The names of all the religions of the world. The three main religions of the world - beliefs with a long history

There are more than 7 billion people in our World, each of whom has different thoughts, feelings, and faith. Therefore, enough large number religions, in connection with this, people choose different religions, most of them have faith in God, but some peoples do not believe in him.

When we think about the word “religion”, some thoughts appear in our minds, like some kind of gesture, like a belief, a vision about humanity throughout the World and the belief system of various religious cultures. An interesting fact is that according to various studies and the Guinness Book of World Records, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world due to the large number of conversions to Islam every year.

That is why, here we have collected the most popular religions in the world for 2016.

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10

Judaism is one of the oldest religions world, which was founded about 3,500 years ago in Canaan (now Israel), the Middle East and Egypt. Judaism has an estimated 14.5 million followers worldwide. Judaism is also mentioned in the Holy Book of the Bible: Abraham, who gave birth, and Moses, who freed Jewish prisoners from Egypt, are the founders of this faith, therefore, this is the oldest monotheistic religion in the world.

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9

Sikhism is one of the most popular religions in the world, which originated in the South Asian Punjab region about 500 years ago in the 15th century. The beliefs of Sikhism are described in the sacred scripture of the Guru Granth Sahib and is called the youngest religion in the world. Guru Nanak, the founder of this religious culture, now rests in the Nankana Sahib region of Pakistan. It is estimated that there are between 25 and 28 million followers of this religion worldwide, and in Punjab in India, about 90 million Sikhs follow the teachings of Guru Nanak and ten successive Gurus.

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8

Religion Anglicanism is included in the Church of England and all other churches that are traditionally affiliated with it or profess similar worship and ecclesiastical structure. Thus, Anglicanism is based on Christianity and their holy book is the Bible, and also the Anglican creed is based on the Holy Scriptures, traditions Apostolic Church, historical episcopate, the first four Ecumenical Councils and the teaching of the early Fathers of the Church. This religion is followed by about 85.5 million people around the world, which also gives it the right to be on our list.

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7

Atheism in the true sense is the faith of people who have no belief. In a broader sense, this religion consists of the rejection of belief in the existence of gods, spirits, an afterlife, otherworldly forces, etc. Atheism is based on the belief in the self-sufficiency of the natural world and not in the supernatural origin of all religions.

According to statistics, this religion is growing every year. We can talk about the emergence of Atheism as its homeland in America, however, in 2015, more than 61% of the followers of this religion are from China. For the first time, this religion was recognized in the 16th century in France and today has more than 150 million followers around the world.

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6

Buddhism is another historical religion of the world, founded about 2500 years ago in India, whose followers are based on the teachings of Buddha. Initially, Buddhism spread throughout Asia, but a few years later, after the advent of Islam, most of it spread only to India.

According to available data, about 7% of the world's population professes Buddhism, with more than 500 million followers, including most in Burma, Japan, China and Sri Lanka. The founder of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) and his teachings.

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5

Agnosticism

Agnosticism is a special religion, because its true beliefs are philosophical. Followers of Agnosticism are constantly searching for an answer to the question: “Is God a divine or supernatural being?” That is why it is the religion of philosophers. Its followers are always in search of God, and the roots of this religion go far into the past - around the 5th century. BC, so there are now about 640 million religious philosophers worldwide.

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4

Another one of the most ancient religions in the world is Hinduism. According to history, this religion has no beginning, but exists mainly in India and Nepal. The main religious principles for Hinduism include karma, dharma, samsara, maya, moksha and yoga. There are about 1 billion followers of Hinduism worldwide, most of them in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia, which is 15% of the world's population.

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3

Catholicism is also one of the most popular and largest religions in the world, characterized by organizational centralization and the largest number adherents among Christian churches. Head catholic church is the Pope who heads the Holy See and the Vatican City State of Rome. Catholicism is a fairly old religion, so there are a large number of followers of this religion around the world - 1.2 billion Catholics.

