World major religion

Religion (The Basics)
 Religion is a belief in a supernatural
power or powers that are regarded as the
creators and maintainers of the universe.

Types of Religions
 Monotheistic religions believe in one
god.
 Polytheistic religions believe in many
gods.
 Animistic or traditional religions often
believe that different aspects of nature
have divine powers.

Religions of the World
Religion Followers
Christianity 1.9 billion
Islam 1.1 billion
Hinduism 781 million
Buddhism 324 million
Sikhism 19 million
Judaism 14 million

Southwest Asia
 The three religions that began in
Southwest Asia are:
A. Judaism (2000 BCE)
B. Christianity (26-36 CE)
C. Islam (610 CE)

Judaism
 Some of the major beliefs of Judaism are:
A. Monotheism - There is one god who is all
powerful and all knowing.
B. This god made a special covenant or
agreement with Abraham, who is the
‘father’ of the Jewish people.
C. God revealed his laws to his people
through Moses and the ten
commandments.

Importance of History
*The basis of the Jewish religion is its history.
It is the most important aspect.
demonstrated through the celebration of life cycle
events in people’s lives
holiday celebrations commemorate historic
events
 The key event is the Exodus from Egypt
(recorded Book of Exodus)
Many important aspects of observances are
linked to this event

 From the beginning, the
Jewish people have
interpreted acts of history
as God acting on behalf of
the Jewish people
Either to promote them or to
punish them
History is seen as the story
of God’s intervention in the
lives of His “Chosen People”

Six Periods of Jewish History
 The Patriarchs: AbrahamMoses (19th -
13th cent. BCE)
 Mosesthe Hebrew Monarchy (13th - 6th
cent. BCE)
 The Babylonian Exile and Post Exilic
Judaism (6th cent BCE - 1st cent. CE)
("Second Temple" period)
 Rabbinic period (1st - 7th cent CE)
 Medieval Judaism (7th - 18th cent. CE)
 Modern Judaism (18th cent. - current)

Judaism as a Race
 Judaism is an ethnic religion
 Began as a religion of an extended family, a
tribe of peoples known as the Hebrews
 Jewish people today continue to think of
themselves as a family, a nation of peoples,
as well as a religion
 God is understood by the Jews to intervene,
to act, in and through history time and
again, especially in the history of Israel (the
people)
 Jews look to God’s action in the world

Sacred Texts
 The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh
Known by Christians as "Old Testament“
contains the same books as the Christian version but in a
different order after the first five
 Considered revealed and inspired by God
Interpretation of early history of the Hebrew people,
establishment of a nation
Story of God’s interaction with His "Chosen People" (His-Story)
Foundation of Jewish life
 Called the Bible
(Biblia) means "little books“
Actually a library of 39 independent books divided into 3
categories:

The 3 Categories
1. Torah
 Most important text
 Divine instruction and guidance or "Written
Law”
 Books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy
 Covers history from creation through the Exodus and
wandering in the desert
 613 commandments from God

Continued…
2. Prophets: Words and revelations of the
minor and major prophets
 Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, Jonah, etc.
3. Writings: poetic and devotional material
written and used during the same time as
the Prophets, words and works of the
sages
 Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Esther, Daniel, etc.

 The Talmud
Oral tradition passed to Moses and beyond
Finally written down in the 2nd century
Contains info on rituals, marriages,
agricultural laws, festivals, etc.

The Nature of God
 Covenants with good people
Responds to their needsdeliverance
 Guides & directs His people
 Compassionate
 Controls with justice
 Source of forgiving, redeeming love
 Establishes peace on earth

The “Name” of God
 Written by Hebrew consonants YHVH
Means “I am”
 Jews do not have a personal name for God
Christians and others have Anglicized it to
Yahweh or Jehovah
Written by Orthodox Jews as G-d
 God referred to as:
Adonai (The Lord)
Elohim, or HaShem (the Name) - the
unpronounceable name of God

A Few Main Beliefs
 Jews do not believe in
"original sin" (no need for
a "savior" in the Christian
sense)
 The Ten
Commandments
first 4 have to do with our
relationship with God
Next 6 refer to our
relationship with other
people

 Importance of family
 Story/experience of exile and exodus
"Let my people go."
Compassion and concern for freedom of all
peoples
history of continual fight for freedom and
continued survival

Humans
 God’s highest creatures
Earth has been given to them for food &
pleasure
They are the “caretakers”
 Created in God’s image
Each is a soul and body united
Each should have a fellowship with God
 Responsible
Answer to God for conduct
Humans have choices/can make
decisionssuffer consequences

Problem for Humans
 Rebellion against
God and
consequential
expulsion
Adam and Eve
 Who is the Messiah?
Has not arrived yet to
usher in a new age
He is expected

Life after Death
 Emphasis on good life on earth more
than good afterlife
 References in Psalms to heaven and
hell
Influenced by Zoroastrians?
Lack specific descriptions of life beyond
death

Rituals
 Jewish calendar based on lunar month
 Sabbath/Shabbat
Observed each week
Sundown on Fridaysundown on Saturday
 Rosh Hashanah
New year
Begins the Days of Awe
Concentrate on prayer, contemplation, self-searching
 Yom Kippur
10th day (of awe)
Holiest day observed
Repentance: 24 hours of atonement and fasting

Sweets for a sweet new year
Shabbat dinner

continued
 Chanukkah
Celebrated
rededication of
Jerusalem temple in
164 BCE (after
destruction by
Greeks)
Sacred oil lasted 8
days for celebration
Minor festival

Passover
 Most important holiday
 Marks deliverance form slavery in Egypt
under Moses’ leadership
 Sacred meal: seder
Unleavened bread (matzah)

Mitzvah
 613 mitzvot
 258 positive, 365 negative
 Boys: 13+1 day, girls 12+1 day
Bar Mitzvah means “son of the
commandment”
 Commands from God
No immediate reward
Obedience rewards in afterlife

Christianity
 Christianity was heavily influenced by
Judaism. Some of the major beliefs of
Christianity are:
A. Monotheism - There is one god who is
all powerful and all knowing.
B. Jesus Christ died for the sins of
humankind.
C. Salvation comes from faith in God.

