Major religious groups

The world's principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, though this is not a uniform practice. This theory began in the 18th century with the goal of recognizing the relative levels of civility in different societies,[2] but this practice has since fallen into disrepute in many contemporary cultures.

"World Religions" redirects here. For the Canadian TV series, see World Religions (TV series).

Worldwide percentage of adherents by religion, 2020[1]

  Christianity (31.1%)
  Islam (24.9%)
  Irreligion (15.6%)
  Hinduism (15.2%)
  Buddhism (6.6%)
  Folk religions (5.6%)
  Other religions (1%)

Religious demographics
Further information: List of religious populations
Map of major denominations and religions

One way to define a major religion is by the number of current adherents. The population numbers by religion are computed by a combination of census reports and population surveys (in countries where religion data is not collected in census, for example the United States or France), but results can vary widely depending on the way questions are phrased, the definitions of religion used and the bias of the agencies or organizations conducting the survey. Informal or unorganized religions are especially difficult to count.

There is no consensus among researchers as to the best methodology for determining the religiosity profile of the world's population. A number of fundamental aspects are unresolved:

  • Whether to count "historically predominant religious culture[s]"[3]
  • Whether to count only those who actively "practice" a particular religion[4]
  • Whether to count based on a concept of "adherence"[5]
  • Whether to count only those who expressly self-identify with a particular denomination[6]
  • Whether to count only adults, or to include children as well.
  • Whether to rely only on official government-provided statistics[7]
  • Whether to use multiple sources and ranges or single "best source(s)"

Largest religious groups
ReligionFollowers
(billions)		Cultural traditionFoundedReferences
Christianity2.4Abrahamic religionsJudaea (Middle East)[8][9]
Islam2.0Abrahamic religionsArabia (Middle East)[10][11]
Hinduism1.2Indian religionsIndian subcontinent[8]
Buddhism0.5Indian religionsIndian subcontinent[9]
Folk religion0.4RegionalWorldwide[12]

Medium-sized religions
ReligionFollowers
(millions)		Cultural traditionFoundedReferences
Shinto100Japanese religionsJapan, 19th century[13][14]
Taoism12–173Chinese religionsChina, 2nd century CE[15]
Voodoo60African religionsDahomey, unknown origin date[16]
Sikhism25–30Indian religionsIndian subcontinent, 15th century[17]
Judaism14.7Abrahamic religionsJudah (Middle East), 6th to 5th century BCE[8][18]
Spiritism5–15New religious movementsFrance, 19th century[19]
Mu-ism5–15Korean religionsKorea, unknown origin date[20]
Confucianism6–7Chinese religionsChina, 6th to 5th century BCE[21]
Baháʼí Faith5–7.3Abrahamic religionsPersia, 19th century[22][23][nb 1]
Jainism4–5Indian religionsIndian subcontinent, 7th to 9th century BCE[24][25]
Cheondoism3–4Korean religionsKorea, 19th century[26]
Hoahaoism1.5–3Vietnamese religionsVietnam, 20th century[27]
Caodaism1.1–3Vietnamese religionsVietnam, 20th century[28]
Tenriism1.2Japanese religionsJapan, 19th century[29]
Druze1Abrahamic religionsEgypt, 9th century[30]

By region
Further information: Religions by country
Further information: Growth of religion
Trends in adherence[32]
1970–1985 (%)[33] 1990–2000 (%)[34][35] 2000–2005 (%)[36] 1970–2010 (%)[23]
Baháʼí Faith 3.65 2.28 1.70 4.26
Buddhism 1.67 1.09 2.76
Christianity 1.64 1.36 1.32 2.10
Confucianism 0.83
Hinduism 2.34 1.69 1.57 2.62
Islam 2.74 2.13 1.84 4.23
Jainism 2.60
Judaism 1.09 -0.03
Sikhism 1.87 1.62 3.08
Shinto -0.83
Taoism 9.85
Zoroastrianism 2.5
unaffiliated 0.37

Maps of self-reported adherence
  • Map showing self-reported religiosity by country. Based on a 2015 worldwide survey by Pew.
    Map showing self-reported religiosity by country. Based on a 2015 worldwide survey by Pew.
  • World map showing the percentages of people who regard religion as "non-important" according to a 2002 Pew survey
    World map showing the percentages of people who regard religion as "non-important" according to a 2002 Pew survey
  • Religions of the world, mapped by distribution
    Religions of the world, mapped by distribution
  • Map showing the prevalence of "Abrahamic religion" (purple), and "Indian religion" (yellow) religions in each country
    Map showing the prevalence of "Abrahamic religion" (purple), and "Indian religion" (yellow) religions in each country
  • Map showing the relative proportion of Christianity (red) and Islam (green) in each country as of 2006
    Map showing the relative proportion of Christianity (red) and Islam (green) in each country as of 2006
  • Distribution of world religions by country/state, and by smaller administrative regions for the largest countries (2012 data):  % Christian population   % Islam population   % all other religions but Judaism(equal parts cyan/magenta - Judaism)
    Distribution of world religions by country/state, and by smaller administrative regions for the largest countries (2012 data):
      % Christian population
      % Islam population
      % all other religions but Judaism
    (equal parts cyan/magenta - Judaism)

Classification
Further information: Comparative religion and Sociological classifications of religious movements

Religious traditions fall into super-groups in comparative religion, arranged by historical origin and mutual influence. Abrahamic religions originate in the Middle East,[37][38] Indian religions in the Indian subcontinent (South Asia)[39] and East Asian religions in East Asia.[40] Another group with supra-regional influence are Afro-American religion,[41] which have their origins in Central and West Africa.

