List of founders of religious traditionsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor legendary figures for which historicity cannot be established, see culture hero.This article lists historical figures credited with founding religions or religious philosophies or people who first codified older known religious traditions. It also lists those who have founded a specific major denomination within a larger religion.In many cases, one can regard a religion as a continuous tradition extending to prehistoric times without a specific founder (Hinduism, which is a synthesis of the Vedic religion, the shramanic movement, and Indian folk religion; animism), or with legendary founding-figures whose historicity has been widely questioned (such Rishabha). This notwithstanding, many historical expressions of such religions will still have founders. Religion often develops by means of schism and reform (motivated by theological speculation), and it becomes a matter of judgement at what point such a schism or reform should be considered the "foundation" of a new religious tradition. For example, Martin Luther and John Wesley worked for reforms but their efforts failed to influence the whole Church and the end result was a new tradition within Christianity.Chronologically, foundations of religious traditions may sub-divide into:1. the Axial Age, with foundations to Hinduism, Zorastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confusianism, Judaism and with the earliest known major founding figures such as Zoroaster, Confucius, and Buddha.2. Hellenism to Late Antiquity, with foundations of classical religious traditions and schools such as various sects of Early Christianity, Stoicism, Gnosticism.3. the medieval to early modern period, with the rise of Islam, the Bhakti movement, Zen Buddhism, and the Protestant Reformation.4. new religious movements, since c. 1800.

Contents 1 Ancient (before AD 500) 2 Medieval to Early Modern (5001800 AD) 3 New religious movements (post-1800) 4 Notes 5 See also 6 References 7 BibliographyAncient (before AD 500)See culture hero for legendary founders of doubtful historicity.NameReligious tradition foundedEthnicityLife of founder

Naram-Sin of Akkadfirst known ruler to impose an imperial cultAkkadian22nd century BC (short chronology)

Ur-Nammubuilt the Ziggurat of Ur to NannaSumerian21st century BC (short chronology)

AkhenatenAtenismEgyptian14th century BC (conventional Egyptian chronology)

ParshvaThe penultimate (23rd) Tirthankara in JainismIndian877777 BC[1][2][3][4]

Zoroastercomposed the gathas foundational to ZoroastrianismCentral Iranian/Airyac. 10th to 6th century BC[5][n 1]

Numa PompiliusRoman king who codified and organized the Roman religionItalic of the Sabellian Sabine tribe717 BC 673 BC

LaoziTaoismChinese6th century BC

Nebuchadnezzar IIbuilt the Etemenanki, established Marduk as the patron deity of BabylonBabylonian(southern dialect of Akkadian)6th century BC

MahaviraThe final Tirthankara in JainismIndian599527 BC[6]

Siddhrtha Gautama BuddhaBuddhismIndianc. 5th century BC

ConfuciusConfucianismChinese551 BC 479 BC

PythagorasPythagoreanismGreek, born on Samosfl. 520 BC

MoziMohismChinese470 BC 390 BC

Ezra HaSoferestablished Second Temple Judaism[7]Judean, Levite tribalthrough Aaronic linefl. 459 BC[n 2]

EpicurusEpicureanismGreek, born on Samosfl. 307 BC

Zeno of CitiumStoicismpossibly Phoenician,[8]albeit a Greek national333 BC 264 BC

PatanjaliRaja Yoga (part of Hinduism)Indian2nd century BC

JesusChristianityJudean, Davidic linec. 5-4 BC - c. 33 AD

Paul the ApostlePauline ChristianityJudean, albeit a Roman citizen1st century AD

James the JustJewish ChristianityJudean1st century AD

Judah haNasiTalmudic Rabbinical JudaismJudean, Davidic line2nd century AD

Marcion of SinopeMarcionismPontic Greek110160

NagarjunaMadhyamakaTelugu Dravidian150250

PlotinusNeoplatonismmay have been of Roman,[9]Greek,[10] or Hellenized Egyptian[11]ancestry; Roman citizen205270

ManiManichaeismPersian Western Iranian/Airya216276

Arius[n 3]Arianism[n 4]possibly Berber,born in Libya; hellenophone250336

Pelagius[n 3]Pelagianism[n 5]British,[12] possibly Irish;[13] fluent in Greek and Latin354430

Nestorius[n 3]Nestorianism[n 6]Assyrian,albeit a Byzantine national386451

EutychesMonophysitism[n 7]born in Constantinople380456

Medieval to Early Modern (5001800 AD)NameReligious tradition foundedLife of founder

MazdakMazdakism520s

Bodhidharma (Tamil Nadu, in South India)Zen Buddhism6th century

MuhammadIslamearly 7th century

Songtsn GampoTibetan Buddhism7th century

En no OzunoShugendlate 7th century

HuinengZen Buddhism in China and East Asia638713

PadmasambhavaNyingma8th century

Han YuNeo-Confucianism8th or 9th century

SaichTendai Buddhism (descended from Tiantai)767?822

KkaiShingon Buddhism774835

Adi ShankaraAdvaita Vedanta9th century

RamanujacharyaVishishtadvaita Vedanta1017-1137

Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-AhmadDruze11th century

BasavaLingayatism12th century

HnenJdo Buddhism (descended from Pure Land Buddhism)11311212

EisaiRinzai Zen Buddhism (descended from Linji)11411215

ShinranJdo Shinsh Buddhism (descended from Jdo)11731263

DgenSt Zen Buddhism (descended from Caodong)12001253

Haji Bektash VeliBektashi Sufi)12091271

NichirenNichiren Buddhism12221282

MadhvacharyaDvaita12381317

Sant Mat (group of saints)Bhakti movement (of Hinduism)13th to 15th centuries

John WyclifLollardy1320s1384

Jan HusHussitism13721415

RamanandaSant Mat Vaishnavism15th century

Srimanta SankardevaMahapuruxiya Dharma14491568

Guru Nanak DevSikhism14691539

Baba Sri ChandUdasi14941629

Vallabha AcharyaShuddhadvaita14791531

Martin LutherLutheranism and Protestantism in general14831546

Chaitanya MahaprabhuGaudiya Vaishnavism, Achintya Bheda Abheda14861534

Menno SimonsMennonitism14961561

Conrad GrebelSwiss Brethren, Anabaptism14981526

Jacob HutterHutterites15001536

John Calvin[14]Calvinism15091564

Michael Servetus[15]Unitarianism1511?1553

John Knox[16]Presbyterianism15101572

Akbar the GreatDin-i-Ilahi15421605

Jacob ArminiusArminianism15601609

John Smyth[17]Baptists15701612

Avvakum[citation needed]Russian Orthodox Old Believers16201682

George Fox[18]Religious Society of Friends16241691

Philipp Jakob Spener[19]Pietism16351705

Jakob AmmannAmish16561730

Emanuel SwedenborgThe New Church1688-1772

Baal Shem Tov[20]Hasidic Judaism16981760

John Wesley[21]Methodism17031791

Muhammad ibn Abd al WahhabWahhabism17031792

Ann Lee[22]Shakers17361784

New religious movements (post-1800)Further information: list of new religious movementsNameReligious tradition foundedLife of founder

Ram Mohan RoyBrahmo Samaj17721833

SwaminarayanSwaminarayan Sampraday17811830

Auguste ComteReligion of Humanity17981857

Nakayama MikiTenrikyo17981887

Ignaz von DllingerOld Catholics[n 8]17991890

Phineas Parkhurst QuimbyNew Thought18021866

Allan KardecSpiritism18041869

Joseph SmithMormonism, also known as the Latter Day Saint movement18051844

John ThomasChristadelphians18051871

Jamgon KongtrulRime movement18131899

Hong XiuquanTaiping Christianity18141864

Bah'u'llh[23]Bah' Faith18171892

BbBb Faith, predecessor of Bah' Faith18191850

James Springer WhiteSeventh-day Adventist Church18211881

Wang JueyiI-Kuan Tao18211884

Mary Baker Eddy[24]Christian Science18211910

Rabbi Alfred G. MosesJewish Science

VallalarSamarasa Sutha Sanmarga Sangam18231874

Swami Dayananda SaraswatiArya Samaj18241883

Ellen G. White[25]Seventh-day Adventist Church18271915

Madame BlavatskyTheosophy18311891

Ayya VaikundarAyyavazhi18331851

Mirza Ghulam AhmadAhmadiyya18351908

Guido von ListArmanism (Germanic mysticism)18481919

Charles Taze Russell[26]Bible Student Movement and Jehovah's Witnesses18521916

WovokaGhost Dance18561932

Rudolf SteinerAnthroposophy18611925

Swami VivekanandaRamakrishna Mission18631902

William Irvine[27]Two by Twos and Cooneyites18631947

Sri AurobindoIntegral yoga18721950

Mason RemeyOrthodox Baha'i Faith18741974

Aleister CrowleyThelema18751947

Charles Fox ParhamPentecostalism18731929

"Father Divine"International Peace Mission movementc. 18761965

Ng Vn ChiuCao Dai18781926

Guy BallardI AM18781939

Frank BuchmanOxford Group/Moral Re-Armament18781961

Rabbi Mordecai KaplanReconstructionist Judaism18811983

Gerald GardnerWicca18841964

Felix Y. ManaloIglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ)18861963

Frank Bruce RobinsonPsychiana18861948

Noble Drew AliMoorish Science Temple18861929

Marcus GarveyRastafari movement18871940

Ernest HolmesReligious Science18871960

Sadguru Sadafaldeo Ji MaharajVihangam Yoga18881902

Aimee Semple McPherson[28]Foursquare Church18901944

Zlio Fernandino de Moraes[29]Umbanda18911975

Ida B. RobinsonMount Sinai Holy Church of America18911946

Wallace Fard MuhammadNation of Islam1891 (disappeared 1934)

