what influences has religion had over course of history

Historically, religion has played an important role in Western societies, affecting or even defining individual beliefs and traits, cultural norms and values, social groups and organisations, and political and military power. Over the past two decades, analysis of the relevance of religion has entered centre stage in the study of economic history.

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How does religion affect the development of civilization?

Religion is one of the largest factors in changing a developing civilization. Investigate new religions and old cultures, the appeal religion has to lower classes, how religion can be absorbed but not dominant, new opportunities, and different transformative religious movements.

Why do we have religions?

Religious identities have been a matter of choice and a tool of control. Religious institutions—ruled by men and, more rarely, women—have developed sometimes in collusion with and sometimes in antagonism to government power. Religions have been a basic factor of human history in all places and times, and remain so in our own world today.

What is the relationship between religion and history?

The study of history has long been connected to the history of religions. For many religions, the very fact of historical study is heretical; for other religions, historical thought is integral to religious practice. We cannot speak about religion without also thinking about its many histories. To start, what is religion?

Why is it important to study religion in history?

They have been some of the most important forces shaping knowledge, the arts, and technology. Historians are particularly interested in the context in which religions initially arose and then their subsequent development, especially how they changed when they entered new societies. How have various religious traditions influenced one another?

What impact has religion had on history?

Religions have been a basic factor of human history in all places and times, and remain so in our own world today. They have been some of the most important forces shaping knowledge, the arts, and technology.

What is the most influential religion in history?

Largest religious groupsReligionFollowers (billions)FoundedChristianity2.4Middle EastIslam1.9Arabia (Middle East), 7th centuryHinduism1.2Indian subcontinentBuddhism0.5Indian subcontinent1 more row

How did religion influence society?

It strengthens individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. It significantly affects educational and job attainment and reduces the incidence of such major social problems as out-of-wedlock births, drug and alcohol addiction, crime, and delinquency.

What are influences of religion?

Our experiences, environment and even genetics form our beliefs and attitudes. In turn, these beliefs influence our behaviour, and determine our actions. Beliefs that are widely accepted become part of our culture and, in many ways, shape the society we live in.

Who is the first god in the world?

Brahma the Creator In the beginning, Brahma sprang from the cosmic golden egg and he then created good & evil and light & dark from his own person. He also created the four types: gods, demons, ancestors, and men (the first being Manu).

What is the number 1 religion in the world?

ChristianityWorld's largest religion by population is still Christianity | Pew Research Center.

What role does religion play in the occurrence of historical events?

Religion play a following role in occurence of particular historical events.It gave sense to realise what was main moto of our society.because of many religious book we know about our ancestors their role in society.It gave sense to fight for your right and if there is exploitation of the ground of caste .

How does religion influence beliefs and values?

Religion influences morals and values through multiple pathways. It shapes the way people think about and respond to the world, fosters habits such as church attendance and prayer, and provides a web of social connections.

How religions influence the geography and culture?

Another aspect of the relationship between religion and geography is religious geography, in which geographical ideas are influenced by religion, such as early map-making, and the biblical geography that developed in the 16th century to identify places from the Bible.

How religion influences the everyday life of an individual?

A new Pew Research Center study of the ways religion influences the daily lives of Americans finds that people who are highly religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to volunteer, more involved in their communities and generally happier with the way things are going in their lives.

How do new religions affect existing cultures?

New religions can have a massive impact on existing cultures. Remember, while culture does unite people, there are a lot of moving parts to just about any culture, and there are always people who may not be happy with their role in an existing culture. Throughout history, the introduction of new religions to an existing cultural area has had ...

What is the most common religion in India?

The subcontinent's most common religion, Hinduism, is itself a mix of earlier indigenous beliefs mixed with those of later Aryan invaders. It's not only in India that we see this phenomenon of religious traditions being absorbed but not dominant on new regions.

What happens when religion is not influential in a society?

When religion is not influential in a society or has ceased to be, the state inherits the entire burden of public morality, crime and intolerance.

What caused the lowering of church attendance in the United States?

The lowering of church attendance in the United States coincided with a rise in pornography and general immorality, and an increase in crime which then caused a rise in numbers of police without a subsequent decline in actual moral aberration.

What did the 20th century philosopher say about the decline of the West?

Religious Influence in Society. An early 20th-century philosopher spoke of the impending decline of the West. What he failed to predict was that the West would export its culture to the rest of the world and thus grip the entire world in its death throes. Today we are witnessing that decline and since we are involved in it, ...

Where did science come from?

Science itself was borrowed from ancient religious studies in India and Egypt. Let a man know he is himself, a spiritual being, that he is capable of the power of choice and has the right to aspire to greater wisdom and you have started him up a higher road. Religion has also been attacked as primitive.

Can science become a religion?

The joke is that science itself can become a religion. Gerhard Lenski on page 331 of his The Religious Factor, a Sociologist’s Inquiry, defines religion as “a system of beliefs about the nature of force (s), ultimately shaping man’s destiny, and the practices associated therewith, shared by members of a group.”.

What is the idea that religion brings positive evolutionary benefits?

There are two major perspectives on why this might be. One is called functionalism or adaptationism: the idea that religion brings positive evolutionary benefits, which are most often framed in terms of its contribution to group living.

What are the emotions that are central to religious celebrations?

Emotions such as awe, loyalty, and love are central to many religious celebrations (Credit: Getty) This can be true for many behaviours – including music – but religion presents a particular puzzle, since it often involves extremely costly behaviours, such as altruism and, at times, even self-sacrifice.

What does religion mean?

Still, we need to start somewhere, so de Waal suggests this definition: religion is “the shared reverence for the supernatural, sacred, or spiritual as well as the symbols, rituals, and worship that are associated with it”.

Is religion a spandrel?

Others take the view that religion is a spandrel, or by-product of evolutionary processes. The word spandrel refers to an architectural shape that emerges as a by-product between arches and ceiling. Religion, on this interpretation, is akin to a vestigial organ.

When did Jesus start his church?

In 31 ad Jesus Christ founded His Church, which was to take His teachings and His message of the coming Kingdom of God to the world ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Those who were a part of this movement began to be called “Christians” ( Acts 11:26 ). However, it was not long before an element of that faith began to diverge from the teachings ...

What did James Kennedy write about life before Christianity?

James Kennedy writes, “Life was expendable prior to Christianity’s influence…. In those days abortion was rampant. Abandonment was commonplace: It was common for infirm babies or unwanted little ones to be taken out into the forest or the mountainside, to be consumed by wild animals or to starve….

Did Romans have homosexuality?

Roman authors indicate that “sexual activity between men and women had become highly promiscuous and essentially depraved before and during the time that Christians appeared in Roman society” and that homosexuality was widespread among pagan Greeks and Romans, especially men with boys (Schmidt, pp. 79–86).

Was Christianity a syncretic religion?

Yet while it bore some biblical teachings in its doctrines and catechisms, this “Christianity” was a syncretic religion that combined some of the biblical teachings of Jesus with the beliefs, practices, and attitudes of many of the peoples it sought to “transform.”