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2

Christianity is the largest monotheistic religion in the world, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. It has more than 2.4 billion followers around the world who call themselves Christians. According to Christianity, Jesus Christ is the son of God, as well as the Savior of all mankind. The Holy Scripture of Christianity is the Bible, but despite this, Christianity is the most ancient religion world, which is followed by many countries - Europe, North America and Oceania, and also it quickly spread across India, Syria, Ethiopia and even Asia, due to which Hinduism is rapidly declining.

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1

Islam

Islam is the world's other largest religion, and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam was founded about 1,500 years ago, and Muslims around the world follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, which is called the Sunnah, and the Holy Book is the Quran.

According to statistics, about 23% of the total population Globe profess Islam, which is approximately 1.7 billion people. Muslims believe that God is one and Muhammad is the last prophet of Allah (God). Most Muslims are concentrated in Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and 20% in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, America and China. Despite this, Islam has small communities in every country in the world. We can safely say that Islam is the most popular religion of the early 21st century.

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Conclusion

It was about the most popular religions in the world. We hope you found it interesting. Thank you for your attention!

Have a good day everyone! The concept of religions appears quite often in exams humanitarian disciplines. Therefore, I would recommend looking at these world religions, their list, in order to better navigate them.

A little about the concept of “World Religions”. It often refers to the three main religions: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. This understanding is incomplete to say the least. Because these religious systems have different currents. In addition, there are a number of religions that also unite many people. Before publishing the list, I also recommend reading the article about that .

List of world religions

Abrahamic religions- these are religions that go back to one of the first religious patriarchs - Abraham.

Christianity— briefly about this religion you can. It is represented today in several directions. The key ones are Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Holy book Bible (mainly New Testament). It unites about 2.3 billion people today

Islam- how religion took shape in the 7th century AD and absorbed the revelations of Allah to his prophet Muhammad. It was from him that the prophet learned that one must pray a hundred times a day. However, Muhammad asked Allah to reduce the number of prayers, and in the end Allah allowed prayers five times a day. By the way, the ideas about heaven and hell in Islam and Christianity are somewhat different. Paradise here is the quintessence of earthly blessings. Holy book Koran. Today it unites about 1.5 billion people.

Judaism- religion primarily Jewish people, unites 14 million adherents. What struck me most was the worship service: during it you can behave quite casually. Holy book Bible (mainly Old Testament).

Other religions

Hinduism- unites about 900 million followers and includes belief in an eternal soul (atman) and in a universal God. This religion and others like it are also called dharmic - from the Sanskrit word “dharma” - things, the nature of things. The religious priests here are called Brahmins. The key idea is the rebirth of souls. For those interested, jokes aside, look at Vysotsky: a song about the transmigration of souls.

Buddhism- unites over 350 million adherents. It comes from the fact that the soul is bound by the wheel of samsara - the wheel of reincarnation, and only work on oneself can allow it to break out of this circle into nirvana - eternal bliss. There are different branches of Buddhism: Zen Buddhism, Lamaism, etc. Sacred texts called Tripitaka.

Zoroastrianism(“Good Faith”) is one of the oldest monothestic religions, incorporating faith in the one god Ahura Mazda and his prophet Zarathushtra, uniting about 7 million people. Religion embodies belief in good and evil thoughts. The latter are the enemies of God and must be eradicated. Light is the physical embodiment of God and is worthy of veneration, which is why this religion is also called fire worship. Thus, in my opinion, this is the most honest religion, since it is thoughts that determine a person, and not his actions. If you agree with this, please like at the end of the post!

Jainism- unites approximately 4 million adherents and proceeds from the fact that all living beings are eternally living in spiritual world, calls for self-improvement through the cultivation of wisdom and other virtues.

Sikhism- unites about 23 million adherents and includes an understanding of God as the Absolute and as a part of every person. Worship occurs through meditation.

