6 major religions in the world: 6 Major World Religions

6 Major World Religions

6 MAJOR
WORLD RELIGIONS
Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism

INDIAN RELIGIONS
 Buddhism (not much in India any more, but has its origins on the
Indian Subcontinent)
 Hinduism

EAST ASIAN RELIGION
 Taoism (a major component of what is called “Chinese Traditional
religions). Confucianism is also in this category, but smaller)

ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS
 Christianity
 Islam
 Judaism

FOUNDERS
 Founding person of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama (about 550
BCE)
 Founding person of Hindu is . . . There is no founder. This is possibly
the world’s oldest religion. We don’t know when it started, or who started
it (2,000 BCE?)
 Founding person of Taoism (Daoism) is Lao Tse (Laozi). It’s not
known whether he is the actual founder, but it is attributed to him (about
580 BCE))

FOUNDERS
CONTINUED
 Founding person of Christianity is Jesus Christ (1st century CE)
 Founding person of Islam is Muhammad (580 CE)
 Founding person of Judaism is Abraham (about 1500 BCE)

SUPREME BEING
 The Supreme Being of Buddhism is .

. . There is no supreme
being. This is all about bettering yourself.
 The Supreme Being of Hinduism is Brahma, who has two avatars:
Vishnu and Shiva (together a trinity)
 The Supreme Being of Taoism is . . . There isn’t one. There are
deities, but one isn’t over another. The important thing here is
nature’s energy rather than a supreme being.

SUPREME BEING
CONTINUED
 The Supreme Being in Christianity is God
 The Supreme Being in Islam is God (Allah)
 The Supreme Being in Judaism is God (Elohim)

HOLY SITES
 The holiest place in Buddhism is wherever you worship. However
important Buddha history places are also important cities (Buddha’s
birthplace, burial place, where he received enlightenment, etc.)
 The holiest site in Hinduism is . . . There are 7 holy cities, 4 holy
sites, 3 holy rivers
 The holiest sites in Taoism are mountains where important
temples are

HOLY SITES
 Holy sites in Christianity include Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Golgotha,
and the Sea of Galilee (places associated with Jesus Christ)
 Holy sites in Islam include Mecca, Medina, and The Dome of the
Rock (on Temple Mount in Jerusalem)—all places associated with
Mohammed the Prophet
 Holy sites in Judaism include Temple Mount, the Wailing Wall (on
Temple Mount), Mount Sinai, Tomb of the Patriarchs

SACRED WRITINGS
 Sacred writings of Buddhists are the Tripitaka.

This means “3
Baskets” because it was originally written on long leaves and stored in
baskets.
 Sacred writings of Hinduism are the Vedas. There are 4 of them:
Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda
 Sacred writings of Taoism is the Tao te Ching

SACRED WRITINGS
CONTINUED
 Sacred writings of Christianity is the Bible, which includes the Old
Testament and the New Testament
 Sacred writings of Islam is the Quran, also spelled Koran
 Sacred writings of Judaism is the Torah, which includes the first 5
books of the Old Testament; also important is the Talmud, which is
writings about the Torah

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Buddhism—Nepal

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Hinduism—India

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Taoism—China

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Christianity—Israel

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Islam—Mecca

WHERE ORIGINATED?
 Judaism—Israel

DIFFUSED WHERE?

NUMBERS
 Buddhists—375 million to 1.

2 billion
 Hindus—1 billion
 Taoists—(Chinese Traditional) 394 million
 Christians—2.1 billion
 Muslims—1.5 billion
 Jews—14 million

M A J O R B E L I E F S — — BU D D H I S M
 4 Noble Truths:
•
•
•
•
Life has a lot of suffering
The cause of suffering is greed and selfishness
There is an end to suffering
The way to end suffering is following the middle way through the 8fold path (right viewpoint, right attitude, right speech, right action,
right work, right effort, right mindfulness, right meditation)

MAJOR BELIEFS —HINDUISM
 Karma—the law of cause and effect
 Reincarnation until Moshka (liberation from cycle of rebirth) is
attained
 All life is sacred
 No religion teaches the only way to salvation—all religions are
paths to God’s light and love, and all religions ought to be tolerated
and understood