Christianity
 Christians believe the Old and New
Testaments of the Bible are holy books.
The first four books of the New Testament
were written by followers of Jesus.

Christianity
 Some branches of Christianity are:
Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and
Eastern Orthodox.

 Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and
teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament.
 Adherents of Christianity, known as Christians, believe that Jesus
is the only begotten Son of God and the Messiah (Christ)
prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (the part of scripture common to
Christianity and Judaism).
 Christian theology claims that Jesus Christ is a teacher, the model
of a virtuous life, the revealer of God, as well as an incarnation of
God, and most importantly the savior of humanity who suffered,
died, and was resurrected to bring about salvation from sin.
 Christians maintain that Jesus ascended into heaven, and most
denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge the living and
the dead, granting everlasting life to his followers. Christians call
the message of Jesus Christ the Gospel ("good news") and hence
label the earliest written accounts of his ministry as gospels.

 Christianity is classified as an Abrahamic religion.
 Christianity began as a Jewish sect in the eastern Mediterranean,
quickly grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the
4th century had become the dominant religion within the Roman
Empire.
 During the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was
christianized, with Christians also being a (sometimes large)
religious minority in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of
India. Following the Age of Discovery, through missionary work
and colonization, Christianity spread to the Americas and the rest
of the world.
 Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western
civilization at least since the 4th century. As of the early 21st
century, Christianity has between 1.5 billion and 2.1 billion
adherents, representing about a quarter to a third of the world’s
population.

1. Beliefs
 In spite of important differences of
interpretation and opinion, Christians share a
set of beliefs that they hold as essential to
their faith.

1.1 Creeds
 Creeds (from Latin credo meaning "I believe")
are concise doctrinal statements or
confessions, usually of religious beliefs.
 They began as baptismal formulas and were
later expanded during the Christological
controversies of the fourth and fifth centuries
to become statements of faith.

The Apostles Creed
 The Apostles Creed (Symbolum Apostolorum) was
developed between the second and ninth centuries.
 It is the most popular creed used in worship by Western
Christians.
 Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the
Creator. Each of the doctrines found in this creed can be
traced to statements current in the apostolic period.
 i. belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God
and the Holy Spirit
 ii. the death, descent into hell, resurrection, and ascension of
Christ
 iii. the holiness of the Church and the communion of saints
 iv. Christ’s second coming, the Day of Judgement and
salvation of the faithful.

 The Nicene Creed, largely a response to Arianism, was
formulated at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in
325 and 381 respectively and ratified as the universal creed
of Christendom by the Council of Ephesus in 431.
 The Chalcedonian Creed, developed at the Council of
Chalcedon in 451, though rejected by the Oriental Orthodox
Churches, taught Christ "to be acknowledged in two natures,
inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one
divine and one human, and that both natures are perfect but
are nevertheless perfectly united into one person.
 The Athanasian Creed, received in the western Church as
having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian,
says: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the
Substance.”

 Most Christians (Roman Catholics, Orthodox
and Protestants alike) accept the use of
creeds, and subscribe to at least one of the
creeds mentioned above. A minority of
Protestants, notably Restorationists, a
movement formed in the wake of the Second
Great Awakening in the 19th century United
States, oppose the use of creeds.

 The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as
the Son of God and the Messiah (Christ).
 A depiction of Jesus as a child with his mother, Mary,
the Theotokos of Vladimir (12th century).
 Christians believe that, as the Messiah, Jesus was
anointed by God as ruler and savior of humanity, and
hold that Jesus’ coming was the fulfillment of messianic
prophecies of the Old Testament.
 The core Christian belief is that, through the death and
resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled
to God and thereby are offered salvation and the
promise of eternal life.

 Jesus, having become fully human, suffered
the pains and temptations of a mortal man, yet
he did not sin. As fully God, he defeated death
and rose to life again.
 According to the Gospels of Matthew and
Luke, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born from the Virgin Mary.

1.3 Death and Resurrection of
Jesus
 Christians consider the resurrection of Jesus
to be the cornerstone of their faith and the
most important event in human history.
 Among Christian beliefs, the death and
resurrection of Jesus are two core events on
which much of Christian doctrine and theology
is based.

 The death and
resurrection of Jesus are
usually considered the
most important events in
Christian Theology,
partly because they
demonstrate that Jesus
has power over life and
death and therefore has
the authority and power
to give people eternal
life.

1.4 Salvation
 Protestantism teaches that eternal salvation is
a gift that comes to an individual by God’s
grace, sometimes defined as "unmerited
favor", on the basis of one’s personal belief in
and dependence on the substitutionary death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
 It is the belief that one can be saved (rescued)
from sin and eternal death.
 Other concepts used in the study of how
salvation is accomplished include conversion,
faith, justification, regeneration, and others.

