The role of religion in the modern world. Religions in the modern world

Introduction
Religions in the modern world
Religion as an element of the spiritual life of society
Functions of religion
The place of religion in the system of relations between man and the surrounding world
World religions in the modern world
Freedom of conscience
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction
The main question for every person has always been and remains the question of the meaning of life. Not everyone can find a final answer for themselves, not everyone is able to sufficiently substantiate it.
Religion (from Latin religio - piety, shrine) is a special type of spiritual and practical activity, representing an inextricable unity of ideological attitude, experience, action, based on faith in the sacred. The sacred is a type of supernatural that goes beyond the natural course of events, a “miracle.” But the sacred, in contrast to the supernatural in general, includes the recognition of its unconditional value for man.
Religion, throughout most of human history, played a decisive role in man's construction of social reality and was the most effective and widespread means of implementing social control in society.
Modern man is surrounded by a large number of different faiths and ideologies. Each religion has certain rules of behavior that its adherents must follow, as well as the purpose for which people follow the tenets of this religion. Maintaining faith is expressed in worship, prayers, and going to places of worship where people of the same faith gather.
Purpose of the work: based on a comprehensive study and generalization of theoretical sources, to define the concept and essence of religion, characterize its functions, study the current state of world religions, and clarify the role of religions in the modern world.
The work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion and a list of references.

Religion as an element of the spiritual life of society

Religion is one of the oldest and main (along with science, education, culture) forms of spiritual culture.
The religious worldview is characterized by the division of all things into the earthly and heavenly worlds, as well as the recognition of the immortality of the soul.
Religion presupposes the presence of a mysterious (mystical) connection between man and God (or other supernatural forces), the worship of these forces, and the possibility of human interaction with them.
Religion is one of the ways of human life associated with the recognition of the existence of God and other supernatural phenomena, their ability to positively or negatively influence a person, the optionality of any argumentation of the supernatural, and the replacement of knowledge with faith.
Why do people believe in the supernatural? Researchers of the past explained this, for example, by fear of the unpredictability and power of nature or the deep ignorance of most people, the mythological nature of mass consciousness. Do these characteristics apply to modern society? Philosophers, cultural scientists, sociologists, and psychologists answer this question differently. But it is obvious that religion retains its position even at the post-industrial stage of development of society, since it performs socially significant functions, which we will consider below.
Specifics religion - in the special nature of its “second world” and its semantic role for a person, in the recognition of a person’s ability to turn to God, to establish special interaction with him on the basis of insight, vision, revelation in order to save a person from sinfulness or make his life easier.
The basis of the religious worldview is the belief in the existence of one or another type of supernatural forces and in their dominant role in the worldview and life of people. Religion differs from superstitions primarily in that there is no God in superstitions.
Any religion includes several important elements (Fig. 1):

faith - religious feelings, moods, emotions;
doctrine - a systematized set of principles, ideas, concepts specially developed for a given religion;
religious cult - a set of actions that believers perform for the purpose of worshiping the gods, i.e. a system of established rituals, dogmas, rituals, prayers, sermons, etc.

Faith is the core of religion; it is in it that the most important features are revealed that determine the place of religion in the relationship between man and the world. Faith is a way of existence of religious consciousness, a special mood, an experience that characterizes the internal state of a person. Religious faith consists of:
1) faith itself - belief in the truth of the fundamentals of religious teaching;
2) knowledge of the most essential provisions of the doctrine;
3) recognition and adherence to moral standards contained in religious requirements for a person;
4) compliance with the norms and requirements for everyday life.
It is enshrined in the creed, dogma and religious cultures. Symbol of faith framed in different ways: this is either a listing of the gods in paganism, their characteristics and spheres of “responsibility,” or a set of basic tenets of faith. The most developed creed is among Christians; it includes twelve main dogmas regarding God and the church, adopted at the Ecumenical Council of 525 and revised at the Councils of 362 and 374. Religious dogmatics is contained, as a rule, in written sources: sacred scriptures, teachings (created by God or gods himself), sacred traditions - written documents of faith compiled by church leaders and their assemblies. Religious cults consolidate faith in the practical relations and actions of believers. In Christianity, for example, the sacraments are important cults: rites of purification, baptism, repentance, marriage, sanctification (healing the sick), etc.
Religious beliefs cannot be derived from the sphere of feelings and experiences of an individual person. They are a product of the historical development of society. Religious culture is an essential element of the spiritual culture of any society. Historically, long-existing societies as civilizations are also assessed on a religious and spiritual basis. Religion is a socially organized and organizing sphere of human communities, a way of expressing their spiritual culture and most revered values.
Worship of “higher powers” ​​leads to the formation of the image of God - a supreme being, an absolute, worthy of worship.
The place and significance of religion in society are determined by the functions it performs. Next, let's look at the main functions of religion.

Functions of religion

The functions of religion are the various ways of its activity, the nature and direction of the influence of religion on individuals and societies.
Worldview function religion realizes due to the presence in it of a system of views that reflect the picture of the world, the essence of man and his place in the world. Religion includes worldview (explanation of the world as a whole and individual phenomena and processes in it), worldview (reflection of the world in sensation and perception), worldview (emotional acceptance or rejection), world relations (evaluation), etc. The religious worldview sets the “ultimate” criteria, the Absolutes, from the point of view of which man, the world, and society are understood, and provides goal-setting and meaning-making.
Regulatory function religion is based on the moral experience of many generations of people accumulated by it, expressed in commandments and moral canons. Within the framework of various religious beliefs, symbols of faith were formed, common patterns (canons) that normalized the way people felt, thought, and behaved. Thanks to this, religion acts as a powerful means of social regulation and regulation, ordering and preserving morals, traditions, and customs.
Religion not only establishes a certain framework for human freedom, but also encourages him to assimilate certain positive moral values ​​and worthy behavior, and this is where it manifests itself. educational function.
Compensatory function- relieves a person’s social and mental stress, compensates for the shortcomings or deficits of secular communication with religious communication: social inequality is compensated by equality in sinfulness and suffering; human disunity is replaced by brotherhood in Christ. This function is realized especially clearly in prayer and repentance, during which a person moves from depression and mental discomfort to a state of relief, calm, and a surge of strength.
Religion fulfills communicative function, being a means of communication between believers. This communication unfolds on two levels: in the plane of dialogue with God and the “celestials,” as well as in contact with other believers. Communication is carried out primarily through cultic actions.
Integrating function - the direction of uniting people, their behavior, activities, thoughts, feelings, aspirations, efforts of social groups and institutions in order to maintain the stability of society, the stability of the individual, and a common religion. By directing and uniting the efforts of individuals and social groups, religion contributes to social stability or the establishment of something new. There are many examples of how religion can act as a factor in the integration of society: let us remember the role of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, for example, St. Sergius of Radonezh, in the unification of Russian lands and the fight against invaders.
Cultural function is that religion preserves and transmits the social experience of humanity, being an integral part of the culture of human society.
Humanistic function - religion cultivates feelings of love, kindness, tolerance, compassion, mercy, conscience, duty, justice, trying to give them special value and associate them with the experience of the sublime, the sacred.

The place of religion in the system of human relations
and the surrounding world
Religion is a certain form of spiritual culture that has a social nature and functions. One of the historical missions of religion, which is acquiring unprecedented relevance in the modern world, is the formation of awareness of the unity of the human race, the significance of universal moral norms, and enduring values. For many people, religion plays the role of a worldview, a ready-made system of views, principles, ideals, explaining the structure of the world and determining a person’s place in it. Religious norms are one of the powerful social regulators. Through a whole system of values ​​they regulate a person’s public and personal life. Many millions find consolation, tranquility, and hope in faith. Religion makes it possible to compensate for the shortcomings of imperfect reality, promising the “Kingdom of God”, reconciling with earthly evil. Given the inability of science to explain many natural phenomena, religion offers its own answers to painful questions. Religion often contributes to the unification of nations and the formation of united states. Religion acts as powerful tool social regulation and regulation, ordering and preservation of mores, traditions, customs. This expresses its important cultural and historical role.
But a religious worldview can also contain ideas of fanaticism, hostility towards people of other faiths, and be an instrument of socio-political oppression. Historical experience shows that religious intolerance is to blame for many conflicts and wars. Not always even deep faith kept a person and society from committing crimes and misdeeds. Often religion and the church imposed prohibitions on certain types activities, science, art, fettering the creative power of people; social injustice and despotic regimes were sanctified by the authority of the church, which promised true liberation only in another world. Religion called for earthly life to be spent in peace and humility, without resisting evil.
However, predicting the future of religion is extremely difficult. Multidirectional processes are taking place in society: on the one hand, all larger number spheres of human activity are secularized, freed from the influence of religion, on the other hand, in many countries the role and authority of the church are growing.

World religions in modern world

In the history of society and modern planetary civilization, a huge number of religions have existed and exist. The main religions are presented in Tables 1, 2 and Fig. 2.
Table 1 - The largest religions and worldviews in the modern world

Table 2 - Religions and sects, the number of adherents of which is more than 1 million people, but less than 1% of the world's population

Figure 2 - Confessional structure of the modern world (percentage ratio of religions and worldviews in the world)

All currently existing religions can be divided into three groups:

tribal primitive beliefs;
national-state- associated with a specific people or peoples (the largest national religions are: Hinduism in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc.; Shintoism in Japan and China; Sikhism in India; Judaism in Israel, etc.);
world religions- not recognizing national differences.

Figure 3 – World religions

About half of the world's population are adherents of one of these three world religions. The characteristics of world religions include:
a) a huge number of followers all over the world;
b) cosmopolitanism: they are inter- and supra-ethnic in nature, going beyond the boundaries of nations and states;
c) they are egalitarian (preach the equality of all people, appeal to representatives of all social groups);
d) they are distinguished by extraordinary propaganda activity and proselytism (the desire to convert people of another confession to their faith).
All these properties determined the wide spread of world religions. Let's look at the main world religions in more detail.
Buddhism- the oldest world religion, most widespread in China, Thailand, Burma, Japan, Korea and other countries of Southeast Asia. Russian centers of Buddhism are located in Buryatia, Kalmykia and the Republic of Tuva.
Buddhism is based on the teaching of the four noble truths:

everything in human life is suffering - birth, life, old age, death, any attachment, etc.;
the cause of suffering lies in the presence of desires in a person, including the desire to live;
the cessation of suffering is associated with liberation from desires;
To achieve this goal, it is necessary to adhere to the eightfold path of salvation, which includes mastering the four noble truths, accepting them as a life program, abstaining from words that are not related to the moral goal, not harming living things, turning true actions into a way of life, constant self-control, renunciation of the world, spiritual self-immersion.

Figure 4 - Areas of distribution of the largest religions ( dark color indicates the area of ​​spread of Christianity in all three directions)
Christianity distributed mainly in Europe, North and Latin America, as well as in Asia (the Philippines, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, India, Indonesia and Cyprus), Australia, New Zealand and Africa (South Africa and Gabon, Angola, Congo and etc.). Since Christianity as such does not exist, there are a number of its directions and currents, we will provide information regarding each of its main directions.
Catholicism in Europe it predominates in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, France, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Malta, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. The Catholic faith is also adhered to by approximately half of the population of Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, part of the population of the Balkan Peninsula, Western Ukrainians (Uniate Church), etc. In Asia, a predominantly Catholic country is the Philippines, but Catholicism is also professed by many citizens of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, India and Indonesia . In Africa, many residents of Gabon, Angola, Congo, and the island states of Mauritius and Cape Verde are Catholics. Catholicism is also widespread in the USA, Canada, and Latin American countries.
Protestantism very heterogeneous, it is a combination of many movements and churches, the most influential of which are Lutheranism (mainly in Northern European countries), Calvinism (in certain countries of Western Europe and North America) and Anglicanism, half of whose adherents are English.
Orthodoxy
etc.................