Paramahansa YoganandaSelf-Realization Fellowship18931952

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness18961977

Ruth NormanUnarius19001993

Swami MuktanandaSiddha Yoga19081982

Ikuro TeshimaMakuya19101973

L. Ron HubbardChurch of Scientology19111986

Kim Il-sungJuche[30]19121994

Maharishi Mahesh YogiTranscendental Meditation19172008

Samael Aun WeorUniversal Christian Gnostic Movement19171977

Mark L. ProphetThe Summit Lighthouse19181973

Ben KlassenCreativity19181993

AhnsahnghongWorld Mission Society Church of God1918-1985

Huynh Phu SoHoa Hao Buddhism19191947

Yong (Sun) Myung Moon[31]Unification Church19202012

Prabhat Ranjan SarkarAnanda Marga19211990

Clarence 13XThe Nation of Gods and Earths19221969

Mestre GabrielUnio do Vegetal19221971

Nirmala SrivastavaSahaja Yoga19232011

Sveinbjrn Beinteinssonsatr19241993

Sathya Sai BabaSathya Sai Organization19262011

Anton Szandor LaVeyChurch of Satan19301997

Rajneesh Chandra Mohan[32]Osho movement19311990

Mark Prophet; Elizabeth Clare (Wolf) Prophet[33]Church Universal and Triumphant1918-1973 19392009

Franklin JonesAdidam19392008

Claude VorilhonRalism1946

Marshall Vian SummersThe New Message from God1949

Li HongzhiFalun Gong1951

Ravi Shankar[34]Art of Living Foundation1956

Ryuho OkawaHappy Science1956-

VissarionChurch of the Last Testament1961

Tamara SiudaKemetic Orthodoxy1969

Isak GersonKopimism1993-

Paul TwitchellEckankar1965

Notes1. "Controversy over Zarautra's date has been an embarrassment of long standing to Zoroastrian studies. If anything approaching a consensus exists, it is that he lived ca. 1000 BCE give or take a century or so, though reputable scholars have proposed dates as widely apart as ca. 1750 BCE and '258 years before Alexander.'" (Encyclopdia Iranica)2. historicity disputed but widely considered plausible. Gosta W. Ahlstrom argues the inconsistencies of the biblical tradition are insufficient to say that Ezra, with his central position as the 'father of Judaism' in the Jewish tradition, has been a later literary invention. (The History of Ancient Palestine, Fortress Press, p.888)3. The teaching of the traditional "founding father" of a "heresy" is may well have differed greatly from the contents of the heresy as generally understood. For references see following notes.4. Acc. to Rowan Williams, 'Arianism' was essentially a polemical creation of Athanasius in an attempt to show that the different alternatives to the Nicene Creed collapsed back into some form of Arius' teaching. (Arius, SCM (2001) p.247)5. Pelagius' thought was one sided and an inadequate interpretation of Christianity, but his disciples, Celestius and, to a greater extent, Julian of Eclanum pushed his ideas to extremes.(Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Doctrines A & C. Black (1965) p.361) Pelagius himself was declared orthodox by the synod of Diospolis in 415, after repudiating some of Celestius' opinions. (Frend, W.H.C. Saints and Sinners in the Early Church DLT (1985) p.133)6. Nestorius specifically endorsed the repudiation of "Nestorianism" reached at Chalcedon in 451 (Prestige, G.L. Fathers and Heretics SPCK (1963) p.130)7. Monophysitism represents an advanced type of Alexandrian Theology; it emerged in a distinctive form in 433 as a result of the agreement between John of Antioch and Cyril of Alexandria. The exaggerated form held by Eutyches was condemned in 451 by the Council of Chalcedon. In its moderate forms the divergence from orthodoxy may be simply terminological. Alexandrian Theology stressed both divine transcendence and a marked dualism between the material and the spiritual and so tended to nullify the humanity of Christ.(Cross & Livingstone. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (1974) arts. Monophysitism, Alexandrian Theology)8. The Old Catholic Churches are a grouping of national churches which have broken from Rome at different times: The Church of Utrecht in 1724; German Austrian and Swiss Christians who refused to accept the dogma of papal infallibility as defined in 1870 and received the apostolic succession from Utrecht; these two groups were later some small groups of Slav origin living in the USA (Cross & Livingstone. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (1974) arts. Old Catholics; Holland, Christianity in)

List of people who have been considered deitiesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(Redirected from List of deified individuals)This is a list of notable people who were considered deities by themselves or others.Contents 1 Imperial cults 2 Posthumous deification 3 Involuntary deification 4 Self-deification 5 See also 6 ReferencesImperial cultsWhoImageWhenNotability

Egyptian pharaohs3050 30BCEgyptian pharaohs were kings of Ancient Egypt, and were considered gods by their culture. Their titles equated them with aspects of the likes of the hawk god Horus, the vulture goddess Nekhbet, and the cobra-goddess Wadjet. The Egyptians believed that when their Pharaoh died, he would continue to lead them in the next life, which is why his burial was grand and completed to perfectionto please him in the next life and ensure his immortality to protect his people. See List of pharaohs.[1][2]

Naram-Sin2255 2119BCThe first Mesopotamian king to claim divinity.[3]

Chinese Emperors221BC AD 1911Deified as "Sons of Heaven" since the Qin Dynasty under Qin Shi Huang.[4]

Roman Emperors42BC AD 363Following Julius Caesar who in 42BC was formally deified as "the Divine Julius", and Caesar Augustus henceforth became Divi filius ("Son of the Divine One"), some (not all) Roman Emperors of the 1st to 4th centuries claimed divinity, including Tiberius 1437, Caligula 3741, Claudius 4154, Hadrian 117138, Commodus 161192, Constantine I 306312, Julian the Apostate 361363 Further information: Imperial cult (ancient Rome), Augustus (honorific) and Augusta (honorific)

Japanese Emperors660BC Claimed, at least by some Shintoists, including government officials, to be divine descendants of the goddess Amaterasu. Hirohito, the Showa emperor, repudiated the "false conception" of his divinity in the Humanity Declaration in 1945.[5]

Natchez rulers700The Natchez were a theocracy ruled by "The Great Sun." This ruler has sometimes been deemed a God-king.[6]

The Sailendras700The Sailendra dynasty of Java were active promoters of Mahayana Buddhism and covered the plains of Central Java with Buddhist monuments, including the world famous Borobudur.[7]

Dalai Lamas1391 Considered re-incarnations of Avalokitevara in Tibetan Buddhism. Panchen Lamas are incarnations of Amitbha.[8][9][10]

Inca Emperors1438The Inca Emperors had a status very similar to that of the Pharaohs of Egypt.

Nepalese monarchs17682008In Nepal, the kings of the Shah dynasty were considered incarnations of Vishnu.[citation needed]

Posthumous deificationMain article: ApotheosisWhoImageWhenNotability

Imhotep2600BCAncient Egyptian architect and physician, who two thousand years after his death, was raised to that of a god, becoming the god of medicine and healing.

Queen Dido of Carthage814BCFounder and first queen of Carthage, after her death, she was deified by her people with the name of Tanit and assimilated to the Great Goddess Astarte (Roman Juno).[11] The cult of Tanit survived Carthage's destruction by the Romans; it was introduced to Rome itself by Emperor Septimius Severus, himself born in North Africa. It was extinguished completely with the Theodosian decrees of the late 4th century.

Homer (hero cult)8th century BCVenerated at Alexandria by Ptolemy IV Philopator.

Romulus and Remus (hero cult)771717BCFounders of Rome, sons of Mars, Romulus served as first king. After his death, Romulus was defined as the god, Quirinus, the divine persona of the Roman people. He is now regarded as a mythological figure, and his name a back-formation from the name Rome, which may ultimately derive from a word for "river". Some scholars, notably Andrea Carandini believe in the historicity of Romulus, in part because of the 1988 discovery of the Murus Romuli on the north slope of the Palatine Hill in Rome.[12]

Siddhrtha Gautama Buddha563 BC(?)Believed a god by some Mahayana sects, and worshipped as an avatar of Vishnu by some Vaishnavas.

Hephaestion356324BCDeified by Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon the Great (hero cult)356323BCSome believe he implied he was a demigod by actively using the title "Son of AmmonZeus". The title was bestowed upon him by Egyptian priests of the god Ammon at the Oracle of the god at the Siwah oasis in the Libyan Desert.[13]

Jesus~4BC ~33ADIn Romans 1 Paul the Apostle described Jesus as being the Son of God and the Lord. The First Council of Nicaea was a synod assembly of bishops in 325 AD called by the Roman emperor Constantine the Great which formalized this in the Nicene and Jesus was declared God Incarnate. He is now considered to be divine in most Christian views of Jesus; God the Son in Trinitarian Christianity. Further information: History of early Christianity, Pauline Christianity, Constantine the Great and Christianity and Christology

Antinous111 AD130 ADDeified by Hadrian. He is the last non-Imperial human formally deified in Western civilization.

Mary (mother of Jesus)300 CEIn 300 AD she was worshipped as a Mother Goddess in the Christian sect Collyridianism, which was found throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Collyridianism was made up mostly of women followers and female priests. Followers of Collyridianism were known to make bread and wheat offerings to the Virgin Mary, along with other sacrificial practices. The cult was heavily condemned as heretical and schismatic by other Christians and was preached against by Epiphanius of Salamis, who discussed the group in his recollective writings titled Panarion.

Guan Yu581 AD618 ADGuan Yu has been deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still popularly worshipped today among the Chinese people variedly as an indigenous Chinese deity, a bodhisattva in Buddhism and a guardian deity in Taoism. He is also held in high esteem in Confucianism. In Hong Kong both police and gangsters consider him a divine object of reverence. In certain schools of Taoism and Chinese Buddhism he has been deemed divine or semi-divine status. The reverence for him may date back to the Sui dynasty.[14]

Al ibn Ab lib599 AD661 ADAccording to the Alawite faith, Ali ibn Abi Talib is one member of a trinity (Ali-Muhammad-Salman the Persian) corresponding roughly to the Christian Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is considered to be the second emanation of God by Yarsan and the supreme deity in Ali-Illahism.

Sugawara no Michizane845 AD903 ADJapanese Imperial courtier banished from the capital and deified upon his death to appease his angry spirit. Worshipped as Tenjin, kami of scholarship.

El-Hakem b'Amr Allah985 AD1021 ADSixth Fatimid Caliph in Egypt, ruling from 996 to 1021. The members of the Druze faith believe that the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah is God incarnate and that he will come back as the Mahdi.[15][16][17][18][19]

Majapahit Kings12931597Javanese rulers of South East Asia's largest ever kingdom, in Indonesia. After death, they were depicted as Hindu gods (see for instance Raden Wijaya).