 The crucifixion of Jesus is explained as an
atoning sacrifice, which, in the words of the
Gospel of John, "takes away the sins of the
world." One’s reception of salvation is related
to justification.
 The operation and effects of grace are
understood differently by different traditions.

1.5 Trinity
 Trinity refers to the
teaching that the one God
comprises three distinct,
eternally co-existing
persons; the Father (from
whom the Son and Spirit
proceed), the Son
(incarnate in Jesus Christ),
and the Holy Spirit.
 Together, these three
persons are sometimes
called the Godhead,
although there is no single
term in use in Scripture to
denote the unified
Godhead.

1.5.1 Trinitarians
 Trinitarianism denotes those Christians who
believe in the concept of the Trinity. Trinity is
defined as one God in three Persons.

1.5.2 Non-trinitarians
 Nontrinitarianism refers to beliefs systems that
reject the doctrine of the Trinity.
 Various nontrinitarian views, such as adoptionism
or modalism, existed in early Christianity, leading
to the disputes about Christology.
 Nontrinitarianism later appeared again in the
Gnosticism of the Cathars in the 11th through
13th centuries, in the Age of Enlightenment of the
18th century, and in Restorationism during the
19th century. Non-Trinitarians often believe in
Jesus as the Son of God, and not the same as
God.

1.6 Scriptures
 Christianity regards the Bible, a collection of canonical
books in two parts (the Old Testament and the New
Testament), as authoritative.
 The Bible always includes books of the Jewish
scriptures, the Tanakh, and includes additional books
and reorganizes them into two parts: the books of the
Old Testament primarily sourced from the Tanakh (with
some variations), and the 27 books of the New
Testament containing books originally written primarily
in Greek.
 The Roman Catholic and Orthodox canons include
other books from the Septuagint which Roman
Catholics call Deuterocanonical. Protestants consider
these books apocryphal.

1.6.1 Roman Catholic Interpretation
 In antiquity, two schools of exegesis
developed in Alexandria and Antioch.
Alexandrine interpretation, exemplified by
Origen, tended to read Scripture allegorically,
while Antiochene interpretation adhered to the
literal sense, holding that other meanings
(called theoria) could only be accepted if
based on the literal meaning.
 Roman Catholic theology distinguishes two
senses of scripture: the literal and the spiritual.

1.6.2 Protestant Interpretation
 Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is a
self-sufficient revelation, the final authority on
all Christian doctrine, and revealed all truth
necessary for salvation.
 Protestants characteristically believe that
ordinary believers may reach an adequate
understanding of Scripture because Scripture
itself is clear (or "perspicuous"), because of
the help of the Holy Spirit, or both.

Original intended meaning
 Protestants stress the meaning conveyed by
the words of Scripture, the historical-grammatical
method.

1.7 Afterlife
 Most Christians believe
that human beings
experience divine
judgement and are
rewarded either with
eternal life or eternal
damnation.
 This includes the general
judgement at the
Resurrection of the dead
as well as the belief (held
by Catholics, Orthodox
and some Protestants) in
a judgement particular to
the individual soul upon
physical death.

 Christians assemble for communal worship on
Sunday, the day of the resurrection, though other
liturgical practices often occur outside this setting.
 Scripture readings are drawn from the Old and
New Testaments, but especially the Gospels.
 There are a variety of congregational prayers,
including thanksgiving, confession, and
intercession, which occur throughout the service
and take a variety of forms including recited,
responsive, silent, or sung.

 Worship can be varied for special events like baptisms
or weddings in the service or significant feast days.
 In the early church Christians and those yet to complete
initiation would separate for the Eucharistic part of the
worship.
 In many churches today, adults and children will
separate for all or some of the service to receive age-appropriate
teaching. Such children’s worship is often
called Sunday school or Sabbath school (Sunday
schools are often held before rather than during
services).

2.1 Sacraments
 In Christian belief and
practice, a sacrament is a
rite, instituted by Christ,
that mediates grace,
constituting a sacred
mystery.
 The most conventional
functional definition of a
sacrament is that it is an
outward sign, instituted by
Christ, that conveys an
inward, spiritual grace
through Christ. The two
most widely accepted
sacraments are Baptism
and the Eucharist.

2.2 Liturgical Calendar
 Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern
Christians, and traditional Protestant
communities frame worship around a liturgical
calendar.
 Christian groups that do not follow a liturgical
tradition often retain certain celebrations, such
as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. A few
churches make no use of a liturgical calendar.

2.3 Symbols
 The cross, which is
today one of the most
widely recognised
symbols in the world,
was used as a
Christian symbol from
the earliest times.
 Among the symbols
employed by the
primitive Christians,
that of the fish seems
to have ranked first in
importance.

 Christians from the very beginning adorned their
tombs with paintings of Christ, of the saints, of
scenes from the Bible and allegorical groups.
 The catacombs are the cradle of all Christian art.
 Other major Christian symbols include the chi-rho
monogram, the dove (symbolic of the Holy Spirit),
the sacrificial lamb (symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice),
the vine (symbolising the necessary
connectedness of the Christian with Christ) and
many others.

3. History and origins
 3.1 Early Church and Christological Councils
 Christianity began as a Jewish sect in the
eastern Mediterranean in the mid-first century.
 From the beginning, Christians were subject to
persecution. This involved punishments,
including death, for Christians such as
Stephen and James, son of Zebedee.
 Christianity was legalized in the 4th century.
From at least the 4th century, Christianity has
played a prominent role in the shaping of
Western civilization.