MAJOR BELIEFS—TAOISM
 Live in harmony with the Tao—or the way
 If you do this, you will free your soul and become one of the
immortals
 Don’t lie, steal, murder, commit adultery, or drink alcohol
 Obey your elders, love your parents, be tolerant, love others, be in
good physical and mental shape, practice control of your mind and
body, act selflessly

MAJOR BELIEFS—CHRISTIANITY
 Jesus Christ is the Son of God
 Love God
 Love your neighbor as yourself
 Follow the 10 commandments
 Faith and Grace
 Baptism

MAJOR BELIEFS—ISLAM
 There is no god but One God (Allah) and Muhammad is his
prophet
 Pray 5 times a day (facing the direction of Mecca)
 Pay an alms tax—2.

5% of one’s wealth to the poor and needy
 Fast during daylight hours during the 9th month of the Islamic
lunar calendar (Ramadan)
 Go on a pilgrimage to Mecca once in your lifetime

MAJOR BELIEFS —JUDAISM
 The 10 commandments—worship no other God, no graven
images, don’t misuse the name of God, observe the Sabbath day
(Saturday), respect your parents, don’t murder, commit adultery, or
steal, don’t accuse anyone falsely or tell lies, don’t envy others’
possessions.

S Y M B O L O F FA I T H — — BU D D H I S M

S Y M B O L O F FA I T H — — H I N D U I S M

SYMBOL OF FAITH —TAOISM

S Y M B O L O F FA I T H — — C H R I S T I A N I T Y

SYMBOL OF FAITH —ISLAM

S Y M B O L O F FA I T H — — J U DA I S M

World Religions: Definition & Timeline

There’s nothing more human than believing in divine power, following a set of belief systems, and devoting our lives to them. Despite our differences, something that unites many humans worldwide is our attraction to religiosity and faith.

As sociologists, it’s essential that we understand and study world religions, as religion is a massive driving force for people’s beliefs and behaviors. In this explanation, we’ll look at the core principles and beliefs of major world religions.

• First, we’ll go over a summary of the different religions in the world.
• Next, we’ll look at Christianity as the biggest religion in the world and go over some key features. This will also involve studying what an Abrahamic religion is.
• We’ll study Islam as one of the most popular religions in the world and also look at its key features.
• We’ll look at facts about Hinduism as the oldest religion in the world before considering Buddhism and its teachings.
• Next, we’ll look at the key features of the last two major world religions of Sikhism and Judaism.
• Lastly, we will briefly study the common origins of other world religions, Confucianism, Taoism and Jainism.

Let’s get started!

What are the Different Religions in the World?

With so many different religions in the world all holding varying core principles, it’s crucial to consider religions by categories. Let’s briefly consider the six major world religions.

Six Major World Religions

These are the six major world religions, in order of size:

1. Christianity

2. Islam

3. Hinduism

4. Buddhism

5. Sikhism

6. Judaism

We’ll look at the core principles and beliefs of each of these religions and consider some other minor religions too.

Christianity as the Biggest Religion in the World

Christianity is the biggest religion in the world, with over 2.2 billion followers. As one of the three Abrahamic religions, it started 2,000 years ago in modern-day Palestine.

Although it is a monotheistic (belief in a singular divine power), religion, Christianity often represents its God through the Holy Trinity, consisting of the father (God), the son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit refers to the presence and experience of religion and sacredness in their lives.

What is an Abrahamic Religion?

An Abrahamic religion is part of a group of monotheistic religions that believe in the prophet Abraham as their forefather.

The three Abrahamic religions are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. For Christians, Abraham is «a father in faith,» for Muslims (who refer to Abraham as Ibrahim), Ibrahim is one of the prophets and the first Muslim. For Jewish people, Abraham is considered a highly respected ancestor of the Israelites, to whom God promised many things.

Abrahamic religions have numerous other features in common, such as the fact that all three recognize prophets (although their roles are interpreted differently by each religion) and a foundation in divinity rather than philosophical musings. In addition, all three religions rely on sacred scriptures to find the word of God and believe that a messiah, the son of God, will come back to save God’s followers.

A key difference between the three, however, is that while Christians believe this messiah has already appeared as Jesus Christ, Muslims and Jewish people disagree that Jesus is the son of God and claim that the messiah has not yet arrived.

