1. Judaism and Christianity

2. Q: Where did Judaism and Christianity begin
Q: Where did Judaism and Christianity begin? A: In present day Israel (in the Middle East)

3. Judaism

4. Founders of Judaism
Abraham and Moses
Around 2000 B.C.E.

5. Abraham
Abraham lived around 2000 B.C.E in a city called Ur in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). In Abraham’s time people worshipped many gods. Abraham, however, believed in one god, called Yahweh.
Abraham and his wife Sarah went to Canaan (now Israel). Yahweh made a covenant (agreement) with him, Abraham would have many descendants who would live in Canaan (which they called the Promised Land) if Abraham remained faithful to Yahweh.

6. Yahweh’s “Covenant” With His People
The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible are called the Torah.
The most sacred text in the Jewish religious tradition.
The Torah

7. All the people who have descended from Abraham through his son Isaac are known as Jews (after one of Abraham’s great-grandsons, Judah).
Jewish people are also sometimes known as Israelites or Children of Israel, after Abraham’s grandson.
Traditionally, everyone born of a Jewish mother is a Jew, whether they actively participate in the religion or not.

8. Abraham’s Genealogy HAGAR ABRAHAM SARAH Ishmael Isaac
12 Arabian Tribes
Jacob
Esau
12 Tribes of Israel
Muslim Jewish

9. Moses
The Jewish people did not live in their Promised Land forever, as they had hoped.
Around 1300 B.C.E. they had to move to Egypt in search of food during a time of famine.
There they became slaves of the Egyptian Pharaoh.
They were freed by a Jewish man named Moses, and again headed back towards the Promised Land (Book of Exodus in the Bible).
Yahweh gave Moses his commandments on top of Mount Sinai.
They finally arrived and settled in Canaan, building a temple in which to worship Yahweh in the city of Jerusalem.

10. Moses and the 10 Commandments A new “covenant” with Yahweh

11. Before
Now

12. King David’s Empire

13. Solomon was David’s son
Solomon’s
Kingdom
Solomon was David’s son

14. Solomon’s kingdom split into two!
Kingdoms of
Judah
&
Israel
Solomon’s kingdom split into two!

15. History
Begins with stories of Abraham & Moses (led Hebrews out of Egypt to ‘promised land of Israel’)
David founded the kingdom of Israel
Kingdom became powerful until conquered by Babylonians (Jews sent into exile)
Return to kingdom, but ruled by foreign armies/empires for thousands of years

16. Well Known Stories of Judaism
Exodus - escape from Egypt
Abraham and Isaac
David and Goliath

17. Basic Beliefs Monotheistic: belief in one god
God is ethical and good, takes care of people
Need to follow God’s law and try to live a holy life
Ten Commandments
Rituals: Circumcision (outward sign of a man’s participation with God’s covenant, Bar Mitzvah (boys - age 13)/Bat Mitzvah (girls - age 12), prayer
Religious leaders: rabbis

18. Torah: is written in Hebrew

19. Symbols of Judaism
Star of David Menorah

20. Synagogue: where Jews worship

21. Holy Sites
Jerusalem
Western (Wailing) Wall (site of Solomon’s Temple)

22. The Temple Mount in Jerusalem Today
Solomon’s Temple Wall: The Western Wall

26. How did the Romans treat Jews?
Jews refused to worship Roman gods.
At first the Romans didn’t make the Jews worship Roman gods, but did make the Jews pay taxes instead. They still had to follow Roman rule.
By 66 C.E. Jewish discontent with Roman rule resulted in rebellion.
Roman forces captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish temple. Growing numbers of Jews left Judea.

27. The Jewish Diaspora
By the end of the first century BCE, Rome had taken over the eastern Mediterranean and the Jewish population was spread through many cities of the east. In the third and fourth centuries CE there were substantial Jewish settlements in most major eastern cities and many western provinces as well.

28. Christianity

29. Founders of Christianity
Jesus of Nazareth, Around 4 B.C.E C.E.
(Christians believe he is the son of God)
Spread by Paul in 1st Century C.E.
(Paul was a Jew who converted to
Christianity)

30. Miracles of Jesus

31. Brief History
Shares early history with Judaism (Torah = 1st five books of Old Testament). Ten commandments.
Life of Jesus: Jewish carpenter preaches new message about God.
New message (He is Son of God and through faith/forgiveness of sins one can reach heaven).
Jesus crucified for his beliefs (about age 33yrs).
Message of Christianity spread throughout Roman Empire by Paul (New Testament letters).

32. The Beginnings of Christianity in Bethlehem

33. Jesus’ Mission
Baptism
Agony in the Garden
Crucifixion

35. St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

36. The Spread of Christianity

37. Basic Beliefs Monotheistic: belief in one god
Jesus is the Son of God, performed miracles (his birth, walk on water, water to wine, dead to life, etc.)
Jesus died on behalf of sinners
Holy Trinity: God as Father, Son, Holy Spirit
Man sins, he needs redemption. Jesus helps to forgive sins
Get to heaven through forgiveness of sin
Rituals: Baptism, communion, prayer
Priests - religious leaders

38. Holy Trinity
Most Christians believe in: a supreme God, who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and is active in the world as the Holy Spirit.

39. Sacred Text Bible (includes Torah as first five books)
Old Testament: Jewish tradition and prophesy
New Testament: Jesus’ life and ministry

40. How did the Romans treat Christians?
Christians remained a small community under Roman rule and met in secret
50 C.E C.E.: Emperors tortured/persecuted Christians because they refused to make sacrifices to the emperor
Christianity outlawed in Roman Empire
Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity
Christianity eventually becomes official religion of Roman Empire!

41. Symbols of Christianity

42. In spite of persecution, Christians grew in numbers rapidly
In spite of persecution, Christians grew in numbers rapidly. Christians actively looked for converts. They told others about the benefits of being Christian. Christians came from every walk of life in ancient Rome, but Christianity had great appeal to Rome's poor.  
Life After Death: Christianity promised life after death in heaven. In the Roman religion, only gods went to heaven. Emperors were considered gods. Everyone else went to the underworld. 
Equality: Christianity promised equal opportunity. You could join Christianity and be equally a Christian. In the Roman Empire you had to be born into the nobility.
After nearly 300 years of persecution, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was legal and that Christians would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs. This does not mean that Rome finally had religious freedom. It meant only that it was now legal to worship Roman gods or to be Christian. Every other religion was still illegal. The lack of religious freedom in ancient Rome contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. 

43. Holy Sites * Bethlehem: Birth of Jesus Site of crucifixion: Jerusalem
Christians worship in a church

44. Christianity Today
Today Christianity, which began as a branch of Judaism has more followers than any other religion in the world.
Close to 2.1 billion people identify as Christian

45. The Communities of the Gospels
Historians' approximations of the areas in which each of the four New Testament gospels were used.

46. Christians Today
Christians have split up into many groups or sects of Christians.
They all believe that Jesus Christ is their savior, but they disagree on how to honor him and the right way to practice their religion.
Examples: Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Jehovah’s Witness, etc.

50. The Spread of Christianity

51. Spread of Religions Map