History of religious categories
An 1821 map of the world, where "Christians, Mahometans, and Pagans" correspond to levels of civilization (The map makes no distinction between Buddhism and Hinduism.)
An 1883 map of the world divided into colors representing Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Mohammedans and Fetishists

Christian categorizations

Initially, Christians had a simple dichotomy of world beliefs: Christian civility versus foreign heresy or barbarity. In the 18th century, "heresy" was clarified to mean Judaism and Islam;[50] along with paganism, this created a fourfold classification which spawned such works as John Toland's Nazarenus, or Jewish, Gentile, and Mahometan Christianity,[51] which represented the three Abrahamic religions as different "nations" or sects within religion itself, the "true monotheism."

Daniel Defoe described the original definition as follows: "Religion is properly the Worship given to God, but 'tis also applied to the Worship of Idols and false Deities."[52] At the turn of the 19th century, in between 1780 and 1810, the language dramatically changed: instead of "religion" being synonymous with spirituality, authors began using the plural, "religions", to refer to both Christianity and other forms of worship. Therefore, Hannah Adams's early encyclopedia, for example, had its name changed from An Alphabetical Compendium of the Various Sects... to A Dictionary of All Religions and Religious Denominations.[53][54]

In 1838, the four-way division of Christianity, Judaism, Mahommedanism (archaic terminology for Islam) and paganism was multiplied considerably by Josiah Conder's Analytical and Comparative View of All Religions Now Extant among Mankind. Conder's work still adhered to the four-way classification, but in his eye for detail he puts together much historical work to create something resembling the modern Western image: he includes Druze, Yazidis, Mandaeans, and Elamites[55] under a list of possibly monotheistic groups, and under the final category, of "polytheism and pantheism," he listed Zoroastrianism, "Vedas, Puranas, Tantras, Reformed sects" of India as well as "Brahminical idolatry," Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Lamaism, "religion of China and Japan," and "illiterate superstitions" as others.[56][57]

The modern meaning of the phrase "world religion," putting non-Christians at the same level as Christians, began with the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. The Parliament spurred the creation of a dozen privately funded lectures with the intent of informing people of the diversity of religious experience: these lectures funded researchers such as William James, D. T. Suzuki, and Alan Watts, who greatly influenced the public conception of world religions.[58]

In the latter half of the 20th century, the category of "world religion" fell into serious question, especially for drawing parallels between vastly different cultures, and thereby creating an arbitrary separation between the religious and the secular.[59]

Islam categorizations

In Islam, the Quran mentions three categories: Muslims, the People of the Book, and idol worshipers.

See also

Notes
  1. Historically, the Baháʼí Faith arose in 19th-century Persia, in the context of Shia Islam, and thus may be classed on this basis as a divergent strand of Islam, placing it in the Abrahamic tradition. However, the Baháʼí Faith considers itself an independent religious tradition, which draws from Islam but also other traditions. The Baháʼí Faith may also be classed as a new religious movement, due to its comparatively recent origin, or may be considered sufficiently old and established for such classification to not be applicable.