Variations of Christianity

Due to a religious revolution called the Reformation in 16th-century Europe, Western Christianity became divided into Roman Catholics and Protestants. The division resulted in large-scale wars in many European countries, and many still maintain their differences.

Some differences between Catholics and Protestants include their perspective on worship. Catholics believe in the Pope as the head of the church and follow the rules of the Catholic Church, while Protestants focus mainly on religious scripture for guidance.

Variations in Christian Sacred Texts

Although Christians’ sacred text is the Holy Bible, different groups within Christianity have differing relationships with holy scripture.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as Mormons) is a Christian sect with headquarters in Utah, USA, but with members worldwide. According to Mormons, the Book of Mormon outlines further details about Christianity and the life of Jesus that is not in the Bible; therefore, they use this book simultaneously.

In addition, the Catholic Bible contains the Apocrypha, which is no longer in the Protestant Bible.

Christian Denominations

Variations within Christianity include variations in denominations. A denomination is a branch of Christianity, typically considered a ‘halfway’ point between a church and a sect. Below are some Protestant Christian denominations in the US:

Below are some Catholic denominations in the US:

• Mormons

• Orthodox Christian

• Jehovah’s Witness

Generally, a denomination refers to a group within a religion. Denominations exist in many other religions.

Fig. 1 — Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are Abrahamic religions.

Islam: One of the Most Popular Religions in the World

As part of the Abrahamic religion group, Islam is one of the most popular religions in the world and the fastest-growing. It is also monotheistic, and its believers follow prophet Muhammad’s teachings.

Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 C.E. in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He is not a divine being himself but is considered to be the messenger of God (called Allah in Arabic). Worldwide, Islam has around 1.8 billion followers.

Beliefs of Islam

The five pillars of Islam guide all Muslims toward basic beliefs, practices, and duties. Adhering to these five pillars is the duty of Muslims to live a good and devoted life. These pillars are:

1. Shahadah — a declaration of faith and the belief that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his prophet and messenger of God

2. Salah — a duty to engage in daily prayer five times a day once Muslims have reached puberty and/or can do so

3. Zakat — the practice of charity and generosity for those in poverty

4. Sawm — the duty to fast during the holy period of Ramadan to encourage self-discipline

5. Hajj — the duty to make a holy pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, as long as they can do so

Islamic Sacred Text

The Islamic sacred text is the holy Qur’an, which contains the teachings of Allah as conveyed to the prophet Muhammad. Due to this, the Qur’an contains the direct word of God, and the word itself means ‘recitation’.

Another vital source of knowledge for Muslims is the Sunnah, a collection of the prophet Muhammad’s practices and a model for ideal Muslim behavior. Muslims use the prophet’s example and follow his words and movements during prayer.

Lastly, there are texts called Hadiths that are also sources of knowledge for Muslims. However, they are not as authoritative as the Qur’an as they are not direct words of God but rather teachings inspired by God. The two types of Hadiths are sacred (holy sayings from God which aren’t in the Qur’an) and prophetic (sayings of wisdom by the prophet).

Variations of Islam

While all Muslims believe and follow the five pillars above, there are differences among Muslims due to the two major denominations, Sunni and Shi’a. The majority of Muslims belong to the Sunni denomination.

The division stems from differing claims to succession to the prophet Muhammad after his demise. Sunnis believe that the prophet’s dearest companion, Abu-Bakr, should be the next leader of the Muslims — on the other hand, Shi’as believe that the prophet’s son-in-law Ali should take on this role.

Hinduism and World Religions: Facts About the Oldest Religion in the World

Below we’ll go over some characteristics and facts about Hinduism, the oldest religion in the world.

Hinduism emerged 4,500 years ago in (as it was then known) the Indus River Valley, the land of which is now northwest India and Pakistan. Although separate from them, Hinduism originated in conjunction with ancient civilizations and cultures, such as the Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies.

Hinduism has around 1 billion believers; many reside in the South Asian subcontinent, but millions worldwide follow the faith. As a result, it is the third-largest religion in the world.

Beliefs of Hinduism

Hindus believe in an ultimate reality, which is the origin of all life in this universe and the foundation for our existence and reality. This ultimate reality is called Brahman.

The most important forms of Brahman are the three incarnations (embodiments), called Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Together, they are known as the Trimurti, which means ‘three forms’ in the ancient language of Sanskrit. The word murti means an image or representation.

