A Fascinating and Exciting Introduction to Studying World Religions: Basic Concepts & Ideas

Gadel Education Presentations:
World Religions Series
A Fascinating and Exciting Introduction
to Studying World Religions:
Basic Concepts & Ideas
!1
Slideshow Presentation
By Cara Gadel

Full Script Ebook

Available on line!

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Map of World Religions
Credits for this slide appear in the Afterword

–To tie, bind, or connect
OR

- To “RE” tie, bind, or connect
Religion:
!5

What is Comparative
Religion?
• Comparative Religion:

• non-theological

• non-religious

• the neutral, academic analysis of religious beliefs

• the systematic comparison of religious beliefs and practices across
cultures.
!6

Teaching Religion in
Schools?
• In the United States…. First Amendment: illegal to provide religious
instruction, or to endorse specific religious teachings, in public schools.

• Public schools in many countries observe similar laws.

• It is not illegal to teach about religions in US public schools.
!7

Amendment I:
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress of grievances.
!8

First Amendment
• As far as it address Freedom of Religion, there are two parts —>

• Establishment Clause

• Free Exercise Clause
!9

• The Establishment Clause:

Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion

• The Free Exercise Clause:

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

Famous Court Cases
• 1948: McCollum v. Board of Education
• 1962: Engel v. Vitale
• 1963: School District of Abington Township v.
Schempp
!12

What is a belief system?
• an organized, systemic set of beliefs, practices, mythology, traditions, and
rituals that govern the worldview of an individual or community

• Religions are belief systems (all apples are pieces of fruit), but not all belief
systems are religions (not all pieces of fruit are apples).

• Belief systems also include, for example, philosophies.
!13

“The Soviet Union 1968 CPA 3654 stamp (Red Army
Cavalryman, Cavalry Charge and Order of the Red
Banner (Komsomol and Russian Civil War). 25 August
1968. This work is not an object of copyright according
to article 1259 of Book IV of the Civil Code of
the Russian Federation No. 230-FZ of December 18,
2006.” ” Citation information and licensing information/
permission for use of images was copied from https://
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:The_Soviet_Union_1968_CPA_3654_stamp_(Red_Ar
my_Cavalryman,_Cavalry_Charge_and_Order_of_the_Re
d_Banner_(Komsomol_and_Russian_Civil_War)).jpg

• Soviet Communism is a great
example of a non-religious belief
system with religious-like
elements.
!14

Deity
• A god or goddess

• (Latin deus or deitas; Greek theos or
theotos)
“Source: User:Bibi Saint-Pol, own work,
2007-02-08, 18 March 2007. I, the copyright
holder of this work, release this work into
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File:Aion_mosaic_Glyptothek_Munich_W504.j
pg
“Andrea del Verrocchio, Leonardo da Vinci - Baptism of Christ. Authors:
Andrea Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci. Collection: Uffizi Gallery.
Source: The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-
ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN:
3936122202.

This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other
countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100
years or less. PD-Art (PD-old-70) “ C” Citation information and licensing
information/permission for use of images was copied from https://
File:Andrea_del_Verrocchio,_Leonardo_da_Vinci_-_Baptism_of_Christ_-
_Uffizi.jpg

“The Birth of Venus. By Sandro Botticelli. Source: Uffizi
Gallery. Ca. 1483-85. This is a faithful photographic
reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art.
The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following
reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin
and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the
author's life plus 100 years or less. This work is in the public
domain in the United States because it was published (or
registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1,
1924. PD-old-100-expired. PD-Art (PD-old-100-expired). “ ”
Citation information and licensing information/permission for use
of images was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Botticelli_Venus.jpg
!16

Ontology
• The philosophical study of being
!17

Cosmogony
• The branch of science that deals with the origins of the universe
!18

Cosmology
• The study of the universe, including its origins, but also its structure, what
it is made of, changes that have occurred, changes that are occurring, its
history, and its future
!19

Dharmic Religions
• Dharmic Religions:

• Hinduism

• Buddhism

• Jainism

• Sikhism
!20

Abrahamic Faiths
• Three major Abrahamic faiths:

• Judaism (the oldest)

• Christianity

• Islam (the youngest)
!21

Transcendent
• To transcend something is to move (or rise) above and beyond something
“The Creation of Adam by
Michelangelo, circa 1511.