3.2 Early Middle Ages
 The church also entered into a long period of missionary activity and expansion
among the former barbarian tribes. Catholicism spread among the Germanic
peoples (initially in competition with Arianism), the Celtic and Slavic peoples, the
Hungarians and the Scandinavian and Baltic peoples.
 Around 500, monasticism became a powerful force throughout Europe, and gave
rise to many early centers of learning, most famously in Ireland, Scotland and
Gaul, contributing to the Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century.
 From the 7th century onwards, Islam conquered the Christian lands of the Middle
East, North Africa and much of Spain, resulting in oppression of Christianity and
numerous military struggles, including the Crusades, the Spanish Reconquista
and wars against the Turks.
 The Middle Ages brought about major changes within the church. Pope Gregory
the Great dramatically reformed ecclesiastical structure and administration.
 In the early 8th century, iconoclasm became a divisive issue. In the early 10th
century, western monasticism was further rejuvenated through the leadership of
the great Benedictine monastery of Cluny.

3.3 High and Late Middle
Ages
 In the west, from the 11th century onward,
older cathedral schools developed into
universities Originally teaching only theology,
these steadily added subjects including
medicine, philosophy and law, becoming the
direct ancestors of modern western institutions
of learning.

 From 1095 under the pontificate of Urban II, the
Crusades were launched.
 Over a period stretching from the 7th to the 13th
century, the Christian Church underwent gradual
alienation, resulting in a schism dividing it into a
Western, largely Latin branch, the Roman Catholic
Church, and an Eastern, largely Greek, branch, the
Orthodox Church.
 Beginning around 1184, following the crusade brought
about by the Cathar heresy, various institutions, broadly
referred to as the Inquisition, were established with the
aim of suppressing heresy and securing religious and
doctrinal unity within Christianity through conversion
and prosecution.

3.4 Protestant Reformation and Counter-Reformation
 Partly in response to the
Protestant Reformation, the
Roman Catholic Church engaged
in a substantial process of reform
and renewal, known as the
Counter-Reformation or Catholic
Reform.
 Christianity spread to the
Americas, Oceania, East Asia,
and sub-Saharan Africa.
 Throughout Europe, the divides
caused by the Reformation led to
outbreaks of religious violence
and the establishment of separate
state religions in Western Europe.

3.5 Christianity in the Modern
Era
 In the Modern Era, Christianity was confronted with
various forms of skepticism and with certain modern
political ideologies such as liberalism, nationalism and
socialism.
 Christian commitment in Europe dropped as modernity
and secularism came into their own in Western Europe,
while religious commitments in America have been
generally high in comparison to Western Europe.
 The late 20th century has shown the shift of Christian
adherence to the Third World and southern hemisphere
in general, with western civilization no longer the chief
standard bearer of Christianity.

4. Demographics
 With an estimated number of adherents that
ranges between 1.5 billion and 2.1 billion, split
into around 34,000 separate denominations,
Christianity is the world’s largest religion.
 The Christian share of the world’s population
has stood at around 33 per cent for the last
hundred years.
 It is still the predominant religion in Europe,
the Americas, the Philippines, and Southern
Africa.

 In most countries in the developed world,
church attendance among people who
continue to identify themselves as Christians
has been falling over the last few decades.
 Some sources view this simply as part of a
drift away from traditional membership
institutions, while others link it to signs of a
decline in belief in the importance of religion in
general.

5. Denominations
 There is a diversity of doctrines and practices among
groups calling themselves Christian. These groups are
sometimes classified under denominations, though for
theological reasons many groups reject this classification
system.
 Christianity may be broadly represented as being divided
into five main groupings: Roman Catholicism, Eastern
Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Protestantism and
Restorationism.

5.1 Roman Oatholicism and other Catholic Groups
 The (Roman) Catholic Church is comprised of
those particular churches, headed by bishops,
in communion with the Pope, the Bishop of
Rome, as its highest authority in matters of
faith, morality and Church governance.
 The Roman Catholic Church through Apostolic
succession traces its origins to the Christian
community founded by Jesus Christ.
 Catholics maintain that the "one, holy, catholic
and apostolic church" founded by Jesus
subsists fully in the Roman Catholic Church,
but also acknowledges other Christian
churches and communities and works towards
reconciliation among all Christians.
 The Roman Catholic Church is the largest
church representing over half of all Christians
and one sixth of the world’s population.

 Various smaller
communities, such as the
Old Catholic and
Independent Catholic
Churches, include the
word Catholic in their title,
and share much in
common with Roman
Catholicism but are no
longer in communion with
the See of Rome. The Old
Catholic Church is in
communion with the
Anglican Communion.

5.2 Eastern Orthodoxy
 Eastern Orthodoxy is comprised of those churches in
communion with the Patriarchal Sees of the East, such
as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
 Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox
Church also traces its heritage to the foundation of
Christianity through Apostolic succession and has an
episcopal structure, though the autonomy of the
individual, mostly national churches is emphasized.
 Eastern Orthodoxy is the second largest single
denomination in Christianity, with over 200 million
adherents.

5.3 Oriental Orthodoxy
 The Oriental Orthodox Churches (also called
Old Oriental Churches) are those eastern
churches that recognize the first three
ecumenical councils — Nicaea,
Constantinople and Ephesus — but reject the
dogmatic definitions of the Council of
Chalcedon and instead espouse a Miaphysite
christology.

