Globalization and Religion

• Globalization affects religious practices and beliefs
• Religion's relationship with global conflict and global peace can be analyzed

Religion Defined

• Belief in a god or gods, wither individually or as part of a group
• An organized belief system that includes ceremonies and rules used to worship a god or gods

Globalization's Impact on Religion

• Globalization has facilitated the rise of religious nationalism
• Religion has been brought into the public sphere

Negative Impacts

• The proliferation of international terrorism has increased
• Increased individual religiosity has occurred

Religious Nationalism

• Crafting laws is sometimes based on lawmakers' Christian beliefs
• Religious traditions, such as Catholic liberation theology and Islamic fundamentalism, forcefully enter the public sphere from the private one

Religious Extremism

• A type of political violence that believes violence justifies glorifying one's faith in a Supreme Being
• It has become a key issue for the global community

Extremists

• Think they have a duty to fulfill God's will through violence
• The need to rely on beliefs and relationship with a supreme being is caused by this rise of individual religiosity

Global Migration & Religion

• Due to migration, globalization has displayed "religious traditions in places monitory"
• Deterritorialization, a cultural feature that blurs lines amidst migration, has occurred
• Global migration has led to what Campbell (2007) calls the Easternization of the West
• The starting point for the spread of world religions is now the recipient of new belief systems from the East
• Global trends and impulse influence religion, forcing it to respond to newfound situations
• Social media becomes a tool for evangelization

Glocalization Forms

• Vernacularization: Blending of universal religions with local languages
• Indigenization: Transforming a universal religion to suit a particular ethnic group
• Nationalization: Creating a link between the nation and church
• Transnationalization: Complementing religious nationalism by focusing groups on identifying specific religious traditions tied to a real or imagined national homeland

Religion & Conflict

• Religion has been a source of both global conflict and peace since the late 20th century
• Conflicts involve identity and economics, as well as privilege and power

Stages of Religious Rebellion Against the Secular State

• Revolt against secularism: Localized uprisings challenge the state's moral authority
• Internationalization of religious rebellion: Warfare emerges between religious and secular politics

Five World Religions

• Christianity
• Hinduism
• Islam
• Buddhism
• Judaism

Hinduism Explained

• Developed and evolved in India, giving rise to various beliefs, practices, and other religions like Buddhism.
• Brahman: The eternal being that creates and preserves the world
• Atman: The soul; each person has one aspect of Brahman
• Devas: Manifestations of Brahman active in the world helping to maintain order
• Reincarnation: Being reborn into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)
• Karma: The sum of a person's actions, both good and bad, shaping future experiences
• Moksha: The goal of human existence is to escape from reincarnation and join Brahman
• Dharma: Spiritual duties and obligations to be fulfilled to achieve moksha
• Worship can take place everywhere, typically in a temple or home
• Spiritual leaders are called gurus or sages
• The ultimate goal of life is to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming one with Brahman (Moksha)
• Brahma: The creator
• Shiva: The destroyer
• Vishnu: The preserver

Buddhism Explained

• It teaches people to escape suffering through Buddhist teachings
• It is the 4th largest religion in the world
• Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE) was the founder of Buddhism
• He was a prince of a small kingdom
• He then transformed into the Buddha, the enlightened one

Buddhism's Teachings

• Dukkha sacca: There is suffering in the world, and to live means to suffer
• Dukkha-samudaya sacca: The cause of suffering is people's desires for pleasure and material goods
• Dukkha-nirodha sacca: The solution to suffering is to eliminate desire and attachments
• Dukkha-nirodha-gamini-patipada sacca: One must follow the Eightfold Path to reach nirvana

Eightfold Path

• Nirvana: Is a peaceful state where the soul is free from suffering forever and escapes the cycle of birth
• If nirvana is not achieved, the soul is reborn to live through the cycle of suffering again
• Spiritual leaders are called monks or lamas

Judaism, Christianity, & Islam History

• Judaism: Founded by the Hebrew leader Abraham in Mesopotamia around 1300 B.C; the oldest of the monotheistic faiths
• Christianity: Founded by Jesus Christ, who was crucified around A.D. 33 in Palestine in Jerusalem, whose followers believed him the Christ, and the Messiah, after his death
• Islam: Founded in Arabia by Muhammad in A.D. 622

Judaism

• Over 3000 years old, the oldest monotheistic religion, with Jerusalem as its holy city
• Jews believe in a single God (Yahweh) and await the Messiah, an earthly king
• The Ten Commandments are the basic code of law
• The most holy Jewish book is the Torah, including Judaism's oral tradition, known as the Talmud
• Jews worship in synagogues or temples led by a rabbi

Christianity

• It is the world's largest religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago
• Christians believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God and the Messiah promised in the Old Testament and that God made the world
• They believe they are saved by faith and good works and that heaven and hell exist
• The Bible is considered the inspired word of God
• The Christian place of worship is a church, led by a priest, pastor, or reverend

Islam

• The second most popular religion in the world
• Those who follow are called Muslims, believe in one God (Allah) who speaks Arabic
• The Muslim Scripture is the Holy Qur'an, considered the word of God
• The Muslim building for communal worship is a Mosque from the Arabic "place of prostration"
• Religious leaders are called imams

5 Pillars Belief System

• Shahadah: Declaration of faith
• Salah: Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca
• Zakat: Give a fixed proportion to charity
• Saum: Fast during the month of Ramadan
• Hajj: Make a pilgrimage to Mecca