1. Spread of World Religions
From the Axial Age to the end of the First Millennium

2. Forced Conversion Islamic World jihad=striving
internal struggle versus evil
external war against enemies of faith
initially against Muhammad’s enemies
after death against “apostates”
then Byzantium and Sasanid
enemies allowed to convert
or pay tax
or go to war

3. Islamic Expansion

4. Forced Conversion cont.
The Christian World – Christendom
Charlemagne 700’s
Saxons given choice of baptism or death
Alfred the Great
Celts convert for peace
Olaf of Norway
torture or conversion
Buddhism
Asoka
Kaniska of Peshawar
Anuruddha took Buddhism to Burma

5. Charlemagne’s Empire

6. Charlemagne

7. Alfred the Great of Wessex

8. King Olaf of Norway

9. Spread by Trade Silk Road for Buddhism (dominate) Uighurs
Chinese monks built temples
endowed by merchants
Uighurs
steppe people serving as mercenary caravan guards
picked up Manichaeism
derivative of Zoroastrianism
sparked temple building
eventually replaced by Buddhism

12. Spread by Trade cont. Christianity Islam
only moderately successful on Silk Road
few Christians engaged in long-range trade
Armenians kept to selves
Nestorians = human Jesus vs. divine Jesus
some patches of temple building
Islam
expanded via sea routes
mosques in merchant communities
China
E. Africa
Saharan trade routes took Islam West

15. Conversion of Kings start at top and watch religion trickle down
Early Christianity
social outcasts
Religion of “slaves and women”
initially hostile to wealth
religion grew as women evangelized
husbands
children
minority religion until 4th century

17. Conversion of Kings cont.
Constantine 312 AD converts to Christianity at battle of Milvian Bridge
converted to gain political backing for bid for Empire
mixed pagan “unconquered sun” with Christian ideas
“Lord of Hosts” not “God of Love”
Christianity no longer persecuted
Eventually Christianity official religion of Roman Empire
Loses traditional pacifism

18. Conversion of Constantine

19. Conversion of Kings cont.
King Ezana of Ethiopia converts to Christianity in the 340’s
Believed to be son of Ethiopian war god
At end of his life converted and waged war under the banner of “Lord of Hosts”
built churches
King Trdat of Armenia converts in 314 AD
converted to gain alliance with Rome and Constantine

20. King Ezana

21. King Trdat

22. Diplomatic Conversions
Small kingdoms between Rome and Persia shifted religions with alliances
Christian
Zoroastrian
Muslim

23. Buddhism and Politics China
Often used by new monarchs to legitimize rule
Buddhism never wholly dominant
traditional rituals
Confucianism
Chinese distrust of foreigners
periodically persecuted
820s-840s AD thousands monasteries dissolved

25. Buddhism and Politics cont.
Korea approximately 500 AD
Buddhism brought to Koguryo by refugees from China
quickly reconciled with traditional Korean religion
Slow to spread beyond
Japan approximately 600 AD
diplomacy with Korea
refugees from China
reconcile with Shintoism
government and religion same word
animism
Japanese Buddhism distinctive mix

26. Buddhism and Politics cont.
Tibet
slow monastic colonization
chose Theraveda over Mahayana Buddhism
didn’t adopt until late 800’s
India
Buddhism unsuccessful as state religion
Huns seen as proof of Buddhism failure
driven back to traditional gods
Codified with caste system into Hinduism

27. The Russians and Christianity
Converted on Constantinian model
Vladimir of Kiev
History of paganism
Needed to break power of priesthood to set up kingdom
Searched for religion
Discovers Muslims (no good)
Visits Hagia Sophia and is impressed
Convert to Orthodox Christianity and marries Byzantine princess (Anna Porphyrogenita)
Required services in Slavic language (beginning of Russian orthodoxy)

28. Vladimir of Kiev

29. Hagia Sophia

30. Kiev, capital of modern Ukraine

31. Islam and the Turks Turks warlike central Asian people
Karakhanids – first Turks to be Islamic
Brought new manpower and warriors to Islam
Seljuk Turks convert in 985 AD and descendants would come to rule empire

32. Turkish Warriors

33. Monasticism and Religion
Christian Monasticism
Upheld Roman tradition of learning
Different types of monks
Benedictine (founded by Benedict 542 AD)
Changed pagan shrines to St. shrines
Sought to instate paradise on earth
Isolation and contemplation
Various other orders

34. Benedictine Monks

35. Monasticism in other Religions
Monasticism more important in Buddhism than in Christianity
Withdrawal from world to find religion
Preserver of learning
Islamic Sufism
Muhammad was against asceticism
Christian monastic roots too deeply engraved
Mystics – fasting and meditation

36. Buddhist Monks

37. Women in Religions Guardians of religious tradition
Nuns – prayer and scholarship

38. What makes a World Religion
FLEXIBILITY
ADAPTABILITY