Ch. 6: Religion

Introduction & Case Study (p. 180-182)

  1. How do religions often represent both peace and conflict?
  1. Why do people of different religions often experience tension with one another?
  1. Case Study: How and why has communist China sought to weaken Buddhism in Tibet?

Key Issue #1: Where Are Religions Distributed? (p. 183-190)

  1. What is the difference between universalizing and ethnic religions?
  1. Describe the general hierarchy of the universalizing religions.
  1. What are the 3 major universalizing religions? Which is the largest?
  1. Complete the chart:

Christianity
Roman Catholic branch / Protestant branch / Eastern Orthodox branch
Size / Locations in Europe / Locations in Western Hemisphere / Size / Locations in Europe / Locations in Western Hemisphere / Size / Locations in Europe / Locations in Western Hemisphere
  1. What are the largest Protestant denominations in the U.S.? Where are each of them clustered?
  1. Who are the Mormons? Where are they clustered?
  1. Where are Muslims clustered worldwide? What 4 countries have the most Muslims?
  1. What are the 2 branches of Islam? Which is the largest? Where are the 2 branches clustered?
  2. Why has Islam increased in Europe and North America?
  1. Who founded Buddhism? What are the 4 Noble Truths?
  1. Complete the chart:

Buddhism
Mahayana branch / Theravada branch / Tantrayana branch
Size / Locations / Size / Locations / Size / Locations
  1. Why is Buddhism different from other universalizing religions?
  1. Describe the locations and beliefs of Sikhism and Baha’i.
  1. What is the largest ethnic religion? Where is it found? How do they decide how to worship?
  1. Describe the locations and beliefs of Confucianism and Daoism.
  1. Describe the locations and beliefs of Shintoism.
  1. Where are Jews located? How is Judaism connected to other major religions?
  1. What has happened to African animist religions?

Key Issue #2: Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions? (p. 190-201)

  1. What is the difference in the origin of ethnic and universalizing religions?
  1. When and where did Christianity begin? How and when did Eastern Orthodox separate from Roman Catholicism? How and when did Protestantism separate from Roman Catholicism?
  1. How, when, and where did Islam originate? Why did Sunnis and Shi’ites separate?
  1. How, when, and where did Buddhism originate? Why did Theravadas and Mahayanas separate?
  1. What is the difference in the diffusion of ethnic and universalizing religions?
  1. How did Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire? How did Christianity spread from Europe to other parts of the world?
  1. How and to where did Islam diffuse?
  1. How and to where did Buddhism spread? What has happened to Buddhism in India?
  1. Why has Judaism diffused?
  1. How do universalizing and ethnic religions differ with regard to holy places?
  1. Describe the holy places of Islam. What is the hajj?
  1. What places are considered holy to Hindus?
  1. How do Chinese ethnic religions differ in their concepts of cosmogony from Christianity and Islam?
  1. How are universalizing and ethnic religions different with regard to their calendars?
  1. Describe the difference in the lunar and solar calendars. Describe the importance of the solstice to some ethnic religions.
  1. Complete the chart:

Holy Days
Judaism / Islam / Baha’i / Christianity / Buddhism / Sikhism

Key Issue #3: Why Do Religions Organize Space in Distinctive Patterns? (p. 202-206)

  1. How do religions affect the cultural landscape?
  1. How do the type of Christianity and the available building materials affect the architecture of churches?
  1. How are the architectural styles of Muslim mosques and Buddhist & Shintoist pagodas distinctive?
  1. How is the place of worship different in Hinduism as compared to many other religions?
  1. How do different religions affect the cultural landscape with different practices for disposing of the dead?
  1. What is a utopian settlement? How did they affect the use of space?
  1. Where would you expect to find Roman Catholic toponyms?
  1. Describe the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church.
  1. How do Islam and some Protestant denominations reflect an autonomous structure?

Key Issue #4: Why Do Territorial Conflicts Arise Among Religious Groups? (p. 206-215)

  1. How has religious fundamentalism contributed to increased religious conflict?
  1. Why do many Muslims view Islam as incompatible with Western social values?
  1. How did the Taliban restrict personal freedoms in Afghanistan?
  1. What is the caste system? Why has it been difficult to eradicate the case system from India?
  1. How and why did the communist USSR (Soviet Union) restrict Islam and Christianity? What has happened to religion in the region since the fall of communism?
  1. How has Buddhism been affected by wars and communism in Southeast Asia?
  1. Describe the reasons that Northern Ireland separated from Ireland.
  1. What 2 extremist groups continue to fight in Northern Ireland?
  1. Why is the land of Palestine important to 3 religions?
  1. How and when was Palestine a site of conflict between Christians and Muslims?
  1. Trace the resettlement of Palestine by the Jews. How has this led to conflict between Jews and Palestinian Arabs (who are dominantly Muslim)?
  1. Discuss the differing perspectives between Palestinians and Israelis over control of Palestine.
  1. Contemporary Geographic Tools: How has Israel sought to protect itself from Palestinian extremist attacks? Why is this seen as controversial?
  1. Global Forces, Local Impacts: Why do the sacred places in Jerusalem offer a serious challenge to resolving conflict between Jews and Muslims?