From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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-	{{Template}}	+	#REDIRECT [[The European Miracle ]]
-	The term '''Western religion''' refers to [[religion]]s that originated within [[Western culture]], and are thus which historically, culturally, and theologically distinct from the [[Eastern religion]]s. The contrast between Western and Eastern religions largely pertains to the distinction between [[monotheism]] and [[polytheism]], respectively, and the term [[Abrahamic religion]] is often used in lieu of using the [[East and West]] terminology.	+
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-	Western culture itself was significantly developed through the emergence of [[Christianity]] as it was introduced in the [[Roman Empire]] in the late 4th century and evolved in the course of the European [[Middle Ages]], and the term "[[Christendom]]" largely indicates this intertwined history. Western Christianity was significantly influenced by [[Hellenistic religion]] (notably [[Platonism]] and [[Gnosticism]]) as well as the [[Roman imperial cult]]. Western Christianity is based on [[Roman Catholicism]] ([[Latin Rite]]), as opposed to [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], from which it was divided by the [[Great Schism]] of the 11th century, and further includes all [[Protestantism|Protestant traditions]] splitting off Roman Catholicism from the 16th century.	+
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-	Since the 19th century, Western religious practice has diversified into numerous [[new religious movement]]s, including [[Occultism]], [[Spiritism]] and diverse forms of [[Neopaganism]].	+
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-	==Antiquity==	+
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-	"The West" as a culture or civilization historically evolved out of Greco-Roman [[Classical Antiquity]]. These cultures had [[polytheistic]] religions, viz. [[Greek polytheism]] and [[Roman polytheism]]. "Eastern" influences on these religions are evident from earliest times, the [[Orientalizing period]] at the very beginning of Greek antiquity.	+
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-	During [[Hellenistic period|Hellenism]] and the [[Roman empire]] period, "Eastern" (Oriental) religions exerted a considerable influence on "Western" religion, giving rise to [[Persia]]n influenced traditions like [[Gnosticism]] and [[Mithraism]], as well as [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] and "[[Chaldea]]n" influence on [[Greco-Roman mysteries|mystery religion]]s ([[Orphism]]), [[astrology]] and [[Magic in the Greco-Roman world|magic]]. [[Early Christianity]] itself is a further example of Orientalizing influence on the later Roman empire.	+
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-	During the same period, inherited traditions of native [[Roman polytheism|Roman religion]] were marginalized or overlaid by ''[[interpretatio graeca]]'', and the [[Roman imperial cult]] evolved into a [[civil religion]] which involved state ritual rather than religious faith or experience. [[Celtic religion|Celtic]] and [[Germanic polytheism|Germanic]] religion was described by [[Roman ethnography]] as primitive, but at the same time as pure or unspoiled compared to the urban decadence of Rome.	+
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-	==Western Christianity==	+
-	:''[[Western Christianity]]''	+
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-	Western Christianity is based on [[Roman Catholicism]] ([[Latin Rite]]), as opposed to [[Eastern Orthodoxy]], from which it was divided by the [[Great Schism]] of the 11th century.	+
-	Western Christianity itself was divided by the [[Protestant Reformation]] in the 16th century, and pronouncedly "Western" forms of Christianity include [[Puritan]]ism and [[Evangelicalism]], movements resulting from the various "[[Great Awakening]]s" in the 18th to 20th century [[Anglosphere]] and popularly practiced in the [[USA]].	+
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-	==Renaissance magic==	+
-	:''[[Renaissance magic]], [[Western esotericism]], [[alchemy]]''	+
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-	==Secularization==	+
-	:''[[Secularism]], [[Freedom of religion]], [[History of atheism]]''	+
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-	Following the [[religious war]]s of the 16th to 17th centuries, the [[Age of Enlightenment]] of the 18th century paved the way for a detachment of society and politics from religious questions. Inspired by the [[American Revolution]], the [[French Revolution]] brought the ideal of [[secularization]] and a [[laicist]] state granting [[freedom of religion]] to Europe. After the turmoils of the [[Napoleonic Wars]], this development caught hold in other parts of Europe, by means of the [[German Mediatisation]] and the [[separation of church and state]] in numerous European constitutions drawn up after the [[revolutions of 1848]].	+
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-	==New religious movements==	+
-	:''[[New religious movement, [[Occultism]], [[New Age]], [[Neopaganism]]''	+
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-	The principle of religious freedom introduced in Western society in the early 19th century facilitated the emergence of numerous [[new religious movement]]s. Early examples were derived from western [[occultism]] and the tradition of [[secret societies]] such as the [[Freemasons]], but from the later 19th century, influence of [[Eastern religions]], notably [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]] played an increasing role.	+
-	From the mid 20th century, Eastern and Western spiritual traditions were increasingly [[syncretism|syncretized]] in the various movements associated with the [[New Age]] and [[Neopagan]] countercultures.	+
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-	==Religion in the Western world today==	+
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-	The "[[Western world]]" taken as consisting of Europe, North America and Australia-New Zealand remains predominantly Christian: 78.5% in the USA (2002), 77% in Canada (2001), close to 80% in Europe (includes [[Eastern Orthodoxy]] in Eastern Europe, not properly part of "Western religion", 32.4% of Europeans are Roman Catholic, 16.2% are Protestant) and 64% in Australia (2006).	+
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-	The second largest religions in all these regions are smaller by at least an order of magnitude, [[Islam in Europe]] with about 4%, [[Islam in Canada]] with about 2%, [[Judaism in the United States]] with about 1.7%,	+
-	and [[Islam in Australia]] with about 1.7%.	+
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-	Most non-Christians in the Western world are [[irreligious]], 30% in Australia, 18% in Europe, 16.1% in the USA and 16% in Canada. This is a reflection of the tradition of [[secular humanism]] which culminated in the 18th century "[[Age of Enlightenment]]" and which allowed the great progress in [[science and technology]] which accompanied the "[[European miracle]]".	+
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-	There remains a minority of the order of 5% of the population in the Western world which adheres to non-Western religions, mostly due to recent [[immigration]], but to some extent also due to [[proselytization]], notably conversion to various sects of [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]] in the context of the [[New Age]] movement in the later part of the 20th century.	+
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-	==See also==	+
-	* [[Eastern religions]]	+
-	* [[Hellenistic Judaism]]	+
-	* [[Platonism]]	+
-	* [[Western culture]]	+
-	* [[Religion in Europe]]	+
-	* [[Religion in the United States]]	+
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-	{{GFDL}}	+

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Current revision

1. REDIRECT The European Miracle