References
  1. "Religions - The World Factbook". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  2. Masuzawa, Tomoko (2005). The Invention of World Religions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-50989-1.
  3. Pippa Norris; Ronald Inglehart (6 January 2007). Sacred and Secular, Religion and Politics Worldwide. Cambridge University Press. pp. 43–44. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
  4. Pew Research Center (19 December 2002). "Among Wealthy Nations U.S. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  5. adherents.com (28 August 2005). "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". adherents.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. worldvaluessurvey.org (28 June 2005). "World Values Survey". worldvaluessurvey.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  7. unstats.un.org (6 January 2007). "United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics". United Nations Statistics Division. Archived from the original on 10 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  8. "The Global Religious Landscape". The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research center. 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  9. "Christianity 2015: Religious Diversity and Personal Contact" (PDF). gordonconwell.edu. January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  10. "Christianity 2015: Religious Diversity and Personal Contact" (PDF). gordonconwell.edu. January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  11. "Why Muslims are the world's fastest-growing religious group". Pew Research Center. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  12. "Folk Religionists". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  13. "Major Religions Ranked by Size". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. "Japan: International Religious Freedom Report 2006". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; U.S. Department of State. 15 September 2006. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  15. Wenzel-Teuber, Katharina (2012). Translated by David Streit. "People's Republic of China: Religions and Churches Statistical Overview 2011" (PDF). Religions & Christianity in Today’s China. 2 (3): 34. ISSN 2192-9289. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  16. "Inside the Voodoo Rituals of Haiti". Culture. 7 July 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  17. "Sikhism". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  18. "Jewish Population of the World". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Archived from the original on 24 January 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  19. "Tabela 2102: População residente por situação do domicílio, religião e sexo". sidra.ibge.gov.br. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  20. Chryssides, George D. (2006). The A to Z of new religious movements. The A to Z guide series. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5588-5.
  21. Johnson, Todd M.; Grim, Brian J. (2013). The World's Religions in Figures: An Introduction to International Religious Demography (PDF). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  22. Lugo, Luis; Cooperman, Alan (18 December 2012). Other Religions (Report). Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. p. 9. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  23. Grim, Brian J (2012). "Rising restrictions on religion" (PDF). International Journal of Religious Freedom. 5 (1): 17–33. ISSN 2070-5484. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  24. Voorst 2014, p. 96.
  25. "Jainism". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 26 July 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  26. Self-reported figures from North Korea (South Korean followers are minimal according to census): "Religious Intelligence UK report". Religious Intelligence. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  27. Hoskins, Janet Alison (February 2012). "What Are Vietnam's Indigenous Religions?" (PDF). Kyoto University: Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016.
  28. Blagov, Sergei (31 July 1999). Religion vs Restrictions and Persecution (Speech). International Association for Religious Freedom World Congress. Vancouver. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  29. "宗教年鑑" [Yearly Report on Religion] (PDF) (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  30. "Druze". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  31. "The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on 12 December 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  32. The results have been studied and found "highly correlated with other sources of data", but "consistently gave a higher estimate for percent Christian in comparison to other cross-national data sets." Hsu, Becky; Reynolds, Amy; Hackett, Conrad; Gibbon, James (9 July 2008). "Estimating the Religious Composition of All Nations". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 47 (4): 678. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5906.2008.00435.x.
  33. International Community, Baháʼí (1992). "How many Baháʼís are there?". The Baháʼís. p. 14. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2008.
  34. Barrett, David A. (2001). World Christian Encyclopedia. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-19-507963-0. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  35. Barrett, David; Johnson, Todd (2001). "Global adherents of the World's 19 distinct major religions" (PDF). William Carey Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2006.
  36. Staff (May 2007). "The List: The World's Fastest-Growing Religions". Foreign Policy. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  37. Salem, Mohamed Omar; Foskett, John (January 2018) [Published in print in 2009]. "Religion and religious experiences". In Cook, Chris; Powell, Andrew; Sims, Andrew (eds.). Spirituality and psychiatry. Cambridge: Royal College of Psychiatrists. p. 236. ISBN 9781108609074. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  38. "Abraham, Father of the Middle East". www.dangoor.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  39. "The Religions of the Indian Subcontinent Stretch Back for Millennia". About.com Education. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  40. Neusner, Jacob (7 October 2009). World Religions in America, Fourth Edition: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9781611640472. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  41. Neusner, Jacob (7 October 2009). World Religions in America, Fourth Edition: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9781611640472. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  42. "Classification of religions". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  43. Statistician, Howard Steven Friedman; Teacher, health economist for the United Nations; University, Columbia (25 April 2011). "5 Religions with the Most Followers". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  44. Brodd, Jeffrey (2003). World Religions. Winona, Minnesota: Saint Mary's Press. ISBN 978-0-88489-725-5.
  45. Abulafia, Anna Sapir (23 September 2019). "The Abrahamic religions". www.bl.uk. London: British Library. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  46. Samuel 2010.
  47. Anthony 2007.
  48. Allison, Christine (20 September 2016) [20 July 2004]. "YAZIDIS i. GENERAL". Encyclopædia Iranica. New York: Columbia University. doi:10.1163/2330-4804_EIRO_COM_1252. ISSN 2330-4804. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  49. Sly, Liz (16 November 2008). "'This is one of the world's oldest religions, and it is going to die.'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  50. Glaser, Daryl; Walker, David M. (12 September 2007). Twentieth-Century Marxism: A Global Introduction. Routledge. ISBN 9781135979744. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  51. Toland, John; La Monnoye, Bernard de (1 January 1718). Nazarenus, or, Jewish, gentile, and Mahometan Christianity : containing the history of the antient Gospel of Barnabas, and the modern Gospel of the Mahometans ... also the original plan of Christianity explain'd in the history of the Nazarens ... with the relation of an Irish manuscript of the four Gospels, as likewise a summary of the antient Irish Christianity. London : J. Brotherton, J. Roberts and A. Dodd.
  52. Masuzawa, Tomoko (26 April 2012). The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226922621. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  53. Masuzawa 2005, pp. 49–61.
  54. Masuzawa, Tomoko (26 April 2012). The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226922621. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  55. Masuzawa, Tomoko (26 April 2012). The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226922621. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  56. Masuzawa 2005, pp. 65–66.
  57. Masuzawa, Tomoko (26 April 2012). The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226922621. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  58. Masuzawa 2005, pp. 270–281.
  59. Clark, Stephen R. L. (1990). "World Religions and World Orders". Religious studies. 26 (1): 43. ISSN 0034-4125.

Sources

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.