State educational institution

Vocational education

Regional government agency

Vocational school No. 15

Review lecture on the topic: “The role of religion in modern society.»

History teacher

Strezhevoy

"The role of religion in modern society"

Introduction

1. The origin of religion, its early forms

2. World religions

3. Religion in the modern world.

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Religion is an integral part of the modern world because it fulfills three blocks social functions. Firstly, religious institutions carry out the spiritual formation of believers, which is manifested in the organization of the connection “man - God”, in the education of religiosity and citizenship, in saturating a person with good and removing evil and sins. Secondly, religious organizations are engaged in religious and special secular education, mercy and charity. Thirdly, representatives of churches actively participate in public activities, contribute to the normalization of political, economic and cultural processes, interethnic and interstate relations, and the solution of global problems of civilization.

This is especially necessary in our multinational country, where believers belonging to various faiths and atheists coexist. For prosperous and peaceful living in such conditions, tolerance to any points of view, mutual respect between people of all views and beliefs is necessary. Religion is a system of established beliefs. In order to respect any form of religion, you need to know religious traditions, otherwise, out of ignorance, unwillingly, you can hurt the religious feelings of people living nearby. For self-respect and preservation of cultural traditions, you should know the historical and religious foundations of culture and your people.

Religious slogans are often used by various kinds of extremists who, in fact, are pursuing far from religious goals. To separate the chaff from the wheat, it is also necessary to know not only the basic religious postulates, but also how they arose and why they were transformed.

The topic is especially relevant in our time, as the role of religion in modern society is increasing. The role of religion is felt not only in political life state, but in economics and sports. There is not a single area where the influence of the church is not felt. For example, at the state level the issue of introducing Russian schools new subject “Orthodox Culture”, the army has the position of army priest. It is not necessary to profess any religion, the main thing is to know about it. It is religion that is the lifeline that will lead our country from lack of spirituality and aggressiveness towards each other to the path of mercy and tolerance.

1. The origin of religion, its early forms

Before talking about the role of religion in modern society, it is necessary to remember what religion is and how it originated. The word “religion” is derived from the Latin “religio” - “piety, piety, shrine.” It is believed that the first religious views appeared during the formation of the tribal system. Since humanity arose earlier, scientists have found it possible to assume that religiosity is not a natural human condition. In order for a religious worldview to arise, a certain level of development of human thinking is necessary - abstract thinking. Religious thinking thus arises simultaneously with abstract thinking.

The main feature of the religious worldview of the people of the early primitive community was that they did not separate themselves from their environment. Human properties were attributed to nature, and nature's properties were attributed to people. This affected all early types of religious ideas. TO early forms religions include magic, fetishism, totemism, animism.

Scientists attribute the emergence of magic to the Stone Age. Magic rituals, probably already existed among the Neanderthals, who lived 80-50 thousand years ago. In magic the supernatural has not yet been separated from the natural. Magical beliefs implied belief in a supernatural (i.e., illusory) connection between real phenomena or objects.

The term "magic" comes from Greek word"witchcraft". There are many types of magic (malicious, industrial, healing, educational, etc.). Magic has survived to this day as an element of modern religions and in an independent form (for example, fortune telling with cards).

Modern people often do magical actions without even knowing it, for example, when women use gold jewelry. Gold, according to the ancients, has magical powers that give longevity and immortality. Gold has long been perceived as a noble metal, as an attribute of the gods.

Magical thinking is based on the law of similarity and the law of contact. The law of similars means that like produces like. The Law of Contact means that things, once in contact, continue to interact at a distance after direct contact has ceased.

In those days when the main occupation of people was hunting, a belief appeared in the supernatural kinship of human groups with animals (less often with plants) - totemism (from the Indian words “totem” - “his kind”). The clan bore the name of its totem; relatives believed that they were related by blood to the totemic ancestor. The totem was not worshiped, but was considered an ancestor helping its descendants. The latter, for their part, should not have killed totem beast, harm him, eat his meat, etc.

Totemism could take other forms. For example, there were personal totems. Totemism in the form of various rituals has entered modern religions. Thus, believing Christians, under the guise of bread and wine, eat the body and drink the blood of God; Christ is identified with the lamb, the Holy Spirit with the dove.

Fetishism (from the Portuguese "fetico" - "enchanted thing, idol, talisman") is the worship of inanimate objects endowed with supernatural properties. Among the ancient Germans, the role of a fetish was played by the spruce; among Christians, by the cross and relics. The fetish could be a cave that saved people or a mining spear.

Already the earliest types of religion contained the beginnings of not only fantastic ideas - faith, but also sacred rites - cult practice, which usually constituted a secret, protected from the uninitiated. With the development of beliefs and the complication of the cult, its practice required certain knowledge and experience. Religious rituals began to be performed by specially trained people.

The evolution of primitive beliefs led to the fact that the supernatural in the minds of people was separated from the natural and turned into an independent (immaterial) entity. It is the illusory doubling of the world, the recognition, along with natural and social existence, of the existence of the other world that constitutes the essence of religious consciousness.

Gradually, a belief in spirits and souls arose - animism. Special people also appeared - shamans (from the Evenki word meaning “frantic”), whose social function was to communicate with spirits.

Animistic beliefs are associated with the animation of nature. The beginnings of them were already present in early primitive communities. The Tasmanians, Australians and other tribes of hunters, fishermen and gatherers had vague ideas about the souls of dead people, about evil and good spirits, usually thought of as physically tangible beings. The later transformation of animism is represented by spiritualism, that is, communication with the dead.

There are many religions in the world, many variants of their classifications. If we base the classification social conditions functioning of religions, it is possible to distinguish the following types of religions:

Tribal religions that arose in primitive society;

National religions that developed within a certain nationality, for example, Confucianism in China or Shintonism in Japan;

World religions.

2. World religions

Religion is a specific form of reflection of reality. It still remains a significant force in the world. The religious worldview in the form of the three world religions is widespread in different countries of the world.

World religions include Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Let's consider each of them separately.

Buddhism is the most ancient world religion. This religion arose in the 1st - 1st centuries. BC e. in India. Currently, it is common in Burma, Vietnam, China, Japan and Korea.

Tradition connects the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Prince Siddhartha (Gautama), who was called Buddha, which means “enlightened by knowledge.” Gautama lived in luxury, married his beloved woman, who bore him a son. The impetus for the spiritual upheaval for the prince, as legend says, was three meetings. Gautama caught the eye of a decrepit old man, then a cruelly suffering patient, and finally he watched as they carried out the burial of the dead man. This is how Gautama first learned about old age, illness and death - the lot of all people. The prince secretly left the palace and family. At the age of twenty-nine he became a hermit and died as an eight-year-old man on the day of his birth.

1. Identification of life with suffering. Life is suffering, the cause of which is the desires and passions of people. To get rid of suffering, you need to renounce earthly passions and desires. This can be achieved by following the path of salvation indicated by the Buddha.

2. After death, any living creature, including a person, is reborn again, but in the body of a new creature, whose life is determined not only by its own behavior, but also by the behavior of its “predecessors”.

H. The desire for nirvana, that is, for a higher existence, which is achieved by renouncing earthly attachments.

Unlike Christianity and Islam, Buddhism does not have the idea of ​​God as the creator of the world and its ruler.

The body of sacred books of the Buddhist religion is called Tipitaka, which means “Three Baskets”. A written statement of Buddhist teachings was compiled by the monks of the island of Ceylon in 80 BC. e.

Christianity

Christianity arose in the 10th century. BC e. in the eastern part of the Roman Empire - in Palestine. The Christian religion is a religion addressed to all peoples. It is based on the ideas of messianism, associated with hopes for a divine savior, and eschatology, that is, belief in the supernatural end of the existing world. The name Christ is a translation into Greek of the Jewish religious term “messiah” - “anointed one, savior of people.”

Christianity absorbed the ideas and ideas of a number of other religions, primarily Judaism, from which it borrowed several basic ideas (which underwent a certain transformation).

1. The idea of ​​monotheism, i.e. recognition of one God who created the world and rules it. In Christianity, this idea is weakened by the doctrine of the Divine Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit).

2. The idea of ​​messianism, the idea of ​​a Divine messenger called to save people. Christianity develops the doctrine of the salvation of all people (and not just the Jewish people) through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

H. The idea of ​​eschatology is the idea of ​​the destruction of the existing world as a result of Divine intervention. In Christianity, this idea is associated with the belief in the second coming of Christ, which is borrowed from the ideological views of the Qumran community - a Jewish religious sect. Members of this sect believed that the Messiah was by nature a man whose first coming had already taken place and whose second was awaiting. The purpose of the first coming is to bring true religion to people and to atone for their sins. The Second Coming means the end of the world, the end of life on Earth, resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment.

The main tenets of Christian doctrine:

1. Dogma of the Trinity. One God exists in three persons. All persons exist eternally, but the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father (or, as Catholics believe, from the Father and the Son). One God in three persons is an image incomprehensible to the human mind.

2. The basis of Christianity is faith in the Savior - Jesus Christ. The second person of the Trinity, God the Son, is Jesus Christ. He has two natures at the same time (Divine and human).

H. The third dogma is related to the belief in an afterlife.

4. Recognition of the existence of supernatural beings, for example angels - disembodied good spirits, evil spirits, demons, and their ruler - Satan.

The holy book of Christians is the Bible. The origin of this word is often associated with the name of the city of Byblos, where papyrus was sold and where, perhaps, alphabetic writing was first used. The material for writing was called in Greek “biblion” - book. Literally translated from Greek, “Bible” means “books.”

The Bible consists of two parts: the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books). The first books of the Bible were called Torah (Law) by the Jews; these books are also called the Pentateuch of Moses (it includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy).

The Old Testament is the oldest part of the Bible, the sacred books of Judaism. The New Testament, actually Christian works, includes the four Gospels (the story of the life of Jesus Christ, the Good News of the Savior), the acts of the Holy Apostles, the Epistles and, or the Apocalypse. The Apocalypse dates back to 68 AD. e.

Already in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Nowadays Christianity is not a single religious movement. It splits into many currents. In 1054 Christianity was divided into the Western, or Roman Catholic (the word “Catholic” means “universal”) Church, and the Eastern, Orthodox Church. In the XVI century. The Reformation began in Europe - an anti-Catholic movement. As a result, the third main direction of Christianity appeared - Protestantism.

Both Orthodoxy and Catholicism recognize seven Christian sacraments: baptism, worldview, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil. The source of the doctrine of Western and Eastern Christians is the Bible. The differences are mainly as follows: in Orthodoxy there is no single head of the church, there are no ideas about purgatory; Western and Eastern Christians do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity in the same way.

Catholics view purgatory as a place of temporary afterlife for souls who then go to hell before going to heaven. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope (from the Greek “papas” - “ancestor, elder, paternal grandfather”). Pape is elected for life. The center of the Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican, a state that occupies several city blocks in Rome.

There are three main movements in Protestantism: Anglicanism, Calvinism and Lutheranism. Protestants consider the condition for the salvation of a Christian not the formal observance of rituals, but his personal atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. During the Reformation, Protestants proclaimed the principle of universal priesthood, which means that every layman can preach. Protestants are characterized by asceticism in rituals, for example, the number of sacraments is reduced to two.