This is a faithful
photographic reproduction
of a two-
dimensional, public
domain work of art. The
work of art itself is in the
public domain for the
following reason: The
author died in 1564, so this
work is in the public
domain in its country of
origin and other countries
and areas where
the copyright term is the
author's life plus 100 years
or less. This work is in
the public domain in
the United States because
it was published (or
registered with the U.S.
Copyright Office) before
January 1, 1923. PD-
old-100-expiredPD-Art (PD-
old-auto-expired) “ ”
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licensing information/
permission for use of
images was copied from
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.jpg
!22

Immanent
• Something that exists within; inherent
!23

Pantheism
• The Divine is immanent in all things
!24

Panentheism
• The Divine is both immanent in and also simultaneously transcends all
things.
!25

Monism
• Everything goes back to a single source; everything is derived from The One
(aka The Monad, or The Absolute)
“Author: jossi, 13 August 2006. I, the copyright
holder of this work, release this work into the public
domain. This applies worldwide.In some countries
this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone
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from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Monad.svg
!26

Animism
• Animism - all of nature, is infused with the divine life force of the universe.

• Mountains, rocks, trees, hills, springs

• “life” or “alive” in Latin
!27

Dualism
• Dualism - separation and opposition between two fundamental concepts
!28

“Author: Dustin Dewynne; 25 July 2012. This file is made available under
the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (https://
creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en). The person who associated
a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of
his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and
neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute
and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
“ ” Citation information and licensing information/permission for use of images was
copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dualism-vs-Monism.png
!29

Non-dualism
“Yin and Yang. Author: Klem. 7 December 2007. I, the copyright holder of
this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.

In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so:

I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any
conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. For countries with laws
of copyright eligibility This file is ineligible for copyright and therefore in
the public domain because it consists entirely of information that is common
property and contains no original authorship.This work is in the public
domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where
the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less. PD ineligible. “ ”
Citation information and licensing information/permission for use of images
was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yin_and_Yang.svg
Yin/Yang
!30

Monotheism/Polytheism
• Monotheism - belief in one god (usually One Supreme Creator God).

• Polytheism - belief in multiple gods, often as part of a pantheon.
!31

Henotheism
• Polytheism? —> henotheism.

• Henotheism - belief in or devotion to one particular deity or pantheon,
while recognizing and valuing the existence of other deities and pantheons.

• Religious tolerance is often a natural characteristic of henotheistic belief.
!32

Shamanism
•Shamans:
•priest-members of
indigenous communities

•mediators between the
spiritual and the mundane
world
“Shaman. Author: O. H. von Lode.
eem, Knud (1767). Beskrivelse over
Finnmarkens Lapper, deres Tungemaal,
Levemaade og forrige
Afgudsdyrkelse (Copenhagen: 1767).
This is a faithful photographic
reproduction of a two-
dimensional, public domain work of art.
The work of art itself is in the public
domain for the following reason: This
work is in the public domain in its
country of origin and other countries
and areas where the copyright term is
the author's life plus 100 years or less.
PD-Art (PD-old-100).” Citation
information and grant of permission to
use image was copied from https://
File:Shaman.jpg
“Altay shaman with drum. Author:
Sergei Ivanovich Borisov. Taken
between 1911 and 1914. http://
www.sibheritage.nsc.ru/index.php?
id=2691&showcoll=73&f=1&media=4.
This work is in the public domain in its
country of origin and other countries
and areas where the copyright term is
the author's life plus 70 years or less.
PD Old.” Citation information and grant
of permission to use image was copied
from https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:SB_-
_Altay_shaman_with_drum.jpg

!33

Priest/Priestess
• an intermediary between a community of people and the divine

• conducts rituals and leads rites of passage

• may serve as the record-keeper of the community

• oral traditions and/or written, official records
!34

a pantheon
• A system of deities, specific to a belief system
!35

Rite
• A rite - a religious or otherwise solemn ceremony performed for specific
religious reasons, marked by specific religious rituals
!36

Ritual
• a series of actions that are performed in a specific, ordered way, often as
part of a religious or other kind of ceremony
!37

Ritual Objects
“Challah for Shabbat. Shabbat Challos. Author: Yoninah. 10 May 2006
Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. I, the copyright holder of this work,
release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some
countries this may not be legally possible; if so:

I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any
conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.” Citation information
and licensing information/permission for use of images was copied from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shabbat_Challos.jpg
“Rudraksha beads. Author: Nesusvet. 27
October 2007. I, the copyright holder of
this work, release this work into the public
domain. This applies worldwide. In some
countries this may not be legally possible;
if so: I grant anyone the right to use this
work for any purpose, without any
required by law.” Citation information and
licensing information/permission for use of
images was copied from https://
File:Rudraksha_beads.jpg
“The Gifts (Bread and Wine). Liturgy of Saint James. Russian Orthodox
Church in Dusseldorf. The Gifts (Bread and Wine) prepared during
the Liturgy of Preparation before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy.
Author: Velopilger. 10 January 2010. I, the copyright holder of this
work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.
In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone
the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions,
unless such conditions are required by law. “ Citation information and
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Challah
Mala
Eucharist
!38

Sacrament
• a symbolic rite, meant to bring the practitioner closer to the divine
!39

Rite of Passage
• Most religions mark rites of passage at:

• birth

• adolescence/adulthood

• marriage

• death
!40

Sacrifice
• Something that a person values but gives up, at a loss to themselves, for
a higher purpose

• Human sacrifice

• Animal sacrifice
!41

Myth
• a traditional story explaining
basic beliefs and practices
shared by the community

• may or may not be assumed to
be true

• Use of the term “myth” does
not imply that it is, or is not,
true.
“Birth of Athena from the head of Zeus, from a vase painting; http://
www.minervaclassics.com/loom1.htm; drawing from XIX c. German book. This
is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public
domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the
following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and
other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70
years or less. CC-PD-MarkPD-Art (PD-old default)PD-Art (PD-old-70). “
” Citation information and licensing information/permission for use of images
was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Birth_of_Athena.jpg
!42

Origin Myth
• a particular kind of myth, which
may explain how the world or
the universe was created, or
where a community comes from

• Use of the term “myth” does not
imply that it is, or is not, true.
“Adam and Eve. Author: Jan Gossaert. Source: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, between
circa 1507 and circa 1508. This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-
dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the
following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other
countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less.
PD-Art (PD-old-100). “ Citation information and grant of permission to use image was
copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Gossaert_Thyssen_Adam_and_Eve.jpg
!43

Archetype
• a symbol or pattern that appears repeatedly in art, literature, or religion, and
is seen as recognizing a larger idea or theme
!44

Archetypal Characters

• a wise old man or woman (a sage or crone)

• a trickster

• a divine child

• a savior/hero king or queen

Archetypal Themes
• water as purification

• green as a color for new life

• an underworld inhabited by the dead

Hero’s Journey
“Hero’s Journey. Redrawn image by
Author: Slashme. Source:
4chan.org, thread about monomyths,
AKA the hero's journey. Unknown
date of origin; uploaded to Wikimedia
Commons 2009-11-18. I, the
copyright holder of this work, release
this work into the public domain. This
applies worldwide. In some countries
this may not be legally possible; if so:
I grant anyone the right to use this
work for any purpose, without any
required by law.” Citation information
and grant of permission to use image
was copied from https://
File:Heroesjourney.svg
!47

Hero’s Journey:
Divine Child
• Evil rules the land

• Prophesy of a divine child/rightful ruler

• Restoration of peace and harmony
“Adorazione dei Magi by Gentile
da Fabriano; Scene of Flyght in
Egypt - centre part of predella by
Gentile da Fabriano in Florence,
Italy. 1423. Source: Petar
Milošević This is a faithful
photographic reproduction of a
two-dimensional, public
domain work of art. The work of
art itself is in the public domain for
the following reason: This work is
in the public domain in its country
of origin and other countries and
areas where the copyright term is
the author's life plus 100 years or
less. PD-Art (PD-old-100) “
Citation information and grant of
permission to use image was
copied from https://
File:Adorazione_dei_Magi_by_Gen
tile_da_Fabriano_-_Predella.jpg
!48

The Hero’s Journey: The Divine
Child and/or Rightful Ruler
“Artist Britton LaRoche. Sketch of King Arthur's Sword in
the Stone. 17 July 2006 (original upload date). Released
to the public domain. I, the copyright holder of this work,
release this work into the public domain. This applies
worldwide.