5.4 Protestantism
 In the 16th century, Martin Luther, Huldrych
Zwingli, and John Calvin inaugurated what has
come to be called Protestantism.
 Most Protestant traditions branch out from the
Reformed tradition in some way.
 In addition to the Lutheran and Reformed
branches of the Reformation, there is
Anglicanism after the English Reformation.

 The oldest Protestant groups separated from
the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th
century Protestant Reformation, followed in
many cases by further divisions.
 Estimates of the total number of Protestants
are very uncertain.
 A special grouping are the Anglican churches
descended from the Church of England and
organised in the Anglican Communion.

 Some Christians who come out of the
Protestant tradition identify themselves simply
as "Christian", or "born-again Christian"; they
typically distance themselves from the
confessionalism and/or creedalism of other
Christian communities by calling themselves
"non-denominational" — often founded by
individual pastors, they have little affiliation
with historic denominations.

5.5 Restorationism
 Restorationism is composed of various unrelated churches that
believe they are restoring the original church of Jesus Christ and
not reforming any of the churches existing at the time of their
perceived restorations.
 They teach that the other divisions of Christianity have introduced
defects into Christianity, which is known as the Great Apostasy.
 Additionally, there are the following groups: Christadelphians,
Churches of Christ with 2.6 million members, Disciples of Christ
with 800,000 members, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, the largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint
movement with over 13 million members.
 Though Restorationists have some superficial similarities, their
doctrine and practices vary significantly.

6. Ecumenism
 In the 20th century Christian ecumenism
advanced in two ways. One way was greater
cooperation between groups
 The other way was institutional union with new
United and uniting churches.
 Steps towards reconciliation on a global level
were taken in 1965 by the Roman Catholic
and Orthodox churches mutually revoking the
excommunications that marked their Great
Schism in 1054.

Islam
 Islam is a monotheistic religion that
developed in Saudi Arabia in the early
600s. Islam is directly related to
Judaism and Christianity.
 Islam was founded by the Prophet
Muhammed who lived from 570 to 632
in Saudi Arabia.

Islam
The five pillars or central teachings of Islam
are:
A. A statement of faith
B. Prayer (five times a day in the direction of
Mecca)
C. Charity
D. Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your
lifetime (called the Hajj)
E. Fasting (during the month of Ramadan)

Islam
 The teachings of Muhammed were
collected into a book called the Koran.
 Muslims worship in buildings called
mosques.

Basic Facts of
Islam  Islam is the third in succession
of the three great monotheistic
faiths born in the Middle East (Judaism,
Christianity, Islam)
 Islam is the second largest religion in world
(1.2 billion adherents)
 There is an estimated 650 000 Muslims living in
Canada
 Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world

Islam Terms
 Islam: an Arabic word that means “submitting
to God” and “peace”
 Muslim: a person who follows the teachings
of Islam and “submits to God and finds peace
in Him”. All creation is Muslim.
 Shahadah: “There is no god but God and
Muhammad is the Messenger of God”.
 Allah: Arabic name for God. It is preferred
over other names because it has no gender
affiliation and does not have plurality

Understanding Islam
 Islam is a rational religion:
“The vilest of creatures are those
who choose to be deaf and dumb
and do not use their reason.”
(Qur’an 8:2)
 Muhammad reminded his followers
that “The first thing God created
was reason”. Therefore, believers
must take personal responsibility
for one’s actions and faith.

Freedom of Conscience
 “There is no compulsion in religion.
Truth stands out clearly from falsehood;
whoever rejects evil and believes in God
has grasped the strongest rope that
never breaks. And God is All Hearing
and All Knowing”
Qur’an 2:256

Beliefs
1. Belief in only One God. He is defined as Eternal, Absolute,
Infinite, Compassionate and Merciful, the sole Creator and
Provider.
2. Engage only in Righteous Actions in all areas: spiritual,
intellectual and physical activity.
3. All God’s creation is “Muslim”. Only humans are given
CHOICE to submit (be Muslim) or reject submission to God’s will.
4. All children are born without sin and are Muslim. As they
grow older, they make their religious CHOICE.
5. God created human beings with a body and soul. The
body is a temporal host for this life, whereas the soul is eternal. It
is the soul that will survive beyond death.
6. Universality of the call. All Muslims are brothers and equals
without any distinction of class, race or tongue. Superiority is only
based on the greater fear of God and greater piety.

Practices
Prayer
 worshippers line up in rows and
enact ritual in unison (prostration)
 Friday midday prayers at mosque
Fasting
 month of Ramadan (ninth month of lunar
year) to test the spirit, discipline the will
and remind of the hungry and poor
 Numerous important events took place
during Ramadan (first revelation in 610
CE, flight to Mecca in 622 CE, victory in
624 CE)
 Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr (period of
spiritual and moral renewal)

Mosque
 Muslim place of worship Muslims
come together in a mosque for
prayers at midday on Friday (Muslim
Holy Day)
 MIHRAB= small arch or hole in wall
indicates the direction of the Ka’bah in
Mecca
 MINARET= high tower or dome from
which a muezzin calls the faithful to
prayer
 WUDU= cleansing process before
prayer (water)
 IMAM= chief officer in the mosque
who leads prayers

PROPHET’S MOSQUE in Madinah: the first mosque in Islam

Qur’an
 Holy book of Islam which means “recitation”
 Records the revealed word of God that came
through Angel Gabriel to Muhammad over 23 years
 Muhammad dictated revelations to scribes and
companions who memorized passages
 It is the only revealed book that has remained intact
and unchanged since its revelation (oral tradition)
 Principle source of Muslim faith and practice
 Children learn to memorize the Qur’an as a child
 Divided into 114 suras (chapters); longest chapter
has 286 verses, the shortest has 3 verses;
approximately 78 000 words in length

al-Fatihah (The Opening)
Qur’an 1: 1-7
“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most
Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher
and Sustainer of the Worlds. Most Gracious,
Most Merciful. Master of the Day of
Judgment. Thee do we worship and Thine
aid we seek: Show us the straight way. The
way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed
Thy Grace, those whose portion is not wrath
and who go not astray.”