Juche- this is North Korean political ideology, which many consider to be a religion. It was formed on the basis of the transformation of the ideas of Marxism-Leninism and synthesis with traditional Chinese philosophy.

Confucianism- in the strict sense of the word, it is a more ethical and philosophical teaching than religion and combines ideas about proper behavior, ritual and tradition, which, according to Confucius, must be represented. The main treatise is Lun-yu. Consolidates about 7 million people.

Shintoism- this religion is widespread mainly in Japan, so read about it.

Khao Dai- a fairly new religious system that appeared in 1926 and combines many tenets of Buddhism, Lamaism, etc. Calls for equality between the sexes, pacifism, etc. It originated in Vietnam. In essence, religion embodies everything that has been lacking in this region of the planet for a long time.

I hope you got an idea about the religions of the world! Like and subscribe for new articles.

Best regards, Andrey Puchkov

The Birth of Religions
The process of sociogenesis, which lasted 1.5 million years during the “Stone Age” (Paleolithic), ended approximately 35-40 thousand years ago. By this point, the ancestors - Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons - already knew how to make fire, had a clan system, language, rituals, and painting. The presence of tribal relations meant that food and sexual instincts were brought under the control of society. An idea of ​​what is permitted and prohibited arises, totems appear - initially these are “sacred” symbols of animals. Magic rituals appear - symbolic actions aimed at a specific result.
In the 9th-7th millennium BC the so-called neolithic revolution- invention of agriculture. The Neolithic period lasts until the appearance of the first cities in the 4th millennium BC, when the history of civilization is considered to have begun.
At this time, private property and, as a consequence, inequality arise. The processes of disunity that have arisen in society must be countered by a system of values ​​and standards of behavior recognized by all. The totem changes and becomes a symbol of a supreme being who has unlimited power over a person. Thus religion gains global character, finally taking shape into a socially integrating force.

Ancient Egypt
Originated on the banks of the Nile in the 4th millennium BC Egyptian civilization one of the most ancient. The influence of totemism is still very strong in it and all the original Egyptian gods are beast-like. In religion, belief in reward after death appears, and existence after death is no different from earthly existence. Here, for example, are the words of the formula for the self-justification of the deceased before Osiris: “...I did no harm... I did not steal... I did not envy... I did not measure my face... I did not lie... I did not talk idle... I did not commit adultery... I was not deaf to right speech... I did not insult another... I did not raise my hand to the weak... I was not the cause of tears... I did not kill... I did not. cursed..."
It is believed that Osiris dies every day and is resurrected as the Sun, in which his wife Isis helps him. The idea of ​​resurrection will then be repeated in all religions of atonement, and the cult of Isis will exist during Christianity, becoming the prototype of the cult of the Virgin Mary.
Egyptian temples are not only places of worship - they are also workshops, schools, libraries, and a gathering place not only for priests, but also for scientists of that time. Religion and science, like other social institutions, at that time did not yet have a clear differentiation.

Ancient Mesopotamia
In the 4th millennium BC, in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the state of the Sumerians and Akkadians developed - Ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians invented writing and began to build cities. They passed on to their historical successors - the Babylonians and Assyrians, and through them - to the Greeks and Jews their technical achievements, legal and moral standards. Sumerian tales of global flood, the creation of men from clay, and women from the rib of a man, became part of the Old Testament legends. In the religious ideas of the Sumerians, man is a lower being, his lot is enmity and illness, and after death - existence in the gloomy underworld.
All Sumerians belonged to their temple as a community. The temple took care of orphans, widows, and beggars, performed administrative functions, and resolved conflicts between citizens and the state.
The religion of the Sumerians was associated with the observation of planets and the interpretation of cosmic order - astrology, of which they became the founders. Religion in Mesopotamia did not have the character of strict dogmas, which was reflected in the free-thinking of the ancient Greeks, who adopted a lot from the Sumerians.

