1. Judaism, Christianity and Islam

2. SS6G11
b. Describe the major religions in Europe; include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
SS7G8
C. The student will be able to compare and contrast the various main religions that began in The Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)

3. Judaism

4. There are approximately fifteen million Jews throughout the world.
Judaism is the oldest religion of the western world and influenced Christianity and Islam.
There are approximately fifteen million Jews throughout the world.
Almost ½ of the world’s Jewish population lives in The United States
The Jewish “Star of David” is a hexagram. Legend states that David, the 1st King of Israel, had this symbol drawn on his shield as a protection during battle.

5. The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Jewish people and trace their ancestry to Abraham, who left his home in the Mesopotamian city of Ur about 2200BC.
They were monotheistic- they believed in only one God. The Hebrews believed they were God’s chosen people.

6. The first King of Israel was David.
The Hebrews established a nation they called Israel on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
The first King of Israel was David.
Yep, the same guy as the story of David and Goliath in The Bible.

7. About 1300BC, many Hebrews moved to Egypt to escape a famine
About 1300BC, many Hebrews moved to Egypt to escape a famine. They were eventually enslaved by the Egyptians.
According to Hebrew tradition, God sent ten deadly plagues to Egypt when the Egyptians would not release the Hebrew slaves. When the Hebrews did escape, tradition states that Moses, the leader of the Hebrews, parted the Red Sea for the Hebrews to pass. After their escape across the Red Sea 1250BC, God revealed The Ten Commandments to Moses.

8. KNOW THIS !!!!!!
The Ten Commandments formed the basis of Jewish Law and became the model for both Jewish (and later Christian) legal and moral thought.

9. The 10 Commandments

10. The Hebrews returned to Israel, but they were conquered by several other cultures. In time, most of the Hebrews were forced to leave Israel, beginning a period known as the Diaspora (the scattering of The Jewish People).
This is critical, because it was during these “gaps” in Hebrew/Jewish control of the area, that many other people of differing faiths and cultures moved in. (ex: Arab Muslims)
The creation of the Jewish nation of Israel in 1948 provided the first time, in several hundred years, that people of the Jewish Faith ran their own government .

11. Words and Terms to Know Hebrews Monotheism Ten Commandments Diaspora
Holocaust
Synagogue
Rabbi- “my master” in Hebrew. The leader (preacher) of a Jewish synagogue
Kosher
Talmud- document, written in the 3rd century, that defines the beliefs, practices and Faith of Judaism
Zionism-

12. Christianity

13. Quick Facts:
Based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus had a core group of 12 followers called Disciples
Christian teachings hold that Jesus was the son of God
The writings of the Disciples, about Jesus and his teachings, are called the Gospels.

14. Christianity began in the land of Palestine (present day Israel).
According to Hebrew (early Jewish people) tradition, a Messiah would come to deliver them from their oppressors
After Jesus' death and resurrection, the center of the church was Jerusalem.
Most Christians at this time were Jews by birth.

15. The early success of the Christians led to persecutions by Jewish religious leaders (Pharisees) and other Jewish officials, often driving them out of Palestine.
This began the movement of Christianity from Judaism into the Greek world.
The missionary Paul traveled in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), Greece, and even reached Rome.
Other missionaries went west to Rome and Spain, east into Mesopotamia and ultimately even as far as India.

16. The first Christians were brutally persecuted by The Roman Authorities, who did not understand their monotheism and “turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor” teachings. For the Romans, conquering their neighbors had help them build an empire.
Christians, sent into the Coliseum to face the lions

17. Around 300 AD, The Roman Emperor Constantine saw a vision of the symbol of Christ before a great victory just outside Rome. He took this as a sign that God wanted him to end the persecution of The Christians. He became a Christian and made it the official Roman religion.
Constantine’s conversion to Christianity spread the religion across 3 continents, Asia, Africa and Europe.

18. The Roman Catholic Church (the only Christian Church) grew so large that it split into two main sections.
There were two centers of Christianity. In Western Europe, Rome decided how Christians should act and worship. In the Eastern Byzantine Empire, Constantinople (in modern day Turkey) made those decisions.
Over time, those differences between the Christian religious practices of Rome and Constantinople increased. Romans said their religious services in Latin; the Byzantines used Greek.
In 1054 AD they split up

19. The Roman Catholic Church came to dominate Western Europe and many of the countries that would later conquer the new world. (ex: Spain, France, Portugal)
Western Europe: heavily influenced by Roman Catholicism
Eastern Europe: heavily influenced by Byzantine Orthodox (later called Eastern Orthodox)

20. The Protestant Reformation
A Catholic monk protests against The Catholic Church and starts a Christian revolution.
In 1517, Catholic monk Martin Luther, details (in his 95 Theses) abuses within the Catholic Church and his disagreements with church doctrine.
Luther’s biggest argument centered on the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences and the belief that by faith alone ( not necessarily through the Catholic Church), man could achieve the Kingdom of Heaven

21. Even today, the countries in Europe are predominantly either Roman Catholic Christians or Protestant Christians
Note: It would appear that the Eastern Orthodox Church would have more people because of the large amount of land it covers. However, it has less than the Western European Christian faiths, who have greater populations.
Eastern Orthodox
Protestant
Roman Catholic

22. Islam Mohammed is the founder of this religion.
A person who follows this religion is called a Muslim (one who submits).
This religion is mainly located in the Middle East.
The holy book is the Koran (Qur’an).
The place of worship is a mosque.
Minaret
Photograph by Ursula Dreibholz  

23. Islam – 5 Pillars of Faith
Profession of Faith
Prayer
Charity
Fasting
Pilgrimage

24. Islam-1st Pillar of Faith
Profession of Faith:
“There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.”
The Islam religion is monotheistic believing in one God – Allah.

25. Islam-2nd Pillar of Faith
“S’Up??”
5 times a day
Turn towards Mecca and pray to Allah.
MECCA!!

26. Islam-3rd Pillar of Faith
Charity - The Muslims believe in giving alms to the needy.

27. Islam- 4th Pillar of Faith
Fasting – The Muslims do not eat during Ramadan from sunrise to sunset.

28. Islam- 5th Pillar of Faith
Pilgrimage (Hajj) – Each Muslim must try to go to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
Kaaba – building in the center of the open mosque in Mecca which houses the black meteorite.

29. Islamic History
In the year 610 AD, Mohammed began to receive the word of God (Allah) from the angel Gabriel (Jabril, in Arabic).
By 622, authorities in Mecca feel that the new religion (and Mohammed) are a threat to their businesses and city and force Mohammed to flee to Medina
Mohammed’s flight from Mecca was called the Hijra. It worked out well for him. He became the mayor of Medina and it’s spiritual head. Medina converted to Islam.

30. Mohammed raises an army, while in Medina
Mohammed raises an army, while in Medina. In 630, he conquers Mecca and establishes the Kaaba as a holy Islamic site.
In 632 Mohammed dies, without leaving a definite successor.
The 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs (successors)
1st- Abu Bakir- friend of Mohammed, dies 632 AD (CE)
2nd- Umar- spreads Islam into Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and North Africa , dies in 644 AD (CE)
3rd- Uthman- elected Caliph due to good connections and politics. Weak leader who is killer by Muslims in 656 AD (CE)
4th- Ali- Mohammed’s cousin and son-in-law. Ignored hunt for Uthman’s killers and was killed by is supporters in 661 AD (CE)