Ka’bah
 Ka’bah- cube shaped
building that was built by
Abraham to honour God
 Viewed as Adam’s
original place of worship
 Was filled with idols as
people in Arabia
followed polytheism
 Muhammad- received
revelations that led to
Islam and monotheism
(and removal of idols)
 Site of hajj- pilgrimage to
Mecca

Muhammad
 SEAL of the Prophets (last in a line of 28
Prophets who all preached the religion of Islam)
 Born in 570 CE
 Each succeeding Prophet added or improved upon
the cumulative message of Islam
 Through Muhammand (PBUH), the message of
Islam was completed and is preserved intact in the
Qur’an
 In 622 CE, hijrah (migration) where Muhammad
moved from Mecca to Madinah (marks the
beginning of the Muslim calendar)
 Islam spread to Arabia, Spain and as far East as
China

Other Prophets
 These Prophets are regarded as
most significant: Muhammad,
Moses, Abraham and Noah
 Jesus is highly respected and
considered as a great prophet by
Muslims
 Qur’an re-affirms the miraculous
birth and abilities of Jesus
 Muslims believe in the Second
Coming of Jesus before the end of
time

Human Equality
 “O humankind! You were created from
a single soul, male and female, and
made you into peoples and tribes. So
that you may know one another. Truly,
the most honoured of you in God’s sight
is the greatest of you in piety. God is All
Knowing, All Aware”
(Qur’an 49:13)

Day of Judgment
 All humans will be bodily
resurrected and assembled
for final accounting of deeds
 Soul will move on to afterlife
 Upon the Final Judgment = world will end and
we will stand before God to confront our own life
and actions
 Desire for purified soul= heaven (eternal abode
of beauty and majesty)
 Disbelievers and unpure soul= hell (abode of
great torment and anguish)

Women’s Rights
 According to Qur’an, men and women are equal
before God
 Under Islamic law, women have the right to own
property, receive an education and take part in
community life
 Islamic rules for simple, modest and dignified
dress applies to women and men equally
 In many Muslim countries there are cultural
practices that are inconsistent and contrary to
the authentic teachings of Islam

3 major texts of Hinduism
 The Vedas
The oldest and most important is the Vedas (in 4 parts)
○ First in the form of oral histories
 The Bhagavad Gītā (400 BCE)
It is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most
widely-read text of ancient India.
 The Upanishads (400 BCE)
Focus on 1) meditation and 2) religious instruction with
a guru

Hindu Beliefs
 Hindus believe in a single Divinity
or supreme God that is present in
everything called Brahman.
 Hindus also believe in other gods
who are aspects of that supreme
God such as Shiva, Shakti, and
Ganesh.

Brahman
 There is one big God
 The Vedas depict
Brahman as the
Universal Soul

Polytheistic?
 Many Hindus believe in many deities
 Key: These very interesting looking gods
are not to be taken literally
 The Hindu Trinity (the big 3):
 After this top tier, there is a virtually
endless list of second-string deities

Shiva
 Shiva is the Destroyer
 Even though he represents
destruction, Shiva is viewed as a
positive force
 Shiva is the supreme God in
Shaivism

Brahma
 Brahma is the Hindu God
of Creation
 Brahma is traditionally
depicted with four heads
and four faces and four
arms.

Vishnu
 Vishnu is the Preserver, he is most famously identified
with his human and animal incarnations (AKA, avatars)
 He manifested Himself as a living being in ten avatars.
 They are (in order of avatar)
 (Fish)
 (Turtle)
 (Pig/Boar)
 (Lion man / from the torso upwards lion, below, human)
 (First fully human form as a dwarf sage who has the ability
to grow very, very tall)
 (Fierce man / Hunter)
 (Greatest Warrior/ Ideal man)
 (Mentally advanced man)
 (Sage who is completely still)
 (Prophesied, yet to take place)
 For Vaishnavas, he is the Ultimate Reality or God. The
Brahman.

Kali
 Kali is the kick-ass
goddess of destruction
 Kali wears a necklace
made from men's skulls

And let’s not forget Ganesha
 Ganesha is one of the most
well-known and venerated
representations of God
 The Lord of Good Fortune

Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism
 1) Reincarnation
Based on the idea that every living being has an eternally
existing spirit
Reincarnation is the soul's cycle of birth and death until it
attains Mok ha (Moke-sha) (salvation) ṣ and is governed by
Karma (see below)
 2) Karma
Karma rests on the idea of human free-will (not moved by
God)
One’s actions determine the course of one’s life cycle &
rebirth
You can't refine your soul overnight, however. Hindus
believe it takes many lifetimes to achieve moksha