Ancient Rome
The main religion of Rome was the cult of the city gods - Jupiter ( main god), Hope, Peace, Valor, Justice. The mythology of the Romans is little developed, the gods are presented as abstract principles. At the forefront of the Roman church is expediency, assistance in specific earthly affairs with the help of magical rituals.

Judaism
Judaism - begins to take shape in its current form in the 13th century BC. e., when the Israelite tribes came to Palestine. The main god was Yahweh (Jehovah), whom the Jews considered their own god of their people, but did not exclude their gods from other peoples. In 587 BC. e. Jerusalem was captured by the troops of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. When Babylon fell 50 years later, it begins new era Judaism: the myth of the prophet Moses arises, Yahweh is recognized as the only god of all things, and the people of Israel are the only chosen people of God, provided that they honor Yahweh and recognize his monotheism.
Religiosity in Judaism comes down to purely external worship, strict observance of all prescribed rituals, as fulfillment of the terms of the “agreement” with Yahweh, in anticipation of “fair” retribution from him.
Kaballa. In the 12th century, a new movement emerged in Judaism - Kaballah. The essence of which is the esoteric study of the Torah and other Jewish religious artifacts as sources of mystical knowledge.

World religions

Buddhism
Buddhism arose in India in the 6th - 5th centuries BC. e. as opposed to caste-based Hinduism, where only the highest castes of Brahmins can achieve enlightenment. At that time, in India, as in China and Greece, there were processes of philosophical rethinking of existing norms, which led to the creation of a religion independent of caste, although the concept of karma (reincarnation) was not denied. The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni - Buddha - was the son of a prince from the Shakya tribe, who did not belong to the Brahman caste. For these reasons, Buddhism did not become widespread in India.
In the ideas of Buddhism, the world strives for peace, the absolute dissolution of everything in nirvana. Therefore, the only true aspiration of a person is nirvana, tranquility and merging with eternity. In Buddhism, no importance was attached to any social community and religious dogmas, and the main commandment was absolute mercy, non-resistance to any evil. A person could only rely on himself; no one would save or deliver him from the suffering of samsara except a righteous lifestyle. Therefore, in fact, Buddhism can be called a teaching, an “atheistic” religion.
In China, where Buddhism was very widespread, although not as widespread as Confucianism, Zen Buddhism arose in the 7th century, absorbing the rationalism inherent in the Chinese nation. It is not necessary to achieve nirvana, you just need to try to see the Truth around you - in nature, work, art and live in harmony with yourself.
Zen Buddhism also had a huge influence on the cultures of Japan and some other Eastern countries.

Christianity
One fundamental differences Christianity from other world religions - the integrity of the historical description of the world, which exists once and is directed by God from creation to destruction - the coming of the Messiah and the Last Judgment. At the center of Christianity is the image of Jesus Christ, who is both god and man at the same time, whose teachings must be followed. The holy book of Christians is the Bible, in which the New Testament, which tells about the life and teachings of Christ, is added to the Old Testament (the holy book of the followers of Judaism). The New Testament includes four Gospels (from Greek - gospel).
The Christian religion promised its followers the establishment of peace and justice on earth, as well as salvation from the Last Judgment, which, as the first Christians believed, was soon to take place.
In the 4th century, Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. In 395, the Roman Empire split into western and eastern parts, which led to the separation of the Western Church, led by the pope and eastern churches led by the patriarchs of Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria. Formally, this gap ended in 1054.
Christianity was brought to Russia from Byzantium high level culture, philosophical and theological thought, contributed to the spread of literacy and the softening of morals. Orthodox Church in Russia it was actually part of the state apparatus, always following the commandment “all power comes from God.” For example, leaving Orthodoxy until 1905 was considered a criminal offense.
IN Western Europe dominated roman catholic church(Catholic - universal, ecumenical). The Catholic Church's claims to supreme power both in politics and social life- theocratism. Connected with this is the intolerance of the Catholic Church towards other faiths and worldviews. After Second Vatican Council(1962 - 1965) the Vatican's positions were significantly adjusted in accordance with the realities of modern society.
The anti-feudal movement that began in the 16th century was also directed against Catholicism, as the ideological support of the feudal system. The leaders of the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland - Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli - accused the Catholic Church of distorting true Christianity, calling for a return to the faith of the early Christians, eliminating intermediaries between man and God. The result of the Reformation was the creation of a new variety of Christianity - Protestantism.
Protestants put forward the idea universal priesthood, abandoned indulgences, pilgrimages, church clergy, veneration of relics, etc. It is believed that Calvin’s teachings and Protestant ideas in general contributed to the emergence of the “spirit of capitalism” and became the moral basis of new public relations.

