hidden pixel

Comparative Religion Information

Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions. Religion can be defined as the human beliefs and practices regarding the sacred, numinous, spiritual and divine.[1]

In the field of comparative religion, the main world religions are generally classified as Abrahamic, Indian or Taoic. Areas of study also include creation myths and Humanism.

Contents

Abrahamic religions

Main article: Abrahamic religion
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (January 2012)

In the study of comparative religion, the category of Abrahamic religions consists of the three monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, which claim Abraham (Hebrew Avraham אַבְרָהָם ; Arabic Ibrahim إبراهيم ) as a part of their sacred history. Other religions (such as the Bahá'í Faith) that fit this description are sometimes included but are often omitted.[2]

The original belief in the One God of Abraham eventually became present-day Rabbinic Judaism. Christians believe that Christianity is the fulfillment and continuation of the Jewish Old Testament. Christians believe that Jesus (Hebrew Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ) is the Messiah (Christ) foretold in the Old Testament prophecy, and believe in subsequent New Testament revelations based on the divine authority of Jesus in Christian belief (as the Incarnation of God). Islam believes the present Christian and Jewish scriptures have been corrupted over time and are no longer the original divine revelations as given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets, which Muslims believe were all prophets of Islam, not of Judaism nor Christianity. For Muslims, the Qur'an is the final, complete revelation from God (Arabic الله‎ Allah), who believe it to have been revealed to Muhammad, who is believed by Muslims to be the final prophet of Islam.

Comparing Abrahamic religions

Main articles: Christianity and Judaism, Islam and Judaism, and Christianity and Islam See also: Judeo-Christian, Supersessionism, People of the Book, Tahrif, Biblical narratives and the Qur'an, and Judeo-Islamic philosophies (800 - 1400)

Christianity and Judaism are two closely related Abrahamic religions that in some ways parallel each other and in other ways diverge in theology and practice.

The historical interaction of Islam and Judaism started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam. There are many common aspects between Islam and Judaism, and as Islam developed, it gradually became the major religion closest to Judaism. As opposed to Christianity which originated from interaction between ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures, Judaism is very similar to Islam in its fundamental religious outlook, structure, jurisprudence and practice.[3] There are many traditions within Islam originating from traditions within the Hebrew Bible or from post-biblical Jewish traditions. These practices are known collectively as the Isra'iliyat.[4]

The historical interaction between Christianity and Islam connects fundamental ideas in Christianity with similar ones in Islam. Islam and Christianity share their origins in the Abrahamic tradition, although Christianity predates Islam by centuries. Islam accepts many aspects of Christianity as part of its faith - with some differences in interpretation - and rejects other aspects. Islam believes the Qur'an is the final revelation from God and a completion of all previous revelations, including the Bible.

Indian and Indo-European religions

Main articles: Indian religions, Vedic Brahmanism, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, and Proto-Indo-European religion

The term "Indian religions" refers to a number of religions that have originated on the Indian subcontinent tracing their origins through Proto-Indo-Iranian religion ultimately to Proto-Indo-European religion. They encompass Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Other largely extinct Indo-European religions closely allied to the Indian religions, sharing a common history, include Zoroastrianism, ancient Greek, Celtic, Roman, Hittite, Slavic and Norse mythology.

Comparing "Dharmic" religions

The Rig Veda is one of the oldest Vedic texts. Shown here is a Rig Veda manuscript in Devanagari, early nineteenth century. Main article: Buddhism and Hinduism Further information: Buddha as an Avatar of Vishnu, Gautama Buddha in world religions, and God in Buddhism

Buddhism and modern Hinduism are both post-Vedic religions. Gautama Buddha is mentioned as an Avatar of Vishnu in the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Some Hindus believe the Buddha accepted and incorporated many tenets of Hinduism in his doctrine, however, Buddhists disagree and state there was no such thing as Hinduism at the time of Buddha and in fact, "Indeed, it absorbed so many Buddhist traits that it is virtually impossible to distinguish the latter in medieval and later Hinduism."[5] Prominent Hindu reformers such as Gandhi[6] and Vivekananda[7] acknowledge Buddhist influence. Gandhi, like Hindus, did not believe Buddha established a non-Hindu tradition. He writes, "I do not regard Jainism or Buddhism as separate from Hinduism."[8]

Taoic religions

Main article: East Asian religions Further information: Tao and De The Chinese character depicting Tao, the central concept in Taoism.