 3) Moksha
When a soul finally escapes the karmic cycle, it becomes
one with Brahman when the last bodily incarnation dies.
 4) Stages of life
There are stages to “lives” that we all go through—some quicker
than others
All humans seek:
○ 1. kāma (pleasure, physical or emotional)
○ 2, artha (material wealth)
○ 3. dharma (righteousness)
happens with maturity
learn to govern these desires within the higher framework
○ 4. mokṣha (salvation)
Results in ultimate happiness
Escape from the cycle of births and deaths

 4) The Devil
 5) No converting
 6) No Good and Bad in the Western Sense

 7) The Caste System
The caste system is a painfully rigid
system of class oppression
The caste system has come to be
seen as a manifestation of karma
Your next lifetime is your only hope
for rising through the castes
There are four hereditary castes

Some Ideas That Unite
Hinduism
 8) Where’s the Beef?
A large section of Hindus embrace
vegetarianism in a bid to respect higher forms of
life.
While vegetarianism is not a requirement, it is
recommended as a purifying lifestyle
○ About 30% of today's Hindu population, especially in
orthodox communities are lacto-vegetarian (can use
milk products)
○ Another 20% of the Hindu population practice
vegetarianism on certain days, especially on the day of
their deity of devotion.

Karma and Reincarnation
 Reincarnation is the belief that the soul
repeatedly goes through a cycle of
being born into a body, dying, and
being reborn again in a new body.
 Karma, a force that determines the
quality of each life, depending on how
well one behaved in a past life.
 Hinduism says we create karma by our
actions on earth. If you live a good life,
you create good karma. If you live a
bad life, you create bad karma.

Moksha  Each time a Hindu soul is born into a
better life, it has the opportunity to
improve itself further, and get closer to
ultimate liberation.
 This liberation is called Moksha.
 One attains Moksha when one has
"overcome ignorance", and no longer
desires anything at all.
 The ones who reach this state no longer
struggle with the cycle of life and death.
 The way to get to Moksha is to not create
any karma.

Ramayana
 Ramayana was written in 3rd century BC,
and tells story of Rama, and his wife, Sita.
 Rama and Sita are generally seen as ideal
examples of great manly heroism and
wifely devotion.
 Reciting the Ramayana is considered a
religious act, and scenes from the epic are
portrayed throughout India and Southeast
Asia.

Hindu Life Goals
 Hinduism is about the sort of life one
should lead in order to be born into a better
life next time and ultimately achieve
liberation. There are 4 legitimate goals in
life:
 dharma (appropriate living)
 artha (the pursuit of material gain by lawful
means)
 kama (delight of the senses)
 moksha (release from rebirth).

Hindu Duties
 Each Hindu has 4 daily duties:
 Revere the deities
 Respect ancestors
 Respect all beings
 Honor all humankind

The Ganges River
Falling from
Its source of
Vishnu’s feet
onto Shiva’s
head and out
from his hair,
the water of
the Ganges is
sacred enough
to purify all
sins.

Banaras - Hindu’s Holy City
Pilgrims come from all over
to bathe in the Ganges.
Countless Hindus come to
Banaras to die.
It has 1500 temples, most of
them devoted to Shiva.
It is a gathering place for the
religiously learned and their
disciples.

Caste System
Four major castes
Brahmin : priests
Kshatriya: warriors and administrators
Vaistrya: farmers, merchants, teachers, artisans
Sudras: servants,laborers

Gandhi: the Father of India
For Gandhi, social concern was deeply rooted
in his conviction of the
Sacredness of life.
Gandhi believed that human beings should
strive to live as simply as possible since
overindulgence often meant that others may
have to do without their basic needs.
Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic
on January 30, l948 as India was gaining its
independence.

The Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama
(563-483 BC)
 Buddhism is a religion and philosophy
founded in India c.525 B.C. by
Siddhartha Gautama, called the
Buddha. There are over 300 million
Buddhists worldwide. Born a prince
and raised in luxury, he left his family
and possessions at the age of 29 to
search for an ultimate solution to the
problem of the suffering.

BBaassiicc BBeelliieeffss aanndd PPrraaccttiicceess
o The basic doctrines
of early Buddhism,
which remain
common to all
Buddhism, include
the four noble
truths.

The Three Refuges
(Jewels)
o The Buddha
o The Dharma
(teachings,
doctrine)
o The Sangha
(the Order)

Tripitaka
 “Three baskets”
1. Vinaya Pitaka—monastic rules
2. Sutta Pitaka—teachings of the Buddha
a. Versions of the Law
b. Other Lives
3. Abhidhamma Pitaka—supplement to
the doctrines (esoteric)

What is Buddhism?
 Buddhism is a major world
religion, or in a better sense,
philosophy.
 It is the 4th largest religion of
the world, and has about
300,000,000 people living by
it.
 It explains the purpose of life,
injustices and inequality
around the world.
 It also helps people by
providing a way of life that will
lead to true happiness.

The History of Buddhism
 It was all started by Buddha, who was a
prince in Lumbini, 2500 years ago.
 He was very unhappy in his royal life, so he
set off on a 6 year journey, exploring other
religions.
 After his long journey and much meditation
he was finally “enlightened”.
 He found the middle path, the key to
human happiness. For the rest of his life he
wandered Asia, preaching his new religion.