Tokugawa Ieyasu15431616Deified posthumously with the name Tsh Daigongen by his successors.

L. L. Zamenhof18591917Considered a god by members of the Oomoto religion.

Jos Rizal18611896Deified by some people in the Philippines due to his contributions to the Philippine Revolution.[20][21]

Wallace Fard Muhammad~1877 ~1934Posthumously (?) deified by Elijah Muhammad. He is also given other titles by the Nation of Islam.[22]

Kanichi Otsuka1891Shinreikyo states of its founder "God became one with a human body, appeared among humanity, and founded Shinreikyo."[23]

George Washington17321799Worshiped as a kami in Hawaiian Shinto shrines.[24] In the United States Capitol dome, he is also depicted ascending into Heaven and becoming a god, in the famous painting called The Apotheosis of Washington.

Involuntary deificationWhoImageWhenNotability

Ezra HaSofer458 BCEzra established Second Temple Judaism[25] and is regarded as a very important figure in Judaism.[26] The Quran claims that Yemenite Jews believed Uzair was the son of God.[Quran9:30][27]

Antiochus II Theos286246BCSeleucid ruler. The younger son of Antiochus I and Stratonice, succeeded his father in 261. He liberated Ephesus, Ionia, Cilicia and Pamphylia from Egyptian domination, and in return for their autonomy the cities of Asia Minor gave him the title Theos ("God").[28]

Zheng He13711433Worshiped by some Chinese and South East Asians.[29]

General John Nicholson18221857Inspired the cult of Nikal Seyn.

Jiddu Krishnamurti18951986Renounced the status of messiah and Maitreya incarnation given him by the Theosophical Society.

Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia18921975Among most followers of the Rastafari movement, Haile Selassie is seen as the second coming of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, the Black Messiah and "Earth's Rightful Ruler" who will also lead African peoples to freedom. Rastas say that his royal titles (i.e. King of Kings, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and Root of David) were prophesied as belonging to the returned Messiah in Revelation 5:5. Their faith in his divinity first appeared in Jamaica, soon after his 1930 coronation in Addis Ababa.[30] Before his coronation he was called Ras (meaning Prince) Tafari.

Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, Duke of Edinburgh1921Considered a god in the village of Yaohnanen, a cargo cult in Vanuatu.[31] See Prince Philip Movement.

Kumari-?These are little girls who are worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists as the incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Durga (Nepali Taleju) in Nepal. They are picked when they are prepubescent and are worshipped until they reach puberty. Their cult is in South Asian countries, especially in Nepal.

Self-deificationMain article: Self-deificationFurther information: Maitreya claimants, Buddha claimants and Messiah claimantsWhoImageWhenNotability

Antiochus IV Epiphanes215164BCSeleucid ruler (reigned 175-164); the only Seleucid king to claim divine honors, calling himself Theos Epiphaneus "God Manifest" and Nikephoros "Bringer of Victory." Nearly conquered Ptolemaic Egypt, the primary rival of the Seleucids among the Diadochi states. Famously attempted to impose ancient Greek religion on the Jews by persecution, leading to the Maccabean Revolt; remembered as a major persecutor in Jewish tradition.[28]

Simon Magus1st centuryConsidered a god in Simonianism. According to Irenaeus, he "was glorified by many as if he were a god; and he taught that it was himself who appeared among the Jews as the Son, but descended in Samaria as the Father while he came to other nations in the character of the Holy Spirit. He represented himself, in a word, as being the loftiest of all powers, that is, the Being who is the Father over all, and he allowed himself to be called by whatsoever title men were pleased to address him."[32]

Veleda1st centuryGermanic prophetess considered a deity during her lifetime.

Ismail I15021524Self-claimed to be an emanation of God and was considered such by the Kzlba-Safaviya order, Qizilbash-Turkman subjects and Alevis.[33][34][35]

Danila Filippovich1700He believed that he was God and started the Khlysts. (There are various transliterations of his name including Danila Filipov, Danila Filipich, and Daniil Filippovich.)[36]

Kondratii Selivanov1780sKondraty Selivanov proclaimed himself both as the late Peter III of Russia and Christ himself, and started the Skoptsy.

Hong Xiuquan18141864Chinese man who claimed he was the younger brother of Jesus, and thus a son of God. Led the Taiping Rebellion, conquering a large part of China before defeat and suicide.

Father Divine~18801965His followers considered him God in the flesh.[37]

Taher Saifuddin18881965Claimed to be Elahul Ard (God on Earth) in Bombay High Court[38][39]

Francisco Macas Nguema19241979In 1978, he changed the motto of Equatorial Guinea to "There is no other God than Macias Nguema." [40]

Juanita Peraza (Mita)18971970According to the Mita faith, Mita (Peraza) was the incarnation of the Holy Ghost on earth.[41]

Lou de Palingboer18981968A divorced Dutchman named Louwrens Voorthuijzen who proclaimed himself "Lou the Eel Vendor", this being the translation of his proclaimed name "Lou de Palingboer". He was a figure who mixed marketing European eels with proselytism. His followers also considered him a living God on a mission against evil.[42]

Jim Jones19311978Founder of Peoples Temple, which started off as a part of a mainstream Protestant denomination before becoming a personality cult as time went on. One of Jones's devotees claimed that Jones said "If you see me as your savior, I'll be your savior. If you see me as your God, I'll be your God";[43] however Jones also described himself as atheist.[44]

Yahweh ben Yahweh19352007He was born as Hulon Mitchell, Jr. and his self-proclaimed name means "God, Son of God." He could have only been deeming himself son of God, not God, but many of his followers clearly consider him God Incarnate.[45][46]

Nirmala Srivastava19232011Guru and goddess of Sahaja Yoga, has proclaimed herself the incarnation of the Holy Ghost (Adi Shakti), claimed that all other incarnations (e.g., Krishna, Christ, etc.) were aspects of her.[47][48]

Jehovah Wanyonyi1924"I am the one who created Adam and Eve. I made their bodies and their blood", [] "I still use human beings by speaking through them, like I spoke through Jesus Christ until he went to Heaven." There are between 120 and a 1000 followers who consider him God.[49][50]

Sathya Sai Baba19262011Hindu guru that followers believed was a reincarnation of an avatar of Dattatreya. He alleged that he had the ability to heal, raise the dead, appear in more than one location at the same time, materialize objects, such as jewellery, etc.

Mitsuo Matayoshi1944In 1997 he established the World Economic Community Party () based on his conviction that he is the God and Christ.[51]

Claude Vorilhon1946Claims to be Maitreya, messenger of the "Elohim."

Vissarion1961Claims to be Jesus Christ returned, which makes him not "God" but the "word of God".

List of deitiesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis is an index to polytheistic deities of the different religions, cultures and mythologies of the world, listed by type and by region. This is not a list of names or epithets of gods in modern monotheistic religions, for which see "Names of God". For deified individuals see "List of people who have been considered deities", "Apotheosis" and "Imperial cult". For deities whose cult is fictional see "List of deities in fiction".Contents 1 By classification 2 By cultural sphere 3 Syncretic mythologies 4 See also 5 ReferencesBy classificationRuler of the PantheonCelestial, Cosmological

Baronne Rigoley d'Ogny as Aurora, by Jean-Marc Nattier, Baltimore Museum of Art Creator Moon Sky Sun Time Weather, rain, thunder, lightningChthonic Mother Earth Mother Nature Night Ocean, waterHuman sphere Death Father, Mother Fate Fertility, love, lust Health, healing, medicine Household, hearth Hunting Knowledge or wisdom Thresholds, doorways Trickster WarDemigods, Deified Heroes Culture heroes Imperial cult Sacred king Spiritual entity AvatarBy cultural sphereNear East and North Africa

Osiris, lord of the dead. His green skin symbolizes rebirth Ancient Near East Ancient Egyptian deities Mesopotamian deities Kassite deities Semitic gods: see El, Elohim Assyro-Babylonian pantheon (see also Family tree of the Babylonian gods) Canaanite deities Anatolia Hittite deities Hurrian deities Lydian deities Caucasus Armenian deities Georgian deities Ossetian deities Persia: see Yazata, see also Proto-Indo-Iranian religion North Africa: Berber mythology Pre-Islamic Arabian deitiesCentral / Northern Asia Siberian Raven God of Kamchatka and Chukotka Turco-Mongol TengriEast Asia Chinese deities Japanese deities Korean deities List of bodhisattvasIndia / South Asia

The image illustrates the Hindu belief that each part of the cow embodies a particular deity Hindu deities Rigvedic deities (see also Proto-Indo-Iranian religion)Southeast Asia Deities of Philippine mythology Malaysian Chinese GodsEurope Baltic deities Celtic deities Irish deities Etruscan deities Finnic deities Germanic deities Anglo-Saxon deities List of Norse gods and goddesses Greek pantheon (see also List of Greek mythological figures, Twelve Olympians, Greek hero cult, Family tree of the Greek gods, Mycenaean gods, Hellenismos) Hungarian deities List of Roman deities Lusitani deities Paleo-Balkanic deities (Thracian/Dacian/Illyrian) Sami deities Slavic deitiesSub-Saharan Africa

Contemporary poster of a Mami Wata, "serpent priestess" painted by German (Hamburg) artist Schleisinger, ca. 1926, displayed in shrines as a popular image of Mami Wata in Africa and in the Diaspora.[1][2] African deities Alusi Guanche deities Yoruba deities Afro-American religion Loa OrishaAmericas Mesoamerica Aztec deities Maya deities North America Inuit deities Native American deities South America Incan deities Guarani MapucheAustralia-Oceania Australian Aboriginal deities Mori deities Polynesian deities Rapa Nui deities (Easter Island)Syncretic mythologies List of Theosophical/Ascended Master Teachings deities

List of religions and spiritual traditionsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(Redirected from List of religions)This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with entries that are reliably sourced.