Islam arose in the 2nd century. n. e. among the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula. This is the youngest religion among the world. Followers of Islam, Muslims, live mainly in Africa and Asia (the word “Islam” is translated as “submission”; the word “Muslim” comes from the Arabic “Muslim” - “faithful”). The founder of Islam, Muhammad, is a historical figure. He was born around 570. in Mecca. Mecca was a large city at the crossroads of trade routes (Muhammad was engaged in trade in his youth). In Mecca there was a shrine that was revered by most tribes - the pagan temple of the Kaaba.

Muhammad was orphaned early. His father died a month after his son was born. His mother died when Muhammad was six years old. Muhammad was brought up in his grandfather's family, a noble but impoverished family. At the age of 25, he entered the service of a rich Meccan widow and soon married her. At the age of 40, around 610, Muhammad acted as a religious preacher. He declared that God (Allah) had chosen him as his prophet. The ruling elite of Mecca did not like the sermon, and Muhammad had to in 622. move to the city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina. The year 622 is considered the beginning of the Muslim calendar, and Mecca is the center of the Muslim religion.

The basis of Muslim faith, the Qur'an (literally "reading") is a processed record of the sayings of Muhammad. During Muhammad's lifetime, his statements were perceived as direct speech from Allah and were transmitted orally. It was only two decades after the death of Muhammad that they were written down and compiled into the Koran. The book consists of 114 chapters.

In the faith of Muslims, a large role is played by the sunnah - a collection of edifying stories about the life of Muhammad - and sharia - a set of principles and rules of behavior obligatory for a Muslim (the word “sharia” is translated as “the right path”). The most serious sins among Muslims are usury, drunkenness, gambling games and adultery.

Muslim places of worship are called mosques. Islam prohibits the depiction of humans and animals, so mosques are decorated with a variety of ornaments.

In Islam there is no clear and strict division between clergy and laity. Any Muslim who knows the Koran, Muslim laws (Sharia) and the rules of worship can become a mullah (priest). The cult of Islam is simple. A Muslim must fulfill five basic requirements:

1. Pronouncing the formula of the confession of Faith - “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”

2. Performing the obligatory five-fold prayer (namaz).

3. Fasting during the month of Ramadan. During this month, you should not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset.

4. Giving alms to the poor.

5. Making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

3. Religion in the modern world.

So, religion is a worldview, attitude and the behavior of people determined by them based on belief in the existence of a supernatural sphere. This is the desire of man and society for a direct connection with the absolute, the universal basis of the world (God, gods, the absolute focus of everything that exists, substance, the main shrine).

The position of religion in modern society is quite contradictory and it is simply impossible to assess its role, possibilities and prospects with any certainty. It can definitely be said that a characteristic and natural process for modern times is the development of the secularization of social consciousness. However, secularization defines a general trend, which does not exclude the possible strengthening of the position of religion under the influence of factors favorable to it.

Religion, due to its universal character (it relates to all manifestations of people’s lives and gives them its assessments), the mandatory nature of its requirements for the fulfillment of basic moral and legislative norms, psychological insight and enormous historical experience is integral part culture.

In history, religion has always coexisted with secular elements of culture, and in certain cases opposed them.

Currently, a fairly stable historical balance is emerging between the main religions of each country, on the one hand, and the secular sector of culture, on the other. Moreover, in a number of countries the secular sector occupies a significant position.

After long period atheistic propaganda and forced displacement of religion from the public sphere during the period of the dominance of Bolshevik ideology in modern Russia there is a process of restoration of the positions of traditional religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and believers who are able to more or less systematically avoid direct analogies with earthly events, experiences and circumstances in their discussions about the deity. Nevertheless, in any religion, even the most refined (i.e. e. purified), the image of God always bears the stamp of the earthly conditions that gave rise to and nourishes it. This is also indicated by the personal characteristics of God (holiness, mercy, justice, etc.) in various religious systems. About a thousand similar characteristics of Allah are contained in Islam; in Judaism God is presented as inaccessible and requiring sacrifice; in Christianity, God appears as the Father to all those who believe in him.

Another feature of religion is a system of religious rites, rituals, actions - cults (veneration), unfolding on the basis of ideas and ideas about God (deities). Such are sacrifices, ceremonies, and various mysteries in world (Christianity, Buddhism, Islam) and many national religions (Judaism, Confucianism, Shinto, etc.). They follow each other in accordance with the order and sequence provided for by the corresponding church and religious calendars. The center of religious worship is a temple, a house of worship with a set of various religious accessories (icons, crucifixes, frescoes or wall paintings with biblical scenes, etc.).

Another feature of religion is the believer’s direct emotional experience of the events of myths and cult actions. This experience is due to the fact that in religion the most important events human existence: the secrets of birth and death, the self-awareness of a child, the entry of a young man and a girl into an independent life, marriage, the appearance of offspring, etc.

Finally, most religions of the modern world have a special organization - the church with a clear distribution of responsibilities at each level of its hierarchy (structure). For example, in Catholicism and Orthodoxy these are the laity, white clergy, black clergy (monks), episcopate, metropolitanates, patriarchies, etc.

The enormous influence of religion on the life of society is due to the fact that its structures are somehow present in all the most important historical events and events privacy citizens. Therefore, it had a noticeable impact on the sphere of public morality, especially in those conditions when it was the dominant spiritual and organizing force of society.

Conclusion

The conclusion is as follows. Science is both a powerful creative and destructive tool in the hands of educated humanity. We are able to direct this instrument for good only by maintaining within ourselves a sense of direct involvement in the world, the cosmos and that high reality that man calls the Divine. Science and religion are two scales, and for the balance of forces in this world, their balance is necessary as the unity of knowledge and faith, without which the cultural development of mankind is unthinkable.

With the help of religious symbolism, the experience gained by humanity is built into the deep layers of worldviews, forming a religious worldview in its integrity and comprehensiveness. Like science, religion can be understood as a symbolic model of the world, generalizing and according to certain principles ordering the entire experience of a person’s relationship to nature and the cosmos, to himself and all of humanity.

In religion, general humanistic, formational, civilizational, class, ethnic, global and local components are intertwined, sometimes bizarrely. In specific situations, one or the other is actualized and comes to the fore: religious leaders, thinkers, groups may not express the indicated tendencies in the same way. All this is directly related to socio-political orientations; history shows that there were and are different positions in religious organizations: progressive, conservative, regressive. Moreover, this group and its representatives do not always strictly adhere to any particular one. IN modern conditions the significance of the activities of any institutions, groups, parties, leaders, including religious ones, is determined, first of all, by the extent to which it serves to affirm universal humanistic values.

As N. Bohr wittily noted, “humanity has made two greatest discoveries, one - that God exists, the second - that there is no God.” And, perhaps, it is not so important which of these points of view each of us adheres to in our self-determination in the world, but what is important is to find the road that will lead us to the Temple.

Bibliography:

1. “Religious Studies” M. “Aspect Press”, 1994

2. Garage. M., 1995

3. “History of Religions” M. “Mysl”, 1975

4. “Religion and Modernity” M. Publishing House of Political Literature, 1982

5., “Sociology” M. “Center”, 1997

6. Tokarev in the history of the peoples of the world. M., 1986

7. Eliade M. Space and history. M., 1987

In secular countries, religion and power are separated. It is obvious that the flourishing of world religions and the emergence of numerous new religious movements directly depends on the spiritual and psychological needs of people. The role of religion in the modern world has hardly changed compared to the role played by religious beliefs in past centuries, except for the fact that in most states religion and politics are separated, and clergy do not have the power to significantly influence political and civil trials in the country.

However, in many states, religious organizations have a significant influence on political and social processes. We should also not forget that religion shapes the worldview of believers, therefore, even in secular states, religious organizations indirectly influence the life of society, since they shape the outlook on life, beliefs, and often the civic position of citizens who are members of a religious community.

The role of religion in the modern world is expressed in the fact that it performs certain functions. There are many opinions about the function of religion in our time. Some may believe that religion is the opium of the people, while others, on the contrary, will call religion salvation for an unstable society. Flier A.Ya. Culturology for cultural scientists: A textbook for graduate students, doctoral students and applicants. M.: Consent, 2010. - 672 p. One way or another, religion has greatly influenced the appearance of the modern world. The functions of religion are the ways in which religion influences people's lives. The functions of religion differ from each other in the answer to the question through what (or how) they influence people’s lives. Although this division is very conditional, since one functional component can be interpreted as reflecting two, or even all functions of religion at once. In all cases, the functions of religion bring both positive and negative results into people's lives.

Worldview function - characterizes the way religion influences people's lives through ideological ideas that are part of the content of religion. The merit of religion in the development of the current worldview and morality is recognized not only by believers, but even by convinced atheists. At the same time, any attempts to prove that humanity is able to independently come to modern universal moral standards can only be compared with attempts to write the history of humanity under the assumption that people possess two opposable thumbs on each hand. The worldview function creates and maintains communication among people with a common worldview. Many elderly people feel the lack of communication most strongly. However, many middle-aged people and some young people suffer from loneliness. With the help of religion this negative side life is overcome.

The political function of religion is the way religion influences people's lives through political ideas and political actions of religious organizations. Main positive point The function of religion is to promote social progress by religious organizations. But it should also be noted that religion has constantly served as a motive or cover in politics, for many wars, conflicts, laws are dictated exclusively by religious motives, no matter how incomprehensible from the point of view of the modern “man of the world” they may seem. In the name of God, things have been, are being, and will be done that cannot be covered up by anyone else’s name, how inhuman they are.

The cultural-transmitting function is how religion generally influences people’s lives through the attitude of religious organizations to culture. This function of religion reveals the relationship of religion to spiritual culture, which is understood as the totality of human achievements in the intellectual and emotional spheres. Spiritual culture includes such structural elements such as the activities of museums, libraries, education, science, philosophy, art, morality, etc. Religion provides artists with many images, plots, metaphors and other artistic material. Without the use of this material, secular art would be many times poorer in its artistic expression. No matter how universal and spiritual a religion may be, it will never escape the need to be embodied in culture and clothe itself with social institutions and traditions if she wants to influence human life and behavior. But on the other hand, some religions put forward certain obstacles to the participation of believers in secular artistic activities, even to the most severe measures.

The moral function represents the possibility of religion influencing people's lives through the promotion of moral norms. Despite all the advantages of this function of religion, its conservatism is often unable to cope with the dynamics and diversity of the modern world and acts as an inhibitory factor in the development of new moral norms. However, some moral standards religions from the perspective of modern man have long been in need of revision, which in principle is quite difficult or even impossible (euthanasia, experiments on animals, contraception, abortion and others).

In relation directly to the person himself, several more functions of religion can be distinguished. Thus, religion allows a person to satisfy his spiritual needs. Satisfying the spiritual and mystical needs of people. Since most people have an interest in global philosophical issues and related experiences, it is religion that provides answers to these questions and also helps people find peace of mind and harmony.

The regulatory function of religion lies in the fact that every religion has a set of established rules and moral standards that every believer must adhere to. Therefore, we can say that religious organizations create and justify moral, ethical and behavioral norms that are followed by the entire believing part of civil society.