• Brahma is the creator God by whom the universe was brought into existence.

• Vishnu is the preserver of God and is seen as a symbol of enlightenment. Vishnu is highly worshiped by many Hindus and is seen as a powerful entity.

• Lastly, Shiva is the destroyer of God and is also powerful.

Some temples dedicate themselves to specific entities, but they are known to be a triad.

Be careful not to confuse Brahman (ultimate reality) with Brahma (creator God)!

Sacred Texts of Hinduism

Hindu sacred texts consist of The Vedas, ancient religious scriptures containing rituals, hymns, and the basis of truth. The Vedas are split into four parts — the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda, and the Atharvaveda — each outlining core principles, beliefs, and rituals.

The Atharvaveda contains spells to ward off enemies, evil spirits, and illnesses.

Other sacred Hindu texts include the Bhagavad Gita (an account of war) and the Ramayana (a tale about a prince rescuing his wife from a demon with the help of Hanuman, the monkey God). Such texts outline various aspects of Hinduism, such as the triumph of good over evil and fulfilling duties.

Reincarnation in Hinduism

Reincarnation is one of the first things that comes to mind when people think of Hinduism and refers to the spiritual process of souls moving through different bodies or forms based on karma.

Life is a cycle characterized by birth, karma, death, and rebirth. Upon death, someone’s soul will be reborn and reincarnated into a different body (including that of a plant or animal). Which body the soul reincarnates into depends on whether the previous body had good or bad karma. It helps to think of one soul that goes on many journeys in different bodies.

To achieve freedom from this cycle is called moksha, meaning liberation. Moksha is the ultimate goal for a Hindu’s soul, which can be achieved by building up good karma over several lifetimes. Once a soul achieves moksha, it does not reincarnate into another body but instead rejoins Brahman.

Buddhism: Teachings and Enlightenment

Buddhism emerged around 2,500 years ago in India, founded by Siddhārtha Gautama. Worldwide it has around 470 million believers, thus making Buddhism a major world religion.

Enlightenment in Buddhism

Siddhārtha Gautama was the royal heir to a king and queen and was given numerous luxuries growing up. On a trip to the outside world, Siddhārtha saw how much suffering there is in the world — specifically, he was exposed to old age, sickness, and death.

Following this, he left his family to live a life of spirituality and poverty. When he was 35, he meditated under a fig tree and did not get up until he attained nirvana (enlightenment). He became known as the Buddha, which means ‘the enlightened one,’ as he had not only discovered the answer to why humans suffer but also how to be released from it.

Teachings of the Buddha

Buddha’s teachings come in the form of the Four Noble Truths, which are outlined below.

1. Life is dukkha (suffering).

2. Suffering is caused by attachment, desires, and ignorance: we always want endless material pleasures that cannot be satisfied and are ignorant of the world.

3. Suffering ends when our attachments, cravings, and ignorance ends. One must look to the fourth truth to understand how to do this.

4. For liberation from suffering, we should follow the «middle way».

What is the Middle Way?

The Middle Way is a crucial concept in Buddhist thinking, and it encourages mindfulness, living in the present, and rejecting extreme thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and lifestyles. The Buddha advocated a balanced and moderate lifestyle and emotional state through meditation.

The Middle Way is one part of the Eight-Fold Path, which is also known as the Wheel of Dhamma. The other seven tenets of the Eight-Fold path list other principles and practices to achieve liberation from suffering.

Fig. 2 — Buddha not only discovered the answer to why humans suffer but also how to be released from it.

Sikhism: Virtues and God-centered Living

In comparison to the other religions, Sikhism is a relatively new religion established around 500 years ago in Punjab, which is now part of both India and Pakistan today. Sikhism has around 25 million followers worldwide.

Teachings of Sikhism

Sikhism is based on the teachings of Guru (teacher) Nanak, who founded the religion along with nine other Sikh Gurus following his path. Believers of Sikhism are called Sikhs.

Sikhs believe that people should develop particular virtues to help them increase good karma and eventually achieve Mukti (liberation) at death, which is when they are reunited with God (Waheguru). All living beings have souls that are part of the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation.

To show off your knowledge, you can make a comparison with Hinduism here.

