f.Class Notes #20

Five Major Religions

• Christianity
• The number of adherents is around 2.2 billion, which makes it the largest in the World.
• Its believers are called Christians.
• Geographic location (places where most Christians are found at): Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
• Denominations (kinds of Christians): Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church (found mostly in Greece and Turkey), and Protestants.
• Its founder was Jesus Christ and was Abrahamic in origin.
• Its holy book is the Bible, especially the Gospels in the New Testament.
• Its beliefs are that Jesus is both human and Divine, making him the Son of God, he led a virtuous life; he also was crucified, died, buried, and resurrected; and, he ascended into Heaven and now reigns with God the Father.
• Its clergy consists of the Pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church and priests who serve as local authorities.

• Islam
• The number of adherents is 1.5 billion, making it the second largest in the World.
• Its followers are called Muslims.
• Geographical location: Indonesia, Middle East, and North Africa.
• Denominations: Sunnis (75-90%) and Shiites (10-20%).
• Founder: Muhammad (570 to 632 AD).
• Holy book: Qur'an or Koran.
• Beliefs: monotheistic and Abrahamic; Muslims believe in the Five Pillars (preaching the Islam religion to other people, praying quintuple times a day, alms-giving (giving money to people who need it), fasting, and pilgrimage); the Muslims' purpose in life is serving and submitting for Allah (God) and observing the Islamic law.