Religion Quiz

World Religions: Faith, Belief, and Practice

Religion is one of the most universal and enduring aspects of human civilization, with evidence of religious practice found in archaeological records going back at least 70,000 - 80,000 years. Today, approximately 84% of the world's population identifies with a religious group. Christianity is the world's largest religion with approximately 2.4 billion adherents, followed by Islam (1.9 billion), Hinduism (1.2 billion), Buddhism (500 million), and Sikhism (about 30 million). Judaism, though small in numbers (around 14 - 15 million), has had enormous historical and cultural influence.

The world's major religions can be broadly divided into Abrahamic faiths (those descending from the tradition of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Dharmic faiths (originating in the Indian subcontinent: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism), and East Asian religions (including Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto). Each tradition has its own sacred texts, practices, holy sites, and calendar of observances. Try the Bible Quiz for Christian scripture knowledge, or test yourself with the Christian Quiz for broader Christian knowledge.

Some important comparisons: all three Abrahamic faiths believe in one God (monotheism) and recognize Abraham as a patriarch; Judaism's sacred text is the Torah (the five books of Moses); Christianity's is the Bible; Islam's is the Quran. Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion, with roots stretching back over 4,000 years, and has no single founder or central authority. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in the 5th - 4th centuries BCE and teaches the path to enlightenment through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.