WORLD RELIGIONS

Something to think about… Why and how do religions start? How might geography influence religion?

FIVE World Religions 1. Hinduism 2. Judaism 3. Buddhism 4. Christianity 5. Islam

Hinduism Worlds oldest religion. It has no founder. Probably started with the religious beliefs of the Aryans and the first people who lived in the Indus River Valley. A religion with many gods, and many beliefs- seven truths and reincarnation.

Judaism Abraham was a shepherd in Ur, when God spoke to him and told him to travel to Canaan in 1800 BC. Abraham is considered to be the first Jew. The Hebrew bible says that God told Abraham to move to Canaan and he would take care of him and his people.

Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama, the man who came to be known as the Buddha, or “The Enlightened One” was born in 563 BC. He was born into a wealthy ruling family and his father protected him from the world. When he became an adult, he left the palace and saw a sick man and a poor monk. After thinking about these things, he left his comfortable palace life and began his lifelong journey.

Christianity Christianity was started around 15 AD by Jesus, a Jewish man who grew up in Nazareth. The Christian religion is centered around Jesus’s teachings which are documented in the New Testament of the Bible.

Islam During Muhammad’s meditations in 610 AD, God revealed to him the religions of Islam. By 613, he began teaching publicly that there is only one God and that this God requires people to submit to him. The Arabic word for submission is Islam, and believers in Islam are called Muslim.

Poster Project Each group will complete a poster on one of the five major religions.