The educational function of religion lies in the fact that a person’s belonging to one or another religious organization forces him to comply with the rules and norms prescribed for all believers, so many people, after coming to church, adjust their behavior and even get rid of bad habits. Religion controls human behavior through its system of values, moral guidelines and prohibitions, and can significantly influence large communities and entire states that live according to the laws of a given religion.

The communicative function of religion is observed in the fact that in almost all religious organizations believers communicate with each other and find comrades and friends among fellow believers. Religion unites people of the same faith into a group and gives them certain moral, spiritual and value guidelines. Religious communication covers various processes of interaction: communication, socialization, transfer of religious experience, development of connections between individual believers, between believers and the religious community, clergy, and between religious organizations of different faiths. It promotes both integration and disintegration of religious groups.

The consoling function of religion is manifested when, in moments of tragedy, difficult life situations and severe mental suffering, many people turn to religion because they want to receive consolation. In religious organizations, people can not only receive the necessary support from believers, but also gain hope for the best, believing in the possibility of help from higher powers. It is no coincidence that people most often turn to religion during difficult moments in their lives.

So, the functions of religion represent the methods, level, directions of influence of religion on society, its structural elements, and personality. Its functions are closely related to the structure of religion and can manifest itself explicitly or covertly.

Religion in the modern world

Religion is an integral part of the modern world, since it performs three blocks of social functions. Firstly, religious institutions carry out the spiritual formation of believers, which is manifested in the organization of the connection “man - God”, in the education of religiosity and citizenship, in saturating a person with good and removing evil and sins. Secondly, religious organizations are engaged in religious and special secular education, mercy and charity. Thirdly, representatives of churches actively participate in public activities, contribute to the normalization of political, economic and cultural processes, interethnic and interstate relations, and the solution of global problems of civilization.

A unique key to understanding the role of religion in ongoing processes is a scientific understanding of this phenomenon, free from extremes. The concept of "religion" comes from the Latin "religare", which means "to bind, unite, unite." Religion is a person’s idea of ​​universal world connections, expressed through specific behavior. Consequently, religious teaching is nothing more than a person’s systematized idea of ​​​​universal world connections.

There are world and national religions. Religious scholars include Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam as world religions, i.e., religions that are supranational in nature and develop outside the specifics of the mononational self-awareness of a certain ethnic group.

The formation of national-national religions - Judaism, Confucianism, Shintoism, etc. - is possible only on the basis of a mono-ethnic community (no more than 10-15 percent of foreigners) due to the presence of national exclusivity in the public consciousness of this ethnic group of people.

Developed religions form religious systems with the following structure:

Faith in God;

dogmatic theology;

moral theology and the corresponding moral imperative of behavior;

historical theology;

system of cult (ritual) practice;

the presence of churches (mosques, houses of worship, etc.), preachers, ministers.

Dogmatic theology deals with the systematic presentation of religious views, as well as the interpretation of religious dogmas. Dogmas (from the Greek verb “to think, believe, believe”) are undoubtedly true and indisputable principles about God and man, constituting the symbol of faith in every religion.

Distinctive features of dogmas:

1) speculativeness or contemplation: they are comprehended by faith and do not require rational evidence;

2) revelation from God: dogmas were given to man directly by God, therefore they are sincere, indisputable and unchangeable, once and forever recorded in the sacred scriptures;

3) churchliness: dogmas are recognized by all churches of a given religious system, it is the churches that preserve and interpret dogmas as divine revelation, and convince believers of their immutability and truth;

4) universally binding for all members of the church: all believers must unconditionally believe in the truth of the dogmas and must be guided by them in life, otherwise excommunication will follow.

The main differences between religious systems are the peculiarities of the perception of God (God is, as it were, “dissolved” in Buddhism, trinitarian in Christianity, one in Islam, etc.). Each religion dogmatically solves its own important problem. There are also differences in historical theology (i.e., the interpretation of the history of the Universal Church and specific churches), in the system of cult or ritual practice, and are manifested in the activities of priests and laity.

So, the difference in the understanding of God and his ways of communicating with man leads to the functioning of various religious systems, characterized by specific religious practices and independent religious associations. At the same time, religions have been and remain the spiritual core of the development of earthly civilization.

Religious studies today includes a number of main sections, among which are philosophy, sociology, psychology, phenomenology, and history of religions.

Philosophy of religion– a set of philosophical concepts, principles, concepts that provide a philosophical explanation and understanding of the object.

Sociology of religion– studies the social foundations of religion, the social patterns of its emergence, development and functioning, its elements and structure, place, functions and role in the social system, the influence of religion on other elements of this system and the specifics of the reverse impact of this system on religion.

Psychology of religion explores the psychological patterns of the emergence, development and functioning of religious phenomena of social group and individual psychology, the content, structure, direction of these phenomena, their place and role in the religious complex and the impact on non-religious spheres of life of society, groups, individuals.

Phenomenology of religion correlates the ideas, ideas, goals, motives of practically interacting, communicating individuals from the point of view of realized meanings and meanings and, taking this into account, gives a systematic description of the phenomena of religion, classifies them on the basis of comparison and comparison.

History of religion outlines the world of religion moving in time in all its diversity, reproduces the past of various religions in the concreteness of their forms, accumulates and preserves information about existing and existing religions.

Along with the above, there is a section that includes knowledge about freethinking in relation to religion. This section reveals the content of freethinking, the patterns of its development, functions in society and in the life of the individual, explores its various manifestations, describes its history, types and stages of development, its representation in different eras at the conceptual level and in the popular consciousness, in science, morality , art, politics, philosophy, theology.

The object of study of religious studies is religion. Religion is a type of worldview and attitude, one of the areas of spiritual life, as well as based on faith in the real existence of God (more broadly, a higher power) and a feeling of connectedness with him, dependence on him, respect and veneration for him, behavior and performance of actions consistent with religious faith .

The object of study of theology is God - one of the key religious concepts, meaning a certain objectified supernatural entity that serves as an object of worship. The attribute characteristics of God include perfect qualities: God is omnipotent, all-good, omniscient, all-forgiving, eternal, etc. The subject of the study of theology is the self-discovery of God in the world, because it is impossible to study God as an otherworldly, extraterrestrial, supernatural entity in any other way. According to the theological point of view, religion is a connection between a person and God, a kind of subject-object relationship, where the subject is a believer (more broadly, a religious group, community, society), and God is the object. According to theologians, this subject-object connection cannot be broken, because it is inextricable in its essence, and the difference between theology and religious studies (in the event that theologians generally recognize the right of religious studies to exist, which does not always happen) lies in the different emphasis: If for religious studies it is important to study the subjective component of religion (a believer, society, etc.), then for theology it is important to study the objective component (God).

For the theological approach, religion is a supernatural phenomenon, the result of a supernatural connection between man and God. This is an explanation of religion from the position of a believer. From a theological point of view, only a religious person can understand the essence of religion, since he has direct experience of “meeting God.”

Let's look at religion from a purely atheistic point of view: there is no God and there are no Supernatural mystical powers either. Consequently, any religious and mystical experiences are nothing more than a set of illusions. If illusions are not life-threatening, then they are useful. A positive emotional background and spiritual harmony arising on the basis of religious and mystical experiences reduce morbidity and mortality, increase life expectancy, resistance to overload, etc. Here is a purely atheistic explanation for the fact that faith in God and faith in Mysticism give a religious person a number of psychological advantages that are not available to sinners and atheists. It is on these advantages that the stability of religious and mystical beliefs throughout human history is based.

Religion as a complex social system has its own internal structure, consisting of a number of components: religious consciousness, religious relations, religious activities, religious organizations. It should be noted that not all domestic religious scholars and scientific atheists adhere to this classification, but all highlight religious consciousness, religious organizations, and religious relations.

1. Religious consciousness. This is the defining element of the religious system, through which the social determination of its other elements is carried out. Cult actions and religious rituals become such because they embody religious beliefs and ideas in symbolic form. Religious organizations are formed on the basis of common religious beliefs. Therefore, it is fair to consider religion, first of all, at the level of religious public consciousness.

2. Religious relations. In domestic religious studies and scientific-atheistic literature, religious relations are understood as the relationships that develop between people in the process of religious actions. They are based, first of all, on the belief in the possibility of a special relationship between God and a believer, that God influences the destiny of man and all social and natural processes. After all, a person needs a God who can listen to him, help him, and protect him. Belief in the possibility of bilateral “illusory-practical” relations is objectified in a religious cult.

3. Religious activities. This is a practical-spiritual mastery of reality, including cult and non-cult activities.

Cult activity. As an integral part of the religious complex, the cult plays the role of an active means of promoting religion and is a set of symbolic actions with the help of which the believer attempts to establish a relationship with supernatural forces (gods, spirits, demons, etc.) and tries to influence them.

Cult includes all types of religious and magical actions and performances: religious rites, rituals, sacrifices, sacraments, services, mysteries, fasting, prayers and other means aimed at establishing a connection with supernatural forces in order to obtain a certain result. The formation and state of religious activity in all historical eras depends on the characteristics of people’s beliefs, determined by the general level of development of the civilization in which a given religion exists and functions. In order to develop religious beliefs, ministers of worship require their parishioners, the “flock,” to regularly attend worship services, observe all religious precepts, actively participate in religious activities, and observe rituals.

A special place in religious activities is given to prayer as a means of communication with God. Cult as a species social activities differs from its other types in content, subject, subject of activity. The subjects of religious activities can be both religious groups and individual believers. The means of religious activity include: temple, house of worship, religious art, religious objects.

Non-cult activities. In non-cult religious activity there are two sides - spiritual and practical. The production of religious ideas, the systematization and interpretation of religious doctrine, the writings of theologians, and secular theoretical research that contribute to the development and defense of religion constitute spiritual religious non-cult activities.

TO practical side Non-cult activities include the work of missionaries, religious councils, teaching in higher and secondary specialized religious institutions, propaganda of a religious worldview, in a word, any practical activity aimed at introducing and protecting religion in society.

4. Religious organizations. Any developed religious system is impossible without the presence of an organizational and institutional structure. Each religion has its own organization in the form of a complex of certain institutions, public religious unions, as well as a functioning cult.

The organizational and institutional sphere has evolved from non-religious institutions, when some of its functions were performed by secular institutions, through semi-professional ones to specific religious organizations.

Religious organizations, or church institutions, are a system of institutions and forms of activity designed to regulate, control and in a certain way regulate the behavior of believers of a given denomination, as well as satisfy their religious needs. The hierarchy of the church organization depends on denominational differences. A religious organization is considered a link between God and believers.

Before considering the main functions of religion, it is necessary to define this concept. Currently, in domestic religious studies and scientific-atheistic literature, the “functions of religion” are understood as the nature and direction of its impact on society as a whole and on its individual elements.

1. Worldview function. Religion includes a certain understanding of the world (an explanation of the world, the place of man in it, the essence of nature, etc.), a feeling of the world (an emotional reflection of the external world, a person’s well-being), an assessment of the world, and an attitude towards the world. The religious worldview is realized in the behavior and relationships of believers, in the structure of religious organizations.

The uniqueness of the religious worldview lies in the fact that it reflects reality through the prism of faith in the supernatural absolute - God, who receives different names depending on the religious confession.

2. Illusory-compensatory function. The meaning of this function is that religion illusively compensates for the practical powerlessness of man, his inability to consciously resist natural and social processes, as well as manage various relationships in human existence. In this case, religion to some extent distracts people from reality and, by creating certain illusions in the mind of the individual, alleviates his suffering, supporting in a person the need for distraction from reality and the painful problems that fill his life. Important property This function is its psychological effect, which relieves stress.

