These pages summarise the main features of the 12 largest world religions, which together are followed by almost 80% of the world’s population. These beliefs are described without passing any judgment on their truth or otherwise. Not included here are so-called “tribal” and African religions (6%), spiritism, the Eastern religions Cao Dai and Juche (less than 1% in total) and non religious (16%). Source for numbers is www.adherents.com.
Baha’i, Buddhism and Christianity
| Baha’i | Buddhism | Christianity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | Baha’u’llah | The Buddha | Jesus (Yeshua) |
| Place & time | Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria), 1860s CE | Nepal, 500 BCE | Palestine, 30 CE |
| Local religion at the time | Islam | Hinduism | Judaism & Roman polytheism |
| Written sources | Writings of Baha’u’llah & others – principally Kitab-l-Aqdas | Teachings of the Buddha written down much later & not treated as revelation | Bible, especially the New Testament |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 2 million | 376 million | 2,100 million |
| Nature of religion | Monotheism with revealed teachings – fulfils Judaism, Christianity and Islam | Dharmic. Way of life to achieve enlightenment | Monotheism with revealed teachings – fulfils Judaism |
| Nature of God(s) | Monotheistic, ethical | Distant, unclear | Monotheistic, ethical, personal |
| How to please God(s) | Ethical living | Eightfold Path between extremes of asceticism & materialism | Repentance & faith in Jesus + loving God and loving neighbour |
| Rewards & punishments | Life is a preparation for the next life (does this mean everyone enters afterlife?) | Life of acceptance & Nirvana | Life with God in this world and the next (or not) |
| Practices | Prayer & meditation leading to action – little emphasis on ritual (no churches or priests). Informal meeting every 19 days + festivals | Meditation, disciplined living to reduce suffering (recognising “impermanence, suffering & no-self”) | Weekly meetings, sharing faith & serving others |
| Distinctive ethics | Rational behaviour, peace, equality, tolerance, justice | Detachment, acceptance, meditation | Love your neighbour, humility, peace, justice |
Confucianism, Hinduism and Islam
| Confucianism | Hinduism | Islam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | K’ung Fu-tzu (Confucius) | Brahmins – the priestly class of the invading Aryans | Muhammed |
| Place & time | China 500 BCE | India, about 1500 BCE | Arabia, 620 CE |
| Local religion at the time | – | Evolved from more primitive beliefs | Tribal polytheism |
| Written sources | K’ung Fu-tzu’s writings | Many writings, mainly the Vedas (1000 BCE) & Upanishads (500 BCE) | Qur’an, written down by Muhammed |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 400 million (combined with Taoism) | 850 million | 1,200 million |
| Nature of religion | Taoic. Social & political ethics | Dharmic. Devotional rituals & tradition to achieve release from cycle of rebirth. | Monotheism with revealed beliefs – mixture of corporate & personal worship and ethics |
| Nature of God(s) | – | Pantheistic & impersonal – life force (Brahmin) and many gods/aspects | Monotheistic, personal, ethical |
| How to please God(s) | – | Devotion, good works, knowledge & yoga to reduce karma (caused by bad behaviour) & maya (illusion) | Five Pillars – profession of faith, prayer/worshp, alms, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca |
| Rewards & punishments | Social harmony | Cycle of rebirth until karma dissolved & released. | Paradise for believers |
| Practices | Respect for ancestors | Temples as homes to deities & shrines, priests & rituals, individual holy men | Five Pillars, Friday prayers at mosque, ritual washing and prayers |
| Distinctive ethics | Cohesion of society. Living in harmony with environment | Do right, acquire wealth, enjoy pleasure, achieve release | Five Pillars, Jihad (holy struggle) |
Jainism, Judaism, and Parsees/Zoroastrianism
| Jainism | Judaism | Zoroastrianism | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | Mahavira (“great hero”) | Abraham & Moses | Zarathustra (not sure if he was a real person) |
| Place & time | India, 550 BCE | Iraq, 2000 BCE | Iran, date unclear, 1200 or 600 BCE? |
| Local religion at the time | Hinduism | Polytheism | Local |
| Written sources | Scriptures, written 100 years after Mahavira | The Law (Torah given by God) & the prophets. The Talmud | Avesta (Zarathustra’s teachings, written centuries later) |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 3 million | 14 million | 2.6 million |
| Nature of religion | Dharmic. Soul is imprisoned in matter – cycle of rebirth until achieve release, at length, by intense discipline. | Monotheism with revealed beliefs – mixture of corporate & personal worship and ethics | Monotheism but dualistic. Ethical, personal. |
| Nature of God(s) | Distant, unclear – close to atheism | Monotheistic, personal, ethical | Ahura Mazda (all powerful God) is oposed by Angra Mainyu & supported by 7 created immortals. |
| How to please God(s) | Ascetic life as a monk. Lay people can only hope to achieve being a monk in the next life | Obey Law – sacrifices for forgiveness of sins | Ethical living |
