Bahá’í: The Bahá’í faith is one of the youngest of the world’s major religions. It was founded by Bahá’u’lláh in Iran in 1863. There are six million Bahá’ís in the world, in at least 235 countries. Bahá’í religion may be unique in the way that it accepts all other faiths as true and valid.
Buddhism: Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. There are 376 million followers worldwide.
Christianity: Christianity is the most popular religion in the world, with over 2 billion adherents. Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament and is the son of God. Christians also believe in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost or Spirit.
Confucianism: Focused on ethics, family loyalty, and social harmony, Confucianism stresses the importance of morality and proper conduct in both personal and public life.
Earth-based Spiritualities: These traditions, often found in Indigenous and modern practices, are centered on a deep connection to nature and the earth. They celebrate the cycles of the seasons, the elements, and the life force present in all things. Rituals often involve honoring the earth, ancestors, and natural forces.
Hinduism: Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also exists among significant populations outside of the sub-continent and has over 900 million adherents worldwide.
Humanism, Materialism, Secularism: Humanism is a worldview that prioritizes human reason, ethics, and compassion over supernatural beliefs. Humanists believe in the capacity of humans to solve problems and improve the world through science, empathy, and rational thought, promoting well-being and human dignity. Materialism emphasizes that physical matter is the only reality, and everything, including consciousness, is the result of material interactions. It rejects spiritual or supernatural explanations for existence, focusing instead on observable, tangible phenomena. Secularism advocates the separation of religion from civic and governmental affairs. Secularism supports freedom of belief and non-belief, ensuring that public policies and laws are neutral and not influenced by religious doctrines.
Islam: The word Islam means “submission to the will of God.” Islam is the second largest religion in the world, with over 1 billion followers. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that Islam was revealed over 1,400 years ago in Mecca, Arabia.
Jainism: Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. The essence of Jainism is a concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself.
Judaism: Judaism is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity and Islam. According to information published by the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, there were around 13.1 million Jewish people in the world in 2007, most residing in the USA and Israel.
Latter-day Saints: Commonly referred to as Mormonism, the LDS Church is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon, believed to be an additional testament of Christ. It emphasizes the restoration of the original church, family unity, and ongoing revelation through prophets.
Paganism: A broad term that encompasses many ancient and contemporary earth-based spiritual traditions, Paganism includes polytheistic belief systems and practices that honor multiple gods and goddesses, nature, and seasonal festivals, such as solstices and equinoxes.
Shintoism: The essence of Shinto is the Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings and powers called kami, to shrines, and to various rituals. Shinto is a very local religion, in which devotees are likely to be concerned with their local shrine rather than the religion as a whole. Many Japanese will have a tiny shrine-altar in their homes.
Sikhism: There are 20 million Sikhs in the world, most of whom live in the Punjab province of India. Sikhism was founded in the 16th century in the Punjab district of what is now India and Pakistan. It was founded by Guru Nanak and is based on his teachings as well as those of the nine Sikh gurus who followed him.
Taoism: Taoism is an ancient tradition of philosophy and religious belief that is deeply rooted in Chinese customs and worldviews. Taoism is also referred to as Daoism, which is a more accurate way of representing in English the sound of the Chinese word. Taoism is bout the Tao, which is usually translated as the Way. It is difficult to say exactly what this means. The Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe. All things are unified and connected in the Tao.
Unitarian Universalism: There are about 800,000 Unitarians worldwide. Unitarianism is an open-minded and individualistic approach to religion that gives scope for a very wide range of beliefs and doubts. Religious freedom for each induvial is at the heart of Unitarianism. Everyone is free to search for meaning in life in a responsible wat and to reach their own conclusions.
Wicca: A modern pagan, nature-based spiritual practice, Wicca reveres both a God and Goddess, the cycles of the moon, and the elements. It emphasizes ritual, magic, and harmony with the earth. Ethical principles like the Wiccan Rede (“Harm none, do what ye will”) are central.
Zoroastrianism: One of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, Zoroastrianism teaches the worship of Ahura Mazda as the supreme god. Founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Persia, it emphasizes the cosmic struggle between good (truth) and evil (falsehood), as well as individual responsibility to promote good through good thoughts, words, and deeds.