In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so:

I grant anyone the right to use this work for any
purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions
are required by law. “ Citation information and grant of
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commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ExcaliburStone.jpg
• Luke Skywalker

• Leia Organa

• Aragorn

• Harry Potter
!49

The Hero’s Journey:
The Sage
• Gandalf, Obi Wan-Kenobi, Yoda
!50

Avatar
• a material incarnation of the
divine in the form of a human

• a human being who becomes a
deity

• a deity who becomes a human
“Yasoda Adorning Krishna with Ornaments. Artist: Raja Ravi Varma. ca. 1848 - 1906. This is a
faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art
itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its
country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus
100 years or less. PD-Art (PD-old-100). “ Citation information and licensing information/permission
for use of images was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Raja_Ravi_Varma,_Yasoda_Adorning_Krishna.jpg

Krishna with his Mother, Yasoda
!51

Religious Syncretism
• involves borrowing and mixing from multiple religious/spiritual traditions -
usually both indigenous practices and a new, universalist/missionary arrival -
to form new beliefs, practices, and traditions
!52

Ancestor Veneration
• Practitioners may pray for the well-being of their dearly departed in the
afterlife and hold rituals to remember and honor them.
!53

Prophet
• an intermediary speaker between the divine and the community

• gives prophesies: instructions from the community’s deity (may include a
foretelling of the future)
!54

Mystics
• implies a sense of spiritual mystery

• oneness with, or closeness to, the divine

• hidden or secret KNOWLEDGE
!55

Mystics
• Eastern religions and other pantheistic or panentheistic belief systems are
inherently, by definition, mystical.

• All are one and one is all; everything is divine, everything is sacred.

• True knowledge, wisdom, or enlightenment, is awareness of this True
Reality.

• In these belief systems, the mystic seeks oneness with the divine, or -
better yet - awareness of the oneness that already is.
!56

Ineffable
• an experience that is so profound or extreme that it cannot be captured or
communicated through words; it cannot be properly articulated

• often appropriate to describe spiritual encounters
!57

Soteriology
• the study of a faith’s teachings on salvation or enlightenment
!58

Cyclical vs linear version
of history
• Most pantheistic/panentheistic perspectives of history view history as
cyclical.

• Western (Abrahamic) faiths see history as linear.
!59

The Endgame:
Salvation or Enlightenment
(or both?)
• Abrahamic faiths: Salvation

• Eastern belief systems: Enlightenment
!60

Eschatology
• “End Times” philosophy

• the Greek escha (“end”) plus logy (“study”)
!61

Sacramental Orientation
• concerned with rites, rituals, and sacraments
!62

Prophetic Orientation
• emphasizes the prophesies and teachings of specific teachers (usually a
lineage of teachers)
!63

Mystical Orientation
• emphasize spiritual practices meant to bring about a sense of oneness
with or nearness to the divine have a mystical orientation
!64

Universal, Missionary,
Proselytizing
• A universal or universalizing religion is one which anyone can join; it is
accessible to everyone.

• A missionary religion is one which seeks to spread its message.

• Members of missionary religions seek to spread the message through
proselytizing, which means they seek to spread their message and bring
recruits.

• Christians have a specific term for proselytizing —> to evangelize (to
spread the Gospel, or “Good News”).
!65

Faith vs Faith Tradition
• What is faith? ??????

• The precise meaning of the term faith is hard to pin down;
people often give different responses. Here are some things
it could be:

• Trust, Belief, Hope, Confidence,

• a religion

• A faith tradition is a set of religious beliefs and traditions.
!66

Dogma
• the set of principles, doctrine, and rules established by the body of
religious authority within a particular religion
!67

Canon
• the body of literature and teachings within a religion that religious
authorities have accepted/designated as official
!68

Redact
• To redact a text is to edit or censor parts of it.
!69

Redactions
• What makes some scholars think some religious texts have been
redacted?

• Use of language/vocabulary
!70

Inerrancy
• Religious scholars and leaders who do not believe their sacred texts to
have been redacted, or inspired, argue for inerrancy.
!71

Doctrine
• The set of beliefs and teachings held by a religious organization

• Etymology: doctrina (Latin) —> teaching
!72

Sacred
• That which is considered holy, set apart from the mundane (worldly) or
profane (that which is desecrated)
!73

Blasphemy, Heresy, Infidels,
and Apostates
• Several different categories for actions that, or people who, offend the
divine:

• Blasphemy

• Heresy

• Infidel

• Apostate
!74

Orthodox vs Heterodox
• Orthodox —> ortho = true, straight, right; dox = teaching

• orthodox means “true/straight/right teaching”

• “orthodox” versus “Orthodox”

• heterodox —> hetero = other
!75

catholic vs Catholic
• With a lower case “c,” the term is a common adjective (with a general
meaning).

