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Spiritual

Religious Traditions

Religious traditions are systems of beliefs, practices, ethics, texts and communities that connect people to the sacred or supernatural.

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The idea

Religious traditions are systems of beliefs, practices, ethics, texts, holy places and groups that usually connect people to supernatural or spiritual things. Scholars do not agree on exactly what counts as a religion. It is called an essentially contested concept, meaning people keep disagreeing about how to define it. Some religions center on gods, holiness or faith, while others lack these things.

Religions have sacred histories, stories and myths. They are kept alive in spoken traditions, holy books, symbols and holy places, and they may try to explain how life and the universe began. Religious practice can include rituals, sermons, honoring gods or saints, festivals, prayer, meditation, music, art, dance, weddings and funerals. Where religious belief first came from is still an open question. Possible answers include knowing that we will die, a sense of community, and dreams.

There are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions, but nearly all of them have small, local followings. Many world religions are also organized religions, such as the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Baháʼí Faith. Folk religions, Indigenous religions and some Eastern religions are arguably less organized.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 2

How many distinct religions are estimated to exist worldwide?

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Composition

what it's made of

  • Beliefs — Ideas about the divine, the sacred or the supernatural, though not every religion has all of these.
  • Practices — Rituals, prayer, meditation, festivals, music and services for weddings and funerals.
  • Ethics and morals — Shared ideas about how people should live and treat one another.
  • Sacred stories and texts — Histories, myths and writings kept in oral traditions, texts, symbols and holy places.
  • Communities and organizations — The groups and institutions that hold a tradition together.

Connection

how it relates

Under Spiritual

Related

  1. Ceremonial Ritesstrength 60 of 100

    Religious practice often includes ceremonies such as initiations, weddings and funerals.

  2. Meditationstrength 60 of 100

    Meditation and prayer are practices found in many religious traditions.

  3. Dreaming and Sleep Statesstrength 40 of 100

    Dreams are one proposed explanation for how religious belief began.

  4. Social Justicestrength 40 of 100

    Religious ideas about fairness and care for others have inspired many movements for social justice.

Change

how and why it evolves

Past
The modern concept of religion was formed in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the terms Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and world religions first entered the English language.
Now
A global poll in 2012 found that 59% of people identified as religious and 23% as not religious. A follow-up poll in 2015 found that 63% identified as religious.
Next
Some scholars suggest that global religiosity may be increasing, because religious countries generally have higher birth rates. How religions change will also depend on migration and culture, which are hard to forecast.

Knowledge you can walk. Read the idea, then step up, across or down.

Religious Traditions

Religious traditions are systems of beliefs, practices, ethics, texts and communities that connect people to the sacred or supernatural.

Learn, discuss, create, buy or invest

The idea

Religious traditions are systems of beliefs, practices, ethics, texts, holy places and groups that usually connect people to supernatural or spiritual things. Scholars do not agree on exactly what counts as a religion. It is called an essentially contested concept, meaning people keep disagreeing about how to define it. Some religions center on gods, holiness or faith, while others lack these things.

Religions have sacred histories, stories and myths. They are kept alive in spoken traditions, holy books, symbols and holy places, and they may try to explain how life and the universe began. Religious practice can include rituals, sermons, honoring gods or saints, festivals, prayer, meditation, music, art, dance, weddings and funerals. Where religious belief first came from is still an open question. Possible answers include knowing that we will die, a sense of community, and dreams.

There are an estimated 10,000 distinct religions, but nearly all of them have small, local followings. Many world religions are also organized religions, such as the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Baháʼí Faith. Folk religions, Indigenous religions and some Eastern religions are arguably less organized.

Check yourself

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