Timeline of World Religions – From Oldest to Newest
Religions can be ordered three ways: by when scholars say they took shape, by their earliest roots, or by the religion's own tradition. The light bar marks roots, the dark bar the religion since it took shape, and ◆ the traditional date where it is earlier. Many dates are estimates.
- African Traditional Religions Prehistory Prehistory – very ancient traditions with no known date
- Hinduism 1500 BCE Roots in the Indus Valley civilisation; Vedic culture from about 1500 BCE
- Chinese Folk Religion 1250 BCE Prehistoric roots; ancestor worship documented under the Shang dynasty (about 1250 BCE)
- Zoroastrianism 1000 BCE Various estimates between 1500 and 600 BCE
- Judaism 1000 BCE Israelites documented from about 1200 BCE; the kingdoms from about 1000 BCE. Tradition: Abraham, about 1800 BCE
- Jainism 500 BCE Parshva (9th–8th centuries BCE, uncertain); Mahavira (6th–5th centuries BCE)
- Confucianism 500 BCE Confucius (551–479 BCE)
- Buddhism 450 BCE The Buddha – 5th century BCE (approximately)
- Christianity 30 CE Ministry of Jesus and his apostles (about 30 CE)
- Taoism (Daoism) 142 CE Ideas from the 6th–4th centuries BCE; organised religion from 142 CE
- Islam 610 CE First revelation to Muhammad (610)
- Shinto 700 CE Prehistoric roots; took shape in the 7th–8th centuries CE
- Druze Faith 1017 CE 1017 CE
- Sikhism 1500 CE Guru Nanak (about 1500)
- Bahá'í Faith 1863 CE The Báb (1844) and Bahá'u'lláh (1863)
African Traditional Religions
Hinduism
Zoroastrianism
Judaism
Confucianism
Buddhism
Christianity
Taoism (Daoism)
Islam
Shinto
Druze Faith
Sikhism
Bahá'í FaithFrequently asked questions
What is the order of religions from oldest to youngest?
By the approximate date scholars give for when each religion took shape: African Traditional Religions (prehistory), Hinduism (1500 BCE), Chinese Folk Religion (1250 BCE), Zoroastrianism (1000 BCE), Judaism (1000 BCE), Jainism (500 BCE), Confucianism (500 BCE), Buddhism (450 BCE), Christianity (30 CE), Taoism (142 CE), Islam (610 CE), Shinto (700 CE), Druze Faith (1017 CE), Sikhism (1500 CE), Bahá'í Faith (1863 CE). Many of these dates are estimates, and ordering by earliest roots or by each religion's own tradition changes the order slightly.
What is the oldest religion in the world?
There is no single agreed answer. The traditional African religions and Chinese folk religion have prehistoric roots with no known date. Among the major religions with scriptures, Hinduism is often described as the oldest still practised, with roots in the Indus Valley civilisation and Vedic culture from about 1500 BCE. Zoroastrianism and Judaism are also among the oldest; by Jewish tradition, Abraham lived around 1800 BCE.
Which is the youngest religion on this site?
The Bahá'í Faith, which took shape in the 19th century: the Báb declared his mission in 1844 and Bahá'u'lláh in 1863. Before it on the timeline comes Sikhism (Guru Nanak, about 1500). Many newer religious movements exist around the world as well.