How many religions are there?
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When we think of religion, we might first picture the most well-known faiths like Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Judaism. But religion is far more diverse than just a few global names. In fact, there are thousands of religions around the world – some with millions of followers, and others with only a handful of believers.
A religion is usually a set of beliefs about life, the universe, and a higher power or powers. It often involves practices such as prayer, rituals, celebrations, and a shared way of life. While some religions have been around for thousands of years, others are much newer. New spiritual movements and belief systems continue to emerge all the time.
Worldwide, scholars estimate there are more than 4,000 recognised religions. These include large, organised faiths as well as smaller, less formal belief systems. In the UK, the 2021 census asked people about their religion, and most respondents chose one of the major world religions – with Christianity still being the m...
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