What you’ll learn to do: explain the basic tenets of major world religions

Figure 1. A Buddhist monk sits with their hands clasped. The concept of the “middle way” is central to Buddhist thinking, which encourages people to live in the present and to practice acceptance of others (Smith 1991). (Photo courtesy of Peter Hershey/unsplash)

The major religions of the world (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, and Judaism) differ in many respects, including how each religion is organized and the belief system, or common tenets, each upholds. Differences include the nature of belief in a higher power, the history of how the world and the religion began, and the use of sacred texts and objects.