To break free from this cycle and achieve Mukti, Sikhs should lead a God-centered and not man-centered life. This means they should:

• accept God’s love and focus on God all the time

• do Nam Japna — meditating on God’s name

• Kirat Karna — making an honest living

• Wand Chakna — being charitable and helping those in need

• Seva — being selfless and serving others

If they do this, they will develop positive virtues such as truthful living, compassion, love, wisdom, humility, self-control, patience, and contentment.

Sacred Text of Sikhism

Sikhism’s holy text is called the Guru Granth Sahib, which is an amalgamation of teachings from all ten gurus, as well as input from saints from other religions. It is considered to be the word of God.

If you remember from above, the word Guru means ‘teacher.’ Why is a book referred to as a teacher?

This is because the holy book is seen as a teacher guiding Sikhs after the death of the tenth Guru, called Guru Gobind Singh, after whom there were no more living Gurus.

Judaism: Denominations and Sacred Texts

Judaism, the final Abrahamic religion, emerged around 4,000 years ago in the Middle East when God gave the prophet Abraham a vision. He was considered the first to make a covenant (promise) with God.

In the 13th century B.C.E, the nomadic society of Jewish people had a mass departure from Egypt led by Moses — this event is called the Exodus. It is celebrated each year during the Jewish festival of Passover. During the Exodus, Moses was given rules to follow by God, and these include the Ten Commandments. It was then that Moses became an essential prophet for Judaism.

After the Exodus, the society became monotheistic and made a covenant to worship only one God, whom they call Yahweh.

Denominations and Beliefs of Judaism

Many Jewish beliefs are informed by which denomination a Jewish person belongs to. The two main denominations are the Traditional (or Orthodox) and Progressive (or Reform) groups. Let’s look at some differences between the groups.

Traditional or Orthodox Judaism

• The rules given to Jewish people by God must be followed and cannot change.

• Prayers should always be read in Hebrew, the ancient language of the Jewish people.

• In synagogues, men and women shouldn’t sit alongside each other.

• The rules of Shabbat (the Jewish holy day) should be followed strictly, e.g., on this day, no phones should be used.

• Women can’t be rabbis, only men can. Rabbis are Jewish leaders and teachers in synagogues.

• Food laws are followed strictly, such as not using the same pots for cooking meat and dairy.

Progressive or Reform Judaism

• The rules don’t have to be followed strictly, and they can be changed.

• Prayers can be read in other languages.

• Men and women can sit alongside each other in synagogues.

• The Shabbat rules are not followed as stringently, e.g., phones can be used.

• Women can become rabbis if they wish to.

• Food laws don’t have to be strictly abided by.

Sacred Texts of Judaism

Jewish sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible or the Tanakh. ‘Tanakh’ is an acronym from the first letters of the different sections of the book.

• (T) The Torah makes up the first five books of the Tanakh and is also used in the Christian Bible, known as the Old Testament. It has over 600 commandments, known as the mitzvah, and all Jewish people must follow them. Out of these, the Ten Commandments received by Moses are the most important.

• (N) The Nevi’im contains the teachings of Jewish prophets.

• (K) Ketuvim is a collection of other significant writings.

Jewish rules are not only contained in writing but also in oral law called the Talmud. The Talmud expands on the written laws.

Symbols of World Religions

You might recognize some or all of the symbols of world religions below. Starting from the top and moving clockwise, the symbols are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism.

Fig. 3 — Many world religions are recognizable from their symbols.

Origins of World Religions: Confucianism and Taoism

While the six major religions are important, studying the characteristics and origins of other world religions is also necessary.

Confucianism’s Teachings

Confucianism was China’s official religion from 200 B.C.E. until its abolishment in 1949 due to communist takeover and disagreement with religion. The founder of Confucianism was Kung Fu-Tzu (Confucius), who taught self-discipline, respect for tradition and hierarchy, and kindness towards everyone.

Not all agree that it was a religion, as it didn’t have specific rules for worship or any formal objects or symbols, although Confucian teachings were put in a book. Some argue it was simply a way to promote social cohesion.

Taoism’s Teachings

Taoism primarily teaches internal harmony and peace as the purpose of life and emphasizes the practice of compassion and balance. The founder of Taoism was a man called Laozi who lived in the 6th century in China.