3. Communication function. Religion acts as a means of communication between people within certain religious organizations and individual groups. Communication is carried out primarily in religious activities. Worship in a church, in a house of prayer, participation in the sacraments, and public prayer are considered the main means of communication and unity of believers with God and with each other. In addition, a temple or other place of worship is often the only place where residents of a certain settlement can gather together, not only for religious purposes, but even for everyday meetings. Non-cult activities also provide social interaction between people.

4. Integrating function. Religion can act as a factor in the integration of individual groups of citizens, as well as society as a whole, strengthening and supporting the existing system of social relations. By regulating the behavior and activities of individuals, uniting their thoughts, feelings, aspirations, directing the efforts of social groups and institutions, religion contributes to the stability of a given society. By rallying fellow believers and “arming” them with its ideas, religion helps to consolidate all those who hold these views.

5. Regulatory function. Religious ideas, views, perceptions, values, behavioral stereotypes, religious activities and religious associations act as regulators of the behavior of adherents of a given faith. Being a normative system and the basis of socially sanctioned modes of behavior, religion in a certain way organizes the thoughts, aspirations of people, and their activities.

In addition to its basic functions, religion in different time performed and performs non-religious functions, determined by the specific historical and social situation in which a given religious association lives and functions. First of all, we can highlight the following “non-religious functions: political, economic, educational, cultural and educational, etc.

The named functions of religion are not carried out in isolation, but in combination and are manifested both in society as a whole and at the level of social groups and individuals.

The place and social space of the functions of religion change depending on social conditions and, first of all, on the level of development of the culture of the people at each stage of historical development.

List of used literature

Garadzha V.I. Religious studies. M. “Aspect Press”, 1994.

Danilyan O.G., Tarenko V.M. Religious studies: Textbook. – ed. Eksmo 2005.

History of world religions. A short course of lectures for universities. Yu.B. Pushnova. – M.: VLADOS-PRESS. 2005.

Kryvelev I.A. History of religions. M. “Thought”, 1975.

Men A.P. History of religion. T.1. - M. Slovo, 1991.

Mchedlov M.P. Religion and modernity. M. Publishing house of political literature, 1982.

Fundamentals of Religious Studies. edited by I.N. Yablokova M. “Higher School”, 1994.

Fundamentals of religious studies: textbook\ Yu.F.Borunkov, I.N.Yablokov, K.I.Nikonov and others; edited by I.N.Yablokova - 4th ed., revised. and additional – M.: higher. school, 2002.

Radugi A.A., Radugi K.A. Sociology. M. “Center”, 1997.

Rozanov V.V. Religion. Philosophy. Culture. - M.: Republic, 1992.

Tokarev S.A. Religions in the history of the peoples of the world. - M.: Political publishing house. lit., 1986.

Tanase E. Culture and religion. - M., 1989.

RELIGION IN THE MODERN WORLD

P L A N

1. Introduction:

1.1 Religion in the modern world.

1.2 Structure of society. Social relations

2. Christianity

2.1 Foundation of Christianity

2.2 Church and Christianity

2.3 Geography of Christianity

2.4 Early Christianity

2.5 The first Christian communities

2.6 Wave of persecution of Christianity

2.7 Statistics on Christianity

2.8 Schism of Christianity

3. Orthodoxy

3.1 Definition of Orthodoxy

3.2 Orthodox Church of Byzantium

3.3 Basic Law of Orthodoxy

3.4 Russian Orthodox Church

3.5 Orthodoxy and modernity

3.6 Old Believers

4. Catholicism

4.1 Definition of Catholicism

4.2 Catholic Church

4.3 Statistics and geography of Catholicism

4.4 Reformation and Catholicism

5. Protestantism

5.1 Statistics on Protestantism

5.2 Protestantism in Russia

5.3 Protestant denominations

6. Islam

6.1 Holy book of Muslims

6.2 "Five Pillars of Faith"

6.3 The mosque and its functions

6.4 "Muslim World"

7. Buddhism

7.1 Buddha's Teachings

7.2 "The Eight-Part Path"

7.3 Commandment of mercy

7.4 Modern Buddhism

Religion in the modern world.

Religion is an integral part of the modern world, since it performs three blocks of social functions. Firstly, religious institutions carry out the spiritual formation of believers, which is manifested in the organization of the connection “man - God”, in the education of religiosity and citizenship, in saturating a person with good and removing evil and sins. Secondly, religious organizations are engaged in religious and special secular education, mercy and charity. Thirdly, representatives of churches actively participate in public activities, contribute to the normalization of political, economic and cultural processes, interethnic and interstate relations, and the solution of global problems of civilization.

A unique key to understanding the role of religion in ongoing processes is a scientific understanding of this phenomenon, free from extremes. The concept of "religion" comes from the Latin " religare ", which means “to connect, unite, unite.” Religion is a person’s idea of ​​​​universal world connections, expressed through specific behavior. Consequently, religious teaching is nothing more than a person’s systematized idea of ​​​​universal world connections.

There are world and national religions. Religious scholars include Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam as world religions, i.e., religions that are supranational in nature and develop outside the specifics of the mononational self-awareness of a certain ethnic group.

The formation of national-national religions - Judaism, Confucianism, Shintoism, etc. - is possible only on the basis of a mono-ethnic community (no more than 10-15 percent of foreigners) due to the presence of national exclusivity in the public consciousness of this ethnic group of people.

Developed religions form religious systems with the following structure: 1 - faith in God; 2 - dogmatic theology; 3 - moral theology and the corresponding moral imperative of behavior; 4 - historical theology; 5 - system of cult (ritual) practice; 6 - presence of churches (mosques, houses of worship, etc.), preachers, ministers.

Dogmatic theology deals with the systematic presentation of religious views, as well as the interpretation of religious dogmas. Dogmas (from the Greek verb “to think, believe, believe”) are undoubtedly true and indisputable principles about God and man, constituting the symbol of faith in every religion. Distinctive features of dogmas: 1) speculativeness or contemplation: they are comprehended by faith and do not require rational evidence -, 2) revelation. dogmas were given to man directly by God, therefore they are sincere, indisputable and unchangeable, once and forever recorded in the sacred scriptures; 3) churchliness dogmas are recognized by all churches of a given religious system, it is the churches that preserve and interpret dogmas as divine revelation, convince believers of their immutability and truth, 4) universally binding for all church members, all believers must unconditionally believe in the truth of the dogmas and must be guided by them in life, otherwise excommunication will follow.

The main differences between religious systems are the peculiarities of the perception of God (God is, as it were, “dissolved” in Buddhism, trinitarian in Christianity, one in Islam, etc.). Each religion dogmatically solves its own important problem. There are also differences in historical theology (i.e., the interpretation of the history of the Universal Church and specific churches), in the system of cult or ritual practice, manifested in the activities of priests and laity.

So, the difference in the understanding of God and his ways of communicating with man leads to the functioning of various religious systems, characterized by specific religious practices and independent religious associations. At the same time, religions have been and remain the spiritual core of the development of earthly civilization.

Structure of society. Social relations. Social sphere- this is an area of ​​​​life activity of human society, covering the system of social relations, as well as connections between society and the individual. The content of the social sphere is the relationship between social groups and individuals regarding their position, place and role in society, image and way of life.

The most important components of the social sphere are various communication problems, which represent a multifaceted process of establishing and developing human contacts, determined by the needs of modern activity. Communication includes the exchange of information, interaction between people, and their mutual understanding.

Human activity unfolds in various fields The life of society, its direction, content, and means are infinitely varied.

Social activity is activity aimed at satisfying social needs. Of course, people engage in self-reproduction, self-healing, self-education, feed and entertain themselves. However, reproduction, preservation of life, stimulation of activity, direct service to a person is such an important public matter that society cannot completely entrust it to individuals or families. Society is included in this process through the systems of education, healthcare, cultural recreation and household and social services for its citizens.

It should be noted that all of these types of social activities are always interconnected, intersecting and interpenetrating each other. Thus, the social sphere really exists and manifests itself in society precisely in diverse and complex human activities. These are its most important features. Therefore, it would be wrong to imagine social life in such a way that somewhere in one dimension there are social communities, their connections, and in another - the diverse activities of millions. No, the entire social sphere is nothing more than a facet, a side , part of human activity.

The social sphere of society is very complex and multifaceted. This is due, first of all, to the fact that relations between people, groups, and societies are very different due to the division of people according to natural characteristics - race, nation, nationality, ethnic groups, as well as gender and age groups. People differ in social, political, territorial, religious and civic characteristics that determine their membership in certain groups. There are a lot of other signs, because the most unknown, perhaps, is the person himself, located at the junction of two worlds - natural and social

The foregoing allows us to highlight the following meaning of the social sphere: it is an environment where interpersonal relationships are realized. Various areas of activity and needs of a wide variety of social communities are being formed. The social sphere covers the entire space of life of a person, group, community and society as a whole: from the conditions of their work and life, health and leisure to social-class, national and universal values ​​and relations.

The basis (skeleton, frame) of society is its social structure.

A structure is a set of parts, components, elements of an object, as well as connections between them that ensure the stability of this object.

Social structure is extremely complex. Its components are social communities, i.e. groups of people united on some basis, which cover all possible states and forms of human existence. It follows from this that social community is an extremely complex concept. In this manual, a social community is understood as any fairly stable association of people based on various connections, for example, territory of residence, activity, culture, possession of material assets, etc.

Modern society is a collection of social communities at various levels. The global level of society is all of humanity as a whole. Humanity can be divided according to various criteria, for example, into classes based on attitudes towards property, into social layers and groups. The essence of the concepts of “social organizations”, “layers” and “groups” will be discussed further. Here it is important to understand that any communities: classes, nations, social organizations, layers and groups can act as components of the social structure.

To understand the essence of connections between the components of the social structure of society, we introduce the concept of social relations. Social relations are a specific type of social relations, expressed in the form and nature of the interaction of social subjects regarding their position in society and their role in public life. Moreover, the concepts of “social relations” and “public relations” are not the same thing. It is known that social relations develop between social subjects regarding one or another material or spiritual object. If these relations regarding the means of production are economic relations, regarding power - political relations, regarding legal norms - legal relations. Social relations develop regarding the implementation of the actual social interaction that arises between various social communities, classes, strata, groups and individuals. Social relations always express the position of people and their communities in society, because they are always relations of equality or inequality, equality or inequality, justice or injustice

Social relations are realized in the form of:

Social roles and their characteristics (people with a high level of education perform mainly mental work, those with a low level - mainly physical work, those living in cities - mainly in industry, those living in rural areas - are mainly engaged in agriculture, etc.);

Social statuses that determine the position of individuals in a community, in a group (turner, shop manager, director, etc.);

Social norms (laws, traditions, customs, etc., regulating the behavior of people in society).

The listed forms of social relations are the main types of connections in the social structure of society.

For many centuries, the best minds of mankind have sought to find a rational explanation of the reasons for the emergence of a specific, illusory-mystical, irrational form of human thinking and to understand religion as a form of social consciousness, as a social phenomenon.

Having arisen at the dawn of mankind and taking shape over the centuries on the basis of inadequate reflection in people’s thinking of real objective processes in nature and society, religious ideas and beliefs, as well as the dogmas, cults, rituals and rituals that reinforced them, entangled human consciousness in a web of unrealizable illusions, distorted his perception of the world crookedly the mirror of fantastic myths and magical transformations, magic and miracles, forced the creation of more and more elaborate and complex metaphysical constructions of the universe and the afterlife. Strengthening in the minds of people, being fixed in the memory of generations, religion became part of the cultural potential of a people, a country, or even many countries.

