1. World Religions
World History & Geography II

2. Judaism FOUNDER: Abraham HOLY BOOK: the Torah
Abraham’s descendants are known as “Hebrews”
the first five books of the Old Testament are known as the Torah (or the Pentateuch)
HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Synagogue
FOLLOWERS: “Jews”

3. HISTORY Judaism God Spoke to Abraham (around 1800 BCE)
Abraham makes a covenant (agreement) –
love and support for worship
God spoke to Abraham (around 3200 BCE) and tells him that HE is the ONLY all powerful, all knowing God
Abraham makes a covenant: God will love, support and provide friendship for Abraham and his descendants in return for their worship (no more idols, pagan gods, etc.)
God also promises Abraham that he and his descendants are guaranteed the land of Canaan (present day Israel)
Hebrews conquer Canaan, are later enslaved by the Egyptians and then freed by Moses (around BCE)
God gives Moses the 10 Commandments

4. HISTORY (cont’d) Judaism Jews persecuted throughout history because of
Christian belief that fellow Jews were
responsible for the death of Jesus of Nazareth
Following WWII - Jews finally gain Canaan
officially in 1948 and rename it Israel
The 10 Commandments are a code of ethics for the Hebrews to follow
Major periods of persecution include: after Christianity is made official religion of the Roman Empire ( CE); the Crusades ( CE); the Black Death (mid-1300s); Reformation (mid-1500s); pre-WWII/Holocaust (1920s-1940s)
A major period of unrest in the Middle East following formation of Israel in 1948 that still exists (Arab-Israeli War, Yom Kippur War, ongoing Arab-Israeli conflicts)

5. BELIEFS Judaism The first monotheistic religion
Following Torah and the 10 Commandments
will lead to heaven
believe that Jews are God’s “chosen people”
Ethical world view: individuals make the choice between good and evil; and to follow the moral and religious laws of the Torah
“ethical world view” – people should lead
moral lives

6. BELIEFS cont’d Judaism A synagogue MUST have windows
Bar Mitzvah: boys declare responsibility as adults
Christian 2011; Jewish 5770; Windows = b/c worship is not a retreat from life but instead a retreat for the sake of life
Bar Mitzvah: at age 13, boys read from the Torah
Bat Mitzvah: at age 13, girls have a similar ceremony
Bat Mitzvah: girls have similar ceremony

7. TRADITIONS Judaism Passover: signifies “passing over” from
slavery in Egypt to freedom
Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish New Year
Passover: “passing over” from death to life. During this celebration Jews recall all that God has done for them. It also recalls the first Passover when it was the blood of the sacrificial lamb that saved the firstborn children of Israel from death in Egypt and what made possible their departure for the promised land.
Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement – Jews fast to repent their sins and to purify the body and soul
Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year – 10 days after Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement – fasting
to repent; to purify body and soul

8. TRADITIONS cont’d Judaism Hanukkah: the Festival of Lights
– a declaration of faith
Kosher diet: no pork; dietary laws overseen
by Rabbis
“keeping kosher”: no pork (or other hoof footed, non-cud chewing animals) – dietary laws are in accordance with those provided for in the Torah; meals may not combine meat and dairy products -- families have two sets of dishes (and another two sets just for use at Passover)
Hanukkah: the Festival of Lights – a declaration of faith…when Jews were expelled from Egypt (the exodus) there was only enough oil to light their lamp for one night, but it burned for all eight nights of their journey – hence the eight nights of Hanukkah; a lot of modern association with gift giving at Hanukkah relates to its closeness to Christmas
circumcision: affirms covenant with God and his relationship to all Jews

9. TRADITIONS cont’d Judaism
Yarmulke: worn to symbolize God’s superiority
to men
Saturday is considered the Sabbath
Yarmulke: men and boys cover their heads when in the presence of God; usually just in temples and synagogues, but Orthodox Jews believe they are always in the presence of God, so they always wear one
Sabbath: from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday

