3.  Started in the Middle East c. 30 A.D.  Middle East was a part of the Roman Empire  Roman Empire worshiped a multitude of gods  Called the Roman pantheon

4.  Founder: Jesus of Nazareth  Executed in Jerusalem  Monotheistic  Believe in the trinity: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit

5.  1. Holy book: the Bible  God’s teachings are found in this book  Collected and written by prophets and disciples  2. There is only 1 God that created everything  Jesus was the Son of God and also the same as God  3. Jesus is the savior of man  Salvation (Heaven) is achieved through Jesus’ death on the cross

6. Originated in India

7.  Foundations of the religion are in India  Polytheistic: worship of many gods  Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (born c. 563 B.C.)  Dissatisfied w/ comfortable life  All life contains suffering  Took up ascetic, wandering life to understand suffering Asceticism-give up material pleasures and devote life to spiritual path.  Enlightenment Trials:  Intense meditation  Extreme asceticism

8.  The Buddha (“enlightened one”)  Sat under a tree 49 days  Tempted/challenged by demons Demons retreated  Received enlightenment and became the Buddha

9.  Dharma  Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path  Basic Buddhist doctrine  Nirvana  Nirvana is the goal  State of perfect spiritual independence  Reached by reduced desire for worldly things detachment from world itself

10.  Fundamental Doctrine  1. All life involves suffering  2. Desire is the cause of suffering  3. Elimination of desire brings an end to suffering  4. Disciplined life conducted in accordance w/ the Noble Eightfold Path bring elimination of desire

11.  Path to enlightenment and nirvana  Lead balanced and moderate lives  Reject devotion to luxury and also extreme asceticism  1. right belief  2. right resolve  3. right speech  4. right behavior  5. right occupation  6. right effort  7. right mindfulness  8. right meditation

12. Originated in India

13.  Originated in India due to the caste system  Polytheistic: worship of many gods  Reincarnation:  Belief that when the body dies, the soul returns as another life form.  If you were successful in your previous life, you would be reincarnated at a higher level  Possible to be reincarnated as any living thing.

14.  4 main classes of people:  Each caste has a particular duty  Brahmins  Priests  Kshatriyas  Warriors, aristocrats  Vaishyas  Peasants merchants  Shudras  serfs

15.  Bhagavad Gita (“song of the lord”)  Final form in 400 C.E. after several revisions  Outlines duties of the caste system Shudras Serve Vaishyas Work Brahmins Learn and seek wisdom Kshatriyas Govern and fight

16.  Bhagavad Gita: (the basic points)  Participate actively in the world and perform your caste duties and you will reach salvation  Do not seek reward  Concentrate on actions alone with no thought as to their consequences

17.  4 principle aims of human life:  1. dharma Obedience to religious morals and laws  2. artha Pursuit of economic well-being  3. kama Enjoyment of social, physical and sexual pleasure  4. moksha Salvation of the soul Proper balance leads to moksha

18.  Offered salvation to masses of people who had to lead active lives in society  People could not easily get away from their caste  Replaced Buddhism as most popular

20.  1. Who was the founder/father of the religion?  2. Where did the religion start?  3. Is Judaism monotheistic or polytheistic?  4. What are 2 major figures in the religion?

22.  Born in China in 551 B.C.  Known in China as the first teacher  Goal was to become a political advisor  Extreme turmoil during his lifetime  Corruption, wars and instability in China  Few listened to Kongfuzi’s ideas  Western travelers coined the term Confucius

23.  Not a religion  A philosophy  The Analects (400 B.C.)  Kongfuzi’s followers wrote down his teachings after he died  Confucianism became a widely accepted school of thought in China It became the foundation of education for all government officials in China for centuries