1、Chapter 8AMERICAN AND BRITISH RELIGION,AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES,Three Great World ReligionsBuddhismIslamChristianity,American ReligionThe importance of religion in Americans lifeReligious liberty in USMain religious preferences of AmericansFeatures of American religion,Briti
2、sh Religion,CONTENTS,8.1 Three Great World Religions,There are three great world religions: Buddhism- Islam-Christianity-,8.1.1 Buddhism at a glance,Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. Buddhism teac
3、hes that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship gods or deities.Buddhism is mainly distributed over Southern and Eastern Asia.Its symbol is the Lotus.,8.1.1 Buddhism at a glance,8.1.1 Budd
4、hism at a glance,Buddhism is 2,500 years old.There are currently 376 million followers worldwide.Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama(乔达摩 悉达多，释迦牟尼)s quest for Enlightenment in around the 6th century BC.Buddhism believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always possible.,8.1.1
5、 Buddhism at a glance,The two main Buddhist sects are Theravada Buddhism（小乘佛教） and Mahayana Buddhism（大乘佛教）, but there are many more.Buddhism is a very colorful faith with many festivals throughout the year.Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple.The path to Enlightenment is through the pra
6、ctice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.,8.1.2 Islam at a glance,Islam began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad (先知穆罕默德). Those who follow Islam are called Muslims.Muslims believe that there is only one God. The Arabic word for God is Allah (真主阿拉).The wor
7、d Islam means “submission to the will of God”.Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1 billion followers.,8.1.2 Islam at a glance,8.1.2 Islam at a glance,According to Muslims, God sent a number of prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law. They believe t
8、hat the final Prophet was Muhammad.Muslims believe that Islam has always existed, but for practical purposes, date their religion from the time of the migration of Muhammad.Muslims base their laws on their holy book the Quran (古兰经), and the Sunnah (圣行).Muslims believe the Sunnah is the practical exa
9、mple of Prophet Muhammad and that there are five basic Pillars of Islam (伊斯兰教的五功，即宗教义务). These pillars are the declaration of faith, praying five times a day, giving money to charity, fasting (斋戒) and a pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once).,8.1.3 Christianity at a glance,8.1.3 Christianity at a glanc
10、e,Christianity is the worlds biggest religion, with about 2.1 billion followers worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ who lived in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago.Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah (救世主) promised in the Old Testament.Christians believe that Jesus Christ is
11、 the Son of God.Christians believe that God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins.One of the most important concepts in Christianity is that of Jesus giving his life on the Cross (the Crucifixion耶稣受难) and rising from the dead on the third day (the Resurrection).,8.
12、1.3 Christianity at a glance,Christians believe that there is only one God, but that there are three elements to this one God:- God the Father- God the Son- The Holy SpiritChristians worship in churches.Their spiritual leaders are called priests or ministers.The Christian holy book is the Bible, and
13、 consists of the Old and New Testaments.Christian holy days such as Easter and Christmas are important milestones in the Western secular calendar.,8.1.3 Christianity at a glance,8.1.3 Christianity at a glance,The Holy Bible,8.2 American Religion,The people in the USA are great lovers of religion.36%
14、 - Protestants; 24% - Roman Catholic Church goers; 3% - Jews; 2% - Orthodox (东正教) Church goers30 principal groups in the Protestant ChurchOver 3/5 of all American religious people are Protestants,8.2 American Religion,The Washington National Cathedral,8.2 American Religion,The Basilica of the Nation
15、al Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., is the largest Catholic church in the United States.,8.2 American Religion,- Crystal Cathedral, a Protestant megachurch in California,The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Salt Lake City, Utah is a well
16、 known symbol of the Church and Mormonism -,8.2 American Religion,The Islamic Center of America in Michigan is the largest mosque in the United States.,8.2.1 The importance of religion in Americans life,Various American presidents have often stated the importance of religion. On 20 February 1955, Pr
17、esident Dwight D. Eisenhower stated that “Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first, the most basic, expression of Americanism.” President Gerald Ford agreed with and repeated this statement in 1974.Gallup International indicates that 41% of American citizens report they regularly attend religio
18、us services, compared to 15% of French citizens, 10% of UK citizens and 7.5% of Australian citizens.,8.2.1 The importance of religion in Americans life,Historic perspective:From the beginning of American history, religions and religious believers have played a central role in shaping public policy a
