The religions of modern societies have the following features

The religions of modern societies have the following features:

(i) It is historical, that is, its origin can be traced.

(ii) It is usually a founded religion. The founder is attributed with divine powers, recognised as the incarnation of God, the son of God, or the messenger of God.

(iii) The knowledge of belief and ritual is codified and textualised,

(iv) Faith is organised around the personality of the founder.

(v) It is a highly intellectualised form. It possesses a body of doctrine, which the adherents are ‘ required to believe in and follow. To continue the doctrinal system and to propagate a particular ideology there grows a clan of specialists, preachers, monks, and ascetics who devote their lives exclusively for this purpose. Major Types of World Religions. Four types of religions are to be found in the world:

(1) Monotheism Belief in one God e.g. Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

(2) Polytheism Belief in multiple deities e.g. Hinduism.

(3) Ethical Religion Emphasises the practice of an ethical life, so as to produce harmony, in both social and personal life; usually do not believe in God; e.g. Buddhism,. Confucianism, Taoism.

(4) Ancestral Religion Glorifies ancestors, and sometimes the state as represented by its leader e.g. Shintoism.