The 5 Major World Religions

SOL WH II 14: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the influence of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism in the contemporary world by

a. Describing their beliefs, sacred writings, traditions, and customs

b. Locating the geographic distribution of religions in the contemporary world

What to Know• Terms

– Monotheism– Polytheism– Karma– Moksha– Dharma– Caste System– Reincarnation– Diaspora– Apostle

• Concepts– Four Noble Truths– Eightfold Path– Five Pillars– Sunni Islam– Shi’a Islam

• People• Jesus• Moses• Abraham• Muhammed• Siddhartha

Gautama, Buddha• Asoka • Allah• Yaweh

• Places• Mecca• Medina• Jerusalem• Israel• Palestine• India• Babylon• Dome of the Rock

• Texts/Writings• 10 Commandments• New Testament• Torah• Koran (Quran)• Vedas• Upanishads

Where are the Religions?

Judaism• Early History

– ~1950 BC, Abraham’s Covenant

– Travel to Canaan then to Egypt

– Slavery in Egypt – Moses & the Exodus– Moses on Mt. Sinai

• The 10 Commandments (p. 32)

• The Torah– Pentateuch

• Old Testament• Abraham’s History

– Mishnah• Writings of the Prophets

– Talmud• Other Writings of the Jewish

Tradition

Abraham & Isaac

Moses & the 10 Commandments

Torah

• Settlement in Palestine– 1250 BC – 1050 BC – Worship of Yahweh

• Ethical Monotheism: God’s Laws are our Laws

– Jerusalem: The Holy City

– 586 BC: Solomon’s Temple Destroyed

• Diaspora– Deported to Babylon– 2nd Temple destroyed

in 70 AD– Rabbi’s (Teachers)

carry the faith throughout the world

Settlement and Diaspora

Jerusalem by Matisyahu[Chorus]

Jerusalem, if I forget you,fire not gonna come from me tongue.

Jerusalem, if I forget you,let my right hand forget what it's

supposed to do.

In the ancient days, we will return with no delay

Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way

We've been traveling from state to stateAnd them don't understand what they say

3,000 years with no place to beAnd they want me to give up my milk and

honeyDon't you see, it's not about the land or the

seaNot the country but the dwelling of his

majesty

Chorus

Rebuild the temple and the crown of gloryYears gone by, about sixty

Burn in the oven in this centuryAnd the gas tried to choke, but it couldn't choke me

I will not lie down, I will not fall asleepThey come overseas, yes they're trying to be free

Erase the demons out of our memoryChange your name and your identity

Afraid of the truth and our dark historyWhy is everybody always chasing weCut off the roots of your family tree

Don't you know that's not the way to be

ChorusCaught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze

Don't you know it's just a phaseCase of the Simon says

If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrateBabylon burning in the place, can't see through the

hazeChop down all of them dirty ways,

That's the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth

No way, not ok, oh no way, not ok, heyAint no one gonna break my strideAint no one gonna pull me downOh no, I got to keep on moving

Stay alive

Beliefs and Customs• “I keep the lord always before me.”

– All of life is and act of worship• Religious Customs

– Prayer 3 x a day– Worship on the Sabbath day

Saturday• Whole Torah (Pentateuch) is

read each year– Diet

• Food must be Kosher– Holy Days & Festivals

• Passover (spring) • Shabouth (fall) • Rosh Hashanah

– Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement

• Hannukkah (Winter)• Purim (March)

The Nicene Creed• We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all that is, seen and unseen.

• We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,the only son of God,eternally begotten of the Father,God from God, Light from Light,true God from true God,begotten, not made,of one being with the Father.Through him all things were made.For us and for our salvationhe came down from heaven:by the power of the Holy Spirithe became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,and was made man.

• For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;he suffered death and was buried.On the third day he rose againin accordance with the Scriptures;he ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the dead,and his kingdom will have no end.

• We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].With the Father and the Sonhe is worshipped and glorified.He has spoken through the Prophets.We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.We look for the resurrection of the dead,and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

Basic Christianity• History– 2000 yrs ago– The Apostles– Christ’s Death– Council of Nicaea, 325

• Texts– The New Testament

• Beliefs– The Holy Trinity– Immaculate Conception– The Afterlife

• Customs & Holidays– Weekly Worship– Holy Week

• Palm Sunday• Maundy Thursday• Good Friday• Easter

– Christmas

Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea

Christ on the Cross, Velazquez

The Holy Trinity, Albrecht Duerer

Judaism Christianity Islam

1.      Book 

1. Book 1. Book

2.      Founder 

2. Founder 2. Founder

3.      Belief 

3. Belief 3. Belief 

4.      Holy Places 

4. Establishment of Doctrine/Beliefs

4. Holy Places

5.      Location 

5. Location 5. Location

Islam: The 5 Pillars1. Faith

– There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger

2. Prayer (Salat)

– 5 x daily

3. Charity (Zakat)

– All Things belong to God so we should donate to the Needy

4. Fast

– During Ramadan, form sun up to sundown.

5. Pilgrimage (Hajj)

– Once in a lifetime trip to Mecca and the Ka’ba

Hinduism and Buddhism Reading

• Read pages 36-40

• Answer the questions at the end of each section.

• Questions 5 and 6 on page 45, q’s 22 &23 on pg 46, and 31 and 32 on pg 47.

Hinduism Buddhism

Number of gods 

1. Location

•Goal 

2. Goal

•Belief 

3. Belief

Class system 

4. Founder

Reincarnation based on 

5. Path to Nirvana

•Location 

6. Asoka

Hinduism• 4000 – 2500 BCE

– Aryan Peoples– Oral Tradition

• Vedas & Upanishads• Aryan Caste System

– Brahmins: Priests – Ksatriyas: Warriors &

Rulers– Vaisyas: Merchants,

Farmers, Artisans– Sudras: Manual Laborers– Untouchables: Dirty Work

• Hindu Beliefs: Hamster Wheel– Brahman– Atman– Reincarnation– Karma– Moksha

Hindu Gods: Many Forms of One God

Brahma: The Creator

Siva: The Destroyer Vishnu: The Preserver

Buddhism • Siddartha Gautama, 560-490 BCE

– The Buddha: The Enlightened One• Buddhist Beliefs

– No Real Gods or Deities– Goal: Nirvana not Brahma

• Four Noble Truths1. Life is Suffering2. Suffering is caused by desire &

resistance to change3. We can end suffering by ending desire4. We can end desire and suffering by

following the eightfold path• Eight Fold Path

1. Right Understanding2. Right Thought3. Right Speech4. Right Action5. Right Livelihood6. Right Effort7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Concentration Asoka: 273-232 BC