19、nd political debate. For most of the European settlers who came to North America in the 17th century from England, France and Spain - all nations with established churches - a society without an established faith was unimaginable.Catholics were heavily Democrats before the 1970s, while mainline Prot
20、estants comprised the core of the Republican Party.,8.2.1 The importance of religion in Americans life,According to the statistics, there are 39 American presidents are the Christians, so far, the US has just 43 presidents. The rest four presidents also have close relations with the church.- Preside
21、nt has the special place in the church. Since James Madison, each American president has been able to go to the St. John church to go to church.- Most of the presidents are reverent followers. President Lincoln in the Civil War period often enters the St. John church quietly to pray. John Kennedy is
22、 the only president who believes in Catholicism in the American history.- The American do not hope the religious influence politics.,8.2.1 The importance of religion in Americans life,John F. Kennedy- the 35th President of the US; the 1st Catholic President.- Inaugural Address (就职演说), January 20, 19
23、61.- “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”- Social problems in his term: Racial discrimination; American invasion of Cuba; Vietnam War.,8.2.2 Religious liberty in US,The Legal Issues“Congress shall make no law establishing religion, or prohibit the free ex
24、ercise thereof.” - The First Amendment to the Constitution of the US.The First Amendment guarantees both the free practice of religion and the non-sponsorship of religion by the government.The First Amendment separated church from state but not religion from public life.,8.2.2 Religious liberty in U
25、S,The movement toward religious liberty in the US.- The momentous decision by the framers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to prohibit religious establishment on the federal level and to guarantee free exercise of religion was related to a number of religious, political and economic factor
26、s in 18th century America. From toleration to free exercise. The period between 1776 and the passage of the First Amendment in 1791 saw critical changes in fundamental ideas about religious freedom.From establishment to separation. The decisive battle for disestablishment came in the large and influ
27、ential colony of Virginia, where the Anglican Church （英国圣公会） was the established faith.,8.2.2 Religious liberty in US,The religious revivals of the 18th century, often called the Great Awakening 大觉醒运动 (1728-1790), produced new forms of religious expression and belief that influenced the development
28、of religious liberty throughout the Colonies. The revivalists message of salvation through Christ alone evoked a deeply personal and emotional response in thousands of Americans.,8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,Christianity: 59.9% to 76%Unaffiliated, including atheist (无神论者) or agnosti
29、c (不可知论者): 15% to 37.3%Judaism (犹太教): 1.2% to 2.2%Islam (伊斯兰教): 0.6% to 2.6%Buddhism: 0.5% to 0.9%Hinduism (印度教): 0.4%Others: 1.4%,8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,The largest religion in the US is Christianity, practiced by the majority of the population (76% in 2008)Protestants (51.3%
30、)Catholics (25%)Mormons 摩门教徒 (1.7%)Christianity was introduced during the period of European colonization.,8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,The five largest denominations (教派)The Catholic Church, 68,115,001 membersThe Southern Baptist Convention (浸礼会), 16, 228, 438 membersThe United Met
31、hodist Church (卫理公会)，7,835,987 membersThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (耶稣基督后期圣徒教会), 5, 974, 041 membersThe Church of God in Christ, 5,499,875 members.,8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,Protestant Groups:The Baptists (浸礼会教徒)Methodists (卫理公会教徒)Presbyterians (长老会教友)Episcopal
32、ians (新教圣公会教徒),8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,No religion- This category included atheists (无神论者), agnostics (不可知论者), humanists (人文主义者), and others with no theistic religious beliefs or practices. Judaism- After Christianity and no-religion, Judaism is the third-largest religious affi
33、liation in the US, though this identification in the US, though this identification is not necessarily indicative of religious beliefs or practices. A significant number of people identify themselves as American Jews on ethnic and cultural grounds, rather than religious ones.,8.2.3 Main religious pr
34、eferences of Americans,IslamAmerican Islam effectively began with the arrival of African slaves. It is estimated that about 10% of African slaves transported to the United States were Muslim.The first organized Muslim community was the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, in 1921.,8.2.3 Main religious prefer
35、ences of Americans,BuddhismBuddhism entered the US during the 19th century with the arrival of the first immigrants from Eastern Asia. The first Buddhist temple was established in San Francisco in 1853 by Chinese Americans.During the late 19th century Buddhist missionaries from Japan came to the US.