The yin-yang symbol is considered central to Taoist beliefs as it represents the order of the universe and harmony. The word ‘tao’ means «way» or «path».

World Religions — Key takeaways

• In order of size, the six major world religions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Judaism.
• Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are the three Abrahamic religions — all three believe in the prophet Abraham as their forefather.
• Christianity is the largest religion in the world, while Islam is one of the most popular, and Hinduism is the oldest.
• Buddhism teaches people how to achieve enlightenment and freedom from suffering.
• Sikhism advocates God-centered living and developing essential virtues.

The most widespread religions in the world by number of believers

There are a lot of religions in the world — more than you think. But which of the most popular beliefs are the most common in the world?

Tags:

Netlenka

Earth

Religion

Unsplash

There are only a few religions in the world with hundreds of millions and billions of followers. Here are some of the largest

The world’s major religions fall into two categories: Abrahamic, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam; and Indian religions, which include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and others. Of the world’s major religions, Christianity is the largest, with over two billion followers.

Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and has 2000 years of history. Its largest centers are the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches and Protestant Churches. Over the centuries, the number of Christians grew as the religion spread throughout the world, often through missionaries and colonizers.

The second most widespread religion is Islam, with an estimated 1.8 billion followers worldwide. It originated in Mecca (a city in modern Saudi Arabia) in the 7th century AD. and was spread by the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 AD), whom the followers of Islam consider the last prophet of God. Islam claims that the teachings of God Allah are recorded in the holy book — the Koran — which is the main text of the adherents of this religion. Most Muslims belong to one of the two main branches of Islam: Sunnis comprise approximately 80 percent of Muslims, and Shiites comprise approximately 15 percent. The rest belong to smaller denominations.

ADVERTISING — CONTINUED BELOW

With about 1.1 billion followers, Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world and also one of the oldest, with beliefs and practices that date back to at least 1500 BC. Hinduism is practiced mainly in India (where about 80 percent of the population identifies as Hindu), Nepal and Indonesia. Little is known about how Hinduism came into being, but its teachings deeply influence almost every aspect of the lives of believers. In recent years, certain aspects of Hinduism have become popular in the West, such as the practice of yoga, as well as the use of chakras (energy points found throughout the body) to detect and treat illnesses.

The fourth most widespread religion is Buddhism, with about 500 million followers worldwide and over 250 million in China alone. Based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, this religion was founded in India almost 2500 years ago. There are two main branches of Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. The tenets of Buddhism include a vow of non-violence and adherence to certain ethics in all aspects of life.

Other world religions

The following most widely practiced world religions by number of followers:

• Shinto (104 million followers). Officially founded in Japan in the 8th century AD, Shinto promotes the existence of many gods. It is not an organized religion in the traditional sense, but it serves as the basis for many cultural practices in Japan.
• Sikhism (25 million followers). Relatively new compared to many other religions, Sikhism was founded in India in the 1500s AD and is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and his nine successors.
• Judaism (14 million followers). This monotheistic religion was founded in the Middle East around the 8th century BC and today includes three main branches: Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism. Although based on a common belief system, the branches differ in their interpretation of scripture and certain religious practices.
• Taoism (12 million followers). Originating in China over 2,000 years ago, Taoism focuses on living in harmony with the world and the cosmos. Among its first philosophers was a man named Lao Tzu, who is believed to have written the Tao Te Ching, which became the foundation of Taoism.

There are only a few religions in the world with hundreds of millions and billions of followers.

The major religions of the world fall into two categories: Abrahamic, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam; and Indian religions, which include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and others. Of the world’s major religions, Christianity is the largest, with over two billion followers.

Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and has 2000 years of history. Its largest centers are the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches and Protestant Churches. Over the centuries, the number of Christians grew as the religion spread throughout the world, often through missionaries and colonizers.

The second most widespread religion is Islam, with an estimated 1.8 billion followers worldwide. It originated in Mecca (a city in modern Saudi Arabia) in the 7th century AD. and was spread by the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 AD), whom the followers of Islam consider the last prophet of God. Islam claims that the teachings of God Allah are recorded in the holy book — the Koran — which is the main text of the adherents of this religion. Most Muslims belong to one of the two main branches of Islam: Sunnis comprise approximately 80 percent of Muslims, and Shiites comprise approximately 15 percent. The rest belong to smaller denominations.