Religious symbols in clock-wise order: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bah' Faith, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Slavic neopaganism, Celtic polytheism, Heathenism (German paganism), Semitic neopaganism, Wicca, Kemetism (Egyptian paganism), Hellenism, Italo-Roman neopaganism.Religion is a collection of cultural systems, beliefs, and world views that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. While religion is hard to define, one standard model of religion, used in religious studies courses, was proposed by Clifford Geertz, who simply called it a "cultural system".[1] A critique of Geertz's model by Talal Asad categorized religion as "an anthropological category".[2] Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world.[3]The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief system", but religion differs from private belief in that it has a public aspect. Most religions have organized behaviors, including clerical hierarchies, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural), and/or religious texts. Certain religions also have a sacred language often used in liturgical services. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerals, marriages, meditation, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religious beliefs have also been used to explain parapsychological phenomena such as out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences and reincarnation, along with many other paranormal experiences. [4][5]Some academics studying the subject have divided religions into three broad categories: world religions, a term which refers to transcultural, international faiths; indigenous religions, which refers to smaller, culture-specific or nation-specific religious groups; and new religious movements, which refers to recently developed faiths.[6] One modern academic theory of religion, social constructionism, says that religion is a modern concept that suggests all spiritual practice and worship follows a model similar to the Abrahamic religions as an orientation system that helps to interpret reality and define human beings,[7] and thus religion, as a concept, has been applied inappropriately to non-Western cultures that are not based upon such systems, or in which these systems are a substantially simpler construct.Contents 1 Abrahamic religions 1.1 Bbism 1.2 Bah' Faith 1.3 Christianity 1.3.1 Other groups related to Christianity 1.4 Gnosticism 1.5 Islam 1.5.1 Religions related to Islam 1.5.1.1 Sufi and Shia Sects 1.6 Druze 1.7 Judaism and related religions 1.8 Black Hebrew Israelites 1.9 Rastafari movement 1.10 Mandaeans and Sabians 1.11 Shabakism 2 Indian religions 2.1 Ayyavazhi 2.2 Bhakti movement 2.3 Buddhism 2.4 Din-e Ilahi 2.5 Hinduism 2.6 Jainism 2.7 Meivazhi 2.8 Sikhism 3 Iranian religions 3.1 Zoroastrianism 3.2 Gnostic religions 3.3 Bb movement 3.4 Yazdnism 4 East Asian religions 4.1 Confucianism 4.2 Shinto 4.2.1 Shinto-inspired religions 4.3 Taoism 4.3.1 Contemporary Taoism-inspired religions 4.4 Other 4.4.1 Chinese 4.4.2 Korean 4.4.3 Vietnamese 5 African diasporic religions 6 Indigenous traditional religions 6.1 African 6.2 American 6.3 Eurasian 6.4 Oceania/Pacific 6.4.1 Cargo cults 7 Historical polytheism 7.1 Ancient Near Eastern 7.2 Indo-European 7.2.1 Hellenistic 7.3 Uralic 8 Mysticism and occult 8.1 Esotericism and mysticism 8.1.1 Western mystery tradition 8.1.1.1 Thelema 8.1.2 Christian mysticism and esotericism 8.2 Occult and magic 9 Modern Paganism 9.1 Syncretic 9.2 Ethnic 10 New religious movements 10.1 New Thought 10.2 Shinshukyo 11 Left-hand path religions 12 Post-theistic and naturalistic religions 13 Fictional religions 14 Parody or mock religions 15 Others 16 Other categorisations 16.1 By demographics 16.2 By area 17 See also 18 References 19 External linksAbrahamic religionsMain article: Abrahamic religionsA group of monotheistic traditions sometimes grouped with one another for comparative purposes, because all refer to a patriarch named Abraham.BbismMain article: Bbism AzaliBah' FaithMain article: Bah' FaithSee also: Bah' divisions Bah's Under the Provisions of the Covenant Orthodox Bah' FaithChristianityMain article: ChristianitySee also: List of Christian denominationsWestern ChristianityMain article: Roman Catholic ChurchMain article: Protestantism Anabaptists Anglicanism Baptists Calvinism Congregational churches Lutheranism Methodism Moravians Nonconformism Pentecostalism Pietism Presbyterianism Quakerism Shakers WaldensiansEastern Christianity Ancient Church of the East Assyrian Church of the East Eastern Catholics (In full communion with Rome, but retaining a diverse array of Eastern liturgical rites; including the Maronites and Chaldean Catholics) Eastern Orthodox Church (Includes the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, and several other autocephalous churches and Patriarchates) Russian Orthodox Old Believers Eastern Orthodox Old Calendarists Oriental Orthodox (Includes the Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox, as well as a portion of the St. Thomas Christians)Other groups related to ChristianitySome of these groups consider themselves to be Christian, or to be derived from Christianity, but they are considered heterodox or heretical by mainstream Christianity. Some of them are no longer extant. Arianism Christadelphians Christian Gnosticism Christian Identity Christian Science Christian Universalism Ebionites (no longer extant) Jehovah's Witnesses Jesuism Latter Day Saint movement Millerites Nontrinitarianism Messianic Judaism Marcionism (no longer extant) Rastafarianism Seventh-day Adventist Church Spiritual Baptists Swedenborgianism The Aquarian Church Unification Church Unitarianism (see also Unitarian Universalism) Universal Church of the Kingdom of GodGnosticismMany Gnostic groups were closely related to early Christianity, for example, Valentinism. Irenaeus wrote polemics against them from the standpoint of the then-unified Catholic Church.[8]Main article: GnosticismSee also: List of Gnostic sects Cerdonians (no longer extant) Colarbasians (no longer extant) Simonians (no longer extant) Bogomilism (no longer extant) Catharism (no longer extant)The Yazidis are a syncretic Kurdish religion with a Gnostic influence: YazidisPersian Gnosticism Mandaeism Manichaeism (no longer extant) Bagnolians (no longer extant)Syrian-Egyptic GnosticismNone of these religions are still extant.Main article: Syrian-Egyptic Gnosticism Sethianism Basilideans Valentinianism Bardaisan#Bardesanite schoolNeo-Gnostic Groups Ecclesia GnosticaIslamMain article: IslamSee also: Islamic schools and branchesKalam SchoolsMain article: Ilm al-Kalam Ash'ari Maturidi Murji'ah Mu'tazilaKharijiteMain article: Khawarij Ibadi (Only surviving sect) Azraqi Haruriyyah SufriShia IslamMain article: Shia Islam Isma'ilism Mustaali / Dawoodi Bohra Nizari Ja'fari jurisprudence Twelver Akhbari Shaykhism Usuli Alawites Alevism / Bektashi Order ZaidiyyahSufismMain article: Sufism Bektashi Order Chishti Order Mevlevi Order Mujaddidiyah Naqshbandi Jahriyya Khufiyya Ni'matullh Tariqa Qadiriyya Sufi Order International Sufism Reoriented Suhrawardiyya Tijaniyyah Universal Sufism Dances of Universal PeaceSunni IslamMain article: Sunni Islam Hanafi Barelvi Deobandi Gedimu Yihewani Xidaotang Hanbali Maliki Shafi'i Ahl al-Hadith or Salafi movementQuranismMain article: Quranism Quranism Tolu-e-Islam United Submitters InternationalBlack MuslimsMain article: Black Muslims American Society of Muslims Five-Percent Nation Moorish Orthodox Church of America Moorish Science Temple of America Nation of Islam United Nation of IslamAhmadiyyaMain article: Ahmadiyya Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of IslamOther Islamic groups Yarsanism Al-Fatiha Foundation Canadian Muslim Union European Islam Ittifaq al-Muslimin Jamaat al Muslimeen Jadid Liberal movements within Islam Muslim Canadian Congress Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi Messiah Foundation International Progressive British Muslims Progressive Muslim Union Wahhabi movement MahdaviaReligions related to IslamThese religions are either descended from Sufi Islam, or consider themselves Islamic, but are regarded as heretical or heterodox by other Muslims.Sufi and Shia Sects Alevism Bektashi Order Moorish Orthodox Church of AmericaDruzeMain article: DruzeJudaism and related religionsMain article: JudaismSee also: Jewish religious movementsRabbinic JudaismMain article: Rabbinic Judaism Orthodox Judaism Haredi Judaism Hasidic Judaism Modern Orthodox Judaism Conservative Judaism Masorti Conservadox Judaism Union for Traditional Judaism Reform Judaism Progressive Judaism Liberal JudaismKaraite JudaismMain article: Karaite JudaismSamaritanismSamaritans use a slightly different version of the Pentateuch as their Torah, worshiping at Mount Gerizim instead of Jerusalem, and are possibly the descendants of the lost Northern Kingdom. They are definitely of ancient Israelite origin, but their status as Jews is disputed.[9]Main article: SamaritansFalasha or Beta IsraelModern Non-Rabbinic Judaism Alternative Judaism Humanistic Judaism (not always identified as a religion) Jewish Renewal Reconstructionist JudaismHistorical groupsSecond Temple Judaism Essenes Pharisees (ancestor of Rabbinic Judaism) Sadducees (possible ancestor of Karaite Judaism) Zealots (Judea)s Sicarii Sects that believed Jesus was a prophet Ebionites Elcesaites Nazarenes Sabbateans FrankismBlack Hebrew IsraelitesMain article: Black Hebrew IsraelitesRastafari movementMain article: Rastafari movementMandaeans and SabiansMain articles: Mandaeism and Sabians Mandaeism Sabians Mandaean Nasaraean Sabeans Sabians of HarranShabakismMain article: Shabak peopleIndian religionsMain article: Indian religionsIndian religions are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent; namely Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism and religions and traditions related to, and descended from, them.AyyavazhiMain article: AyyavazhiBhakti movementMain article: Bhakti movement Kabir panth Ravidassia religion Sant MatBuddhismMain article: Schools of Buddhism Nikaya schools (which have historically been incorrectly called Hinayana in the West) Theravada Sri Lankan Amarapura Nikaya Sri Lankan Siam Nikaya Sri Lankan Ramaa Nikaya Bangladeshi Sangharaj Nikaya Bangladeshi Mahasthabir Nikaya Burmese Thudhamma Nikaya Vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and disciples Burmese Shwegyin Nikaya Burmese Dwara Nikaya Thai Maha Nikaya Dhammakaya Movement Thai Dhammayuttika Nikaya Thai Forest Tradition Tradition of Ajahn Chah Vipassana movement Mahayana Humanistic Buddhism Madhyamaka Prasagika Svatantrika East Asian Mdhyamaka (Three Treatise school) Jonang Nichiren Buddhism Nichiren Sh Nichiren Shsh Soka Gakkai Pure Land Buddhism Jdo-sh Jdo Shinsh Buddha-nature Daabhmik (absorbed into Huayan) Huayan school (Avatasaka) Hwaeom Kegon Tiantai Tendai Cheontae Yogcra East Asian Yogcra Chan Buddhism Caodong school Zen St Keizan line Jakuen line Giin line Linji school Rinzai school baku Fuke-sh Won Buddhism Kwan Um School of Zen Sanbo Kyodan Vajrayana Shingon Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism Bon Gelug Kagyu Dagpo Kagyu Karma Kagyu Barom Kagyu Drukpa Lineage Shangpa Kagyu Nyingma Sakya Jonang New Buddhist movements Shambhala Buddhism Diamond Way Buddhism Triratna Buddhist Community New Kadampa Tradition[10] Share International True Buddha School Nipponzan-Myhji-Daisanga The Osho or Rajneesh movement Global Variants of Buddhism Buddhism in the United StatesDin-e Ilahi Din-e IlahiHinduismSee also: Hindu denominations Swaminarayan Shrauta Lingayatism Shaivism Shaktism Tantrism Ananda Marga[11] Smartism Vaishnavism Gaudiya Vaishnavism International Society for Krishna Consciousness[12] Hindu reform movements Arya Samaj[13] Brahmo Samaj Ramakrishna Mission Satya Dharma Satsang of Thakur Anukulchandra Matua Mahasangha Hinduism in IndonesiaMajor schools and movements of Hindu philosophyMain article: Hindu