When Were the World's Religions Founded?
A visual timeline showing the approximate founding dates of major world religions.
Approximate founding or emergence dates
1500 BCE
Present
Hinduism~1500 BCE
Judaism~1200 BCE
Zoroastrianism~1000 BCE
Buddhism~500 BCE
Confucianism~500 BCE
Jainism~500 BCE
Taoism~400 BCE
Christianity~30 CE
Islam610 CE
Sikhism1500 CE
Bahá'í Faith1844 CE
Dates are approximate and based on scholarly consensus. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica.
The data behind the chart
| Religion | Approximate date |
|---|---|
| Hinduism | ~1500 BCE |
| Judaism | ~1200 BCE |
| Zoroastrianism | ~1000 BCE |
| Buddhism | ~500 BCE |
| Confucianism | ~500 BCE |
| Jainism | ~500 BCE |
| Taoism | ~400 BCE |
| Christianity | ~30 CE |
| Islam | 610 CE |
| Sikhism | 1500 CE |
| Bahá'í Faith | 1844 CE |
More infographics
Source
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, various religion entries; academic consensus dates.