Copyright © Myriad Editions Limited
36
Catholicism
There are more than 1 billion Roman Catholics worldwide. 200,000 schools, serving more than 52 million students, operate under Catholic Church auspices.
37
New religious movements are religious or spiritual groups not officially recognized as standard denominations or Churches, but their definition is one of the most controversial in the field of religious studies. Some claim to have traditional roots and others are entirely new. All have their strongest appeal in predominantly Christian cultures where secularism has created crises of identity. The rise of new religious movements was aided by the growth of economy air travel from the 1960s, which made it possible for young people, swamis and teachers to travel extensively. Indonesia, with its long tradition of religious pluralism, has hundreds of new religious movements and is the only country in the world to offer them formal recognition and official protection. Shown here is a selection of recent movements with no historical roots, such as the Church of Scientology, or movements not accepted by their supposed parent faith, such as the Church of Unification, which is not recognized by mainstream Christians. Not covered are the thousands of people who belong to local new religious movements, who sometimes exceed the number of those involved in international movements.
Copyright © Myriad Editions Limited
38
New Religious Movements
The migration of people and ideas fosters new religious movements. Most, but not all, have their origin in a major world religion. Many are very localized, while a few are now international.
39
The creation of pan-Native American movements in the USA and Canada to formulate a common Native Religion is a conscious attempt to return to roots and reclaim identity. This has flowed through American society and into Europe, particularly in the New Age milieu which has adopted elements of traditional practice such as shaman groups, medicine lodges and sweat lodges. Over the past few decades, specific forms of Paganism have been arising in different countries around the world as people have sought to retrieve what they perceive to be a more ‘authentic’ religious tradition that is closely tied with the culture or mythology of their nation. Celtic Druidry draws inspiration from the Celtic traditions of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany. Heathenry, a branch of Paganism drawing on Anglo-Saxon and Norse mythology, seeks to revive Northern Europe’s pre-Christian traditions. Shamanism, with its underlying belief that an individual in an alternative state of consciousness can travel between various different worlds, is active in Siberia, in the USA amongst Native Americans, and in Latin America, Indonesia, Asia and Europe. Practised by indigenous people worldwide, Shamanism is also emerging as a new spiritual movement in New Age and Pagan communities in many industrialized countries. The slave trade between Africa and the Americas, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, blended African indigenous religions with Christianity and the traditions of the Caribbean, Central and South America. In Brazil, syncretized religions are followed by almost 5 percent of the population, and 15 percent are engaged in rites while also belonging to a major faith. Many of the followers of Santeria in Cuba are also professing Catholics and, in Haiti, Vodoun is officially recognized as a religion.
Copyright © Myriad Editions Limited
40
New Departures
As indigenous religions have spread, they have blended with traditions encountered en route or at their destination. Other traditions have been revived to create new identities or strengthen old ones.
41
The reasons why people profess to have no religious affiliation can be diverse, and include lack of interest, a commitment to free-thinking, agnosticism (being undecided), or simply not wishing to be labelled with any mainstream religion. Most tend not to be anti-religious; they are just not pro-religious. The number of professed atheists – those who deny the existence of God – is very small, except in a few countries, primarily the former or currently communist countries, where decades of atheist education has made an impact. Countries where humanist or ethical societies exist often have a strong tradition of opposing the role and power of religion within their culture, although they are not necessarily against religion as such. This is especially a feature of Western countries, due in part to the Enlightenment movement in the 18th century, and its struggle with religious hegemony. There is great interest in such organizations in India, arising from the drive to maintain a secular culture within which all religions can play a part, with no single religion dominating.
Copyright © Myriad Editions Limited
42
Non-Believers
Over 10% of people claim no allegiance to a religion. Many of these are undecided, but some are atheists, who deny the existence of God.
43
44
Part Three
STRUCTURES
All successful religions survive through the structures they have created over time. The original founder may provide the energy and vision, but it takes the next few generations to ensure the survival of the teachings. The Buddha, for example, was one teacher among hundreds, but his message survived because he created what are known as the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings and the true path) and the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns to preserve and pass on the teachings). Strong structures are especially important in the case of the major missionary faiths: the financing of Christian activities by the faithful, and the structure of Islamic Law are two examples. The apparatus involved in spreading the message plays a major role. Faiths have for a long time funded the publication of core texts, but increasing emphasis is being placed on media such as TV, radio and the internet as a means of structuring people’s encounter with core teachings. The relationship between State and religion can be controversial. For many people, the idea that a state should support a specific religion – through either funds or state-provided single-faith religious education – is anathema. The 18th-century insistence on the separation of Church and State, first espoused by the fledgling USA and taken up by France in its revolution, has now become a core tenet of secularism. Yet in Islamic countries such a notion is itself anathema,