philosophy Nyaya Purva mimamsa Samkhya Vaisheshika Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa) Advaita Vedanta Integral Yoga Vishishtadvaita Dvaita Vedanta Yoga Ashtanga Yoga Bhakti Yoga Raja yoga Karma yoga Jnana yoga Kundalini yoga Hatha yoga Siddha Yoga Surat Shabd Yoga Tantric Yoga Sahaja YogaJainismMain article: Jainism Digambara Bispanthi[14] Digambar Terapanth Kanji Panth[14] Panth of Kanji Swami vtmbara Murtipujaka (Deravasi) Sthnakavs Svetambar TerapanthMeivazhi MeivazhiSikhismMain article: Sikhism Khalsa Nihang Namdhari ("Kuka Sikhs") Ravidassia religion SahajdhariIranian religionsMain article: Iranian religionsZoroastrianismMain article: Zoroastrianism Zurvanism Mazdakism Khurramites (syncretism with Shi'a Islam) BehafaridiansGnostic religions Mandaeism Manichaeism MithraismBb movement Bbism Bah' Faith AzaliYazdnismMain article: Yazdnism Alevi (this is contested; most Alevi consider themselves to be Shia or Sufi Muslims, but a minority adhere to the Yazdani interpretation) Yarsani YazidiEast Asian religionsMain article: East Asian religionsConfucianismMain article: Confucianism Neo-Confucianism New ConfucianismShintoMain articles: Shinto and Shinto sects and schools Koshint Shugend Yoshida ShintShinto-inspired religions Konkokyo Oomoto Seicho-no-Ie Shinmeiaishinkai Tenrikyo ZenrinkyoTaoismMain article: Taoism Way of the Five Pecks of Rice Way of the Celestial Masters Zhengyi Dao ("Way of the Right Oneness") Taipingjing-based movements Shangqing School ("School of the Highest Clarity") Lingbao School ("School of the Numinous Treasure") Quanzhen School ("Way of the Fulfilled Virtue") Dragon Gate Taoism Wuliupai ("School of Wu-Liu") Yao Taoism (Meishanism) Faism (Redhead Taoism) Xuanxue (Neo-Taoism)Contemporary Taoism-inspired religions Yiguandao Dudeism Zenarchy (Kerry Wendell Thornley)OtherChinese Chan Buddhism Chinese folk religion Falun Gong Yiguandao (I Kuan-Tao) Mohism XiantiandaoKorean Cheondoism Daejongism Daesun Jinrihoe Gasin faith Jeung San Do Juche Korean shamanism SuwunismVietnamese Cao i o Bu Sn K Hng o Da o Mu Ha HoAfrican diasporic religionsSee also: African diasporic religionsAfrican diasporic religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants in various countries of the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, as well as parts of the southern United States. They derive from African traditional religions, especially of West and Central Africa, showing similarities to the Yoruba religion in particular. Batuque Candombl Dahomey mythology Haitian mythology Kumina Macumba Mami Wata Obeah Oyotunji Palo Quimbanda Santera (Lukumi) Umbanda[15] VodouIndigenous traditional religionsSee also: Paganism and Folk religionTraditionally, these faiths have all been classified "Pagan", but scholars prefer the terms "indigenous/primal/folk/ethnic religions".AfricanMain article: African traditional religionsWest Africa Akan mythology Ashanti mythology (Ghana) Dahomey (Fon) mythology Efik mythology (Nigeria, Cameroon) Igbo mythology (Nigeria, Cameroon) Isoko mythology (Nigeria) Yoruba mythology (Nigeria, Benin)Central Africa Bushongo mythology (Congo) Bambuti (Pygmy) mythology (Congo) Lugbara mythology (Congo)East Africa Akamba mythology (East Kenya) Dinka mythology (Sudan) Lotuko mythology (Sudan) Masai mythology (Kenya, Tanzania)Southern Africa Khoisan religion Lozi mythology (Zambia) Tumbuka mythology (Malawi) Zulu mythology (South Africa)AmericanMain article: Native American mythology Abenaki mythology Anishinaabe Aztec mythology Blackfoot mythology Cherokee mythology Chickasaw mythology Choctaw mythology Creek mythology Crow mythology Ghost Dance Guarani mythology Haida mythology Ho-Chunk mythology (aka: Winnebago) Hopi mythology Inca mythology Indian Shaker Church Inuit mythology Iroquois mythology Keetoowah Nighthawk Society Kuksu Kwakiutl mythology Lakota mythology Leni Lenape mythology Longhouse religion Mapuche mythology Maya mythology Midewiwin Miwok Native American Church Navajo mythology Nootka mythology Ohlone mythology Olmec mythology Pomo mythology Pawnee mythology Salish mythology Selk'nam religion Seneca mythology Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Sun Dance Tsimshian mythology Urarina Ute mythology Wyandot religion Zuni mythologyEurasianAsian Benzhuism (indigenous religion of the Bai people) Bimoism (indigenous religion of the Yi people) Bon (indigenous religion of Tibet) Chinese mythology Japanese mythology Korean shamanism Koshint Manchu Shamanism Mun (Lepcha) Siberian Shamanism Tengrism Ua Dab (indigenous religion of the Hmong people) Vietnamese folk religionEuropean Asatru Estonian mythology Eskimo religion Finnish mythology and Finnish paganism Marla faith Odinism Romuva Hungarian folk religion Sami religion (including the Noaidi) WotanismOceania/Pacific Australian Aboriginal mythology Austronesian beliefs Balinese mythology Javanese beliefs Melanesian mythology Micronesian mythology Modekngei Nauruan indigenous religion Philippine mythology Anito Gab Kulam Polynesian mythology Hawaiian mythology Mori mythology Mori religion Rapa Nui mythology Moai Tangata manuCargo cultsMain article: Cargo cults John Frum Johnson cult Prince Philip Movement Vailala MadnessHistorical polytheismFurther information: Prehistoric religion and History of religionAncient Near EasternMain article: Ancient Near Eastern religions Ancient Egyptian religion Ancient Semitic religions Canaanite mythology Canaanite religion Mesopotamian mythology Arabian mythology (pre-Islamic) Babylonian and Assyrian religion Babylonian mythology Chaldean mythology Sumerian mythologyIndo-EuropeanMain article: Proto-Indo-European religion Proto-Indo-Iranian religion Historical Vedic religion Iranian mythology Armenian mythology Baltic polytheism Celtic polytheism Brythonic mythology Gaelic mythology Germanic polytheism Anglo-Saxon religion Continental Germanic religion Norse religion Greek polytheism Hittite mythology Persian mythology Roman polytheism Slavic polytheismHellenisticMain article: Hellenistic religion Mystery religions Eleusinian Mysteries Mithraism Orphism Pythagoreanism Gallo-Roman religionUralic Estonian polytheism Finnish polytheism Hungarian polytheismMysticism and occultEsotericism and mysticismMain articles: Esotericism and Mysticism Hindu mysticism Tantra Vaastu Shastra Kabbalah Moorish Science Temple of America Moorish Orthodox Church of America Neoplatonism Pythagoreanism Neopythagoreanism Sufism TheosophyWestern mystery tradition Hermeticism Builders of the Adytum Fraternitas Saturni Fraternity of the Inner Light Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn The Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn Ordo Aurum Solis Rosicrucian Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis[16] Rosicrucian Fellowship Servants of the LightThelemaMain article: Thelema AA Ordo Templi Orientis Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.) Typhonian OrderChristian mysticism and esotericismMain articles: Christian mysticism and Esoteric Christianity Anthroposophy Archeosophical Society Behmenism Christian Kabbalah MartinismOccult and magicMain articles: Occultism and Magic (paranormal) Alchemy Ceremonial magic Enochian magic Goetic magic Chaos magic Illuminates of Thanateros Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth Hoodoo (Rootwork) New Orleans Voodoo Kulam - Filipino witchcraft Pow-wow Seir - Norse sorcery Magick (Thelema) WitchcraftModern PaganismMain article: Paganism (contemporary)See also: List of Modern pagan movementsSyncretic Adonism Church of All Worlds Church of Aphrodite Feraferia Neo-Druidism Reformed Druids of North America Neoshamanism Neo-vlkisch movements Technopaganism Wicca British Traditional Wicca Gardnerian Wicca Alexandrian Wicca Central Valley Wicca Algard Wicca Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca Blue Star Wicca Eclectic Wicca Celtic Wicca Saxon Wicca Dianic Wicca McFarland Dianic Wicca Faery Wicca Correllian Nativist Tradition Georgian Wicca Odyssean Wicca Wiccan church Covenant of the GoddessEthnic Baltic Neopaganism Celtic Neopaganism Finnish Neopaganism Germanic Neopaganism Hellenismos Kemetism Roman Neopaganism Semitic Neopaganism Slavic Neopaganism Taaraism ZalmoxianismNew religious movementsMain article: List of new religious movements Creativity Huna Native American Church Ralism Scientology Unitarian UniversalistNew ThoughtMain article: New Thought Christian Science Church Universal and Triumphant Divine Science Religious Science Unity Church Jewish Science Seicho-no-IeShinshukyoMain article: Japanese new religions Church of World Messianity Happy Science Konkokyo Oomoto PL Kyodan Seicho-No-Ie TenrikyoLeft-hand path religionsMain article: Left-hand path and right-hand path Satanism LaVeyan Satanism Theistic Satanism Our Lady of Endor Coven (or Ophite Cultus Satanas) Demonolatry Luciferianism Setianism (Temple of Set)Post-theistic and naturalistic religions Discordianism Ethical Culture Freethought (e.g. North Texas Church of Freethought) Jesusism Naturalistic Pantheism (e.g. World Pantheist Movement) Secular Humanism YoismFictional religionsMain article: List of fictional religionsParody or mock religions Church of Euthanasia Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Pastafarianism) Church of the SubGenius Dudeism Iglesia Maradoniana Invisible Pink Unicorn Jediism Kibology Landover Baptist Church Last ThursdayismOthers Cult of the Supreme Being Deism Eckankar Fourth Way Goddess movement Humanism The New Message from God Nuwaubian Nation Open-source religion Plurationalism Spiritism (Spiritualism) Subud Universal Life ChurchOther categorisationsBy demographicsMain article: Religious demographics List of religious populationsBy areaFurther information: Religion geography Religion in Africa Religion in Asia Religion in Australia Religion in Europe Religion in North America Oceania / Pacific Religion in South America Religion by country List of state-established religions Buddhism by country Christianity by country Roman Catholicism by country Protestantism by country Hinduism by country Islam by country Judaism by country, Jewish population Sikhism by countryList of religious organizationsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis is a list of religious organizations by faith.As it can be a matter of debate as to whether an organization is, in fact, religious, organizations only appear on this list where the organization itself claims or has claimed to be a religious organization.This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with entries that are reliably sourced.Contents 1 Christian organizations 1.1 Christian denominations 1.1.1 Christian organizations by denominational family affiliation 1.2 Christian organizations by purpose 1.2.1 Bible societies 1.2.2 Humanitarian Aid 1.2.3 Congregations by country 1.2.4 Dioceses 1.2.5 Christian media organizations 1.2.6 Mission organizations 1.2.7 Monasteries, abbeys, priories, and friaries 1.2.8 Christian orders and societies 1.2.9 Christian political organizations 1.2.10 Christian relief organizations 1.2.11 Christian schools and colleges 1.2.12 Christian sports organizations 1.2.13 Christian youth organizations 1.2.14 Miscellaneous Christian organizations 2 Islamic organizations 2.1 China 2.1.1 Hong Kong 2.1.2 Macau 2.2 Indonesia 2.3 Iran 2.4 Singapore 2.5 Taiwan 3 Jewish organizations 3.1 Jewish organizations by purpose 3.1.1 Youth organizations 4 Buddhist organizations 5 Hindu organizations 6 Pagan organizations 7 Rosicrucian organizations 8 Sikhist organizations 9 Theosophical organizations 10 Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist 11 Organizations of miscellaneous religions 11.1 Organizations of miscellaneous Asian religions 12 Interreligious organizations 12.1 Inter-Abrahamic organizations 13 See alsoChristian organizationsSee also: Category:Christian organizationsSee also: Category:Lists of Christian buildings and structuresChristian denominationsChristian denominationsin English-speaking countries