Ancient people, when creating their religions, cared about purely ethnic needs and counted on the “compatriotic” help of their own gods. Some of the religions “with local registration” faded into oblivion (sometimes together with the peoples who gave birth to them), while others, despite their territorial limitations, live to this day.

But there were religions that corresponded to the dreams and aspirations of not only the people from which came the prophet who once announced the divine will. For these faiths, national boundaries turned out to be narrow. They captured the minds and souls of people inhabiting different states, different continents: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism became world religions.

1.Christianity

The most widespread and one of the most developed religious systems in the world is Christianity, which appeared in the 1st century AD in Judea, the eastern province of the Roman Empire.

1.1. Foundation of Christianity

At the heart of Christianity is the teaching about the God-man Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to people with good deeds and commanded them the laws of righteous life. This is a religion based on the belief that two thousand years ago God came into the world. He was born, received the name Jesus, lived in Judea, preached and accepted great suffering and martyrdom on the cross to atone for the sins of people. His death and subsequent resurrection from the dead changed the fate of all mankind. His preaching marked the beginning of a new, European civilization. For Christians, the main miracle was not the word of Jesus, but He Himself. The main work of Jesus was His being: being with people, being on the cross.

Christians believe that the world was created by one eternal God, and created without evil. The Resurrection of Christ marks for Christians victory over death and the newfound opportunity of eternal life with God. This is where the story of the New Testament with God begins for Christians. This is the Testament of Love. Its most important difference from the Old (i.e., old, former) Testament lies in the very understanding of God, Who “is Love.” Throughout the Old Testament, the basis of the relationship between God and man is the law. Christ says: “I give you a new commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.”

Christianity views history as a unidirectional, unique, “one-time” process directed by God: from the beginning (creation) to completion, the end (the coming of the Messiah, the Last Judgment). The content of this process is the drama of a person who has fallen into sin, who has fallen away from God, and whom only the mercy of God can save, and he can find this mercy in faith in the Savior and the church, which is the bearer of this faith.

Christianity, like no other religion, is based on mystery. Reason does not accommodate the idea of ​​one God, existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. One of the main sacraments of Christianity is communion, based on the Eucharist (the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ), and the communion of believers with God through the partaking of these divine gifts.

The Holy Scripture of Christians - the Bible - is not a statement of doctrine and not the history of mankind, it is a story about how God searched for man, it is the speech of God addressed to people. In the neck Old Testament(the sacred book of the followers of Judaism) a New Testament was added, telling about the life and teachings of Christ. The New Testament includes the four Gospels (from the Greek - gospel), the Acts of the Apostles - the first preachers of Christianity, the Letter of the Apostles to Christian communities and, finally, the Apocalypse, or the Revelation of St. John the Theologian. These works are considered “divinely inspired” i.e. although written by men, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The main idea of ​​Christianity is the idea of ​​sin and human salvation. People are sinners before God, and this is what makes them equal: Greeks and Jews, Romans and barbarians, slaves and free, rich and poor - all sinners, all “servants of God.”

Christianity attracted people by exposing the corruption of the world and justice. They were promised the kingdom of God: those who are first here will be last there, and those who are last here will be first there. Evil will be punished, and virtue will be rewarded, the highest judgment will be accomplished and everyone will be rewarded according to their deeds. The preaching of the Evangelical Christ called not for political resistance, but for moral improvement.

1.2. Church and Christianity

The peculiarity of Christianity as a religion is that it can only exist in the form of the Church. The church is a community of people who believe in Christ: “...where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”

However, the word “church” has different meanings. This is a community of believers, united by a common place of residence, one clergyman, one temple. This community constitutes a parish.

Church, especially in Orthodoxy, is also commonly called a temple, which in this case is perceived as the “house of God” - a place for sacraments, rituals, a place of joint prayer.

Finally, the Church can be understood as a form of Christian faith. Over two millennia, several different traditions have developed and taken shape in Christianity, each of which has its own Creed, its own rite and ritual. Therefore, we can talk about the Orthodox Church (Byzantine tradition), the Catholic Church (Roman tradition) and the Protestant Church (16th century Reformation tradition).

In addition, there is the concept of the Earthly Church, uniting all believers in Christ, and the concept of the Heavenly Church - the ideal divine structure of the world. Where the earthly Church follows the covenants of Christ, it forms unity with the heavenly one.

1.3.Geography of Christianity

The first steps of Christianity in the 1st -2nd centuries. limited to the Mediterranean region, then it penetrated into Central European countries and only in the 7th -12th centuries. – to the north-east of Europe. In the era of the Great geographical discoveries The active work of Christian missionaries (conductors of religious teachings) began, which continues in our time. At the end of the 15th century. They, together with the conquerors, landed on the shores of the newly discovered America.

In the 16th century was annexed to the Christian world most of Philippines. Misfortune befell the missionaries in Africa. Only in the 19th century. as a result of active colonization, it was possible to convert many inhabitants of the “dark continent” to Christianity. The same colonization introduced the bulk of the population of Oceania to it.

1.4. Early Christianity

From its first steps, early Christianity declared itself to be the teaching of the oppressed lower classes, the teaching of the dispossessed and suffering. True, this teaching did not call for struggle - and in this sense it cannot in any way be considered revolutionary in character. Rather, on the contrary, Christianity was an alternative to various kinds of uprisings and wars, starting with the uprising of Spartacus, which shook the powerful Roman Empire at the turn of our era. And as this kind of “pacifying” alternative, directing the energy of the oppressed into the channel of religious illusions, Christianity was quite acceptable, even beneficial for those in power, who soon realized this and accepted Christian teaching as the dominant ideological doctrine. However, this happened later. Early Christianity in the first two or three centuries of its existence, being a religion of the disenfranchised and persecuted, not only stood in opposition to the authorities, being subjected to severe persecution on their part, but was also not devoid of radical elements, even revolutionary pathos. This pathos boiled down, first of all, to a sharp rejection of the established norms of life.

The revolutionary pathos of early Christianity was reflected in the emphasis on two important aspects of the new religion. Firstly, on her preaching of universal equality. Although this was equality, first of all, only “in sin,” the equality of “God’s servants,” even in this capacity, the slogan of universal equality could not help but attract attention. True, in some evangelical texts slavery was justified and slaves were instilled with obedience to their masters, but nevertheless, the proclamation of the principle of universal equality during the heyday of the Roman Empire cost a lot. Secondly, on the condemnation of wealth and acquisitiveness (“a camel will pass through the eye of a needle sooner than a rich man will enter the kingdom of heaven”), and on emphasizing the universal duty to work (“let him who does not work, let him not eat”). It is not surprising that the members of the first Christian communities were, first of all, the offended and oppressed, the poor and slaves, the poor and outcasts.

1.5. The first Christian communities

The first Christian communities borrowed from their predecessors - sects such as the Essenes - the features of asceticism, self-denial, piety and added to them the ritual rituals of communion of Mithraism and much more, including the solemn act of baptism as a symbol of faith. These communities were quite closed. They were led by charismatic leaders - preachers, “teachers”, prophets overshadowed by “grace”, who usually listened to their “inner voice”, had “visions”, heard the “voice of God” and therefore were considered to have an undeniable right to leadership. Already in the second half of the 1st century. n. e. Two main trends have clearly emerged - the pro-Jewish one, represented by the Apocalypse and genetically going back, apparently, to networks like the Essenes, and the anti-Jewish one, associated with the activities of the Apostle Paul. Unlike the Apostle Peter, whom the Gospel Paul called “the apostle to the Jews,” Paul, according to legend, called himself. "servant of Jesus Christ among the Gentiles." In this sense, it is Paul who can be considered the first patriarch (if not the founder) of Christianity.

In the conditions of the increasingly rigid dogmatic basis of Christian doctrine, the life of the original sects and communities led by charismatic leaders, full of dangers and persecution, but distinguished by freedom of spirit and action, was becoming a thing of the past. In the new conditions, they were replaced by officials elected by believers (and then approved from above) - deacons, bishops, presbyters.

The replacement of charismatic leaders with a bureaucratic hierarchy is an inevitable phenomenon in the conditions of the emerging church with its strict canons and inviolable dogmas. Purified from the “sins” of youth, the Christian Church became an institution quite acceptable to the socio-political elite, whose influence among the masses made rapprochement with it and its use desirable.

1.6. Wave of persecution of Christianity

Originating in a remote province of the Roman Empire (Judea) in the 1st century, Christianity until the middle of the 4th century. was persecuted by the Roman authorities. First in one province, then in another, or even throughout the entire empire, a wave of persecution immediately arose: temples were destroyed, clergy and ordinary believers were arrested. A Christian slave was persecuted in the same way as an officer or patrician who converted to Christianity.

These three centuries of persecution for all subsequent centuries taught Christians two great truths (with which even those who do not consider themselves believers agree): truth does not depend on the will of the authorities; a humiliated and poor person may turn out to be right.

And after another 17 centuries - in the 20th century - another empire again declared war on Christians. And again - desecrated and destroyed churches, and again hundreds of thousands killed. This time, the land drenched in martyr's blood was Russia. The atheistic empire demanded unconditional agreement not only with its policies, but also with its philosophy, with its worldview. None of the waves of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire lasted more than ten years. In the Soviet Union, persecution continued for seven decades.

Near one of the Siberian camps there is a grave in which 50 priests lie. They were taken out of the camp and ordered to dig a trench. They lined it up on its edge. And then they approached everyone with a pistol and asked the question: “Well, does your God exist or not?” The answer “yes” was followed by a shot. Not one renounced.

In the 20th century Christians (primarily priests) were killed in Nazi Germany and Mexico, in Kampuchea by the Khmer Rouge and Maoist China, in Albania (where religion was prohibited by the constitution) and Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland...

The relationship between the Church and earthly authorities was so difficult. But within the Church itself, throughout the history of its existence, many dramatic and sometimes tragic events took place. Today Christianity is represented by three denominations, each of which is divided into many denominations, i.e. movements, sometimes very different in their beliefs. But both Orthodox, and Catholics, and most Protestants recognize the dogma (the definition of the Church, which has unconditional authority for each of its members) about the Holy Trinity, believe in salvation through Jesus Christ, and recognize the one Holy Scripture - the Bible.

1.7. Statistics on Christianity

Counting the exact number of Christians is not easy. However, general statistics give the following figures. Today, Christian believers make up 1/3 of the population living in Europe and Australia, North and Latin America, New Zealand and New Guinea. The Orthodox Church numbers about 120 million people in its ranks, the Roman Catholic Church unites about 700 million believers, and the Protestant churches that are members of the World Council of Churches unite about 350 million people.

1.8. Schism of Christianity

Christianity has long ceased to be a monolithic religion. Political reasons and internal contradictions that had been accumulating since the 4th century led to the 11th century. to a tragic split. And before this, there were differences in worship and understanding of God in different local churches. With the division of the Roman Empire into two independent states, two centers of Christianity were formed - in Rome and in Constantinople (Byzantium). Local churches began to form around each of them. The tradition that has developed in the West has led in Rome to a very special role of the Pope of Rome - the High Priest - the head of the Universal Church, the vicar of Jesus Christ. The Church in the East did not agree with this. Two Christian denominations were formed - Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

2. Orthodoxy

Orthodoxy established itself in Europe in territory that once belonged to the Byzantine Empire or countries under its influence: most of the Balkan Peninsula and Russia.