• With a capital “C,” the term is a proper noun or adjective: the Roman
Catholic Church.
!76

Fundamentalism
• late 19th/early 20th century in the US

• some Protestant groups who wanted to distance themselves from the
impact of liberalism and modernity on Christianity

• opposed the increasing popularity of critical and historical analysis of
religious texts

• The term fundamentalist has today expanded and may apply to members
of any religion.
!77

Universalism
• can refer to belief systems:

• in which anyone can become a member

• in which practitioners believe they promote universal truths

• (inclusive universalism) in which all religions are perceived as having
certain universal truths and should be respected and valued
!78

Center
RightLeft
Conservative
Traditional
Extreme Right:
Reactionary
Extreme Left:
Radical
Liberal
Progressive
<—— — Moderate ———>
Political Spectrum
!79

Religious Spectrum
Conservative
Traditional
Fundamentalism
Inclusive
Universalism
Liberal
Progressive
!80

• BC and AD are Christian terms:

• BC = “Before Christ”

• “AD” means “anno domini,” Latin for “in the year of Our Lord”

• BCE and CE are secular terms that mean precisely the same thing that BC
and AD do:

• “BCE” = “Before current/common era”

• “CE” means “current/common era”
BC or BCE &
CE or AD
!81

BC or BCE &
CE or AD
O
CE (Secular Dating Term)
AD (Christian Dating Term)
BCE (Secular Dating Term)
BC (Christian Dating Term)
50
2019
200
150
300
!82

Atheists, Agnostics, &
Deists
• Atheists (“a” = no, thei = deity) believe there is no god or divine source.
• Agnostics (“ag” - no; gnostic = knowledge) don’t know, and are
comfortable with this realization.
• Deists = Enlightenment thinkers who believed in a Creator God; “God is
like a clockmaker.”
!83

Percentage of Atheists & Agnostics
Around the World
(2006)
“Religion Map byEmilfaro. 6 February 2009. Based on the data of the Dentsu Communication Institute and the data of
Zuckerman. Largest values taken. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Emilfaro. This applies
worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: Emilfaro grants anyone the right to use this work for
any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.” Citation information and grant of
permission to use image was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irreligion_map.png
!84

Spirit, Psyche, Soul
• Spirit (spiritus in Latin, meaning to breathe —> the Greek word is
pneuma)
• Soul comes from Old English and translates into the Greek psyche (mind,
emotions).
!85

Religion vs Spirituality
• Religion - a system or set of beliefs and practices revolving around a
community’s ontology, cosmogony, and cosmology.

• It is reflected in, and influences, a community’s culture.

• It may be rooted in spiritual beliefs and practices of individuals and/
or communities.

• Spirituality may be defined as a focus on the spirit or soul (psyche).
• Spirituality may be seen as an individual matter and it may infuse
one’s own, and/or a community’s, religious beliefs and practices.
!86

Ebook Available!
• The full script for this slideshow is available!

• Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Fascinating-Exciting-Introduction-
Studying-Religions-ebook/dp/B07QDBWJS8/ref=sr_1_2?
qid=1554820137&reﬁnements=p_27%3ACara+Gadel&s=digital-
text&sr=1-2&text=Cara+Gadel

• This slideshow is part of a series, presenting a basic overview and, in some cases, some basic
history, of major world religions and belief systems. For every slideshow, a full script ebook is
also available through online booksellers such as Amazon. In most cases, a printable
paperback version is also available.
• This slideshow is presented with full script, in ebook format, and is available at: https://
www.amazon.com/Fascinating-Exciting-Introduction-Studying-Religions-ebook/dp/
B07QDBWJS8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cara+gadel&qid=1554820041&s=gateway&sr=8-1-
spell.
• The purpose of this series is to support an understanding of the development of major belief
systems and their impact on the development of world civilizations and history. Thus, the
purpose of this series is to provide a secular, academic overview of the religions presented.
• This series does not claim to represent the views of any major religious institution, or religious
individuals. The purpose of this series is not to provide religious instruction in particular
religious doctrines. This series may be suitable for those who hold religious doctrines - any
religious doctrine - and for those who hold none at all.
• The images in these slideshows come primarily from the public domain and in all cases are
presented with citations. While organizations, individuals, and institutions have released these
images into the public domain or otherwise made them available for use, the appearance of
said images in these presentations in no way suggests that those organizations, individuals, or
institutions endorse this presentation.
!89

Note: Spelling Variations
• Spelling for terms from languages not typically spelled with the Latin
alphabet may vary and be used interchangeably.