Islam
Islam can be called a religion of humility and complete submission to the Almighty will. In VII Islam was founded by the prophet Muhammad on the foundation of Arab tribal religions. He proclaimed the monotheism of Allah (al or el - the common Semitic root of the word "god") and submission to his will (Islam, Muslims - from the word "submission").
Muslims explain numerous coincidences between the Bible and the Koran by the fact that Allah had previously conveyed his commandments to the prophets - Moses and Jesus, but they were distorted by them.
In Islam, the will of God is incomprehensible, irrational, therefore, a person should not try to understand it, but should only blindly follow it. The Islamic Church is essentially the state itself, a theocracy. The laws of Islamic Sharia are the laws of Islamic law that regulate all aspects of life. Islam is a powerful motivating and unifying religious doctrine, which has allowed short terms to create a highly developed civilization from a few Semitic tribes, which in the Middle Ages for some time became the head of world civilization.
After the death of Muhammad, a conflict arose between his relatives, accompanied by the murder of Muhammad's cousin Ali ibn Abu Talib and his sons, who wished to continue the teachings of the prophet. Which led to the split of Muslims into Shiites (minority) - who recognize the right to lead the Muslim community only to the descendants of Muhammad - imams, and Sunnis (majority) - in whose opinion, power should belong to caliphs elected by the entire community.

Throughout history, man has believed in something. Various deities, who every now and then sent misfortunes or, on the contrary, bestowed a generous harvest, were brought various kinds offerings. The beliefs of people in different regions could differ radically and each of them had something original. Today there are many different kinds of religions and beliefs and it is very difficult to navigate them. However, every educated person should know at least a little about them, so in this article we will look at the three main religions of the world, and for scholars, I suggest reading the article - an overview of the most widespread religions of the world, which is in the next section.

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CHRISTIANITY - one of the three world religions (along with Buddhism and Islam). It has three main directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. It is based on faith in Jesus Christ as the God-man, the Savior, the incarnation of the 2nd person of the triune Godhead (see Trinity). The introduction of believers to Divine grace occurs through participation in the sacraments. The source of the doctrine of Christianity is Holy Tradition, the main thing in it is the Holy Scripture (Bible); as well as the “Creed”, decisions of the ecumenical and some local councils, individual works of the church fathers. Christianity arose in the 1st century. n. e. among the Jews of Palestine, it immediately spread to other peoples of the Mediterranean. In the 4th century. became the state religion of the Roman Empire. By the 13th century. all of Europe was Christianized. In Rus', Christianity spread under the influence of Byzantium from the 10th century. As a result of the schism (division of churches), Christianity split into Orthodoxy and Catholicism in 1054. From Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century. Protestantism emerged. Total number There are more than 1 billion Christians.

ISLAM(Arabic, lit. - submission) - a monotheistic religion, one of the world religions (along with Christianity and Buddhism), its followers are Muslims. Originated in Arabia in the 7th century. Founder: Mohammed. Islam developed under the significant influence of Christianity and Judaism. As a result of the Arab conquests, it spread to the Middle and Middle East. East, later in some countries Far East, South-East. Asia, Africa. The main principles of Islam are set out in the Koran. Core Tenets - Worship to one god- to almighty God-Allah and the veneration of Muhammad as a prophet - the messenger of Allah. Muslims believe in the immortality of the soul and afterlife. The five fundamental duties (pillars of Islam) prescribed for adherents of Islam are:
1) the belief that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah (shahadah);
2) praying five times daily (salat);
3) alms in favor of the poor (zakat);
4) fasting in the month of Ramadan (sauna);
5) pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), performed at least once in a lifetime.

