An Overview of Christianity and Islaem

1. World Religions
Week Two

2. Christianity
▪ Origins
– Founder
– Date
– World Area
▪ Texts/ Major Docs.
▪ Major Beliefs
▪ Ceremonies / Rituals
▪ Branches
▪ Fertile Crescent
– Jesus of Nazareth
– AD 30
– North and South America,
Europe, Russia
▪ Bible (Old and New Testament)
▪ Jesus = Messiah, Trinity (Father,
Son, Holy Spirit), Resurrection after
death, Faith as transformer, Sabbath
= Sunday, afterlife= Heaven, Hell or
Purgatory
▪ Sacraments (7 or less, depending
on denomination), Various holy days
through year
▪ Catholic, E. Orthodox, Protestant

4. ▪ Major differences between the branches:
–Catholic- Pope and priests interpret the
religion for the people, saints intercede on
people’s behalf, 7 sacraments, celibate (1.2
billion)
–Eastern Orthodox- all bishops are equal, holy
relics are concealed from the people, 7
sacraments (260 Million)
–Protestant- Pope is not the head of the
church, preacher may still interpret the
religion, but the people have a personal
relationship with their God, less than 7
sacraments (800 Million)

5. Defending Our Faith
Tel Armana Letters 1300’s B.C.
Egypt
Border Pass Mentions APIRU from Jerusalem
1. Exodus

6. Defending Our Faith
Karnak Temple Thutmose III 1400’s B.C.
Egypt
Mentions Joseph, Levi, and Jacob, and Yahweh
2. Joseph
and Jacob

7. Defending Our Faith
Jericho Excavated 1400’s B.C.
Fall of Jericho
Shows Fire and Destruction
3. Jericho

8. Defending Our Faith
Mesha Stela 840’s B.C.
Victory over Jehoram and Ahazia
by Hazael
Mentions “House of David”
5. King
David

9. Defending Our Faith
Mesha Stela 840’s B.C.
Victory over Jehoram and Ahazia
by Hazael
Mentions “House of David”
5. King
David

10. Defending Our Faith
THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES
The Dead Sea
Scrolls 100 BC

11. Pontius Pilate
26-36 AD
Did Pilate Exist?
In 1961, while excavating a Roman theatre near Caesarea, Dr. Frova and some Italian archaeologists discovered a
stone slab which was part of the steps of the theatre. It's inscription said that it was from "Pontius Pilate, the Prefect
of Judea." It read: "Tiberium, Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea." Some speculate that its complete inscription may
have read, "Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius,"
and that it was once a part of a Tiberium (temple). According to wikipedia, "the coastal town of Caesarea... was the
seat of power of Iudaea during the government of Pontius Pilate," although he did have a place of residence in
Jerusalem which he seldom used. It is important to note that John's use of the word "governor" incorporates both
the title of "prefect" and "procurator."

12. Pliny The Younger
112 AD
They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had
been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing
responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to
some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor
to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was
their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and
innocent food.

13. Tacitus
around 100 AD
Nero falsely accused and executed with the most exquisite punishments those
people called Christians, who were infamous for their abominations. The
originator of the name, Christ, was executed as a criminal by the procurator
Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius; and though repressed, this destructive
superstition erupted again, not only through Judea, which was the origin of this
evil, but also through the city of Rome, to which all that is horrible and shameful
floods together and is celebrated.

14. Jewish Talmud
around 250 AD
It has been taught: On the eve of Passover they hanged
Yeshu. And an announcer went out, in front of him, for 40
days (saying): 'He is going to be stoned, because he
practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. Anyone
who knows anything in his favor, let him come and plead in
his behalf.' But, not having found anything in his favor, they
hanged him on the eve of Passover.

15. Reasons to Accept Christianity
1. Accurate Records
2. Historically Verifiable
3. Chain of Eyewitnesses
4. Continuity of Thought Through 1500 years
5. Logical Belief System
6. Long Record of Changed Lives
7. Incredible Gains in Humanity by Christians
8. Willingness to Challenge Own Beliefs
9. Scientific Harmony with Scriptures and Beliefs
10. Current Value of Historical Documents

19. Rank Christian Denomination Members
1 Catholic Church 1,285,000,000
2 Protestantism 920,000,000
3 Anglicanism 85,000,000
4 Eastern Orthodox Church 270,000,000
5 Oriental Orthodoxy 86,000,000
6 Restorationism and Nontrinitarianism 35,000,000
7 Independent Catholicism 18,000,000
8 Minor Branches 1,000,000
TOTAL CHRISTIANS 2,700,000,000
World Christian Denominations By the Numbers

20. Islam
▪ Origins
– Founder
– Date
– World Area
▪ Texts/ Major Docs.
▪ Major Beliefs
▪ Ceremonies / Rituals
▪ Branches
▪ Arabia (Fertile Crescent)
– Muhammad
– 622 AD
– Middle East, Northern half of
Africa, Indonesia, Central Asia,
South Asia
▪ Qur’an, hadith
▪ “There is no god but Allah”, 5
pillars of Islam,
▪ pilgrimage to Mecca, worship day
= Friday,
▪ jihad (personal struggle)
▪ Muslim New Year’s, anniversaries
of life of Muhammad, Ramadan,
etc.
▪ Sunni, Shi’a, Sufi

21. Islam
▪ Origins
– Founder
– Date
– World Area
▪ Texts/ Major Docs.
▪ Major Beliefs
▪ Ceremonies / Rituals
▪ Branches
▪ Arabia (Fertile Crescent)
– Muhammad
– 622 AD
– Middle East, Northern half of
Africa, Indonesia, Central Asia,
South Asia
▪ Qur’an, hadith
▪ “There is no god but Allah”, 5
pillars of Islam,
▪ pilgrimage to Mecca, worship day
= Friday,
▪ jihad (personal struggle)
▪ Muslim New Year’s, anniversaries
of life of Muhammad, Ramadan,
etc.
▪ Sunni, Shi’a, Sufi

23.
▪ Branches
–Sunni
▪Caliph may be any righteous
Muslim
–Shi’a
▪Caliph = descendent from
Muhammad
–Sufi
▪mystics, ascetics, “monks”

25. The Origins of Islam
• Succession to Muhammad
•Abu Bakr
5 Pillars of Islam
1. There is One God, and Allah his prophet
2. Prayer 5 times a day
3. Fasting during Ramadan
4. Paying Alms to Muslims
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca once
} Established customs:
◦ don’t eat pork or drink alcoholic beverages
◦Men could have up to four wives.
◦Marriage with non-Muslims was forbidden.
◦Equality of all believers.
◦Worship in a mosque.

26. Islamic Beliefs
} Qu’ran
◦Revelations believed to be sacred words
of Allah
} Hadith
} Collection of sayings of Muhammad
} Shari’a law based on Qu’ran and Hadith
} Seal of the Prophets
◦Muhammad the last prophet sent by God
} Abraham, Jesus

31. Forced Conversion
Islamic World
–jihad=striving
•internal struggle versus evil
•external war against enemies of faith
–initially against Muhammad’s enemies
–after death against “apostates”
–then Byzantium and Sasanid
–enemies allowed to convert
•or pay tax
•or go to war

32. Other Islamic Religious
Practices
☪ Up to four wives allowed at once.
☪ No alcohol or pork.
☪ No gambling.
☪ Sharia ! body of Islamic law to
regulate daily living.
☪ Three holiest cities in Islam:
* Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem.

35. Muslims in the World Today