Varieties of Religions

In traditional societies, religion usually plays a central part in social life. Religious symbols and ritual are often integrated with material and artistic culture of the society- music, painting or carving, dance, story- telling and literature. In small cultures, there is no professional priesthood, but there are always certain individuals who specialize in knowledge of religious (and often magical) practices. Although, there are various sorts of such specialists, one common type is the shaman (a word originating among North American Indian). A shaman is an individual believed to be able to direct sprites or non- natural forces though ritual means. Shamans are sometimes essentially magicians rather than religious leaders, however, and are often consulted by individuals dissatisfied with what is offered in the religious rituals of the community.

Totemism and Animism

Two forms of religions found frequently in smaller cultures are totemism and animism. The word ‘totem’ originated among North American Indian tribes, but has been widely used to refer to species of animals or plants believed to have supernatural powers. Usually each kinship group or clan within a society has its own particular totem, with which various ritual activities are associated. Totemic beliefs might seem alien to those living in industrialized societies, yet in certain relatively minor contexts, symbols similar to those of totemism are familiar- as when a sports team has an animal or plant for its emblem. Mascots are totems.

Animism is a belief in spirits or ghosts, thought to populate the same world as human beings. Such spirits may be seen as either benign or malevolent and many influence human behavior in numerous respects. In some cultures, for example, spirits are believed to cause illness or madness, and may also possess or take over individuals in such a way as to control their behavior. Animistic beliefs are not confined to small cultures, but are found to some degree in many religions settings. In medieval Europe, those believed to be possessed by evil spirits were frequently persecuted as sorcerers or witches.

Small, seemingly ‘simple’ societies frequently have complex systems religious belief. Totemism and animism are more common among these societies than in larger ones, but some small societies have far more common among these societies have far more complex religions. The Nuer  of southern Sudan, for instance, described by E.E. Evans-Pritchard, have an elaborate set of theological ideas centre on a ‘high god’ or ‘sky spirits’ (Evans- Pritchard 1956). Religion which incline towards monotheism, however, are found relatively infrequently among smaller traditional cultures. Most are polytheistic- there is a belief in many gods

Judaism, Christianity and Islam

The three most influential monotheistic religions in world history are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All originated in the Middle East and each has influenced the others.

Judaism

Judaism is the oldest of the three religions, dating from 1,000 BCE. The early Hebrews were nomads, living in and around ancient Egypt. Their, prophets, or religious leaders, partly drew their ideas from existing religious beliefs in the single, but differed in their commitment to a single, almighty God. Most of their neighbors were polytheistic. The Hebrews believed that God demands obedience to strict moral codes, and insisted in their claim to a monopoly of truth, seeing their beliefs as the only true religion ( Zeitlin 1984, 1988).

Until the creation of Israel, not long after the end of World War Two, there was no state og which Judaism was the official religion. Jewish communities survived in Europe, North Africa and Asia, although they were frequently persecuted- culminating in the murder of millions of Jews by the Nazis in concentration camps during the war.