Final answer:
World religions share commonalities such as an afterlife concept and sacred stories, with the role of religion fulfilling social needs and addressing life's profound questions. Shamanism and institutionalized religions have both similarities and differences in structure and beliefs, while symbolism plays a crucial role in expressing religious concepts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religious similarities are essential in understanding the universal nature of religious experience. A major similarity that many world religions share, especially among the Religions of the West such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is the belief in an afterlife. These religions also often share common stories within their sacred texts, contributing to a shared religious heritage.
Discussing religion, it's crucial to recognize the role of religion in social life. They establish norms, provide moral guidance, and answer profound existential questions, thus meeting essential social needs. When comparing religions, such as shamanism and institutionalized religions, commonalities include rituals, the significance of spiritual leaders, and a belief in otherworldly realms or beings. However, they differ in structure, with shamanism being less hierarchically organized.
The symbolism in religion is of immense significance as it allows for the expression of complex beliefs and the embodiment of values and spiritual concepts. Lastly, the classification of religions, from animism and polytheism to monotheism and atheism, represents the diversity and complexity within spiritual beliefs around the world.