10. Christianity FOUNDER: Jesus of Nazareth HOLY BOOK: the Bible
(Old Testament and New Testament)
HOUSE OF WORSHIP: churches
FOLLOWERS: Christians
Jesus is believed to have been born in Bethlehem around 4 BCE

11. HISTORY Christianity Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem
Followers believed him to be the Messiah
(King of the Jews) and son of God
Parents were Mary and Joseph of Nazareth
Raised as a Jew
Attracted followers because of his
message that stressed love for God
and compassion for other people

12. HISTORY cont’d Christianity
Had 12 disciples known as “apostles” who would
later write the stories of the New Testament
Christian teachings are rooted in the Hebrews’
ethical world view
“apostle” means one of a class of missionaries or preachers in the early church; the earliest or foremost advocate of a cause – it also means disciple or one who accepts or follows a teacher
Palestine was a part of the Roman Empire during this time
Romans thought Jesus’ teachings were
a threat to Roman authority

13. HISTORY cont’d Christianity
Jesus Christ was tried, convicted and executed
by crucifixion around 30 CE
Early Christians were heavily persecuted
and martyred for their beliefs
Crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment in Ancient Rome
Christians believe that Jesus returned to life 3 days after his death to continue spreading his ideas
Especially re: monotheism and refusal to worship Roman gods

14. HISTORY cont’d Christianity Constantine granted toleration to
Christians and converted in 313 CE
Christianity was made the official religion
of the Roman Empire in 395 CE
Constantine was first Emperor to be converted to Christianity

15. BELIEFS Christianity Monotheistic The Trinity – Father/Son/Holy Spirit
one God in three beings
“golden rule”
Much of Christianity is drawn from early Judaism – Jesus’ teachings were based in the Jewish “ethical world view”
Treat others as you would be treated
God is a loving and forgiving being

16. BELIEFS cont’d Christianity Good deeds on Earth will be rewarded
with a life in “heaven” after death
Ten Commandments
Jesus died for all mens’ sins

17. TRADITIONS Christianity Celebration of Christ’s birth – Christmas
Celebration of Christ’s resurrection – Easter
Consider Sunday the Sabbath

18. Christianity Modern Christianity ALL Christian religions that are NOT
Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox are
Protestant denominations
There are more than 200 Protestant
denominations today
Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, AME, Anglican, Amish, Quaker, 7th Day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Science, Mormons, etc.

19. Islam FOUNDER: Muhammad HOLY BOOK: Quran (Koran)
HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Mosque
FOLLOWERS: Muslims
GOD: Known as Allah
Literal meaning of “Muslim” is peace; religious meaning is “surrender to the will of God”
Allah is the same God that Jews and Christians worship

20. HISTORY Islam Muhammad is born about 570 in Mecca
610: he is visited by the angel Gabriel and
called to be a messenger of God
Gabriel tells Muhammad that there is only one god and he should convert people to this faith; he also tells Muhammad that all people are created equal and the rich should give to the poor
Mecca: in present day Saudi Arabia
Muhammad tries to convert the
people of Mecca but fails

21. HISTORY cont’d Islam 622: the Hijra – Muhammad and his followers
left Mecca for Yathrib (now Medina)
Muhammad was welcomed in Medina as
a ruler and as God’s prophet; as a
result, thousands adopted Islam
Muhammad's rejection of traditional Arab gods angered merchants and traders in Mecca who feared neglecting their idols and disrupting the pilgrim trade; Muhammad and his follower’s were threatened with death and were forced to leave Mecca
Hijra is the Arab word for Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Yathrib
Medina an Arab word that means “city of the Prophet”

22. HISTORY cont’d Islam 630: Muhammad returned to Mecca, the people
converted to Islam and destroyed the idols
in the Kaaba
By Muhammad’s death in 632 most
Arabs had converted to Islam
Caliph: successor to Muhammad
Kaaba is a cube shaped building made of stone (50’x40’) in the center of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca; it is a prayer site
Caliphs spread Islam far beyond
Arabia

23. BELIEFS Islam Allah is all powerful and all knowing
Allah is the only God
Christian and Jewish prophets
(including Jesus) are
messengers of Allah’s word
Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is strictly monotheistic