With about 1.1 billion followers, Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world and also one of the oldest, with beliefs and practices dating back to at least 1500 BC. Hinduism is practiced mainly in India (where about 80 percent of the population identifies as Hindu), Nepal and Indonesia. Little is known about how Hinduism came into being, but its teachings deeply influence almost every aspect of the lives of believers. In recent years, certain aspects of Hinduism have become popular in the West, such as the practice of yoga, as well as the use of chakras (energy points found throughout the body) to detect and treat illnesses.

The fourth most widespread religion is Buddhism, with about 500 million followers worldwide and over 250 million in China alone. Based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, this religion was founded in India almost 2500 years ago. There are two main branches of Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. The tenets of Buddhism include a vow of non-violence and adherence to certain ethics in all aspects of life.

Other world religions

The following most widely practiced world religions by number of followers:

• Shinto (104 million followers). Officially founded in Japan in the 8th century AD, Shinto promotes the existence of many gods. It is not an organized religion in the traditional sense, but it serves as the basis for many cultural practices in Japan.
• Sikhism (25 million followers). Relatively new compared to many other religions, Sikhism was founded in India in the 1500s AD and is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and his nine successors.
• Judaism (14 million followers). This monotheistic religion was founded in the Middle East around the 8th century BC and today includes three main branches: Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism. Although based on a common belief system, the branches differ in their interpretation of scripture and certain religious practices.
• Taoism (12 million followers). Originating in China over 2,000 years ago, Taoism focuses on living in harmony with the world and the cosmos. Among its first philosophers was a man named Lao Tzu, who is believed to have written the Tao Te Ching, which became the foundation of Taoism.

The most widespread religions in the world — Tyulagin

Tyulyagin > Ratings > You are here and now

Hello, dear readers of the Tyulyagin project! Today we will talk about the most numerous religions in the world . Regardless of which faith you belong to and whether you are a believer or not, it is necessary to give religion its due and recognize the fact that throughout human history they have had and are having a huge impact on human activity, development and culture. In this article we will talk about modern religions and which of them are the most numerous and widespread in today’s world.

Article content:

• What is religion?
• The most widespread religions in the world for 2021
• Forecasts of the future of world religions
• The most numerous religions in Russia

What is religion?

If we turn to understanding the meaning of the word religion, then any religion is usually understood as some unique and special worldview of people, which is based on faith. This belief, as a rule, is directed to divine and supernatural forces that cannot be seen with one’s own eyes or proven with the help of science. This belief is supported and based on specific laws, moral rules, traditions and rituals. For most religions, there are specially designated places where believers can unite and hold a service to their God. So, for example, for Christians it is a church, for Muslims it is a mosque, and so on. From ancient times to the present day, religion has given man answers to a variety of life questions. Religion has a huge impact on the culture, values, traditions and customs, activities and history of mankind.

In total, at the moment there are from several hundred to a couple of thousand different religions. However, only a few of them are widespread. So there are only three world religions — Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. In addition to world religions, there are national and tribal religions.

The first religions were formed in primitive societies and were tribal, the most famous of them are totheism, magic, animism, the cult of ancestors and fetishism. With the development of society, more complicated forms of religions began to appear, which turned into local and national ones, uniting entire peoples and states.

The most common religions of the world today can be divided into two main groups — the religions that originate from Abraham and the religions of the Indian subcontinent. The Abrahamic religions include such modern religions as Christianity, Islam, Judaism. The Indian group of religions includes Hinduism and Buddhism (Sikhism).

Some of the modern religions may have different directions with their own peculiarities of interpretation. For example, modern Christianity is divided into Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism.

An important feature of almost any modern religion is the denial of the existence of other religions than one’s own. In this regard, historically there has been rivalry and constant struggle between religions. A particularly sharp struggle has historically developed between Christianity and Islam. On this basis, there were many wars and conflicts, disputes continue to this day. In the process of religious rivalry, each of the parties seeks to turn the opposite into its own religion. The most historically successful religions can be judged by the prevalence of modern religions.

Despite the rivalry and struggle between religions, it is important to remember that no matter what faith a person adheres to, no one has the right to infringe on his rights. Moreover, most religions in one way or another adhere to the general principle of love for the world around us and the development of spirituality.