Australia[show]

Canada[show]

United Kingdom[show]

United States[show]

International Associations[show]

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Main article: List of Christian denominationsSee also: List of Christian denominations by number of membersChristian organizations by denominational family affiliationSee also: Category:Christian organizations by denomination

Adventist List of Seventh-day Adventist churches in New Zealand List of Seventh-day Adventist periodicals Media ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church List of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities List of Seventh-day Adventist secondary schoolsAnabaptistSee also: Category:Anabaptist organizationsAnglicanSee also: Category:Anglican organizations List of Anglican dioceses List of dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada List of dioceses of the Episcopal Church, United States List of Anglo-Catholic churches List of colleges and seminaries affiliated with the Episcopal Church List of Anglican devotional societiesBaptistSee also: Category:Baptist organizations List of Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland churches List of Baptist schools in the United States List of Baptist colleges and universities in the United Kingdom List of Baptist colleges and universities in the United States List of Baptist sub-denominationsCatholicSee also: Category:Roman Catholic Church organizationsSee also: Category:Roman Catholic Church organisation List of Carthusian monasteries List of Roman Catholic missions in Africa Dioceses List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view) List of Roman Catholic archdioceses List of French dioceses in the 19th and 20th century Congregations List of Roman Catholic churches in the Diocese of Charleston List of parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno List of parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu Orders and societies List of Ecclesial movements Knights of Columbus Knights of St. Joseph Knights of St. George Schools List of Roman Catholic seminaries List of Eastern Catholic seminaries List of Catholic Schools in the Philippines Roman Catholic universities and colleges in the United States List of independent Catholic schools in the United States Etc. American Catholic Philosophical Association Wethersfield Institute Catholic Biblical FederationChurch of the EastSee also: Category:Assyrian Church of the East[show]List of DioceseEastern OrthodoxSee also: Category:Eastern Orthodox organizations List of Eastern Orthodox dioceses and archdioceses List of the dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America Congregations Orthodox parishes in the United States Orthodox parishes in Alaska Orthodox parishes in Hawaii Parishes of the Apostolic Exarchate for Ukrainians in Great Britain Parishes of the Apostolic Exarchate in Germany and Scandinavia for the UkrainiansEvangelicalSee also: Category:Evangelical organizations List of evangelical seminaries and theological collegesLutheranSee also: Category:Lutheran organizations List of Lutheran denominations List of Lutheran dioceses and archdioceses Nordic churches in London List of ELCA seminaries Seminaries of the Lutheran Church - Missouri SynodMethodistSee also: Category:Methodist organizations List of African Methodist Episcopal ChurchesOriental OrthodoxSee also: Category:Oriental Orthodoxy List of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States List of Coptic Orthodox Churches in Canada List of Eritrean Orthodox monasteries[show]List of DiocesesPentecostalSee also: Category:Charismatic and Pentecostal organizationsPresbyterianSee also: Category:Presbyterian organizations List of Church of Scotland parishesProtestant List of the largest Protestant churches of the world List of Protestant mission societies in AfricaQuakerSee also: Category:Quaker organizations List of Friends schoolsReformed (Calvinist)See also: Category:Calvinist organizations Association for Reformational Philosophy List of Calvinist educational institutionsStone-Campbell movement List of universities and colleges affiliated with the Churches of Christ List of universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian churches and churches of ChristOrganizations of miscellaneous denominational families List of Armenian Evangelical (AEUNA) churches in the United States List of Messianic Jewish organizationsChristian organizations by purposeBible societies[show]List of bible societiesCongregations by countrySee also: Category:Church buildingsSee also: Category:Christian communities[show]Congregations by countryDioceses List of Anglican dioceses See List of religious organizations#Catholic See List of religious organizations#Church of the East List of Eastern Orthodox dioceses and archdioceses List of Lutheran dioceses and archdioceses See List of religious organizations#Oriental OrthodoxChristian media organizationsMain article: List of Christian media organizationsSee also: List of Christian record labelsSee also: List of Christian film production companiesMission organizationsSee also: Category:Christian missions Billy Graham Evangelistic Association World Vision United States Samaritan's Purse List of Christian mission hospitals List of SVD missions List of Spanish missions Youth With A Mission YWAM MauiMonasteries, abbeys, priories, and friariesSee also: Category:Christian monasteries List of monasteries, abbeys, and priories[show]Monasteries, abbeys, priories, and friaries by countryChristian orders and societiesSee also: Category:Christian ordersChristian political organizationsSee also: Category:Christian political organizationsChristian relief organizationsSee also: Category:Christian charities International Association of Gospel Rescue Missions Samaritan's Purse World Relief World Vision The Salvation Army Cross International World Vision in Progress Hospitals List of Christian mission hospitals List of Christian hospitals in ChinaChristian schools and collegesSee also: Category:Christian schoolsSee also: Category:Christian universities and colleges Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia List of schools accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada List of SVD schoolsChristian sports organizationsSee also: Category:Christian sports organizationsChristian youth organizationsSee also: Category:Christian youth organizationsMiscellaneous Christian organizationsSee also: Category:Christian charitiesSee also: Category:Christian parachurch organizationsSee also: Category:Christian countercult organizations List of parachurch organizations Christian Vegetarian Association Society of Christian Philosophers Promise KeepersIslamic organizationsThis list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.See also: Category:Islam-related listsSee also: Category:Lists of Islamic buildings and structures

