One World, Many Paths: Comparing the World's Major Religions

Imagine you are walking through a city and you pass a mosque, a synagogue, a temple, a church, and a gurdwara — all on the same street. Billions of people across the world follow different religions, yet many of them are asking the same big questions: Why are we here? How should we live? What happens after we die? Before you read on, think about this: do you think different religions could share similar answers to these questions, or do you think their answers are completely different? Hold that thought — this lesson will help you investigate.

There are thousands of religions in the world. Scholars often focus on six that have the largest number of followers globally: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Comparative religion means studying these traditions side by side — looking for what they share and where they differ. **Core Beliefs** Every religion has a worldview — a set of ideas about the nature of reality, the divine, and the human being. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are monotheistic: they each teach belief in one God. Hinduism is more complex — it has one ultimate reality (Brahman) expressed through many deities, a view called henotheistic by some scholars. Buddhism, uniquely, does not centre on a creator god at all; it focuses on the teachings of the Buddha and the path to ending suffering. Sikhism is strictly monotheistic and emphasises equality and service to all humanity. **Sacred Texts** Each tradition has authoritative texts. Christians use the Bible (Old and New Testaments). Muslims regard the Qur'an as the direct word of God, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Jews study the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) alongside the Talmud, a collection of rabbinic discussion. Hindus have a rich library including the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita. Buddhists look to the teachings of the Buddha, collected in texts such as the Pali Canon. Sikhs revere the Guru Granth Sahib, which is treated with the respect given to a living teacher. **Practices and Worship** Religions also differ in how followers practise their faith. Prayer is central to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism — though the form varies widely. Muslims pray five times daily facing Mecca; this is called Salah. Jewish prayer can be communal or private and follows a prayer book called the Siddur. Christians may pray individually or together in church. In Hinduism, worship at home or in a temple is called Puja. Buddhist practice often centres on meditation — training the mind to achieve clarity and compassion. Sikhs gather in a gurdwara and serve the community through Langar, a shared meal open to anyone. **Shared Themes** Despite these differences, comparative study reveals striking overlaps. Almost all major religions teach some version of the Golden Rule — treat others as you would wish to be treated. Most address questions of justice, compassion, suffering, and what it means to live a good life. Recognising these shared themes does not erase differences; it shows that humanity, across cultures, wrestles with the same deep questions. **Worked Example:** Theme: The afterlife - Christianity: Most traditions teach that after death, souls face judgement and may experience heaven or hell based on faith and deeds. - Islam: Teaches a Day of Judgement (Yawm al-Qiyamah) when all souls are judged; paradise (Jannah) or punishment (Jahannam) follows. - Buddhism: Does not teach a permanent soul; instead, karma — the moral weight of actions — influences rebirth in a cycle called samsara, until enlightenment (Nirvana) is reached and the cycle ends. Similarity: All three address what happens after physical death. Difference: Buddhism rejects a permanent individual soul judged by God; Christianity and Islam centre on divine judgement of a soul.