1. AP Western Religions
HW: Fill in your religion chart for the western religions and belief systems. Be prepared to discuss what you read in class.

2. Modern Zoroastrian Fire Temple
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is the pre-Islamic religion of Persia (modern-day Iran). Symbol: The Faravahar represents the spiritual struggle of good over evil.
Modern Zoroastrian Fire Temple

3. Zoroastrianism Continued…
Origins
Sacred Text
Beliefs & Practices
Prophet Zarathushtra “Zoroaster” in Greek, 6th century BCE
Avesta ("Book of the Law“)
MONOTHEISTIC!
One god Ahura Mazda “Lord of Wisdom”
Angra Mainyu “Destructive Spirit”
Humans have free will to choose good vs. evil
Actions in this life determine if one goes to heaven or hell. At the end of the world, there will be a day of judgment and resurrection of the dead.
The sacred fire must be kept burning continually in their temples

4. Origins of Western Religions
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Abraham, Mesopotamia, 7th century BCE
Teachings based on Jesus of Nazareth, 1st century CE, Roman Palestine.
Mohammad, Mecca 610 CE had visions of the angel Gabriel.
Following the destruction of the 2nd Jewish Temple, rabbis wrote the Hebrew Bible.
Christianity separated from Judaism by St. Paul.
Catholic Church dogma decided by the Council of Nicaea 325 CE.

5. The Former Jewish Temple
Reconstruction of the Jewish Temple
The Hebrews took the Holy Land from the Canaanites (possibly Phoenician) and created a Kingdom. King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The kingdom divided and were conquered by the Neo-Babylonians who destroyed the first Temple and forced Jews into exile. The Persian King Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. In 70 CE the 2nd Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans. Only the surrounding wall remains today.

7. Symbols Judaism Christianity Islam Star of David Cross
Crescent Moon and Star
NO images of humans or god allowed
Icons (religious human-like images) allowed within Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

8. Sacred Texts Judaism Christianity Islam Laws: Halakhah Laws: Canon
The Torah is composed of the first 5 Books of The Tanakh (The complete Hebrew Bible). Written in Hebrew and Aramaic.
The Old Testament (The Torah) and the New Testament (Greek).
The Koran (Quran). Written in Arabic.
The Talmud
The Hadith (traditions)
Laws: Halakhah
Laws: Canon
Laws: Sharia

9. Sacred Places Judaism Christianity Islam Temple Mount, Jerusalem
Kaaba Stone, Mecca
Synagogues
Bethlehem
Medina
Nazareth
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Churches
Mosques

10. Jerusalem

11. Dome of the Rock

12. Kaaba Stone, Mecca

14. Beliefs Judaism Christianity Islam 10 Commandments 5 Pillars of Islam
One god
One god (Allah)
The Torah focuses on this life rather than the afterlife. Most rabbis say the soul continues to exist after death.
Heaven and Hell
Messiah is coming
Messiah has come (Jesus), and will return.
Jesus was a prophet but not the son of god
Day of Judgment

16. Practices Judaism Christianity Islam Observing the Sabbath
Bris (circumcision on the 8th day of a boy’s birth)
Baptism to eliminate original sin (caused by Eve’s “original sin” of eating the apple)
Observing the 5 Pillars of Islam
Observing Kosher dietary law
Fast days (i.e. the 40 days of Lent)
Observing Halal dietary law
Prayer
Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah: 1st public reading of the Torah signals coming of age
Wearing of tallit (prayer shawl)
Men wear a yarmulke to cover their hair; women cover their hair in synagogue.

17. Jewish boys wear the tallit (prayer shawl), yarmulke, and tifilin
Jewish boys wear the tallit (prayer shawl), yarmulke, and tifilin. They are reciting the Shema while covering their eyes. Top right girl receiving the Eucharist during her first communion. Bottom right male Muslims praying.

18. Kosher Halal No alcohol No pork No blood
No mixing of dairy and meet. (No cheese burgers!)
Aquatic animals must have fish and scales (no shrimp!).
Land animals must have a cloven hoof and chew their cud.
No alcohol
No pork
No blood

20. Organization and Clergy
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Rabbis are interpreters of Jewish law.
There is no “head rabbi” in Judaism.
The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. Below the Pope are cantors, archbishops, bishops, and priests.
Imams lead prayer in mosques.
Cantors sing the Torah in synagogue.
The Patriarch is the head of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Muezzins call worshippers to prayer.
Reverends preach in Protestant churches.

21. Women of the Wall, who retrieved a Torah scroll from the men’s prayer section despite regulations against women reading from a Torah at the Wall
Women

22. Monasticism
Monks and nuns dedicate themselves to God and live in an isolated community or alone. They practice an ascetic lifestyle; wearing plain clothing, eating simple food, praying, and taking vows of celibacy, poverty, and obedience. Jewish Essenes (2nd century BCE - 1st century CE) lived a monastic life in secluded caves awaiting the messiah under Roman rule. They left behind the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the earliest written translations of the Jewish Bible.

23. Monasticism Continued…
Left: Catholic nuns. Right: Greek Orthodox Monk.

24. Holidays Judaism Christianity Islam
Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement. Holiest day of the Jewish year.
Christmas: Birthday of Jesus
Ramadan
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
Lent
Eid
Chanukah
Easter
Passover

25. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children in Jerusalem march with lit candles during an inauguration ceremony for new Torah scrolls two days before the start of Yom Kippur.

26. Orthodox Christians welcome the Holy Fire, a miracle that Orthodox Christians believe occurs every year on the evening before Easter Sunday.

27. Eid is the Feast of Sacrifice, commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son and God’s mercy in allowing him to substitute a ram. Part of the meat served is usually given to the poor.

31. Splits Judaism Christianity Islam
Conservative: 18th century. Torah must be followed, but Judaism must evolve.
Catholic-Orthodox (1054).
Shia-Sunni (c. 650 CE)
Hasidism 17th century
Catholic-Protestant (1500s)
Sufis use meditation to gain a personal relationship to Allah.
Chabad: Branch of Hasidism, goal to reconnect Jews to their faith.
Reform: 18th century. Judaism must modernize, less strict interpretation of the Torah.

32. PROTESTANTS CATHOLIC CHURCH EASTERN ORTHODOX
Faith based.
Bible written in vernacular (every day language).
Elaborate ceremonies not necessary.
Protestants AND Eastern Orthodox allow clergy to marry.
ALL believe in 1 God, Jesus is the messiah, heaven and hell
Headed by the Pope in Vatican City, Rome.
Clergy is celibate.
Latin based.
Headed by the patriarch, formerly in Constantinople.
Greek based.
Catholics AND Orthodox use icons (religious images) and have elaborate ceremonies.
CATHOLIC CHURCH
EASTERN ORTHODOX

34. Key Vocabulary
Kosher
Mecca
Medina
Messiah
Muhammad
Passover
Patriarch
Pope Protestants
Rabbi Ramadan
Rosh Hashanah
Shabbat
Shiite
Sufi
Sunni
Synagogue
Torah
Umma
Western Wall
Yarmulke
Yom Kippur
5 Pillars of Islam Abraham Aramaic Caliph Christmas Council of Nicaea Covenant Diaspora Dome of the Rock Easter Eastern Orthodox Eid Hajj Halal Hanukah Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Temple Judaism