Comprehensive Overview of World Religions: Concepts, Practices, and Perspectives

Substantive definition of religion

Focuses on beliefs in gods or the supernatural.

Functional definition of religion

Focuses on what religion does, like creating community or giving meaning.

Family resemblance definition of religion

Religion doesn't have one strict definition but overlapping traits.

High religion

Formal, institutional, elite (texts, priests, doctrine).

Folk religion

Local, personal, everyday practices (rituals, charms, traditions).

Post-colonial perspective

Questions how Western colonialism shaped the study of religion.

Postmodern perspective

Skeptical of one 'true' definition of religion; emphasizes multiple perspectives.

Challenges to religion in modern world

Science and secularism, globalization and mixing of cultures, urbanization and busy modern lifestyles, political and social pressures.

Globalization

World interconnected through economy, culture, communication.

Urbanization

Growth of cities, moving from rural to urban life.

Modernity

Social and cultural changes shaped by science, industry, and rationality.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share another person's feelings or perspective.

Atman

The true self or soul.

Brahman

The ultimate reality.

Karma

Actions and their consequences.

Samsara

Cycle of rebirth.

Maya

Illusion, false perception of reality.

Moksha

Liberation from samsara.

Jnana marga

Path of knowledge.

Bhakti marga

Path of devotion.

Karma marga

Path of action.

Brahmins

Priests.

Kshatriyas

Warriors, rulers.

Vaishyas

Merchants, farmers.

Shudras

Laborers, servants.

Dalits

"Untouchables."

Buddha

Enlightened one.

Nirvana

Liberation from suffering and samsara.

Anicca

Impermanence.

Anatta

No-self.

Dukkha

Suffering.

Tanha

Craving, desire.

Skandas

Five aggregates making up a person (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness).

Eightfold Path

Right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

Dao

The Way; the ultimate order and source of all things in the universe.

Qi

Vital energy or life force that flows through everything.

Yin-Yang symbol

Shows reality as a balance of opposites (light/dark, male/female, active/passive). They are interconnected and depend on each other.

Ren

Humaneness, compassion.

Li

Ritual, proper behavior.

Yi

Righteousness.

Zhi

Wisdom.

Xin

Trustworthiness.

Exclusivism

Only one religion is true.

Pluralism

Many religions are equally valid paths.

Inclusivism

One religion is true but others contain partial truth.

Confucianism

Ultimate reality is social and moral order, harmony through relationships and virtue.

Daoism

Ultimate reality is the Dao, the natural flow of the universe, harmony through aligning with nature.