• In many cases, there are multiple accepted spellings for names and terms
that come from languages with other spelling systems.

• This series may present one or more spelling interchangeably.

• Readers may find alternative spellings in other sources that are not part of
this series.
!90

This series is for:
Students
• Secondary/high school or university students enrolled in any World or European
History course would benefit considerably from reading the books in this series.

• Secondary/high school or home schooling students, in the US or abroad, who are
planning to take the AP, IBDP, or SAT II Subject exam. It is not necessary to enroll in
an AP class to take the AP exam. Students taking national exams pertaining to
history in countries outside the US, such as A-Levels, the Abitur, and Le Bac, may
also be tested on this content.

• Having a clear concept of the belief systems for the regions and time periods you
study will have a significant impact on your understanding of the course content of
your history classes.

• Much of the content covered in this series will be reflected in some form on the
AP World History, AP European History, SAT World History, and IBDP exams,
national exams outside the US (A-Levels, Abitur, Le Bac, etc) and/or in any
university level course you take pertaining to these subjects.
!91

This series is for:
Instructors, Professionals, and Parents
• University and high school instructors of World or European History, Philosophy,
Religion, and/or certain Literature courses, especially those who are new to the
material. Many of those who are charged with the task of teaching about world
belief systems have never had a comprehensive course in this content
themselves.

• Parents, who want to support students enrolled in a course in which this
content is relevant, including but not limited to courses pertaining to History,
Philosophy, and Religion.

• Professionals, such as those involved in diplomacy, or corporate expats,
whose work requires a deeper understanding of World History and/or of
Comparative Belief Systems.

• People who love to learn, especially those who want to know more about
global issues and connections among current events.
!92

This series is for:
• Anyone who is interested in World History, and/or the history of Asia, the
Middle East, and/or the West.

• This series of ebooks and slideshows on World Religions focuses
(primarily) on the major belief systems - some of which might not
necessarily fall under the definition of “religion” - that have heavily
influenced major world civilizations.

• A basic understanding of these belief systems and their influence on the
political, social, cultural, and even economic structures is really pretty
central to developing a good grounding in the history of the regions in
which they were prevalent.
!93

Did you know?
• AP stands for Advanced Placement, and refers to university level courses taken in high
schools in the US and at international schools that provide an American curriculum.

• Students take AP exams in May. If they pass, depending on their score and their target
university’s policy, they receive university credit for the course - often a course required for
graduation at US universities. AP courses are popular because they can save students
thousands of dollars, and a lot of time.

• It is not necessary to enroll in an AP course in order to take the AP exam in May. Students
who home school, or who attend a school which does not offer a particular AP course, or
cannot fit the AP course into their schedule even when their school does offer it, can still
prepare on their own and take the exam through their local public school in the US.

• Students living outside the US may also have options to take the AP exam. Passing the exam
with a certain score - (regardless of whether or not one has completed the AP course, or one’s
grade in the course) - determines whether or not your target university will give you credit for
the course. If your target university gives you credit for the course and it is a course required
for graduation at that university, your successful completion of the AP exam counts in place of
having to enroll in the university level course - saving you thousands of dollars and valuable
time.
!94

Did you know?
• IBDP: IB stands for the International Baccalaureate Programme. IBDP (or
DP for short) stands for IB Diploma Programme and refers to 11th and
12th grade courses. MYP stands for Middle Years Programme and refers
to grades 7-10.

• Students who successfully complete DP exams in their field may, similarly
to successful AP students, exempt themselves from having to take the
courses as undergraduate students, thereby saving time and money.

• The IB Programme started in Switzerland and is popular in international
schools all over the world. It is also increasing in popularity in the US.
!95

Did you know?
• Students intending to apply to some particularly prestigious universities
will need to successfully complete at least one or two SAT subject exams.

