Major world religions and their core beliefs
20 cards · religion
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| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Christianity | One God in Trinity; salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection Largest religion (~2.3B). Scripture is the Bible; centers on Jesus as Son of God and savior. |
| Trinity | One God in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit Classical Christian doctrine affirmed in early ecumenical creeds. |
| Catholicism | Papal authority; seven sacraments; apostolic tradition Largest Christian body; teaching authority (Magisterium) guides doctrine and practice. |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | Conciliar leadership; veneration of icons; theosis Communion of autocephalous churches; emphasizes participation in divine life. |
| Protestantism | Scripture alone; faith alone; priesthood of all believers Began in the 16th-century Reformation; diverse denominations share core principles. |
| Islam | Absolute monotheism; Muhammad as final prophet; Quran Second-largest religion (~2B). Originated in 7th-century Arabia. |
| Five Pillars | Shahada, prayer, almsgiving, Ramadan fast, pilgrimage Core acts of worship defining Muslim practice, especially in Sunni Islam. |
| Sunni and Shia | Division over succession: caliphate vs imamate Sunnis backed caliphs chosen by community; Shiʿa affirm ‘Ali’s line and Imams’ authority. |
| Judaism | One God; covenant with Israel; Torah guides life Ancient Abrahamic faith; practice centers on mitzvot, ethics, and community. |
| Torah | Five Books of Moses; foundational law and teaching Core of the Tanakh; basis for Jewish law and study in written and oral forms. |
| Hinduism | Many paths to moksha; ultimate reality is Brahman Family of Indian traditions; key ideas include dharma, karma, samsara, and devotion. |
| Dharma | Duty and right conduct upholding cosmic and social order Varies by context, life stage, and community; central to Hindu ethics. |
| Karma | Moral causation determining future outcomes and rebirth Intentional actions bear fruits across lifetimes in Indian religions. |
| Moksha | Liberation from rebirth; union with or realization of Brahman Sought through knowledge (jnana), devotion (bhakti), or disciplined action (karma yoga). |
| Buddhism | End suffering by extinguishing craving; path to nirvana Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (5th c. BCE); spread across Asia. |
| Four Noble Truths | Suffering, its cause, its end, and the path Diagnose dukkha and prescribe a training to end it. |
| Eightfold Path | Right view, intent, speech, action, work, effort, mindfulness, concentration Grouped as wisdom, ethics, and meditation; cultivates liberation. |
| Sikhism | One God; devotion, honest work, service, equality Founded by Guru Nanak (15th c., Punjab). Scripture is the Guru Granth Sahib. |
| Daoism | Live in harmony with the Dao; non-forcing (wu wei) Chinese tradition drawing on the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi; values naturalness and spontaneity. |
| Shinto | Veneration of kami through ritual, purity, and festivals Indigenous to Japan; shrine practices emphasize harmony with nature and community. |