chapter 6

• ethnic-religion


  a belief system that is closely tied to a particular ethnic group or culture
• universalizing-religion


  a belief system that aims to spread their teachings and attract followers from all over the world, regardless of ethnicity or culture
• animism


  a belief system that attributes spiritual significance to natural objects and the environment
• secularism


  the separation of religion from political, social, and educational institutions
• fundamentalism


  a strict and literal interpretation of religious texts, often accompanied by a desire to return to what followers consider the fundamental principles of their faith
• theocracy


  a system of government in which religious leaders control political power, and religious law is used to govern the state
• caste


  a social class in a hierarchical system, often determined by birth, which influences a person's occupation, social interactions, and marriage prospects
• karma


  the principle that a person's actions (good or bad) influence their future experiences and circumstances, including the cycle of rebirth
• monotheism


  the belief of one God
• polytheism


  the belief in multiple gods or deities
• denomination


  a subgroup within a branch, often with specific beliefs and practices
• religious-branch


  a significant division within a religion, representing a specific interpretation or tradition
• sect


  a smaller group that has broken away from a larger religious denomination, often due to differing beliefs or practices
• intrafaith-conflict


  conflicts that arise between different groups or sects within the same religion
• interfaith-conflict


  conflicts that occur between different religions or belief systems
• autonomous-religion


  a religion that does not have a central authority and allows individual congregations or groups to govern themselves, making their own decisions regarding beliefs and practices
• hierarchical-religion


  a religion organized in a ranked or grades structure, where authority and decision-making are concentrated at higher levels, such as a central leadership or governing body
• pilgrimage


  a religious journey undertaken by individuals to a sacred location, often for spiritual growth, reflection, or fulfillment of religious duties
• sharia


  a system of islamic law that governs the personal, social, economic, and political aspects of a muslim's life, derived from religious texts