| Rewards & punishments | Salvation = release from karma & cycle, then union with one’s true self | Pleasing or displeasing God | Life after death |
| Practices | Fasting & extreme asceticism. Temples & images to assist meditation. | Worship & sacrifices in temple (but not since temple destroyed in 70 CE) & meetings in Synagogues | Ritual prayer & washings, fire ceremonies (fire is the symbol of God’s truth) |
| Distinctive ethics | Do no harm (non violent & vegetarian), abstain from sex & worldly goods | 10 Commandments, plus many detailed laws in Law and writings | Education, devotion, righteousness, non-violence, cleanliness |
Shinto, Sikhism and Taoism
| Shinto | Sikhism | Taoism | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | Evolved | Guru Nanak | Lao-Tzu (& Chuang Tzu) |
| Place & time | Japan, 0-1000 CE | India, 1500 CE | China 300-600 BCE |
| Local religion at the time | – | Hinduism & Islam | Less refined version of same ideas |
| Written sources | – | Guru Granth Sahib (Nanak’s & other Gurus’ teachings, written down later) | Writings of Lao-Tzu (Tao Te Ching) & Chuang Tzu |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 4 million | 23 million | 400 million (combined with Confucianism) |
| Nature of religion | Taoic. Shinto = “the way of the gods”. Mixture of polytheistic mythology & practical living. Little dogma. Co-exists happily with Buddhism | Dharmic. Practical religion about living in this world (not ascetic like some other eastern religions). Cycle of rebirth. | Taoic. Tao = “the way”. Mythical religion with strong ethical component, yin & yang. A way to live with little dogma. |
| Nature of God(s) | Spiritual force manifested in “Kami” (nature, many gods or spirits, or ancestors) | Present everywhere in creation, unknowable, without form, beyond dogma, found in the heart. merciful. | Spiritual force (there is some polytheism in popular Taoism) |
| How to please God(s) | Worship at shrines | Grace enables recognition of God’s word & hence ability to live ethically & devotionally and so earn salvation. | – |
| Rewards & punishments | A peaceful pure life? | Mystical union with God (on earth and in afterlife?) | Personal peace? |
| Practices | Worship, prayer & offerings at shrines to various Kami | Egalitarian, respect for other religions | Meditation, exercise (tai chi & Kung fu), detachment, festivals |
| Distinctive ethics | Purity & cleanliness | Love your neighbour, humility, peace, justice | Sensitivity, peacefulness, live in harmony with nature. |
Baha’i and Buddhism
| Baha’i | Buddhism | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Baha’u’llah | The Buddha |
| Place & time | Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria), 1860s CE | Nepal, 500 BCE |
| Local religion at the time | Islam | Hinduism |
| Written sources | Writings of Baha’u’llah & others – principally Kitab-l-Aqdas | Teachings of the Buddha written down much later & not treated as revelation |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 2 million | 376 million |
| Nature of religion | Monotheism with revealed teachings – fulfils Judaism, Christianity and Islam | Dharmic. Way of life to achieve enlightenment |
| Nature of God(s) | Monotheistic, ethical | Distant, unclear |
| How to please God(s) | Ethical living | Eightfold Path between extremes of asceticism & materialism |
| Rewards & punishments | Life is a preparation for the next life (does this mean everyone enters afterlife?) | Life of acceptance & Nirvana |
| Practices | Prayer & meditation leading to action – little emphasis on ritual (no churches or priests). Informal meeting every 19 days + festivals | Meditation, disciplined living to reduce suffering (recognising “impermanence, suffering & no-self”) |
| Distinctive ethics | Rational behaviour, peace, equality, tolerance, justice | Detachment, acceptance, meditation |
Christianity and Confucianism
| Christianity | Confucianism | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Jesus (Yeshua) | K’ung Fu-tzu (Confucius) |
| Place & time | Palestine, 30 CE | China 500 BCE |
| Local religion at the time | Judaism & Roman polytheism | – |
| Written sources | Bible, especially the New Testament | K’ung Fu-tzu’s writings |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 2,100 million | 400 million (combined with Taoism) |
| Nature of religion | Monotheism with revealed teachings – fulfils Judaism | Taoic. Social & political ethics |
| Nature of God(s) | Monotheistic, ethical, personal | – |
| How to please God(s) | Repentance & faith in Jesus + loving God and loving neighbour | – |
| Rewards & punishments | Life with God in this world and the next (or not) | Social harmony |
| Practices | Weekly meetings, sharing faith & serving others | Respect for ancestors |
| Distinctive ethics | Love your neighbour, humility, peace, justice | Cohesion of society. Living in harmony with environment |
Hinduism and Islam
| Hinduism | Islam | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Brahmins – the priestly class of the invading Aryans | Muhammed |
| Place & time | India, about 1500 BCE | Arabia, 620 CE |
| Local religion at the time | Evolved from more primitive beliefs | Tribal polytheism |
| Written sources | Many writings, mainly the Vedas (1000 BCE) & Upanishads (500 BCE) | Qur’an, written down by Muhammed |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 850 million | 1,200 million |
