Judaism by country, Jewish population
- Sikhism by country
See also
- Civil religion
- List of Catholic rites and churches
- List of religious organizations
- Lists of people by belief
- Mythology
- Religious fundamentalism
- Shamanism
- Totemism
- Western esotericism
References
External links
- Patheos World Religions library
- Statistics on religious belief or adherence
- BBC.co.uk section on major world religions