Religious leaders and founders have had a profound impact on human history, shaping the beliefs and practices of billions of people across the globe. In a recent video by WatchMojo, they highlight the top 10 most impactful religious leaders of all time. From Martin Luther and Moses to Jesus and more, these individuals have left a lasting legacy that continues to influence society today.
Martin Luther, a former monk responsible for the Protestant Reformation, challenged the corruption within the church and sparked a new age in Christian theology. Moses, an Egyptian raised Jewish prince, led his people to freedom and delivered the Ten Commandments, shaping Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, became a cornerstone of Hindu philosophy and theology.
Confucious, the Chinese philosopher, emphasized personal morality and became one of China’s greatest thinkers, while Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism, introduced the concept of monotheism and influenced three major world religions. Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, founded Buddhism, a religion that spread across Asia and challenged societal norms.
Muhammad, the founder of Islam, unified the Arab world and sparked a golden age of science and philosophy in the region. Jesus of Nazareth, to Christians the Son of God, preached love and compassion, shaping Christianity into the world’s largest religion.
These religious leaders and founders have left an indelible mark on human history, inspiring billions to live a life of faith and spiritual conviction. Their influence continues to shape our world today, reminding us of the power of belief and the impact of their teachings on society.
Watch the video by WatchMojo.com
Extremely radical revolutionary figure that was going to bring more change than they had seen since the time of the prophets welcome to watch Mojo and today we’re counting down our picks for iconic religious leaders and Founders whose influence has shaped human history 14400 years ago a man born here in Mecca in
Saudi Arabia changed the course of world history number 10 Martin Luther Martin Luther was the former monk responsible for the Protestant Reformation dissatisfied with perceived corruption within the church Luther sought change he loathed indulgences or the notion that wealthy people could pay the church a bribe to amarate their sins your pope
The Vicor of Christ sends you a gift a gift to save you from such fires a special Indulgence granted for the building of St Peter’s Church in Rome he believed that the Latin Mass alienated the clergy from the people he wanted the Liturgy to be delivered in the vernacular language
Along with Latin Luther also emphasized the importance of inner spiritual repentance over Catholic sacraments and confession he posted his ideas to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg Christ did not command the preaching of indulgences but of the Gospel with the help of the Gutenberg printing press Luther’s ideas spread like wildfire
While centuries of sectarian violence were an unintended consequence Luther’s ideas sparked a new age in Christian theology number nine St Peter in the Christian Bible Peter was one of 12 Apostles of Jesus Jesus Christ despite being one of a dozen he ended up being the most important his Spirit Catholics
Believe now guards the Gates of Heaven his body inomed at St Peter’s Basilica according to the Book of Matthew Jesus approached Peter and said that he would be the rock upon which Jesus’s Church would be built both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches consider Peter to have
Been the first ever Bishop of Rome that also makes him the first pope now the official view of the Vatican is that by coming to Rome and being martyred here Peter becomes its first Bishop the first of an Unbroken line of popes that stretches all the way to the present day
Though Peter was crucified by Emperor Nero his impact on Christendom couldn’t be stopped the Roman Catholic Church grew to be one of the most powerful wealthiest and influential religions in the history of the world number eight my manes Moses Ben myON AKA mades AKA rambam was a true Renaissance Man
Centuries before the Renaissance he was a scholar an astronomer and the personal physician of Saladin he also mastered what we call kma which is the universal wisdom of humankind he knew the works of Aristotle and Plato and the Islamic interpreters and so on his philosophical mathematical and scientific studies were
Incredibly popular throughout the Muslim World his lasting Legacy however was in Jewish law and ethics born in Spain his journey took him to Morocco and then Egypt where he led the Jewish Community by 1180 myones completed his magnum opus a 14 volume codification of Jewish Haka
Or law titled the mnat Torah today the Mish Torah is still a significant work in Jewish religions and legal analysis in his introduction Ram promised those who learned his work study the Torah of Moses and then study my mishna Torah and you will be fluent in Jewish law even
His critics are forced to contend with his interpretations number seven Krishna Krishna is seen and perceived and understood and experienced in many many different ways by different people in Hinduism the god Vishnu incarnates as a human from time to time to restore balance between good and evil the eighth of these
Incarnations was Lord Krishna according to Hindu tradition Krishna lived almost 5,000 years ago his life adventures and death are documented in many Hindu holy texts especially the Bhagavad Gita he’s been portrayed as a child a lover a trickster and a hero during different phases of his life krishna’s teachings
And beliefs became cornerstones of Hindu philosophy and theology his focus on sacred love and fulfilling human longing for the Divine have had a profound influence not just on Hinduism Vishnu and Krishna worship have helped influence Buddhism and sex of Islam amadia Muslims consider Krishna to be a prophet number six confucious 2,000
Years on this man remains a singular cultural figure and his influence is filed through boardrooms classrooms and living rooms around the world born around 551 BCE Confucius was a middle-class government bureaucrat his skill and wisdom led to to a swift rise in social standing and power later in
Life he would travel from one Chinese state to another spreading his philosophy wherever he went confucious exemplified benevolence and integrity and through his teaching became one of China’s greatest philosophers Confucianism is not a religion so much as an all-encompassing system of mostly secular beliefs confucious believed in both personal morality and a morally
Guided State he emphasized the importance of Education family and ancestor worship when in politics he advocated for peace and diplomacy over Warfare Confucianism grew to be the primary philosophy in China from the Imperial age to the modern era it’s Central to East Asian culture and has shaped the lives of Untold billions for