24. BELIEFS cont’d Islam All people are created equal and born without sin
Each person will stand before Allah on Judgment
Day and go to paradise or to hell
One is accountable for his/her sins only after puberty
Depending upon one’s actions – eternal paradise or eternal punishment
-- if a Muslim dies in JIHAD (effort in God’s service), he/she will automatically receive a place in heaven

25. BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
SHAHADA: the profession of faith in Allah
as the one true God
All Muslims accept these five pillars or basic duties as their responsibility to Allah
**”there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet”**
SHAHADA: and the apostleship of Abraham – Muslims believe they (together with Christians and Jews) are descendants of Abraham; Muslims from his son Ishamael, Christians and Jews from his son Isaac
SALAT: the ritual prayers
performed five times per day
while facing Mecca (east)

26. BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
Cont’d
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
ZAKAT: almsgiving or charity
ZAKAT: care for the poor
SAWM: (usually January/February)
SAWM: fasting during the daylight
hours of the holy month of
Ramadan

27. BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
Cont’d
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
HAJJ: pilgrimage to Mecca – done at least once
by every Muslim who is able
HAJJ: done at least once in his/her lifetime by every Muslim who is physically and financially capable of doing so
Some Muslims look on Jihad as another duty in addition to the 5 pillars; JIHAD means “effort in God’s service” – it is often translated as Holy War, but may include acts of charity or one’s inner struggle to achieve spiritual peace, as well as any battle in defense of Islam

28. BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam DIET: no pork
Cont’d
DIET: no pork
no alcohol or other addictive drugs
Friday is considered the Sabbath
Pork is considered “unclean”

29. Hinduism FOUNDER: no single founder Shiva HOLY BOOK: the Vedas
Vedas: a collection of hymns, rules, rituals, philosophy and magic that first appeared around 2000 BCE
Hinduism is considered to be the world’s oldest surviving religion; some aspects of it developed in prehistoric India with origins that date at least as far back as 3500 BCE
Began in India (Indus River Valley)
Is a blend of Aryan (nomadic warrior) traditions and traditional Indus mystic beliefs
This sculpture portrays the god Shiva dancing to destroy and then recreate the universe; his feet crush a demon into submission and the circle of fire represent the Hindu belief in an endless cycle of creation, death and rebirth (WH text p.78)
HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Temples
FOLLOWERS: Hindus

30. “God is one but wise people
Hinduism
BELIEFS
“God is one but wise people
know it by many names”
BRAHMAN: A single spiritual power beyond
the many gods of the Vedas – an unchanging,
all-powerful spiritual force
“God is one but wise people know it by many names” –
To most Hindus, the concept of Brahman is too complex an idea for most people to understand, so they worship many gods that give a concrete form to Brahman (WH p78)

31. BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism The most important Hindu gods are:
Brahma – the creator
Vishnu – the preserver
Shiva – the destroyer
Each of these gods can take many forms (human or animal) and each also has his own family
Each represents aspects of Brahman

32. This sculpture portrays the god Shiva dancing to destroy and then recreate the universe; his feet crush a demon into submission and the circle of fire represents the Hindu belief in an endless cycle of creation, death and rebirth (WH text p.78)
Shiva

33. BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism REINCARNATION: rebirth after death into
another form
conduct in this life determines caste in
the next
Reincarnation allows people to continue working toward moksha through several lives
(some estimates suggest that it takes 10,000 or more reincarnations to achieve Brahman)
MOKSHA: achieving union with
Brahman

34. BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism KARMA: all of the actions of a person’s
life that affect his/her fate in the next life
Ahimsa: all people and things are aspects of Brahman and should be respected
DHARMA: an individual’s religious and
moral duties

35. ` BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism
CASTE SYSTEM (Jati): the social hierarchy that
divided and framed Hindu society
Five primary groups:
* Brahmans (priest caste)
* Kashatriyas (warrior caste)
* Vaisayas (merchants and farmers)
* Sudras (menial workers)
* Panchamas (untouchables)
-- now known as Harijans
Jati: the Indian word for birth
To Hindus, members of other castes were different species of beings and to ensure spiritual purity, complex rules developed within the caste system (WH p.87)
Hindus believed that the law of karma determined their caste, and therefore gave them as sense of identity, regardless of how high or low their caste; in addition, the castes depended on one another for their basic needs (untouchables dig graves for all; Vaisyas farmers grow food for all; etc.)
During the early 20th century, Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi embraced western ideas of democracy and nationalism and used these ideals to reject the inequities of the caste system – particularly with regard to the treatment of untouchables (since renamed “Harijans” or “Children of God”).
-- only since gaining independence in the mid-late 20th century, have significant strides been made in how the Harijan are treated in Hindu countries (particularly India)

36. Buddhism FOUNDER: Siddhartha Gautama Buddha means “Enlightened One”
HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Temples
FOLLOWERS: Buddhists
Siddhartha was called to found Buddhism as a rejection of the Brahmin domination of Hinduism and believed there was another way to truth. These teachings eventually spread across Asia and became one of the world’s great religions.

37. HISTORY Buddhism Siddhartha was born about 566 BCE into the
Kashatriya (warrior) caste
Left his home to discover “the realm of life
where there is neither suffering nor
death”
According to Buddhist tradition, his mother dreamed that a radiant white elephant descended to her from heaven. Because of this dream, a prophet predicted that her son would become a wandering holy man. This frightened his father, who kept his son in the family’s palace, surrounded by luxury and comfort.
During one of his first trips beyond the palace walls as an adult, Gautauma saw his first sick person, his first elderly person and his first dead person. This awareness of suffering so disturbed him that he left his wife and child to discover “the realm of life where there is neither suffering nor death.”

38. HISTORY cont’d Buddhism Gautama wandered for years, seeking answers
Eventually, he gave up his search and decided
to meditate until he understood the
mystery of life
When he rose, he was no longer Gautama – he was the Buddha, or “Enlightened One”
He meditated for 48 days - until he
understood the cause of suffering
and death

39. BELIEFS Buddhism FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: All life is full of
suffering, pain and sorrow (SAMSARA)
The Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching others what he had learned – these Four Noble Truths that are at the heart of Buddhism
1st: Human existence is painful and all beings are caught in a cycle of rebirth (SAMSARA), a maze of suffering in which actions (KARMA) keep one wandering
2nd: desire for things that are really illusions, such as power, riches and long life
SECOND NOBLE TRUTH: Desire
is the cause of this suffering

40. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
THIRD NOBLE TRUTH: The only cure for
suffering is to overcome desire
3rd: suffering can cease
4th:
FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH: Nirvana
can be reached by way of the
Eightfold Path

41. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism EIGHTFOLD PATH
Right Views 7. Right Livelihood
Right Aspiration 8. Right Effort
Right Speech
Right Conduct
Right Mindfulness
Right Rapture
#1 & #2: to do with understanding the Four Noble Truths and committing to this Eightfold Path
#3-#8: Next, a person must live a moral life, avoiding evil words and actions.

42. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism Through meditation a Buddhist may achieve
enlightenment
The final goal of a Buddhist is to reach
NIRVANA, union with the universe
and release from the cycle of
rebirth

43. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism The Middle Way: The Buddha saw following
the Eightfold Path as a way to salvation
Buddhism emphasizes moral and ethical
rules
A middle way between a life devoted to pleasure and one based on harsh self-denial
Such as honesty, charity and kindness to all living things

44. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism SHARED TRADITIONS (with Hinduism):
Both accept concepts of Kharma, Dharma
and Moksha
(with Hinduism) – grew out of ancient Vedic religious tradition
Cycle of rebirth
Principles of nonviolence

45. BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism DIFFERENCES from Hinduism:
Rejects priests, formal rituals and the many
Hindu gods
Rejected caste system and offered the hope of nirvana to all, regardless of birth
(every man can be a Buddhist)
Urges individuals to seek enlightenment
through meditation
Rejected the caste system