2.1. Definition of Orthodoxy

The word “orthodoxy” is a translation of the Greek “orthodoxy.” “Orthos” means “correct” (hence, for example, “spelling”), and the word “doxa” has two meanings in Greek: “judgment”, “opinion” and “glory”, “glorification”. Thus, the word “orthodoxy” could be translated into Russian both as “right-thinking” and as “Orthodoxy”, i.e. the ability to praise God correctly. The Eastern Church chose the second meaning for itself, thereby emphasizing the predominance of the ethical-aesthetic principle over the rational. In the ancient Church, the word “orthodoxy” denoted the main requirement for the faith and life of Christians. The definition of “Orthodox” was assigned to the Eastern Church in the late Middle Ages.

2.2. Orthodox Church of Byzantium

In the Eastern Empire (Byzantium), the church did not receive much independence or political influence. Divided, moreover, into a number of patriarchates (Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem), it found itself almost completely dependent on the state and practically identified itself and its interests with its interests. It is also worth noting that the sphere of influence and mass base of all patriarchates was small, and after the Islamization of the Middle Eastern world it became scanty. In Byzantium, the dogmas and canons of the Orthodox Church were formulated. Within the framework of Byzantine culture, the principles of church art developed, which became canonical for all Orthodox churches.

In the Orthodox Church as a whole, due to its relative weakness and political insignificance, there have never been mass persecutions of the “Holy Inquisition” type, although this does not mean that it did not persecute heretics and schismatics in the name of strengthening its influence on the masses. At the same time, having absorbed many ancient pagan customs of those tribes and peoples who accepted Orthodoxy (there were many of them, at least in Rus' alone), the church was able to rework and use them in the name of strengthening its authority. Ancient deities became saints of the Orthodox Church, holidays in their honor became church holidays, beliefs and customs received official coverage and recognition. Only a few overtly overt pagan rituals, such as the worship of idols, which went back to the fetishism of ancient times, were persecuted and gradually died out, but even here, the church skillfully transformed them, directing the activity of believers to the worship of icons.

2.3. Basic Law of Orthodoxy

The imperial power supported the desire for church unity and thereby contributed to an increasingly harmonious and clear disclosure of the Orthodox doctrine. The rules of reception - the acceptance by the entire church “body” of any norms - have become one of the basic laws of Orthodoxy. No person, no body of the Church, no matter how broad in composition it may be, can be completely infallible. In matters of faith, only the Church—the “body of Christ”—as a whole is infallible.

In Orthodoxy, Tradition is understood not only as a set of sacred books, writings and decisions of councils, but also as a direct action of the Holy Spirit and the earthly Church. It is believed that it is this mystical component of Church Tradition that has preserved the continuity and purity of the Orthodox Church since apostolic times.

2.4. Russian Orthodox Church

With the strengthening of ancient Rus', the Orthodoxy it borrowed from Byzantium gradually strengthened and the metropolitans appointed from Constantinople finally transformed in the 16th century. into independent patriarchs. The period of independence of the Russian Church from the Patriarchate of Constantinople actually began on December 15, 1448, when the Russian bishops independently elected Metropolitan Jonah as their primate. During the arrival in Moscow on January 26, 1589 of the Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, Metropolitan Job of Moscow was elevated to the patriarchal rank. The Russian Orthodox Church not only supported the tsarist power, but also submitted to it and willingly collaborated with it (only occasionally there were exceptions; for example, Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century tried to put the church above secular power).

Orthodoxy brought with it from Byzantium to Rus' a high level of culture, moral experience, philosophical and theological thought, and aesthetic feeling. Church art has left priceless creations of architecture, icon painting, and singing.

During the years of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and unrest, the Russian Orthodox Church reconciled the warring princes and was the guardian of national culture. She took patriotic positions during the years of disasters and enemy invasions. This was the case in 1812 and during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945.

2.5. Orthodoxy and modernity

In present-day Russia, Orthodoxy is practiced by believers of Slavic origin, as well as by the peoples of the North and Volga region.

The residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is located in Moscow. In addition to Russian dioceses, under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate there are bishoprics in the CIS countries, a number of dioceses in Western and Central Europe, Northern and South America. The Russian Orthodox Church also includes the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which received the right of self-government in 1990, and the autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church performs services according to the Julian calendar. The main liturgical language is Church Slavonic. In Western European parishes, services are performed in the main European languages.

2.6. Old Believers

The Old Believers are closely connected with the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its emergence dates back to the time of the schism of Russian Orthodoxy, the cause of which was the church and ritual reform begun by Patriarch Nikon in the middle of the 17th century. Many priests of various ranks, who found it difficult to retrain and perform rituals according to the new liturgical books and according to the new rules, went into schism. Adherents of the “Old Orthodox rites” who did not accept the changes in the external forms of church life, most of them peasants, fled from persecution. They fled to the deep forests of the Volga region, the North, Siberia, on the southern outskirts of the country, or founded their own communities abroad. Many anti-government movements and various rebellious forces took the form of Old Believers. In 1685, a special decree was issued definitively prohibiting schism. In the 50s and 60s of the 17th century, at the Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old Believers were cursed, which was lifted only in 1971, when it was recognized that the old rituals were “equally honorable” to the post-reform ones, that is, they were also canonical (legitimate). Thus, the Moscow Patriarchate has taken a serious step towards overcoming the schism of the Russian Church that occurred three centuries ago. To this day, the Rogozhskoe cemetery in Moscow remains one of the leading centers of Russian Old Believers. In its churches, services are conducted as was customary in the Russian Church of the 17th century before Nikon’s reforms.

3. Catholicism

The life of Western Europe was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church until the 16th century. There are few dogmatic and liturgical differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy interprets the Trinity differently (believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father), does not recognize purgatory between heaven and hell, does not practice issuing indulgences, and administers communion with bread (and not unleavened, but leavened) and wine. But it always held on to these differences very tightly, especially after the final break with Catholicism in 1054.

3.1. Definition of Catholicism

The term “Catholicism” (or “Catholicism”) is derived from the Greek adjective “katholicos” - “universal”. "Ecclesia catholica" means "universal (conciliar) Church." These are the words that are included in the original Nicene-Constantinople Creed: “I believe... in the Catholic Church...”.

3.2. Catholic Church

The Catholic Church means universal, universal, claiming that she, and she alone, is the true and complete embodiment of Christianity. The Catholic Church, unlike the Orthodox Church, has a single head - the Pope. The head of the church is considered the vicar of Christ on earth and the successor of the Apostle Peter. The Pope performs a triple function: Bishop of Rome, Shepherd of the Universal Church and Head of the Vatican State. The current Pope John Paul II was elected in 1978. The Catholic Church, according to its teaching, carried within itself a “reserve of good deeds” and divine grace, which helped to achieve salvation and remove sins from the human soul. Catholicism took a leading place in many countries of Europe and America. With the blessing of the Roman Catholic Church, many cultural traditions of “pagan” antiquity with its free-thinking were consigned to oblivion and condemned. Is it true, church tradition, which cultivated Latin, contributed to the preservation of a significant part of the manuscript heritage of ancient culture. The teachings of Aristotle, revived with the help of the Arabs, significantly corrected by the church, even became (along with the Bible) a kind of supreme and almost the last word in spiritual culture. However, much was irretrievably lost, and above all, spiritual freedom. Catholic priests (who took a vow of celibacy and therefore were not bound in their activities by personal and family interests, who devoted themselves entirely to the service and interests of the church) jealously monitored the strict observance of church dogmas and rituals, mercilessly punished heretics, which included everyone who was in any way - or dared to deviate from official teaching. The best minds of medieval Europe perished at the stake of the “holy” Inquisition, and the church willingly sold indulgences—absolution of sins—for a lot of money to the rest, the intimidated and humbled “sinners.”

3.3. Statistics and geography of Catholicism

The innermost essence of the Catholic faith, of course, cannot be comprehended with the help of numbers, but they can give at least a general idea of ​​​​the activities of the Catholic Church. According to statistics, there are from 600 to 850 million Catholics in the world, which is about 15% of the planet. In Latin America, 90% of the population is Catholic, in Europe there are about 40%, in North America - only 25%, in Africa - 13%, and in Asia no more than 2.5%, with two thirds of them living in the Philippines.

There are several large Catholic communities in the world that live and develop according to their own special laws. For example, the population of Latin American countries is growing rapidly. There are not enough priests, but missionary activity - evangelization - goes on continuously, and it is there that the Catholic Church becomes a truly people's "church for the poor." On the contrary, in Western European, traditionally Christian countries, there are fewer and fewer Catholics, and the number of Catholic priests is correspondingly decreasing.

The Catholic Church found itself in difficult conditions in the countries of Eastern Europe, which had long been under pressure from atheistic propaganda. However, since the beginning of the 90s, these countries have had the right to freely choose their religion. In Muslim countries, the few Catholics are treated differently depending on the level of religious tolerance in a given country. Today, the Catholic Church proclaims the need to seek solutions to the global problems of our time in the spirit of humanism, respect for life and the dignity of the human person.

3.4. Reformation and Catholicism

In the first half of the 16th century, a reformist social and religious movement aimed at changing the very foundations of the structure of the church and associated with the worldview of the emerging bourgeoisie led to large areas of Central, Western and Northern Europe breaking away from Catholicism. The emerging anti-feudal movement was also directed against the Catholic Church. The leaders of the Reformation in Germany and Switzerland - Luther, John Calvin and Zwingli - accused the Catholic Church of distorting genuine Christianity, sharply opposed the dogma of papal infallibility, the practice of selling indulgences, the tinsel and pomp of Catholic worship, and finally, against exaggerating the role of the church as a mediator between people and God. The Reformation recognized Christ as the only mediator between people and God.

Of course, the Reformation did not at all mean the death of Catholicism. Having resorted to the help of the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church managed to survive until today its entire church hierarchy, headed by the Pope, is a serious force, the influence of which is felt in many parts of the world. However, the era of the Reformation dealt Catholicism and, in general, the omnipotence of the Christian Church such a blow from which it was no longer possible to recover. The times of the “Holy Inquisition” and total control over the thought and spiritual life of people by the church began to recede into the irrevocable past. Catholicism - following the Protestant Church - was forced to agree that God has a “divine” place, that is, a very specific place in the life and activities of people, the rest of their time and attention should be given to other matters that were not directly related to religion and did not depend on from her intervention and assessment. This, naturally, did not mean that the role of the church was reduced to almost zero. And yet, the separation of the church from the state and from various spheres of people’s business activity, which was the result of the Reformation, played a huge role in the destinies of Western Europe, in its successful development along the capitalist path.

4. Protestantism

At this time, a new variety of Christianity arose, bourgeois in spirit - Protestantism. It is characterized by individualism in matters of faith: every believer has the right to read and interpret the revelation of God - the Bible. Protestantism taught that it is not so much rituals that are important, but the conscientious performance by everyone of their duties, that is, in conscientious work a person embodies the Christian commandments. Protestantism (evangelical teaching) affirms the equality of all believers before God and preaches salvation by faith already in earthly life, denies monasticism, as well as celibacy of the clergy (by the way, mandatory for Catholic priests), does not accept church ranks and recognizes only the authority of the Bible. Protestantism is characterized by the desire to separate the spheres of influence of the spiritual power of the church and the secular power of the state: to God what is divine, and to Caesar what is Caesar’s. Protestantism shifted the center of gravity of religious life from church forms to the individual, to its improvement.

