Religion: A system of beliefs and practices about the sacred, often shared by a community
Monotheism: Belief in one God
Polytheism: Belief in many gods
Faith: Trust or belief in a religion's teachings
Judaism: One of the oldest monotheistic religions, began in the Middle East about 4,000 years ago
Torah: The first five books of the Hebrew Bible; central text of Judaism
Synagogue: Jewish house of worship and community
Rabbi: Jewish teacher and leader
Sabbath (Shabbat): Jewish weekly day of rest from Friday evening to Saturday evening
Passover: Jewish spring festival remembering the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt
Hanukkah: Jewish festival of lights in winter
Yom Kippur: Jewish Day of Atonement, a day of fasting and prayer
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
Bar and bat mitzvah: Ceremonies marking a Jewish young person's religious responsibility
Christianity: Religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; the largest religion in the world
Bible: Holy book of Christianity, with the Old and New Testaments
Church: Christian house of worship
Christmas: Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, on December 25 in most churches
Easter: Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus
Trinity: Christian teaching of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant: The three main branches of Christianity
Islam: Religion founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad; followers are called Muslims
Quran: Holy book of Islam, believed by Muslims to be God's word
Mosque: Muslim house of worship
Five Pillars of Islam: Faith, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage
Ramadan: Islamic month of fasting from dawn to sunset
Eid al-Fitr: Festival marking the end of Ramadan
Eid al-Adha: Festival of sacrifice at the time of the Hajj
Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca
Mecca: Holy city in Saudi Arabia that Muslims face when praying
Imam: Leader of prayer in a mosque
Hinduism: Ancient religion of India with many gods and traditions
Vedas: Oldest sacred texts of Hinduism
Bhagavad Gita: Hindu scripture about duty and devotion
Temple (mandir): Hindu house of worship
Brahman: The supreme reality in Hindu thought
Karma: The idea that actions have consequences, in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain thought
Reincarnation: Belief that the soul is reborn after death
Diwali: Hindu festival of lights, also observed by Sikhs and Jains
Holi: Hindu spring festival of colors
Ganges River: River considered sacred by Hindus
Buddhism: Religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha
Buddha: Means 'awakened one'
Four Noble Truths: Buddhist teachings about suffering and how to end it
Eightfold Path: Buddhist guide to ethical living and meditation
Nirvana: Buddhist goal of freedom from suffering
Meditation: A practice of focused attention and calm
Monk: A man who lives a religious life in a monastery
Wesak (Vesak): Festival marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death
Sikhism: Monotheistic religion founded in Punjab by Guru Nanak in the 1400s
Guru Granth Sahib: Sikh holy scripture
Gurdwara: Sikh house of worship
Five Ks: Articles of faith worn by initiated Sikhs
Jainism: Indian religion stressing nonviolence toward all living things
Confucianism: Chinese philosophy based on Confucius that stresses respect, learning and family
Daoism: Chinese tradition of living in harmony with the Dao, or Way
Shinto: Japan's native tradition honoring kami, or spirits
Bahá'í Faith: Religion founded in the 1800s that teaches the unity of humanity
Indigenous religions: Traditions of native peoples, often tied to land and ancestors
Animism: Belief that natural things have spirits
Zoroastrianism: Ancient Persian religion with the prophet Zoroaster
Humanism: A non-religious outlook focused on human values and reason
Atheism: Lack of belief in a god or gods
Agnosticism: The view that the existence of God cannot be known
Secular: Not connected to religion
Interfaith: Involving people of different religions
Religious freedom: The right to follow your own beliefs
Scripture: Sacred writings
Pilgrimage: Journey to a holy place
Prayer: Communication with the divine
Ritual: A set of actions performed for a religious purpose
Clergy: Religious leaders
Place of worship: Church, synagogue, mosque, temple, gurdwara or shrine
Golden Rule: Many traditions teach to treat others as you want to be treated
Number of followers (approx.): Christianity and Islam are the two largest; Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism follow in various order
Respect: Learning about faiths helps people understand and respect each other

Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/world-religions-basics