In religious studies, an ethnic religion is a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group. Ethnic religions are often distinguished from universal religions, such as Christianity or Islam, in which gaining converts is a primary objective and, therefore, are not limited in ethnic, national or racial scope.[2] A number of alternative terms have been used instead of ethnic religion. Another term that is often used is folk religion. While ethnic religion and folk religion have overlapping uses, the latter term implies "the appropriation of religious beliefs and practices at a popular level."[3] The term folk religion can therefore be used to speak of certain Chinese and African religions, but can also refer to popular expressions of more multi-national and institutionalized religions such as Folk Christianity or Folk Islam.[4][5] In Western contexts, a variety of terms are also employed. In the United States and Canada a popular alternative term has been nature religion.[6] Some neopagan movements, especially in Europe, have adopted ethnic religion as their preferred term, aligning themselves with ethnology. This notably includes the European Congress of Ethnic Religions,[7] which chose its name after a day-long discussion in 1998, where the majority of the participants expressed that Pagan contained too many negative connotations and ethnic better described the root of their traditions in particular nations. In the English-language popular and scholarly discourse Paganism, with a capital P, has become an accepted term.[8] Ethnic religion are defined as religions which are related to a particular ethnic group, and often seen as a defining part of that ethnicity's culture, language, and customs. Diasporic groups often maintain ethnic religions as a means of maintaining a distinct ethnic identity such as the role of African traditional religion and African diaspora religions among the African diaspora in the Americas.[9] Some ancient ethnic religions, such as those historically found in pre-modern Europe, have found new vitality in neopaganism.[10] Moreover, non-ethnic religions, such as Christianity, have been known to assume ethnic traits to an extent that they serve a role as an important ethnic identity marker,[11] a notable example of this is the Serbian "Saint-Savianism" of the Serbian Orthodox Church,[12] and the religious and cultural heritage of Syriac Christianity branch of the Assyrian people.[13][14][15]
Understanding religious differences is important to the field of human geography. So how do you as a geographer study religion? Geographers research and document the location of religions and use the results to explain why certain religions are widely distributed and why other religions are extremely concentrated. There are two types of religions for Human Geography studies: universalizing and ethnic religions. After you read this AP® Human Geography study guide, you will better understand the difference between universalizing and ethnic religions. We will also explore why it is important to understand and examine the implications of the origin, distribution, and diffusion of religions. This study guide will conclude with how universalizing and ethnic religions relate to the AP® Human Geography exam. What is Religion? Before we can understand the differences between universalizing and ethnic religions, we must first have a discussion on the definition of religion itself. You may not have sat down and thought about religion as a pure concept, but religion is a vital part of human culture, and it helps us celebrate and understand our place in the world. Religion is a common set of beliefs and practices through which people seek harmony with the power of the universe. It is also a communal way to relate a belief that centers on a system of thought, unseen being, person, or object that is believed to be supernatural, sacred, or divine. Religion can impact how we interact with other people and our environment, which then shapes the development of a people’s cultural landscape. Theistic Aspects of ReligionNow that we know the basic definition of religion and why it is important to us to study religion as part of the AP® Human Geography course, we will now explore the different types of religions based on several factors. One factor that distinguishes various religions is the number of gods that followers worship. In this regard, monotheism and polytheism are the two classifications of religion. Religions are monotheistic because they believe in one supreme being or god. In contrast to monotheism, polytheistic religions believe in more than one supreme or deity. Polytheistic religions practiced today include Hinduism and Shintoism. As geographers, we need to examine religions with an eye on universality and ethnicity. Origin and predominate location define ethnic and universalizing religions as well to help explain how the religion diffused over time. Universalizing ReligionsFirst, let’s look at the definition of universalizing religion. Universalizing religions offer belief systems that are attractive to the universal population. They look for new members and welcome anyone and everyone who wishes to adopt their belief system. Universalizing religions have many diverse members, who come from different ethnic backgrounds, hence the term universal. Therefore, it is evident that universal religions consist of many different ethnic groups because they convert and accept anyone of any background and are usually not closely tied to one location. ChristianityChristianity is the largest universalizing religion, both in area and in number, with about two billion adherents. Founded on the teachings of Jesus, Christianity is monotheistic, believing that God is a Trinity and Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The three main branches of Christianity are Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. Roman Catholics are predominate in Southwest Europe and Latin America, Protestants in Northwest Europe and North America, and Orthodox in Eastern Europe. Eastern Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in Greece, Cyprus, and Russia. IslamIslam is the second largest universalizing religion with over 1.5 billion adherents. In Arabic, Islam means “submitting to the will of God”. Those who practice Islam are Muslims, which means one who surrenders to God. Islam begins with Abraham like Christianity and Judaism, but traces their story through Abraham’s second wife and son, Hagar and Ishmael, not Sarah and Isaac like the Christians and Jews. Their leader and prophet is Muhammad. The two branches of Islam are Sunni and Shiite. The division between the Sunni and Shia originated in a disagreement over leadership after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE. Islam is the predominant religion in the Middle East from North Africa to Central Asia. More than half of the world’s Muslims live in four countries outside the Middle East: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. BuddhismBuddhism is the fourth largest religion, with about 350 million adherents. Buddhism was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. The core Buddhist belief is reincarnation. In this concept, people are reborn after dying. One can attain Nirvana if one releases their attachment to desire and self. Today, Buddhism is a majority faith in Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. Ethnic ReligionsIn contrast to universalizing religions, ethnic religions usually consist of beliefs, superstitions, and rituals handed down from generation to generation within an ethnicity and culture. It follows one’s ethnicity because the religion does not tend to convert. In some ways, ethnic religions act like a folk culture. It expands via relocation diffusion and often increases through birth rates. Ethnic religions relate closely to culture, ethnic heritage, and to the physical geography of a particular place. Ethnic religions do not attempt to appeal to all people, but only one group, maybe in one locale or within one ethnicity. Judaism and Hinduism are two prime examples of ethnic religions. Hinduism
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By definition, which of these applies to ethnic religions?
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