The most widespread religions in the world for 2021

The most widespread religion in the world at the beginning of 2021 is Christianity, it is practiced by over 2.4 billion people worldwide. However, over the past many years, Islam has been the leader in the growth of the number of followers among religions. Despite its relative youth (Islam appeared 600 years after Christianity), this religion is spreading at the fastest pace. This is largely due to the demographic difference between confessors. The number of children in Muslim countries significantly exceeds the number of newborns in peasant families over the past 100 years. At the moment, the number of Muslims worldwide has reached 1.9billion people.

The number of atheists and agnostics (unbelievers) on Earth is also significant — there are about 1.2 billion of them. Hinduism — about 1.15 billion and Buddhism — over 520 million people are also among the world’s leaders in prevalence.

A more detailed list of the most widespread religions in the world for 2021 is set out in the table below.

Religion	Believers	Share
Christianity	2.4 billion	29.81%
Islam	1.9 billion	24.60%
Atheists/Agnostics	1.2 billion	13.91%
Hinduism	1.15 billion	14.28%
Buddhism	521 million	6.47%
Chinese folk religion	394 million	4.89%
Ethnic religions	300 million	3.37%
African traditional religions	100 million	1.24%
Sikhism	30 million	0. 37%
Spiritualism	15 million	0.19%
Judaism	14.5 million	0.18%
Bahai	7.0 million	0.09%
Jainism	4.2 million	0.05%
Shinto	4.0 million	0.05%
Kaodai	4.0 million	0.05%
Zoroastrianism	2.6 million	0.03%
Tenrikyo	2.0 million	0.02%
Neopaganism	1.0 million	0.01%
Unitarian Universalism	0.8 million	0.01%
Rastafarianism	0.6 million	0.01%

In addition to the above, Taoism and Confucianism are also very common religions in the world, but there is no official data on the exact number of their followers. According to some estimates, their number is in the range of 5 to 10 million believers.

Forecasts of the future of world religions

Despite the fact that today Christianity is considered the most common religion in the world, most experts and researchers predict that Islam will be the dominant religion in the world by 2100. So, according to their estimates, by 2070 the number of Christians and Muslims on the planet will be equal. The territorial features of the spread of religions will also change dramatically, so according to modern studies, about 10% of the European population in 2050 will practice Islam. Exactly the same forecasts are valid for the US and Canada. As for Russia, today more than 20 million of the country’s population professes Islam. However, the country with the largest number of Muslims by 2100 will be India, which will overtake Indonesia.

There are a number of forecasts for the number of atheists and non-believers, experts assure that their number in the world will gradually decrease, with the exception of the USA and France. You can see the forecast for the most common religions by 2100 in the video below.

In general, Islam and Christianity will receive the greatest development and spread in the 21st century. In many ways, the growth in the prevalence of these two religions will occur at the expense of African countries. Especially here it is worth considering the forecasts for the rapid growth of the population of the African region in the current century. Judaism and Hinduism will also develop in the 21st century. As for Buddhism, the number of its adherents will practically remain the same.

The most numerous religions in Russia

As for Russia, despite the fact that according to the Constitution the country is a secular state, the majority of Russians profess Christianity, and more specifically, one of its directions is Orthodoxy. There are no exact data on the number and proportion of believers of various religions in Russia. However, in an approximate percentage, the share of Orthodox in the country, according to various estimates, ranges from 70 to 80%. The rest are Muslims about 10 — 15%, other religions, as well as atheists.

However, there are other popular data, the source of which is the All-Russian representative survey with a sample of more than 56,000 people. According to this survey the most widespread religions in Russia are :

1. Orthodox — 41%
2. Believers without religious affiliation — 25%
3. Atheists — 13%
4. Muslims — 4.7%
5. Christians — 4.1%
6. Muslims (Sunnis) — 1.7%
7. Orthodox outside the Church — 1.5%
8. Pagans — 1.2%
9. Buddhists — 0.5%
10. Old Believers — 0.5%
11. Protestants — 0.5%
12. Muslims (Shia) — 0.5%
13. Catholics — 0.5%
14. Jews — 0.5%
15. Hindus — 0.5%
16. Pentecostals — 0.5%

---

And that’s all about the most widespread religions of the world today! I hope you liked the article, add the site to your bookmarks and subscribe to new articles by mail subscription.