1. World Religions Introduction

2. What is Religion?

3. There is no universally agreed upon definition of religion.

4. “The Four C’s” In general, religions contain the following four elements

5. Creed: A specific set of beliefs which may be expressed in a specific creed (Christianity’s Nicene Creed; Islam’s Shahada), but it may not Includes Scripture and/or Sacred Writings

6. Cult Worship Rituals (such as the Sacraments) Religious holidays

7. Code/Commandments Laws or rules Moral codes Regulations that govern the community

8. Communion Prayer Meditation Spirituality

9. Why Study World Religions?

10. Christianity is not the only religion in the United States any more – today our neighbors and co-workers are as likely to be Jewish, Muslim, Sikh or Hindu as Christian.

11. The various religious faiths of the world influence one another – we can learn more about our own religious tradition by knowing about the traditions of other faiths that have influenced it

12. Religion influences politics and world affairs

13. Homework: Find one article from a newspaper, news magazine or the Internet that shows the influence that religion has on politics or society in our world today. Briefly summarize the article and explain why it is important. This is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, 2/3. Include the article with your explanation.