36、 Simultaneously to these processes, US intellectuals started to take interest in Buddhism.,8.2.3 Main religious preferences of Americans,HinduismThe first time Hinduism entered the US is not clearly identifiable. However, large groups of Hindus immigrated from India and other Asia countries since th
37、e Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (1965年美国移民和国籍法案). During the 1960s and 1970s Hinduism exercised fascination contributing to the development of New Age thought.,8.2.4 Features of American religion,Different religions live together under the same law.The religious beliefs of Americans contin
38、ue to be strong with social progress.Every church is completely independent organization, and concerned with its one finance and its own building.,8.2.4 Features of American religion,Three chief features of religion are identified in the US:- the variety of beliefs- the emphasis on social problems-
39、the separation of church and stateThe development of education in America was much influenced by religion in the early stages before and after independence, but the government, even the local government, had nothing to do with this.,Discussion,Discuss the problems of religion in the USA.,8.3 British
40、 Religion,Everyone in Britain has the right to religious freedom with interference from the community or the State. He may change his religion at will, may manifest his faith in teaching, worship and observance. Except that the Lord Chancellor may be a Roman Catholic, public offices are open without
41、 distinction to members of all churches or none.,8.3 British Religion,There are around 151,816 Buddhists in Britain according to the 2001 census.The 2001 census recorded 1,591,000 Muslims in the UK, around 2.7% of the population.42 million Britons see themselves as nominally Christian, and there are
42、 6 million who are actively practicing.,8.3 British Religion,坎特伯雷大主教 (The Archbishop of Canterbury) 和约克大主教 (The Archbishop of York).The Archbishop of Canterbury 是英国国教的教主，其次为约克大主教及英国上议院 (the House of Lords) 中占据席位的24位主教 (bishop)，及其他18位主教。因此包括两位大主教在内， 英国共有44位主教。每个主教管区又可分为教区 (parish)，每个教区由教区牧师 (vicar)管辖
43、。其中有些大的教区，牧师经常配有一个助手，叫做副牧师 (curate) 来帮助其管理实务。英国的城市 (city)和郡 (county)有一个重大区别就是，英国每一个城市都有一个大教堂 (Cathedral)，而其他的郡 (county) 就只有小教堂 (church)了。,8.3 British Religion,8.3 British Religion,8.3 British Religion,8.3 British Religion,8.3 British Religion,8.3 British Religion,EnglandThe largest religious group:
44、Christianity with the Church of England.It is the Established Church, the church is represented in the UK Parliament and the British monarch is a member of the church as well as its Supreme Governor.The Church of England also has the right to draft legislative measures (related to religious administ
45、ration) through the General Synod (教会会议) that can then be passed into law by Parliament.,8.3 British Religion,ScotlandThe largest religious group is: Christianity.The national church: Presbyterian (长老教会) Church of Scotland (known informally as The Kirk)The second largest Christian church: Roman Cath
46、olic ChurchThe Scottish Episcopal (主教的) Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion, dates from the final establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland in 1690, when it split from the Church of Scotland and is not a daughter church of the Church of England. Further splits in the Church of Scotlan
47、d, especially in the 19th century, led to the creation of various other Presbyterian churches in Scotland, including the Free Church of Scotland.,8.3 British Religion,WalesIn the 1920s, the Church in Wales became disestablished and independent from the Church of England but remains in the Anglican C
48、ommunion.Baptist Union of Wales, Methodist Church of Great Britain, and the Presbyterian Church of Wales are present in Wales as well.,8.3 British Religion,Northern IrelandThe main religious groups in Northern Ireland are organized on an all-Ireland basis.Though Protestants and Anglicans are in the
49、overall majority, the Roman Catholic Church of Ireland is the largest single church. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, closely linked to the Church of Scotland in terms of theology (神学) and history, is the second largest church followed by the Church of Ireland which was disestablished in the 19th century.,