Islamic Association of China in Beijing, China

Islamic Association of Macau in Macau, China

Chinese Muslim Association in Taipei, TaiwanChina Islamic Association of ChinaHong Kong Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong Islamic Cultural Association (Hong Kong) United Muslims Association of Hong KongMacau Islamic Association of MacauIndonesia Nahdlatul UlamaIran Islamic International Foundation of CooperationSingapore Majlis Ugama Islam SingapuraTaiwan Chinese Islamic Cultural and Educational Foundation Chinese Muslim Association Chinese Muslim Youth League Taiwan Halal Integrity Development AssociationJewish organizationsThis list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.See also: Category:Judaism-related listsSee also: Category:Lists of Judaism-related buildings and structuresJewish organizations by purposeYouth organizationsSee also: List of Jewish youth organizationsBuddhist organizationsThis list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.See also: Category:Buddhism-related listsSee also: Category:Lists of Buddhist buildings and structures Unitarian Universalist Buddhist FellowshipHindu organizationsMain article: List of Hindu organisationsPagan organizationsSee also: Category:Germanic paganism and mythology lists Ar nDraiocht Fein Asatru Church and School of Wicca Church of All Worlds Circle Sanctuary Covenant of the Goddess Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans Odinic Rite Unitarian Earth Spirit NetworkRosicrucian organizations Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis Rosicrucian FellowshipSikhist organizationsThis list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.See also: Category:Sikhism-related listsTheosophical organizations Theosophical Society Adyar Theosophical Society Pasadena Theosophical Society Point Loma-Covina New Acropolis United Lodge of TheosophistsUnitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist International Council of Unitarians and Universalists Australian and New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association Canadian Unitarian Council (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft European Unitarian Universalists General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (Unitarian Christian Association; Unitarian Earth Spirit Network) Unitarian Church of Transylvania Unitarian Universalist Association (Church of the Larger Fellowship; Church of the Younger Fellowship; Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans)) Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans Meadville Lombard Theological School Starr King School for the Ministry Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship National Church of Iceland (In contact organization) American Unitarian Conference Christian Universalist Association The Unitarian Christian Emerging Church Unitarian Ministries InternationalOrganizations of miscellaneous religions Church of Satan Creativity High Council of B'nei Noah Never Ending Gardens John Templeton Foundation Temple of Set Universal Life Church World Pantheist MovementOrganizations of miscellaneous Asian religionsSee also: List of Ayyavazhi Organisations Avatar Meher Baba Trust Sri Viswa Viznana Vidya Adhyatmika PeethamInterreligious organizations Association for Consciousness Exploration Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Berkeley Psychic Institute Institute on Religion in an Age of Science Interfaith Worker Justice International Council for Inter-Religious Cooperation National African Religion Congress Partners for Sacred Places Sea of Faith Society for the Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture World Congress of Ethnic Religions The World Peace Prayer SocietyInter-Abrahamic organizations The Coexistence Trust Faith & Values Media Religious Coalition for Reproductive ChoiceMajor religious groupsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"World religions" redirects here. For other uses, see World religions (disambiguation). For a breakdown by religion List of religions and spiritual traditions

Size of major religious groups, 2012

ReligionPercent

Christianity31.5%

Islam23.2%

Unaffiliated16.3%

Hinduism15.0%

Buddhism7.1%

Folk religions5.9%

Other0.8%

Judaism0.2%

Pew Research Center, 2012[1]

The world's principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, although this is by no means a uniform practice. This theory began in the 18th century with the goal of recognizing the relative levels of civility in societies.[2]Contents 1 History of religious categories 2 Classification 3 Religious demographics 3.1 Largest religions 3.2 Medium-sized religions 4 By region 5 Trends in adherence 5.1 World Christian Encyclopedia 6 Maps of self-reported adherence 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 Sources 11 External linksHistory of religious categories

An 1821 map of the world, where "Christians, Mahometans, and Pagans" correspond to levels of civilization (The map makes no distinction between Buddhism and Hinduism).

An 1883 map of the world divided into colors representing "Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Mohammedans and Pagans".In world cultures, there have traditionally been many different groupings of religious belief. In Indian culture, different religious philosophies were traditionally respected as academic differences in pursuit of the same truth. In Islam, the Quran mentions three different categories: Muslims, the People of the Book, and idol worshipers. Initially, Christians had a simple dichotomy of world beliefs: Christian civility versus foreign heresy or barbarity. In the 18th century, "heresy" was clarified to mean Judaism and Islam;[citation needed] along with paganism, this created a fourfold classification which spawned such works as John Toland's Nazarenus, or Jewish, Gentile, and Mahometan Christianity, which represented the three Abrahamic religions as different "nations" or sects within religion itself, the "true monotheism."Daniel Defoe described the original definition as follows: "Religion is properly the Worship given to God, but 'tis also applied to the Worship of Idols and false Deities." At the turn of the 19th century, in between 1780 and 1810, the language dramatically changed: instead of "religion" being synonymous with spirituality, authors began using the plural, "religions", to refer to both Christianity and other forms of worship. Therefore, Hannah Adams's early encyclopedia, for example, had its name changed from An Alphabetical Compendium of the Various Sects... to A Dictionary of All Religions and Religious Denominations.[3]In 1838, the four-way division of Christianity, Judaism, Mahommedanism (archaic terminology for Islam) and Paganism was multiplied considerably by Josiah Conder's Analytical and Comparative View of All Religions Now Extant among Mankind. Conder's work still adhered to the four-way classification, but in his eye for detail he puts together much historical work to create something resembling our modern Western image: he includes Druze, Yezidis, Mandeans, and Elamites[clarification needed] under a list of possibly monotheistic groups, and under the final category, of "polytheism and pantheism", he listed Zoroastrianism, "Vedas, Puranas, Tantras, Reformed sects" of India as well as "Brahminical idolatry", Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Lamaism, "religion of China and Japan", and "illiterate superstitions".[4]The modern meaning of the phrase "world religion", putting non-Christians at the same level as Christians, began with the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. The Parliament spurred the creation of a dozen privately funded lectures with the intent of informing people of the diversity of religious experience: these lectures funded researchers such as William James, D. T. Suzuki, and Alan Watts, who greatly influenced the public conception of world religions.[5]In the latter half of the 20th century, the category of "world religion" fell into serious question, especially for drawing parallels between vastly different cultures, and thereby creating an arbitrary separation between the religious and the secular.[6] Even history professors have now taken note of these complications and advise against teaching "world religions" in schools.[7] Others see the shaping of religions in the context of the nation-state as the "invention of traditions".ClassificationThis section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2014)

Further information: Comparative religion and Sociological classifications of religious movementsReligious traditions fall into super-groups in comparative religion, arranged by historical origin and mutual influence. Abrahamic religions originate in the Middle East, Indian religions in the Indian subcontinent and East Asian religions in East Asia. Another group with supra-regional influence are Afro-American religion, which have their origins in Central and West Africa. Middle Eastern religions:[8] Abrahamic religions are the largest group, and these consist mainly of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Bah' Faith. They are named for the patriarch Abraham, and are unified by the practice of monotheism. Today, around 3.4 billion people are followers of Abrahamic religions and are spread widely around the world apart from the regions around East and Southeast Asia. Several Abrahamic organizations are vigorous proselytizers.[9] Iranian religions (not listed below due to overlaps), partly of Indo-European origins,[10][11] includes Zoroastrianism, Yazdnism, Ahl-e Haqq and historical traditions of Gnosticism (Mandaeism, Manichaeism). It has significant overlaps with Abrahamic traditions, e.g. in Sufism and in recent movements such as Bbism and the Bah' Faith. Indian religions, originated in Greater India and partly of Indo-European origins, they tend to share a number of key concepts, such as dharma, karma, reincarnation among others. They are of the most influence across the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, Southeast Asia, as well as isolated parts of Russia. The main Indian religions are Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. East Asian religions consist of several East Asian religions which make use of the concept of Tao (in Chinese) or D (in Japanese or Korean). They include many Chinese folk religions, Taoism and Confucianism, as well as Korean and Japanese religion influenced by Chinese thought. African religions:[8] The religions of the tribal peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa, but excluding ancient Egyptian religion, which is considered to belong to the ancient Middle East;[8] African diasporic religions practiced in the Americas, imported as a result of the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 18th centuries, building on traditional religions of Central and West Africa. Indigenous ethnic religions, formerly found on every continent, now marginalized by the major organized faiths in many parts of the world or persisting as undercurrents (folk religions) of major religions. Includes traditional African religions, Asian shamanism, Native American religions, Austronesian and Australian Aboriginal traditions, Chinese folk religions, and postwar Shinto. Under more traditional listings, this has been referred to as "paganism" along with historical polytheism. New religious movement is the term applied to any religious faith which has emerged since the 19th century, often syncretizing, re-interpreting or reviving aspects of older traditions such as Ayyavazhi, Mormonism, Ahmadiyya, Pentecostalism, polytheistic reconstructionism, and so forth.Religious demographicsFurther information: List of religious populationsMain category: Religious demographicsOne way to define a major religion is by the number of current adherents. The population numbers by religion are computed by a combination of census reports and population surveys (in countries where religion data is not collected in census, for example the United States or France), but results can vary widely depending on the way questions are phrased, the definitions of religion used and the bias of the agencies or organizations conducting the survey. Informal or unorganized religions are especially difficult to count.There is no consensus among researchers as to the best methodology for determining the religiosity profile of the world's population. A number of fundamental aspects are unresolved: Whether to count "historically predominant religious culture[s]"[12] Whether to count only those who actively "practice" a particular religion[13] Whether to count based on a concept of "adherence"[14] Whether to count only those who expressly self-identify with a particular denomination[15] Whether to count only adults, or to include children as well. Whether to rely only on official government-provided statistics[16] Whether to use multiple sources and ranges or single "best source(s)"Largest religionsThe table below lists religions classified by philosophy; however, religious philosophy is not always the determining factor in local practice. Please note that this table includes heterodox movements as adherents to their larger philosophical category, although this may be disputed by others within that category. For example Christianity and Islam include those are culturally Christian and Muslim as well as indigenous people combining folk religions or shamanism with either.The population numbers below are computed by a combination of census reports, random surveys (in countries where religion data is not collected in census, for example the United States or France), and self-reported attendance numbers, but results can vary widely depending on the way questions are phrased, the definitions of religion used and the bias of the agencies or organizations conducting the survey. Informal or unorganized religions are especially difficult to count. Some organizations may wildly inflate their numbers.ReligionNumber of followers(in millions)Cultural traditionFoundedReferences

Christianity2,200Abrahamic religionsLevant region[1]

Islam1,800Abrahamic religionsArabian Peninsula[1]

Hinduism1,100Indian religionsIndian subcontinent[1]

Buddhism488Indian religionsIndian subcontinent[1]

Medium-sized religionsThe following are medium-sized world religions:ReligionNumber of followers(in millions)Cultural traditionFoundedReferences

Shinto100[nb 1]Japanese religionsJapan[17][18]

Sikhism28Indian religionsIndian subcontinent[19]

Judaism14Abrahamic religionsLevant region[1]

Korean shamanism5-15Korean religionsKorea[20]

Caodaism5-9Vietnamese religionsVietnam, 20th century[21]