| Nature of religion | Dharmic. Devotional rituals & tradition to achieve release from cycle of rebirth. | Monotheism with revealed beliefs – mixture of corporate & personal worship and ethics |
| Nature of God(s) | Pantheistic & impersonal – life force (Brahmin) and many gods/aspects | Monotheistic, personal, ethical |
| How to please God(s) | Devotion, good works, knowledge & yoga to reduce karma (caused by bad behaviour) & maya (illusion) | Five Pillars – profession of faith, prayer/worshp, alms, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca |
| Rewards & punishments | Cycle of rebirth until karma dissolved & released. | Paradise for believers |
| Practices | Temples as homes to deities & shrines, priests & rituals, individual holy men | Five Pillars, Friday prayers at mosque, ritual washing and prayers |
| Distinctive ethics | Do right, acquire wealth, enjoy pleasure, achieve release | Five Pillars, Jihad (holy struggle) |
Jainism and Judaism
| Jainism | Judaism | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Mahavira (“great hero”) | Abraham & Moses |
| Place & time | India, 550 BCE | Iraq, 2000 BCE |
| Local religion at the time | Hinduism | Polytheism |
| Written sources | Scriptures, written 100 years after Mahavira | The Law (Torah given by God) & the prophets. The Talmud |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 3 million | 14 million |
| Nature of religion | Dharmic. Soul is imprisoned in matter – cycle of rebirth until achieve release, at length, by intense discipline. | Monotheism with revealed beliefs – mixture of corporate & personal worship and ethics |
| Nature of God(s) | Distant, unclear – close to atheism | Monotheistic, personal, ethical |
| How to please God(s) | Ascetic life as a monk. Lay people can only hope to achieve being a monk in the next life | Obey Law – sacrifices for forgiveness of sins |
| Rewards & punishments | Salvation = release from karma & cycle, then union with one’s true self | Pleasing or displeasing God |
| Practices | Fasting & extreme asceticism. Temples & images to assist meditation. | Worship & sacrifices in temple (but not since temple destroyed in 70 CE) & meetings in Synagogues |
| Distinctive ethics | Do no harm (non violent & vegetarian), abstain from sex & worldly goods | 10 Commandments, plus many detailed laws in Law and writings |
Parsees/Zoroastrianism and Shinto
| Zoroastrianism | Shinto | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Zarathustra (not sure if he was a real person) | Evolved |
| Place & time | Iran, date unclear, 1200 or 600 BCE? | Japan, 0-1000 CE |
| Local religion at the time | Local | – |
| Written sources | Avesta (Zarathustra’s teachings, written centuries later) | – |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 2.6 million | 4 million |
| Nature of religion | Monotheism but dualistic. Ethical, personal. | Taoic. Shinto = “the way of the gods”. Mixture of polytheistic mythology & practical living. Little dogma. Co-exists happily with Buddhism |
| Nature of God(s) | Ahura Mazda (all powerful God) is oposed by Angra Mainyu & supported by 7 created immortals. | Spiritual force manifested in “Kami” (nature, many gods or spirits, or ancestors) |
| How to please God(s) | Ethical living | Worship at shrines |
| Rewards & punishments | Life after death | A peaceful pure life? |
| Practices | Ritual prayer & washings, fire ceremonies (fire is the symbol of God’s truth) | Worship, prayer & offerings at shrines to various Kami |
| Distinctive ethics | Education, devotion, righteousness, non-violence, cleanliness | Purity & cleanliness |
Sikhism and Taoism
| Sikhism | Taoism | |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Guru Nanak | Lao-Tzu (& Chuang Tzu) |
| Place & time | India, 1500 CE | China 300-600 BCE |
| Local religion at the time | Hinduism & Islam | Less refined version of same ideas |
| Written sources | Guru Granth Sahib (Nanak’s & other Gurus’ teachings, written down later) | Writings of Lao-Tzu (Tao Te Ching) & Chuang Tzu |
| No. of adherents worldwide | 23 million | 400 million (combined with Confucianism) |
| Nature of religion | Dharmic. Practical religion about living in this world (not ascetic like some other eastern religions). Cycle of rebirth. | Taoic. Tao = “the way”. Mythical religion with strong ethical component, yin & yang. A way to live with little dogma. |
| Nature of God(s) | Present everywhere in creation, unknowable, without form, beyond dogma, found in the heart. merciful. | Spiritual force (there is some polytheism in popular Taoism) |
| How to please God(s) | Grace enables recognition of God’s word & hence ability to live ethically & devotionally and so earn salvation. | – |
| Rewards & punishments | Mystical union with God (on earth and in afterlife?) | Personal peace? |
| Practices | Egalitarian, respect for other religions | Meditation, exercise (tai chi & Kung fu), detachment, festivals |
| Distinctive ethics | Love your neighbour, humility, peace, justice | Sensitivity, peacefulness, live in harmony with nature. |
For more information on the terms “monotheistic”, “darmic” and “taoic”, see the different types of religions.
All photos from MorgueFile: Buddha, Sikh women, Wailing Wall Jerusalem, prayer banners, mosque, priest, lanterns.
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