• The World History SAT subject exam is a popular one, and this series of
books can help students perform well on it.
!96

• This presentation is part of the Gadel Education series on World Religions. Slideshows are
available via Slideshare. Ebooks and printable paperbacks are available through online
booksellers, including Amazon.

• A Fascinating and Exciting Introduction to Studying World Religions: Basic Concepts
& Ideas

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Hinduism

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Buddhism

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Chinese Belief Systems: Confucianism,
Taoism, and Legalism (The Three Schools of Thought)

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Judaism and Basic Jewish History

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Christianity (coming soon)

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of Islam

• A Fascinating and Exciting Overview of New Religious Movements
!97

!98
"World religions map ru.svg: Tetromino et al. 2 June 2017. I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following licenses: This file is licensed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, to remix – to adapt the work… Under
the following conditions: attribution – You must give appropriate credit (Tetromino et al.), provide a link to the license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
deed.en), and indicate if changes were made (this is a derivative work; please see information below). You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that
suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation
License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy
of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2). You may select the license of your choice.
The source image is a derivative work of the following images:

• File:BlankMap-World6,_compact.svg licensed with PD-self

• 2010-05-24T23:02:45Z Saftorangen 940x415 (1515385 Bytes) To match the original map: "Grey move : B9B9B9 to E0E0E0 according to wikipedia convention." See
the [[:commons:File_talk:BlankMap-World6.svg#Color_update_need|file talk of BlankMap-World6.svg]].

• 2009-10-12T06:40:51Z Fibonacci 940x415 (1515385 Bytes) Same fixes as for the full map.

• 2008-12-02T18:21:18Z Lokal Profil 940x415 (1518276 Bytes) Reverted to version as of 14:51, 13 June 2008, new image has non of the complexity (i.e. colouring
abilities etc.) of the old

• 2008-12-02T17:29:39Z Harbin 1326x601 (176022 Bytes)

• 2008-12-02T17:26:08Z Harbin 1425x625 (189017 Bytes)

• 2008-06-13T14:51:25Z Lokal Profil 940x415 (1518276 Bytes) Syncing with [[:Image:BlankMap-World6.svg]] version (01:30, March 29, 2008). Sadly enough the
validator does not seem to like rdf element of the metadata although it should work acording to http://www.w3schools.com/rdf/rdf_ma

• 2008-02-08T20:55:35Z CarolSpears 940x415 (1528750 Bytes) validated, maybe

• 2007-12-14T19:51:17Z Lokal Profil 940x415 (1529675 Bytes) Readded an ocean object but this one is square instead of the original elliptic one

• 2007-12-14T19:19:56Z Lokal Profil 940x415 (1529845 Bytes) {{Information |Description=Detailed SVG map with grouping enabled to connect all non-contiguous
parts of a country's territory for easy colouring. Smaller countries can also be represented by larger circles to show their data

Uploaded with derivativeFX"

”Citaitation information and licensing information/permission for use of images was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_religions_map_en.svg

Map of World Religions: Credits from image on previous slide

Citations
• Images in this series have been taken from the public domain, generally from Wikimedia
Commons.

• In every case, citations, links, other identifying information, and permission information are
included.

• Links to Creative Commons licenses:

• Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

• Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

• Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.5) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en



• GNU Free Documentation License:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License

• http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html

• Creative Commons Licenses indicate: “You are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format,
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. The licensor cannot revoke these
freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.” Please note links above for reference.
!99

Citations
• Citation information and licensing information/permission for use of
images was copied and pasted directly from the sites where image
sources were retrieved.

• The use of these images should not be seen as definitively representative
of, or endorsing, or endorsed by, any institutions, persons, or
organizations addressed in this book.

• Free images from the public domain and or creative commons share/share
alike have been used throughout this book. Although in every case, the
author, artist, source, or organization has released the image for use, the
use of such images in this book in no way indicates endorsement of this
book, or any of the information or claims herein, by the individuals,
institutions, or organizations who have given license to use the images.
!100

Credits for Slideshow Cover
“Author: User:Rursus; 5 June 2007. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Rursus. This
applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: Rursus grants anyone the right to use this
work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.” ” Citation information and
licensing information/permission for use of images was copied from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
File:Religious_syms.svg
!101

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