Comparative religion

For the Community episode, see Community (season 1)#ep12.

Map showing the prevalence of "Abrahamic" (purple) and "Dharmic" (yellow) religions

Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions. Religion can be defined as the human beliefs and practices regarding the sacred, numinous, spiritual and divine.

In the field of comparative religion, the main world religions are generally classified as Abrahamic, Indian or Taoic. Areas of study also include creation myths and Humanism.

Abrahamic religions

Main article: Abrahamic religion

In the study of comparative religion, the category of Abrahamic religions consists of the three monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, which claim Abraham (Hebrew Avraham אַבְרָהָם ; Arabic Ibrahim إبراهيم ) as a part of their sacred history. Other religions (such as the Bahá'í Faith) that fit this description are sometimes included but are often omitted.

The original belief in the One God of Abraham eventually became present-day Rabbinic Judaism. Christians believe that Christianity is the fulfillment and continuation of the Jewish Old Testament. Christians believe that Jesus (Hebrew Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ) as the messiah (Christ) foretold in Old Testament prophecy, and believe in subsequent New Testament revelations based on the divine authority of Jesus in Christian belief (as the Incarnation of God). The New Testament is believed by Christians to be the final revelation (but not always complete: see Sacred Tradition, a concept in most of Christianity - Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy - that is analogous to the oral Torah of Judaism). Islam believes the present Christian and Jewish scriptures have been corrupted over time and are no longer the original divine revelations as given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets, which Muslims believe were all prophets of Islam, not of Judaism nor Christianity. For Muslims, the Qur'an is the final, complete revelation from God (Arabic الله‎ Allah), who believe it to have been revealed to Muhammad, who is believed by Muslims to be the final prophet of Islam.

Comparing Abrahamic religions

Main articles: Christianity and Judaism, Islam and Judaism, and Christianity and Islam

See also: Judeo-Christian, Supersessionism, People of the Book, Tahrif, Biblical narratives and the Qur'an, and Judeo-Islamic philosophies (800 - 1400)

Christianity and Judaism are two closely related Abrahamic religions that in some ways parallel each other and in other ways fundamentally diverge in theology and practice. The article on Judeo-Christian tradition emphasizes continuities and convergences between the two religions. The article on Christianity and Judaism compares the different views held by both religions.

The historical interaction of Islam and Judaism started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam. There are many common aspects between Islam and Judaism, and as Islam developed, it gradually became the major religion closest to Judaism. As opposed to Christianity which originated from interaction between ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures, Judaism is very similar to Islam in its fundamental religious outlook, structure, jurisprudence and practice. There are many traditions within Islam originating from traditions within the Hebrew Bible or from postbiblical Jewish traditions. These practices are known collectively as the Isra'iliyat.

The historical interaction between Christianity and Islam connects fundamental ideas in Christianity with similar ones in Islam. Islam and Christianity share their origins in the Abrahamic tradition, although Christianity predates Islam by centuries. Islam accepts many aspects of Christianity as part of its faith - with some differences in interpretation - and rejects other aspects. Islam believes the Qur'an is the final revelation from God and a completion of all previous revelations, including the Bible.

Indian and Indo-European religions

Main articles: Indian religions, Vedic Brahmanism, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, and Proto-Indo-European religion

The term "Indian religions" refers to a number of religions that have originated on the Indian subcontinent tracing their origins through Proto-Indo-Iranian religion ultimately to Proto-Indo-European religion. They encompass Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Other largely extinct Indo-European religions closely allied to the Indian religions, sharing a common history, include Zoroastrianism, ancient Greek, Celtic, Roman, Hittite, Slavic and Norse mythology.^{[citation needed]}

Comparing "Dharmic" religions

The Rig Veda is one of the oldest Vedic texts. Shown here is a Rig Veda manuscript in Devanagari, early nineteenth century.