A Taoic religion is a religion, or religious philosophy, that focuses on the East Asian concept of Tao ("The Way"). This forms a large group of religions including Taoism, Confucianism, Jeung San Do, Shinto, Yiguandao, Chondogyo, Chen Tao and Caodaism. In large parts of East Asia, Buddhism has taken on some taoic features.

Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. It is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered and is associated with nature, due to a belief that nature demonstrates the Tao. The flow of Ch'i, as the essential energy of action and existence, is compared to the universal order of Tao. Following the Tao is also associated with a "proper" attitude, morality and lifestyle. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of De, or literally "virtue" or "power." De is the active expression of Tao.

Taoism and Ch'an Buddhism for centuries had a mutual influence on each other in China, Korea and Vietnam. These influences were inherited by Zen Buddhism when Ch'an Buddhism arrived in Japan and adapted as Zen Buddhism.

Comparing Taoic religions

Comparing traditions

Further information: Eastern religions, Western religions, prehistoric religion, religions of the Ancient Near East, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, and Proto-Indo-European religion

Bahá'í Faith

Buddhism

Christianity

Hinduism

Islam

Jainism

Mormonism

Paganism and Neopaganism

Sikhism

Taoism

Zoroastrianism

See also

References

  1. ^ "Human beings' relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual, and divine" Encyclopædia Britannica (online, 2006), cited after What is Religion? Definitions and Quotes.
  2. ^ Why Abrahamic? Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions at the University of Wisconsin
  3. ^ Rabbi David Rosen, Jewish-Muslim Relations, Past and Present, November 2003
  4. ^ Rabbi Justin Jaron Lewis, Islam and Judaism, October 2001
  5. ^ MLA style: "monasticism." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-38700>.
  6. ^ “owes on eternal debt of gratitude to that great teacher,”Mahatma Gandhi and Buddhism Y.P. Anand An Encounter with Buddhism http://www.iop.or.jp/0414/anand.pdf
  7. ^ He is the ideal Karma-Yogi, acting entirely without motive, and the history of humanity shows him to have been the greatest man ever born; beyond compare the greatest combination of heart and brain that ever existed, the greatest soul-power that has ever been manifested. Essay, Ideal Karma Yogi http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/5208/karmayoga/ideal.html&date=2009-10-25+06:08:15
  8. ^ P. 17 Gandhi By Ronald Terchek

Further reading

External links

Religion
Major groups
Abrahamic
Indian
Iranian
East Asian
Recent
Indigenous
Ancient religions
Prehistoric
Near East
Indo-European
Aspects
Theism
Religious studies
Religion and society
Secularism and irreligion
Lists

Categories:

 

The above information uses material from Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Some facts may not have been fully verified for accuracy. [Disclaimers]
This page was last archived by our server on Mon May 7 06:07:21 2012.
Displaying this page or its contents does not use any Wikimedia Foundation's resources.
The owners of this site proudly support the Wikimedia Foundation.

More Information Results for "Comparative Religion"
[Hide]▼
'Comparative Religion' Images
'Comparative Religion' Definition

Matching Results for Comparative Religion:

tolerant
tending to permit, allow, understand, or accept something He's pretty tolerant of different political views, but don't ask him about religion. tending ...

nonpracticing
Not practicing; of a person in a particular profession, not engaged in the practice of that profession; of a person born into a particular religion, not ...


from: Wiktionary: comparative religion,
Sun Dec 18 08:39:34 2011
[Hide]▲