Series- 8 Major World Religions: What you should know and why it's important.

Most scholars and theologians classify and list the major world religions as: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. For the sake of our study, we will expand that list to 8 major religions because Christians are likely to come into contact with each . To sum up the primary factor for each, I've associated a word or two along with the religion:

This list comprises the stated (and sometimes assumed) faiths of over 6 billion people on the planet.

As pointed out in class (thanks Josh Cline), that leaves out almost a billion people from the current world population of roughly 7 billion souls (see World Population Clock here). They would fall in an assortment of various smaller religious groups and, by in large, a non-religious category (atheist, agnostics, etc.).

Taoism is predominately a faction of either Confucianism or Buddhism, but there are significant enough differences to warrant a separate look from the two.

While Christianity is the largest world religion by sheer numbers, the classification is very liberal and includes Protestants, Catholics and Lutherans, as well as, the faiths of Mormons and the Jehovah Witness (just to name a few). Basically, any religion that centers around Jesus is included.


Why Does Religion Matter? 

For Christians, religion is just merely the practice of our faith which we hold to matter on an eternal scale. But religion doesn't exist in the abstract and has been the single most dominate force in the world since humans were created.

While sociologist and academics have predicted the decline of religion as nations have become modernized and industrialized, statistics show a different story. With the exception of some Western Europe countries (England, Germany and France) the rest of the world is drastically religious.

During the 1960's and the secularist movement in our own country, major publications such as Time Magazine and the New York Daily Times published articles claiming the belief in God was in major decline in our country. Yet, recent surveys by the USA Today and Pew Research show that 85% or more of Americans claim to believe in God (or a Higher Power). In a 2008 Gallop poll on religious attitudes toward presidential candidates, just over 50% of respondents replied under no circumstance would they vote for a well-qualified candidate who claimed to be an atheist (as a comparison, gay 37% and Muslim 38%). Over half!  God is far from dead in our country.


Why should Christians care about other religions? 

I don't by any means advocate for all Christians to become intimately knowledgeable about the finer points of other religions. There's just too much work to be done in our own faith! World religions are a subject matter of personal interest that were a byproduct of straying from the Christian path at one point in my own past. But I do feel it is important to have a working knowledge of other religions, since 2/3 of the world population aren't Christians, and we are called to reach them for Christ.

There are three major reasons, in my opinion, why Christians should at least be familiar with other world religions that I've categorized as: Inward, Outward and Upward. The list is by no means inclusive. I've also listed which of the Five Purposes from the Identity 1-1-1 Series that can be associated with each category.

1. Inward- As we study other religions, we inevitably compare our beliefs to those of others which drives us to think through theological issues we might not have examined otherwise. I believe this helps the Christian not only better understand their own faith but also better appreciate the subtleties and even beauty of biblical teaching.

As Christians see the deep devotion required in some other faiths, it becomes only natural to reexamine one's own commitment to God and should spark a desire for a closer relationship with Him. 

Grow and Worship

2. Outward- While it's only human nature to find it difficult to love those different from us, Jesus didn't add a disclaimer to His commandment for us to love our neighbors *but only if they are like us. While that may look funny written on the page, most Christians act as if those were the actual words of Christ! When humans encounter something (or someone) different from our personal perspective of "normal", we either fear that difference (usually out of ignorance) or become condescending (definitely out of ignorance). Either attitude leads to a dehumanizing effect which in turn creates a strong distinction between us and them. Not very Christ-like.

By having a better understanding of what is, in all likelihood, the most dominating factor in another person's life, Christians will find compassion comes easier for those not of our faith. From that compassion will develop love for others and the clarity that all of mankind was created in God's image, and His grace is extended to everyone including the Muslim, the Buddhist and even the atheist. At this point, the Christian becomes much better equipped to communicate the Gospel with others. With a working knowledge of other religions, a spiritual conversation about the Gospel with a Hindu would be different from that with a Muslim. Different and more effective when presented with more clarity. While it's true the message is very much the same, the method is more adept for the listening party.

Share and Serve

3. Upward- If you believe all things have a purpose according to God's plan, there should be greater value placed on understanding the world we live in today. God works throughout the entire world and expects us to be prepared, if called, to do the same. By trying to better understand the world God works in today, we grow in our appreciation for His greatness. Ultimately, we grow closer to Him.   

Worship

Next Week: Islam