英美国家概况--宗教介绍

Chapter8AMERICANANDBRITISHRELIGIONANINTRODUCTIONTOTHEENGLISH-SPEAKINGCOUNTRIESThreeGreatWorldReligionsBuddhismIslamChristianityAmericanReligionTheimportanceofreligioninAmerican’slifeReligiouslibertyinUSMainreligiouspreferencesofAmericansFeaturesofAmericanreligionBritishReligion8.1ThreeGreatWorldReligions•Therearethreegreatworldreligions:Buddhism----Islam----Christianity----8.1.1Buddhismataglance•Buddhismisatraditionthatfocusesonpersonalspiritualdevelopmentandtheattainmentofadeepinsightintothetruenatureoflife.•Buddhismteachesthatalllifeisinterconnected,socompassionisnaturalandimportant.•Buddhistsstriveforadeepinsightintothetruenatureoflifeanddonotworshipgodsordeities['di:iti;'di:əti]神.•BuddhismismainlydistributedoverSouthernandEasternAsia.•ItssymbolistheLotus.8.1.1Buddhismataglance8.1.1Buddhismataglance•Buddhismis2,500yearsold.•Therearecurrently376millionfollowersworldwide.•BuddhismaroseasaresultofSiddharthaGautama(乔达摩悉达多，释迦牟尼)’squestforEnlightenmentinaroundthe6thcenturyBC.•Buddhismbelievethatnothingisfixedorpermanent---changeisalwayspossible.8.1.1Buddhismataglance•ThetwomainBuddhistsectsareTheravada[.θerə'vɑ:də]Buddhism（小乘佛教）andMahayana[.mɑ:hə'jɑ:nə]Buddhism（大乘佛教）,buttherearemanymore.•Buddhismisaverycolorfulfaithwithmanyfestivalsthroughouttheyear.•Buddhistscanworshipbothathomeoratatemple.•ThepathtoEnlightenmentisthroughthepracticeanddevelopmentofmorality,meditationandwisdom.8.1.2Islamataglance•IslambeganinArabia[ə'reibjə;ə'reibiə]阿拉伯半岛（亚洲）andwasrevealed透露tohumanitybytheProphet['prɔfit]预言者，先知Muhammad[mu'hæməd](穆罕默德).ThosewhofollowIslamarecalledMuslims穆斯林.•MuslimsbelievethatthereisonlyoneGod.TheArabicwordforGodisAllah['ælə](真主阿拉).•ThewordIslammeans“submissiontothewillofGod”.•Islamisthesecondlargestreligionintheworldwithover1billionfollowers.8.1.2Islamataglance8.1.2Islamataglance•AccordingtoMuslims,Godsentanumberofprophets先知tomankindtoteachthemhowtoliveaccordingtoHislaw.•TheybelievethatthefinalProphetwasMuhammad.•MuslimsbelievethatIslamhasalwaysexisted,butforpracticalpurposes,datetheirreligionfromthetimeofthemigrationofMuhammad.•MuslimsbasetheirlawsontheirholybooktheQur’an/Alcoran(古兰经),andtheSunnah(圣行).•MuslimsbelievetheSunnahisthepracticalexampleofProphetMuhammadandthattherearefivebasicPillarsofIslam(伊斯兰教的五功，即宗教义务).Thesepillarsarethedeclarationoffaith,prayingfivetimesaday,givingmoneytocharity,fasting(斋戒)andapilgrimagetoMecca['mekə]麦加(atleastonce).8.1.3Christianityataglance8.1.3Christianityataglance•Christianityistheworld’sbiggestreligion,withabout2.1billionfollowersworldwide.ItisbasedontheteachingsofJesusChristwholivedintheHolyLand2,000yearsago.•ChristiansbelievethatJesuswastheMessiah/mi'saiə/(救世主)promisedintheOldTestament.•ChristiansbelievethatJesusChrististheSonofGod.•ChristiansbelievethatGodsenthisSontoearthtosavehumanityfromtheconsequencesofitssins.•OneofthemostimportantconceptsinChristianityisthatofJesusgivinghislifeontheCross(theCrucifixion[.kru:si'fikʃən;.kru:sə'fikʃən]耶稣受难)andrisingfromthedeadonthethirdday(theResurrection[.rezə'rekʃən]).8.1.3Christianityataglance•ChristiansbelievethatthereisonlyoneGod,butthattherearethreeelementstothisoneGod:---GodtheFather---GodtheSon---TheHolySpirit•Christiansworshipinchurches.•Theirspiritualleadersarecalledpriestsorministers.•TheChristianholybookistheBible,andconsistsoftheOldandNewTestaments.•ChristianholydayssuchasEasterandChristmasareimportantmilestonesintheWesternsecularcalendar.8.1.3Christianityataglance8.1.3ChristianityataglanceTheHolyBible8.2AmericanReligion•ThepeopleintheUSAaregreatloversofreligion.•36%---Protestants;•24%---RomanCatholicChurchgoers;•3%---Jews;•2%---OrthodoxChurchgoers•30principalgroupsintheProtestantChurch•Over3/5ofallAmericanreligiouspeopleareProtestants8.2AmericanReligionTheWashingtonNationalCathedral8.2AmericanReligionTheBasilica[bə'silikə]oftheNationalShrineoftheImmaculate[i'mækjulit;i'mækjəlit]无过失的ConceptioninWashington,D.C.,isthelargestCatholicchurchintheUnitedStates.8.2AmericanReligion----CrystalCathedral[kə'θi:drəl],aProtestant新教megachurchinCaliforniaTheSaltLakeTempleofTheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints,inSaltLakeCity,UtahisawellknownsymboloftheChurchandMormonism----8.2AmericanReligionTheIslamicCenterofAmericainMichiganisthelargestmosque[mɔsk]清真寺intheUnitedStates.8.2.1TheimportanceofreligioninAmerican’slife•VariousAmericanpresidentshaveoftenstatedtheimportanceofreligion.On20February1955,PresidentDwightD.Eisenhowerstatedthat“RecognitionoftheSupremeBeingisthefirst,themostbasic,expressionofAmericanism.”PresidentGeraldFordagreedwithandrepeatedthisstatementin1974.•GallupInternationalindicatesthat41%ofAmericancitizensreporttheyregularlyattendreligiousservices,comparedto15%ofFrenchcitizens,10%ofUKcitizensand7.5%ofAustraliancitizens.8.2.1TheimportanceofreligioninAmerican’slife•Historicperspective:•FromthebeginningofAmericanhistory,religionsandreligiousbelievershaveplayedacentralroleinshapingpublicpolicyandpoliticaldebate.FormostoftheEuropeansettlerswhocametoNorthAmericainthe17thcenturyfromEngland,FranceandSpain---allnationswithestablis