1. Monotheist Religions and Democratic Ideals
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Prologue Section 2

2. Judaism Hebrews: the people who came to be known later as Jewish
● Torah: The holy book of the Jewish faith
The Torah are the first 5 books of the Old
Testament in the Christian Bible

3. Judaism The world’s first Monotheistic religion:
Monotheism: Belief in and worship of only one god
Other cultures around Hebrews were still Polytheists: belief in many gods

4. Judaism Prophet Abraham: 2000 BC begins the Jewish faith
Judaism: first religion to
preach the need to live a
morally good life

5. Judaism
Preached: each person had dignity and worth based on the fact they were born
Preached: Each human possessed moral freedom; Free Will
Each individual is
responsible for their
own moral decisions

6. Judaism
Greeks and Romans: believed people had dignity and worth only if they could reason and/or contribute to the greatness of society
This is contrast to Jewish ideals: each person had worth based on the fact they were alive!

7. Hebrew Code Laws that govern the Jewish faith
Focused on the demand of ethical and moral behavior
Included demands on social and religious behavior: rulers were subject too
Stated that each individual had to choose between good and evil and answer for those decisions in the afterlife

8. Prophets They emerged in the 8th Century BC
People are
capable of high
moral standards
Help those in
need
Jewish people believed they were Teachers and messengers from God
Preached against war, oppression, and greed
Argued for people to oppose injustice and inequality

9. Christianity Jesus of Nazareth: born sometime between 6-4 BC
Both a Jew and a Roman subject
Became a Jewish rabbi: Preacher
Stressed the need for Monotheism:
Belief in one god
● Preached the need for each individual to have a personal relationship with God

10. Jesus of Nazareth
Stressed the importance of loving one’s neighbor; treating them as one wants them self to be treated; Also stressed the importance of one loving their enemies
Stressed the need to repent sins and reject wickedness; Taught followers that eternal happiness would be achieved to those who took care of weaker citizens and lived moral life

11. Jesus Christ
Upon his death he became known as Jesus Christ: Greek title for “One who is anointed”
Actual name was Yehoshua ben Yosef : Hebrew for: “Joshua, son of Joseph”
New religion of Christianity spread after his death (ca. 32 AD)

12. Paul the Apostle
10-67 AD
Was from modern-day Turkey

13. Paul the Apostle
Spoke both Greek and Latin: greatly aided him in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman World 1st Century AD
Traveled from region
to region teaching
Christianity to
Gentiles (non-Jews)
Before Paul the first
Christians were in
fact Jews

14. Paul the Apostle
Christianity was a religion anyone could join: different from early Judaism which was only for ethnic Hebrews
● Paul was responsible for many Gentiles converting to Christianity
stressed equality of all human beings, salvation in the afterlife: As Christians and Jews were expelled from homelands by Romans they spread Monotheistic beliefs to other parts of the world

15. Islam Monotheistic Religion Founded by Prophet Muhammad ca. 609 AD
Islam: Arabic for “Surrender to God”
Muslim: Arabic for “One who surrenders”
Islam developed in modern-day Saudi Arabia

16. Islam
Allah: Arabic for “God”

17. Kaaba (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) Holiest Place on earth according to Islam
According to Islamic belief: Kaaba was built by Prophet Abraham to honor Allah (God)

18. Islam Teachings very similar to Judaism and Christianity
Dignity of all human beings
Brotherhood of all people
Belief in equality of all
Belief in acceptance and tolerance of all
From the same line of prophecy as Judaism and Christianity

19. 5 Pillars of Islam Belief in only one God: Allah
5 times daily prayer, facing Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Giving Alms to the poor, based on income
Fast during daylight hours during the holy month of Ramadan
Hajj: Every Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca

20. Islam Muslim rulers expected to follow same laws as Muslim citizens
Muslim rulers expected to obey 5 Pillars of Islam just as Muslim citizens
Judaism, Christianity, Islam share very similar ideals and contributed to rise in democratic ideals of equality, fairness, and justice