4.1. Statistics on Protestantism

The United States is considered the most evangelical country (that is, the most Protestant): 22% of all evangelicals live here, forming more than 250 different denominations (religions). Large groups of Protestants live in Europe and America, with smaller numbers in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

4.2. Protestantism in Russia

Protestantism is widespread in Russia. The most numerous are Evangelical Christians - Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Pentecostals, and Lutherans. Protestantism began to penetrate into Russia from economically disorganized Europe with early XVII century, together with skilled people who tried to find application for their talents and abilities here.

4.3. Protestant denominations

The largest Protestant denomination in Russia is the Evangelical Christian Baptists. Baptistism was brought to Russia in the 19th century by German colonists who settled mainly in the southern provinces. In the northern and central provinces, the teaching of Evangelical Christians developed, which was very close in principle to Baptistism. The beginning of its spread is associated with the activities of Lord G. Redstock, who came from England and organized the first sect in St. Petersburg in the 70s of the 19th century.

There are associations of Evangelical Christian Baptists in almost all regions and republics of the former USSR. Their attraction to the western and southern borders is noticeable, and their influence is gradually increasing in the capital regions.

Seventh-day Adventists appeared in the Russian Empire in the 80s of the 19th century. The spread of their teachings was facilitated by the activities of missionaries.

Pentecostals are a sect that formed in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century and then appeared in Russia. The main distinguishing feature of this teaching is the belief in the “descent of the Holy Spirit” on the apostles on the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Christ. In Russia, Pentecostal associations are represented throughout its territory.

5. Islam

Islam is the second world religion after Christianity in terms of the number of followers, a religion of humility and complete submission to the Almighty will. It was founded in the 7th century on the basis of Arab tribal religions by the Prophet Muhammad. He proclaimed that there is only one great Allah and that everyone should be obedient to his will. It was a call to unite the Arabs under the banner of one god. Muhammad called on the Arabs to believe in one God and serve him while awaiting the end of the world, doomsday and the establishment of a “kingdom of justice and peace” on Earth. In the Islamic religion, Allah is the only god, faceless, supreme and omnipotent, wise, all-merciful, the creator of all things and its supreme judge. Next to him there are no gods, no independent creatures of any kind. There is no Christian trinity here with its intricate relationship between God the Father, his son Jesus and the mystical figure of God the Holy Spirit. In Islam there is a teaching about heaven and hell, about rewarding a person in the afterlife for his deeds. At the Last Judgment, Allah himself will interrogate each of the living and the dead, and they, naked, with a book in which their deeds are recorded, will wait in fear for his decision. Sinners will go to hell, the righteous will go to heaven.

5.1. Holy book Muslims

The holy book of Muslims is the Koran. It records the basic ideas and beliefs of Muhammad. According to the generally accepted tradition in Islam, the text of the Koran was revealed to the prophet by Allah himself through the medium of Jabrail. Allah has repeatedly conveyed his sacred commandments through various prophets - Moses, Jesus, and finally Muhammad. This is how Islamic theology explains the numerous coincidences between the texts of the Koran and the Bible: the sacred text transmitted through earlier prophets was distorted by Jews and Christians, who did not understand much of it, missed something, distorted it, therefore only in the latest version, authorized by the great prophet Muhammad, true believers can have the highest and indisputable divine truth.

This legend of the Koran, if purified of divine intervention, is close to the truth. The main content of the Koran is as closely related to the Bible as Islam itself is close to Judeo-Christianity.

The Koran consists of 114 chapters, which talk about all aspects of life, including justice, morality, and ritual regulations. These treatises are very diverse in character. Along with the retelling of biblical stories, here you can find discussions about the procedure for divorce, along with descriptions of historical events - discussions about the universe, about the relationship of man with the world of supernatural forces. The Koran devotes a lot of space to the fundamentals of Islamic law; it contains both lyrical and poetic texts and mythological subjects. In a word, the Koran, like the Bible, is a kind of divine encyclopedia, a “book of books”, a body of knowledge and instructions for almost all occasions.

About a quarter of the text of the Koran is devoted to descriptions of the life and work of various prophets. For some reason, the first man Adam and even the famous Alexander the Great (Iskander) ended up in the rank of prophet in the Koran. Last on this list is Muhammad, the last and greatest of the prophets. After him, there were no more prophets and there will be no more, until the end of the world and the Last Judgment, until the second coming of Jesus. The descriptions of the acts of the prophets are taken almost entirely from the Bible, with only a few changes.

The Koran was not accessible to everyone - it was studied and analyzed by only a relatively few literate and educated Muslims, primarily experts in Islamic dogma, theologians and jurists. The commandments of Islam reached the broad masses of the common people and illiterate peasants only in the oral form of sermons and in the form of sacred commandments, which constituted a mandatory set of rules of conduct for every believer, especially religious ones.

5.2. "Five Pillars of Faith"

Islam has five main duties for a Muslim: confession, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and hajj.

The principle of confession- central to Islam. To become a Muslim, it is enough to solemnly pronounce the phrase that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. Thus, a person becomes submissive to Allah, a Muslim. But, having become one, he had to observe the remaining duties of a true believer.

Prayer – mandatory daily fivefold ritual. Those who do not pray five times a day are infidels. On Fridays and holidays Solemn services are performed, led by imams (“standing in front”). Before prayer, the faithful must perform ablution, a rite of purification (small - washing hands, feet, face; and large, in case of serious uncleanness - complete washing of the whole body). If there is no water, it is replaced with sand.

Fast. Muslims have only one main and obligatory fast - Ramadan; it lasts a month, during which from dawn to dusk the faithful, except for small children and the sick, have no right to eat, drink, smoke, or have fun. In addition to Ramadan, Muslims also fast at other times - according to a vow, in case of drought, as compensation for missed days of Ramadan.

Alms. Every property owner is obliged to share his income once a year, allocating part of it as alms in favor of the poor. Mandatory almsgiving - zakat - was perceived as a cleansing ritual for the wealthy and was usually calculated at several percent of their annual income.

Hajj. It is believed that every healthy Muslim should visit the holy places in Mecca and worship the Kaaba once in his life. Pilgrims who complete the ritual receive an honorary name - Khoja.

To these five, another pillar of faith is often added, the sixth – holy war against infidels (jihad or ghazavat). Participation in the war freed from all sins and provided the faithful who fell on the battlefield with a place in heaven.

5.3. The mosque and its functions

The place of worship, sermons and prayers is the mosque. It is also a meeting place for the faithful on all important occasions in life, a kind of cultural center. The construction of mosques in Islam has always been considered a charitable deed. No expense was spared on this, so mosques, especially in cities and capitals, are often magnificent structures. The interior of the mosque looks modest, even if the closed part is covered with rich carpets. There are no idols, no decorations, no musical instruments.

An important function of the mosque is to organize the education of children. Education in Islamic countries has always been religious and was under the tutelage of local spiritual authorities. The imami mullahs of this mosque were also teachers here.

5.4. "Muslim World"

Unlike Christianity, Islam developed in conditions of religious and political unity, so that its authorities were the political and at the same time religious leaders themselves - the prophet, caliphs, emirs, and local government officials. Any official was obliged to coordinate his actions with the norms of the Koran and Sharia, i.e. take into account the role of the clergy, the power of religion. Islam served as a powerful impetus for the development of such a phenomenon as the “Muslim world”, which grew up in the vast territory of the Middle East with a powerful political structure and a highly developed civilization. The successes and achievements of Arab culture influenced many countries, including the cultural centers of Christian Europe. In addition to Arab countries, Islam is practiced in India, China, and Indonesia. From the Arab states of North Africa, Islam spread to neighboring black countries and moved further south. Of the many religious systems of the modern world, Islam is one of the most significant forces.

6.Buddhism

Buddhism also belongs to the world religions. Buddhism is a religion of overcoming suffering. Buddhism arose in India in the 6th -5th centuries. BC, five centuries earlier than Christianity and twelve centuries before Islam. Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, known to the world under the name of Buddha, i.e. The Enlightened One was the son of a prince from the Shakya tribe.

6.1. Buddha's Teachings

The world, as the Buddha saw it, is an infinite number of separate fleeting entities, in a state of beginningless excitement, but gradually moving towards tranquility and the absolute destruction of all living things, when its elements are brought one after another to complete peace. Peace of mind is the only real bliss that life can give.

Birth and aging, illness and death, separation from a loved one and union with an unloved one, an unachieved goal and an unsatisfied desire - all this is suffering. Suffering comes from the thirst for existence, pleasure, creation, power, eternal life. To destroy this insatiable thirst, to renounce desires, to renounce earthly vanity - this is the path to the destruction of suffering. To avoid suffering, a person must suppress all attachment, all desire, and become indifferent to the joys and sorrows of life, to death itself. It is along this path that lies complete liberation, nirvana.

6.2. "The Eight-Part Path"

Developing his teachings, the Buddha developed a detailed so-called eight-fold path, a method of comprehending the truth and approaching nirvana.

1. Righteous faith (one should believe the Buddha that the world is full of sorrow and suffering and that it is necessary to suppress passions in oneself).

2.Righteous determination (you should firmly determine your path, limit your passions and aspirations.

3. Righteous speech (you should watch your words so that they do not lead to evil - speech should be truthful and benevolent).

4. Righteous deeds (one should avoid unvirtuous actions, restrain oneself and do good deeds).

5. Righteous life (one should lead a worthy life, without causing harm to living things).

6. Righteous thought (you should monitor the direction of your thoughts, drive away everything evil and tune in to the good).

7. Righteous thoughts (you should understand that evil is from your flesh).

8.Righteous contemplation (one should constantly and patiently train, achieve the ability to concentrate, contemplate, go deeper in search of truth).

Following this path, a person achieves enlightenment, becomes a saint and plunges into nirvana - non-existence, when the chain of rebirths stops and death no longer leads to a new birth, but frees him from everything - from all desires, and with them from suffering, from returning to which -form of individual existence.

6.3. Commandment of mercy

In Buddhism, the commandment of mercy is of great importance. You cannot kill any living creature. We must be equally kind to both the good and the evil. You cannot pay evil for evil, because this only multiplies evil and suffering. The closest to the teachings of Buddhism are the monks who have renounced everything worldly and devoted their entire lives to pious meditation. Those who entered the monastery (sangha) renounce everything that connected them with the world - family, caste, property - and take five vows: do not kill, do not steal, do not get drunk, do not lie, do not commit adultery.

The main thing in Buddhism is the ethical teaching of a person’s personal salvation without the help of supernatural forces.

6.4. Modern Buddhism

In the life of modern India, colossal difficulties are associated with religious strife between Hindus and Muslims, Sikhs.

Many Buddhist centers, temples and monasteries arose in India, but Buddhism did not become widespread in world religion developed beyond its borders - in China, Japan, Central Asia, Korea, Vietnam and a number of other countries, having long ago lost their position in their homeland. The rejection occurred because Buddhism rejected caste and religious ritualism, and therefore did not fit into the social structure and culture of Indian society, based on the tradition rejected by Buddhism.

In Russia, Buddhism found its followers among the indigenous peoples of Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva. The popularity of Buddhism is growing rapidly, especially in capital cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg). This can most likely be explained by the fashion for Western culture, since it was in the West that interest in Eastern religions increased.

In terms of the diversity of religions professed, Russia is a unique country. Among its population there are followers of all world religions: Christianity (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism), Islam and Buddhism.

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