Sacred tradition is sunnah. The main directions are Sunnism and Shiism. In the 10th century a system of theoretical theology - kalam - was created; The legal system of Islam is developed in Sharia law. In the 8th-9th centuries. a mystical movement arose - Sufism. The number of followers of Islam is estimated at 880 million (1990). In almost all countries with a predominantly Muslim population, Islam is the state religion.

BUDDHISM — one of the three (along with Christianity and Islam) world religions. Originated in Dr. India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. The founder is considered to be Siddhartha Gautama (see Buddha). Main directions: Hinayana and Mahayana. The rise of Buddhism in India in the 5th century. BC e. - beginning 1st millennium AD e.; spread to the Southeast. and Center. Asia, partly in Wed. Asia and Siberia, having assimilated elements of Brahmanism, Taoism, etc. In India by the 12th century. dissolved into Hinduism, greatly influencing him. Opposed the inherent dominance of Brahmanism external forms religious life (including ritualism). At the center of Buddhism is the doctrine of “4 noble truths": there is suffering, its cause, the state of liberation and the path to it. Suffering and liberation are subjective states and at the same time a certain cosmic reality: suffering is a state of anxiety, tension, equivalent to desire, and at the same time the pulsation of dharmas; liberation (nirvana) is a state of unbound personality by the outside world and at the same time the cessation of the disturbance of dharmas. Buddhism denies the otherworldliness of liberation; in Buddhism there is no soul as an unchanging substance - the human “I” is identified with the total functioning of a certain set of dharmas, there is no opposition of subject and object, spirit and matter, there is no God as a creator and, of course, a supreme being. During the development of Buddhism, the cult of Buddha and bodhisattvas, ritual gradually developed, sanghas (monastic communities), etc. appeared.

June 15, 2011 by Retroman

As well as their classifications. In religious studies, it is common to distinguish the following types: tribal, national and world religions.

Buddhism

- the most ancient world religion. It originated in the 6th century. BC e. in India, and is currently widespread in the countries of South, South-East, Central Asia and the Far East and has about 800 million followers. Tradition connects the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The father hid the bad things from Gautama, he lived in luxury, married his beloved girl, who bore him a son. The impetus for the spiritual upheaval for the prince, as legend says, was four meetings. First he saw a decrepit old man, then suffering from leprosy and funeral procession. So Gautama learned that old age, illness and death are the lot of all people. Then he saw a peaceful beggar wanderer who needed nothing from life. All this shocked the prince and made him think about the fate of people. He secretly left the palace and family, at the age of 29 he became a hermit and tried to find the meaning of life. As a result of deep reflection, at the age of 35 he became Buddha - enlightened, awakened. For 45 years, Buddha preached his teaching, which can be briefly summarized in the following basic ideas.

Life is suffering, the cause of which is the desires and passions of people. To get rid of suffering, you need to renounce earthly passions and desires. This can be achieved by following the path of salvation indicated by the Buddha.

After death any living creature, including man, is reborn again, but in the form of a new living being, whose life is determined not only by its own behavior, but also by the behavior of its “predecessors”.

We must strive for nirvana, i.e. dispassion and peace, which are achieved by renouncing earthly attachments.

Unlike Christianity and Islam Buddhism lacks the idea of ​​God as the creator of the world and its ruler. The essence of the doctrine of Buddhism comes down to a call to every person to take the path of search inner freedom, complete liberation from all the shackles that life brings.

