The Big Religion Chart

Religion Facts.com has posted "The Big Religion Chart" of world religions. (Note: It treats Christianity as one religion regardless of faith or denomination; so we are looking at the big picture here.) The chart lists approximately 30 different world religions in practice today, from Asatry to Zoroastrianism. It also has an estimate of the number of believers for each religion. For example, it estimates that there are 2 billion Christians and 1.6 billion Muslims.

In its own words,

The ReligionFacts Big Religion Chart is an attempt to summarize all the complexities of religions and belief systems into tiny little boxes on a single, quick-reference comparison chart. Yes, this is impossible. As we always warn with our comparison charts, this is no substitute for reading about religions in greater detail, talking with real-live religious adherents, etc.. But this religon comparison chart can (hopefully) be a useful and accessible way to "get the gist" of some unfamiliar groups and compare basic beliefs and practices of the world's religions and belief systems.

We have been very inclusive with what is regarded as a "religion" for purposes of this comparison chart. The grounds for a group's inclusion in this index are generally that it provides a set of teachings and/or rituals that deal with the traditionally "religious" issues of ultimate reality, the meaning of life, and/or how to find fulfillment, spiritual health or salvation. In addition, all the groups listed below can be found in dictionaries of religion.

Inclusion of a group on this list does not mean that the group is a "religion" per se (note that Atheism is the first group listed!) or a "true religion" or that "[one listed group] is just as much a religion as [another listed group]." Similarly, if a group does not appear on this chart it doesn't mean it's not a religion. In addition, listing groups separately does not mean they are mutually exclusive, nor does grouping them together mean that they are the same thing. This is not an authoritative list of religions, simply a resource on some worldviews and ways of life that hopefully some will find useful. The chart is not comprehensive and it will probably always be under construction.

Links in the left column go to ReligionFacts articles where available (see also the A-Z Religion Index). For information on numbers of adherents, please see Adherents.com (from which most of these stats are taken). Please maximize your browser window to make this chart easier to read. Last updated: 7/10/06.

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