Many it is important to memorialize the man who offered so much wisdom to the Chinese sculture number five Moses that you may know the power of the Lord for seven days Egypt will thirst Moses was an Egyptian raised Jewish prince who grew up witnessing the atrocities against his people God UL imately
Commanded Moses to help set them free after a series of plagues Moses and his followers escaped Egypt wandering the desert to reach their Promised Land behold his mighty hand God presented Moses with two stone tablets outlining his 10 main Commandments for how the Jewish people should live do not Kneel To Me
Joshua these tablets of stone the writing of God but his impact isn’t confined to Judaism Moses is a major prophet in Islam and has had a huge impact on Christian iisan ity an entire strain of Christian thought Liberation theology is rooted in the story of Moses the belief that freeing
The oppressed from their oppressors has been Central to Western strains of Christianity from Latin America to Martin Luther King Jr number four Zoro Aster Zoroastrianism is the largest oldest religion you’ve never heard of before one of the oldest religions on the planet it has influenced Judaism Islam and even Christianity Zoro Aster
Or zarathustra was an ancient figure who would have lived 2500 to 3500 years ago his faith became the major religion of the ancient Persian Empire dominating the region for a thousand years until Islam there are no real details about the man Zoro Aster just his significant religious Legacy Zoroastrianism is the
First documented monotheistic faith in human history they were the dominant religion on Earth from 600 years before Jesus Christ to 600 years after his death it introduced the concept of an absolute good battling an absolute evil it also was the first major religion to discuss Heaven hell Free Will Eternal
Judgment a messiah or Angels and Demons without Zoroastrianism the foundational beliefs of three abrahamic religions that sprouted in its place might never existed number three sarta Goa the Buddha the Indian Sage whose story inspired one of the world’s great religions sidharta Goa was an Indian prince who lived around 500 years before
The birth of Christ he was wealthy self-indulgent and ignorant of all the world world’s problems when he witnessed poverty and suffering in his subjects his entire life changed he espoused a life of aestheticism uing Earthly attachments in order to achieve enlightenment there is no knowledge one without sacrifice in order to gain
Anything you must first lose everything he became known as the Buddha and his religion spread all over Asia Buddhism isn’t just a religion it’s an ethical system and philosophy Buddhism started a social movement in India bucking against the cast system attracting the poor and the oppressed everywhere Buddhism spread
It changed incorporating parts of local culture and religions today Buddhism is the world’s fourth largest religion with over half a billion followers number two Muhammad 14400 years ago a man born here in Mecca in Saudi Arabia changed the course of world history Islam the world’s second largest Faith was founded
By the prophet Muhammad Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last in a long line of prophets his words are in their estimation the culmination of everything espoused by Judaism and Christianity Muhammad Unified a large chunk of the Arab world if you had to rate the top
People in the history of the world as Leaders the name of Muhammad would be in the top three in the centuries following his life the spread of Islam led to a golden age of Science and philosophy in the region the Islamic empire was the center of progress in literature to
Philosophy science to medicine and Mathematics to OD the world’s first ever University was established in Morocco in 859 mathematics astronomy and science underwent significant advancement in modern times fundamentalist Islam has clashed with the West those conflicts have underpinned much of the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century before we unveil our top pick
Here are a few honorable mentions Guru nanak this poet and Scholar traveled the world and founded sism we’re talking about a Visionary who played a role in reshaping Society Sababa of Sheri Sababa is one of the few people to become both a Hindu Saint and a Muslim fakir he
Existed as a complete Consciousness pure Consciousness so that is the that’s the main thing about Baba s Augustine this bishop of Hippo regius was the most important Theologian of early Christendom he lived a tumultuous early life but ended up saving the church from two major controversies and is certainly
A saint you should know di Lama gendun Dr gendun DRP was the first of 14 human reincarnations of the bodas Suva of compassion an enlightened being who’s chosen rebirth as a human being so he can be on this world to help others Joseph Smith Jr Joseph Smith founded
Mormonism one of the fastest growing religions of the 21st century latterday Saints believe that God called Joseph Smith to restore the fullness of his gospel to the Earth before we continue be sure to subscribe to our Channel and ring the bell to get notified about our
Latest videos you have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you’re on your phone make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications number one Jesus overall Jesus’s formative years were relatively simple but one day the boy Jesus becomes
A man who challenges an Empire and earns the name King of Kings to Christians Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Son of God to others he was a rabbi and a prophet whatever your beliefs we can all agree that Christianity has been a major engine for two Millennia of human
History Jesus preached the morality that transcended the law attracting the poor and downtrodden of the Roman Empire extremely radical revolutionary figure that was going to bring more change than they had seen since the time of the prophets Christianity was later shaped by St Paul a Jewish convert who wrote
Much of what we now know as the Christian Bible while Jesus preached compassion love and kindness his followers haven’t always lived up to his example for centuries Christianity spread throughout the world through Warfare as much as through the gospel today it is the world’s largest religion spreading to every every corner of the
Planet we live in a world shaped by generations of religious leaders and Prophets which did we leave off our list that you think should be on it please let us know in the comments below many problem is our own creation we forget Oneness of humanity did you enjoy this
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Video “Top 10 Most Impactful Religious Leaders of All Time” was uploaded on 03/31/2024 to Youtube Channel WatchMojo.com