Bah' Faith5-7.3Abrahamic religionsIran, 19th century[22][23][nb 2]

Jainism4.2Indian religionsIndian subcontinent, 7th to 9th century BC[24]

Cheondoism3-4Korean religionsKorea, 19th century[25]

Hoahaoism1.5-3Vietnamese religionsVietnam, 20th century[26]

Tenriism5Japanese religionsJapan, 19th century[27]

By regionFurther information: Religions by country Religion by region Religion in Africa Religion in Antarctica Religion in Asia Religion in the Middle East Muslim world (SW Asia and N Africa) Religion in Europe Religion in the European Union Religion in North America Religion in Oceania Religion in South AmericaTrends in adherenceFurther information: Growth of religionSince the late 19th century, the demographics of religion have changed a great deal. On the one hand, since the 19th century, large areas of Sub-Saharan Africa have been converted to Christianity, and this area of the world has the highest population growth rate. On the other hand, some countries with a historically large Christian population have experienced a significant decline in the numbers of professed active Christians: see demographics of atheism. Symptoms of the decline in active participation in Christian religious life include declining recruitment for the priesthood and monastic life, as well as diminishing attendance at church. In the realm of Western culture, there has been an increase in the number of people who identify themselves as secular humanists. In many countries, such as the People's Republic of China, communist governments have discouraged religion, making it difficult to count the actual number of believers. However, after the collapse of communism in numerous countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, religious life has been experiencing resurgence there, both in the form of traditional Eastern Christianity and particularly in the forms of Neopaganism and East Asian religions.[citation needed]World Christian EncyclopediaFollowing is some available data based on the work of the World Christian Encyclopedia:[28]Trends in annual growth of adherence

19701985[29]19902000[30][31]20002005[32]% change 19702010 (40 yrs)[23]

3.65%: Bah' Faith2.65%: Zoroastrianism1.84%: Islam9.85%: Daoism

2.74%: Islam2.28%: Bah' Faith1.70%: Bah' Faith4.26%: Bah' Faith

2.34%: Hinduism2.13%: Islam1.62%: Sikhism4.23%: Islam

1.67%: Buddhism1.87%: Sikhism1.57%: Hinduism3.08%: Sikhism

1.64%: Christianity1.69%: Hinduism1.32%: Christianity2.76%: Buddhism

1.09%: Judaism1.36%: Christianity2.62%: Hinduism

1.09%: Buddhism2.60%: Jainism

2.50%: Zoroastrianism

across 40 yrs, world total 2.16%

2.10%: Christianity

0.83%: Confucianism

0.37%: unaffiliated (inc. atheists, agnostics, religious but not affiliated)

-0.03%: Judaism

-0.83%: Shintoism

Maps of self-reported adherence

Map showing self-reported religiosity by country. Based on a 20062008 worldwide survey by Gallup.

World map showing the percentages of people who regard religion as "non-important" according to a 2002 Pew survey

Religions of the world, mapped by distribution.

Predominant religions of the world, mapped by state

Map showing the prevalence of "Abrahamic religion" (purple), and "Indian religion" (yellow) religions in each country.

Map showing the relative proportion of Christianity (red) and Islam (green) in each country as of 2006 and excludes South Sudan

Map showing the distribution of world religions by country/state, and by smaller administrative regions for the largest countries (China, India, Russia, United States), according to

the most recent data available (2012). ChristianityIslamBuddhism, Chinese religions, Hinduism, indigenous religions

List of 21st-century religious leadersFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of 20th-century religious leaders Religious leaders by yearSee also: State leaders by year International organization leaders by year Colonial governors by year

Contents 1 Buddhism 2 Christianity 2.1 Catholicism 2.2 Eastern Orthodoxy 2.3 Oriental Orthodoxy 2.4 Protestantism 2.4.1 Baptist 2.4.2 Holiness 2.4.3 Lutheranism 2.4.4 Methodism 2.4.5 Pentecostalism 2.4.6 Presbyterianism 2.4.7 Other protestant 2.5 Anglicanism 2.5.1 Provinces of the Anglican Communion 2.5.2 Continuing Anglicanism 2.6 Other Christian or Christian-derived faiths 3 Islam 3.1 Ismaili 3.2 Ahmadiyya 3.3 Nation of Islam 4 Judaism and related 5 Other 5.1 Unitarian Universalism 5.2 Bah' 6 See also 7 ReferencesBuddhism Tibetan Buddhism Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama (1950present) Thai Buddhism Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana, Somdet Phra and Supreme Patriarch (19892013)ChristianityCatholicism Roman Catholic Church (complete list) John Paul II, Pope (19782005) Benedict XVI, Pope (20052013) Francis, Pope (2013present) Old Catholic Church of America James Edward Bostwick, Archbishop (19972009) Henry Pleau, Archbishop (2010present) Polish Catholic Church Wiktor Wysoczaski, Bishop Superior (1995present) Old Roman Catholic Church in Europe[1] Jerome Lloyd, Metropolitan Archbishop (2012present)Eastern Orthodoxy Church of Constantinople (complete list), the first among equals in Eastern Orthodoxy Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (1991present) Church of Alexandria (complete list) Peter VII, Patriarch of Alexandria (19972004) Theodore II, Patriarch of Alexandria (2004present) Church of Antioch (complete list) Ignatius IV (Hazim), Patriarch of Antioch (19792012) John X (Yazigi), Patriarch of Antioch (2012-present) Church of Jerusalem - Diodoros I, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (19812000) Irenaios I, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (20012005) Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (2005present) Albanian Orthodox Church Anastasios (Yannoulatos), Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania (1992present) Bulgarian Orthodox Church (complete list) Maxim, Patriarch of All Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia (19712012) Neofit, Patriarch of All Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia (2013-present) Cypriot Orthodox Church (complete list) Chrysostomos I, Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus (19772006) Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus (2006present) Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church Nicholas of Presov, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia (20002006) Christopher of Prague, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia (20062014) Rastilav of Presov, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia (2014present) Georgian Orthodox Church Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (1977present) Church of Greece (complete list) Christodoulos of Athens, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (19982008) Ieronymos II, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (2008present) Orthodox Church in America, North America (complete list) Theodosius (Lazor), Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (19771980) Theodosius (Lazor), Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (19812002) Herman (Swaiko), Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (20022005) Herman (Swaiko), Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (20052008) Jonah (Paffhausen), Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (20082009) Jonah (Paffhausen), Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (20092012) Tikhon, Metropolitan of All America and Canada (2012present) Polish Orthodox Church Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland, Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland (1998present) Romanian Orthodox Church Teoctist I, Patriarch of All Romania (19862007) Daniel Ciobotea, Patriarch of All Romania (2007present) Russian Orthodox Church (complete list) Alexy II of Russia, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (19902008) Kirill I, acting (20082009), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (2009Present) Serbian Orthodox Church (complete list) Pavle of Serbia, Archbishop of Pe and Patriarch of Serbs (19902009) Irinej of Serbia, Archbishop of Pe and Patriarch of Serbs (2010present) Orthodox Church of Finland (complete list) John Rinne, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland (19872001) Leo Makkonen Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland (2001present)Oriental Orthodoxy Armenian Apostolic Church (complete list) Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians (1999present) Armenian Apostolic Church (complete list) Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia (1995present) Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (complete list) Shenouda III of Alexandria, Pope and Patriarch (19712012) Theodoros II of Alexandria, Pope and Patriarch (2012present) Eritrean Orthodox Church Abune Dioskoros, Patriarch (2005present) Ethiopian Orthodox Church (complete list) Abune Paulos, Abuna and Patriarch (19922012) Abune Mathias, Abuna and Patriarch (2013present) Indian Orthodox Church (complete list) Baselios Thoma Didymos I, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan (20052010) Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan (2010present) Syriac Orthodox Church Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (19802014) Ignatius Aphrem II Karim (2014-present)Protestantism National Association of Evangelicals Kevin Mannoia, President (19992001) Leith Anderson, President (20022003) Ted Haggard, President (20032006) Leith Anderson, President (2006-present)Baptist Baptist World Alliance General Secretaries Denton Lotz, General Secretary (N/A2007) Neville Callam, General Secretary (2008present) Presidents Billy Kim, President (20002005) David Coffey, President (20052010) John Upton, President (2010present) Seventh Day Baptist General Conference Jan Lek, General Secretary (c. 2010)Africa Baptist Convention of Angola Mateus Chaves, current President (c. 2010) Alexandre Melo Chilanda, current General Secretary (c. 2010) Nigerian Baptist Convention President Uche Enyioha, current President (c. 2010) General Secretary and CEO James Tanimola Ayorinde, General Secretary (c. 1960s) S. T. Ola Akande, General Secretary S. Ola Fadeji, General Secretary Solomon Ademola Ishola, current General Secretary (c. 2010)Asia Bangladesh Baptist Sangha Joyanto Adhikari, current President (c. 2010) Milton Biswas, current General-Secretary (c. 2010) Paku Karen Baptist Association (Burma) Letta, Executive Secretary Kooler, Executive Secretary Augustus Spurgeon, Executive Secretary Caleb Paw, Executive Secretary Paul Htoo, current Executive Secretary (c. 2010) Association of Baptist Churches in Israel Monther Naum, Chairman (N/A2006) Fuad Haddad, Chairman (2006present) Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches in the Philippines Arleen D. Fidel, Chairman (2004present) Baptist Conference of the Philippines Joel Villamor, first General Secretary of the Conference (c. 1970s) Eugene Ares, first Moderator of the Conference Singapore Baptist Convention Peter Tang, Executive Director (c. 2010)India Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang O. Alem, current General Secretary (c. 2010) Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars T. Ch. Immanuel, President (2006present) M. Ashok Kumar, Secretary (2006present) Manipur Baptist Convention Vumthang Sitlhou, current General Secretary (c. 2010) Tripura Baptist Christian Union M.J. Eade, founding leader (1938N/A) Rajani Kaipeng, current General Secretary (c. 2010)Europe, regional European Baptist Federation Tony Peck, current General Secretary (c. 2010) International Baptist Convention Jimmy Martin, current General Secretary (c. 2010)Europe, national Baptist Union of Romania Paul Negru, President (N/A2007) Otniel Bunaciu, current President (2007present) Convention of the Hungarian Baptist C