Main article: Buddhism and Hinduism

Further information: Buddha as an Avatar of Vishnu, Gautama Buddha in world religions, and God in Buddhism

Buddhism and modern Hinduism are both post-Vedic religions. Gautama Buddha is mentioned as an Avatar of Vishnu in the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Some Hindus believe the Buddha accepted and incorporated many tenets of Hinduism in his doctrine, however, Buddhists disagree and state there was no such thing as Hinduism at the time of Buddha and in fact, "Indeed, it absorbed so many Buddhist traits that it is virtually impossible to distinguish the latter in medieval and later Hinduism." Prominent Hindu reformers such as Gandhi and Vivekananda acknowledge Buddhist influence. Gandhi, like Hindus, did not believe Buddha established a non-Hindu tradition. He writes, "I do not regard Jainism or Buddhism as separate from Hinduism."

Taoic religions

Main article: East Asian religions

Further information: Tao and De

The Chinese character depicting Tao, the central concept in Taoism.

A Taoic religion is a religion, or religious philosophy, that focuses on the East Asian concept of Tao ("The Way"). This forms a large group of religions including Taoism, Confucianism, Jeung San Do, Shinto, Yiguandao, Chondogyo, Chen Tao and Caodaism. In large parts of East Asia, Buddhism has taken on some taoic features.

Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. It is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered and is associated with nature, due to a belief that nature demonstrates the Tao. The flow of Ch'i, as the essential energy of action and existence, is compared to the universal order of Tao. Following the Tao is also associated with a "proper" attitude, morality and lifestyle. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of De, or literally "virtue" or "power." De is the active expression of Tao.

Taoism and Ch'an Buddhism for centuries had a mutual influence on each other in China, Korea and Vietnam. These influences were inherited by Zen Buddhism when Ch'an Buddhism arrived in Japan and adapted as Zen Buddhism.

Comparing Taoic religions

• Taoism and other religions
• East Asian Buddhism

Comparing traditions

Further information: Eastern religions, Western religions, prehistoric religion, religions of the Ancient Near East, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion, and Proto-Indo-European religion

Bahá'í Faith

• Bahá'í Faith and other religions
• Bahá'í Faith and Buddhism
• Bahá'í Faith and Hinduism
• Bahá'í Faith and Zoroastrianism

Buddhism

• Bahá'í Faith and Buddhism
• Buddhist–Christian Studies
• Buddhism and Christianity
• Buddhism and Eastern religions
• Buddhism and Gnosticism
• Buddhism and Hinduism
• Buddhism and Jainism
• Buddhism and Theosophy
• Parallels between Buddha and Jesus

Christianity

• Christianity and other religions
• Buddhism and Christianity
• Buddhist–Christian Studies
• Christianity and Islam
• Christianity and Judaism
• Christianity and Neopaganism
• Christianity and Paganism
• Christianity and Vodou
• History of Hindu–Christian Encounters, AD 304 to 1996
• Parallels between Buddha and Jesus

Hinduism

• Hinduism and other religions
• Ayyavazhi and Hinduism
• Bahá'í Faith and Hinduism
• Buddhism and Hinduism
• Hinduism and Islam

Islam

• Islam and other religions
• Christianity and Islam
• Hinduism and Islam
• Islam and Jainism
• Islam and Judaism
• Islam and Sikhism
• Mormonism and Islam

Jainism

• Buddhism and Jainism
• Islam and Jainism
• Jainism and Sikhism

Mormonism

• Mormonism and Christianity
• Mormonism and Islam
• Mormonism and Judaism

Paganism and Neopaganism

• Christianity and Paganism
• Christianity and Neopaganism

Sikhism

• Hinduism and Sikhism
• Islam and Sikhism
• Jainism and Sikhism

Taoism

• Taoism and other religions

Zoroastrianism

• Zoroastrianism and other religions

See also

• Comparative mythology
• Hierographology
• Inclusivism
• Institute for Interreligious Dialogue
• Interfaith
• List of religions
• Panbabylonism
• Patternism
• Religious pluralism

Further reading

• Eastman, Roger (1999) The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition. ISBN 978-0195118353.
• Momen, Moojan (1999). The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851681612. http://www.librarything.com/work/204690. 

External links

• Patheos.com's Side-By-Side Comparative "Lenses"
• 2nd International Online-Conference "Comparative Religion: from Subject to Problem"
• ReligiousTolerance.org
• Academicinfo.net
• ReligionFacts.com
• Comparative-religion.com
• Studies in Comparative Religion
• Answers to Questions of Faith From Several Worldviews
• Study of Comparative Religions in Indian Universities