Christianity

Originated in the 1st century. n. e. in the eastern part of the Roman Empire - Palestine - as addressed to all the humiliated, thirsting for justice. It is based on the idea of ​​messianism - hope in the Divine deliverer of the world from everything bad that exists on Earth. Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of people, whose name in Greek means “Messiah”, “Savior”. By this name, Jesus is associated with the Old Testament legends about the coming to the land of Israel of a prophet, a messiah, who would free the people from suffering and establish righteous life- God's kingdom. Christians believe that God's coming to Earth will be accompanied by the Last Judgment, when He will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell.

Basic Christian ideas:

• The belief that God is one, but He is a Trinity, that is, God has three “persons”: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which form one God who created the Universe.
• Faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, God the Son is Jesus Christ. He has two natures at the same time: Divine and human.
• Belief in Divine grace is a mysterious power sent by God to free a person from sin.
• Belief in posthumous reward and afterlife.
• Belief in the existence of good spirits - angels and evil spirits - demons, along with their ruler Satan.

The holy book of Christians is Bible, which means “book” in Greek. The Bible consists of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is oldest part Bible. The New Testament (actually Christian works) includes: the four gospels (Luke, Mark, John and Matthew); the acts of the holy apostles; Epistles and Revelation of John the Theologian.

In the 4th century. n. e. Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity is not united. It split into three currents. In 1054 Christianity split into Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church. In the 16th century The Reformation, an anti-Catholic movement, began in Europe. The result was Protestantism.

And they admit seven Christian sacraments: baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil. The source of doctrine is the Bible. The differences are mainly as follows. In Orthodoxy there is no single head, there is no idea of ​​purgatory as a place of temporary placement of the souls of the dead, the priesthood does not take a vow of celibacy, as in Catholicism. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, elected for life; the center of the Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican - a state that occupies several blocks in Rome.

It has three main currents: Anglicanism, Calvinism And Lutheranism. Protestants consider the condition for the salvation of a Christian not the formal observance of rituals, but his sincere personal faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Their teaching proclaims the principle of universal priesthood, which means that every layman can preach. Almost all Protestant denominations have reduced the number of sacraments to a minimum.

Islam

Originated in the 7th century. n. e. among Arab tribes Arabian Peninsula. This is the youngest of the world. There are followers of Islam more than 1 billion people.

Founder of Islam - historical figure. He was born in 570 in Mecca, which was quite big city at the intersection of trade routes. In Mecca there was a shrine revered by the majority of pagan Arabs - the Kaaba. Muhammad's mother died when he was six years old, and his father died before his son was born. Muhammad was brought up in his grandfather's family, a noble but impoverished family. At the age of 25, he became the manager of the household of the wealthy widow Khadija and soon married her. At the age of 40, Muhammad acted as a religious preacher. He declared that God (Allah) had chosen him as his prophet. The ruling elite of Mecca did not like the sermon, and by 622 Muhammad had to move to the city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina. The year 622 is considered the beginning of the Muslim calendar according to lunar calendar, and Mecca is the center of the Muslim religion.

The Muslim Holy Book is a processed record of Muhammad's sermons. During the life of Muhammad, his statements were perceived as direct speech from Allah and were transmitted orally. A few decades after the death of Muhammad, they were written down and compiled into the Koran.

Plays an important role in the religion of Muslims Sunnah - a collection of edifying stories about the life of Muhammad and Sharia - a set of principles and rules of conduct obligatory for Muslims. The most serious ipexa.Mii among Muslims are usury, drunkenness, gambling and adultery.

The place of worship of Muslims is called a mosque. Islam prohibits the depiction of humans and animals; hollow mosques are decorated only with ornaments. In Islam there is no clear division between clergy and laity. Any Muslim who knows the Koran, Muslim laws and rules of worship can become a mullah (priest).

Great importance is attached to ritual in Islam. You may not know the intricacies of faith, but you should strictly perform the main rituals, the so-called five pillars of Islam:

• pronouncing the formula of confession of faith: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”;
• performing daily five times prayer (namaz);
• fasting during the month of Ramadan;
• giving alms to the poor;
• making a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).