What Did Buddha Teach?
 He taught the 4 Noble
truths which sum up
Buddhism religion
 He also taught the noble
eight fold path
 He taught to lead a moral
life, be mindful and
aware of thoughts and
actions and to develop
wisdom and
understanding
 He also taught the 5
precepts

What are the Four Noble Truths?
 The first was that life is suffering
○ You can’t live without death, frustration, etc.
 The second is that suffering is caused by
craving and aversion
○ Getting what you want doesn’t guarantee happiness, it
deprives you of it
 The third is that suffering can be overcome,
and true happiness attained
○ If we stop craving useless things, and live each day at a
time (not living in the future) we will be happy and free.
 The fourth is that the Noble eight fold path
leads to the end of all suffering

The Noble Eightfold Path
 It taught 8 simple rules:
 To have a right
understanding
 To have right thoughts
 To use right speech
 To do right actions
 To deal with right
livelihood
 To give a right effort
 To have a right
mindfulness
 To use the right
meditation

Elaboration of the Noble Eightfold Path
 Right views (Samma ditthi)
 Right intent (Samma sankappa)
 Right speech (Samma vaca)
 Right conduct (Samma kammanta)
 Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
 Right effort (Samma vayama)
 Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
 Right concentration (Samma
samadhi)
Wisdom (prajna)
Morality (sila)
Meditation (samadhi)
http://www.bergen.edu/faculty/gcronk/Buddhism.ppt

The 5 precepts
 Do not take the life of anything living
 Do not take anything not freely given
 Abstain from sensual overindulgence
 Refrain from untrue speech
 Avoid intoxication
○ Do not lose mindfulness
 This is the moral code of the Buddhists

The Five Components
(skandhas) of personhood
Person
Body (rupa)
Mind (nama)
Sensation (vedana)
Consciousness (vinnana)
Perception (sanna)
Volition (sankhara)
(No-self, cont’d)

1.
Ignorance
12.
Aging &
Dying
2.
Impulse
to Exist
Con-scious-ness
3.
Six 5.
Senses
11.
Birth
10.
Becom-ing
6.
Heaven
Contact
7.
Sensations
8.
Craving
4.
Mind-
Body
9.
Cling-ing
Greed
Delusion
Hatred
Hell
Human
Realm
Demon
Realm
Animal
Realm
Hungry
Ghost
Realm

The Major Buddhist Traditions
 Theravada (“The Way of the Elders”) - Sri Lanka &
Southeast Asia
 Mahayana (“The Greater Vehicle”) - China, Korea, &
Japan (& Tibet & Mongolia)
 Vajrayana (“The Way of the Diamond
Thunderbolt”) - Tibet & Mongolia
Vajrayana is a development within the
Mahayana tradition.

The Spread
of Buddhism
Spheres of
Influence
Buddhism
out of India
by 1000 AD
Theravada
Mahayana
Vajrayana

Chinese
Buddhist
celebration

“When there is
this abstinence
from action,
good order is
universal.”

Founder(s)
 Many give credit to Laozi, born
around 614 B.C.E (older than
even Confucius)
 His writings began the Taoist
movement.
 Historians dispute over the exact
time of founding, others disputes
refer to the existence of Laozi at
all.
 Laozi is the author of Tao-te
ching, which Taoism bases its
philosophy off of.
 Laozi literally means “Old
Master”

Historical Context Of Founding
 The foundational text of Taoism is
“Daode Jing”, meaning Scripture of
the Way and its Virtue. This was
written by Laozi, the assumed
founder of the philosophy. It was
written to confront the reader with
Daoism's essential point, which is:
“The Dao that can be trodden is not
the enduring and unchanging Dao.
The name that can be named is not
the enduring and unchanging
name”

Symbol(s) of Taoism
Taoism had many different symbols, both
derived from everyday items surrounding
them and also other new formed symbols
that originated based on their ideals.
•The Yin-Yang is the infamous symbol of
the Taoists that represents the main ideals
of their philosophy involving balance of
weakness (yin) and strength (yang).
• Mountains are another important symbol
of the Taoists, depicted in their art forms,
that represents the land of the immortals
and retreat from the negative.
• Another sacred symbol of the Taoists
was the tortoise which represented
immorality in their philosophy.
•The Yang, strength, is not only
represented by the Yin-Yang symbol but
also a dragon.

Deities’ Names
Along with the philosophy of Taoism came a list of deities worshiped in
their tempes. In these temples different ceremonies for each of their
deities were conducted.
 Yu-huang is considered the Jade Emperor, meaning he is the highest
God of the Taoists. All other gods must report to him, and his function
was to serve justice.
 San-ch’ing is translated into The Three Ones. They are Yu-ch’ing,
known as Jade Pure, Shang-ch’ing, known as Upper Pure, and T’ai-ch’ing,
known as Great Pure. They were not rulers, but they sought to
save mankind by teaching and benevolence.
 Though Yu-huang is the High God, other dieties, such as Yuan-shih
T'ien-tsun, are above him. He is considered the first principle, and he is
self-existing, invisible, limitless, is present in all places, and is the
source of all truths.

Location of Origin
 Taoism originated
in Classical China,
providing
explanation as to
why all of central
writings are in
Chinese.
 It is an Eastern
religious
philosophy.
Classical China

Major Locations Today
 Taoism has spread from it roots in
China all across the globe.
 While it is still popular today in
China, it is more popular in modern
day Taiwan. It is also popular today
in the United States of America. With
the stress of everyday life at an all
time high Americans like the
simplicity and harmony of the
religion.
 Many “Taoist Hermits” are spread
throughout the country, and practice
the philosophies of Taoism by
themselves in seclusion from the
rest of civilization.

Number of Followers
 While it is difficult to get an exact
number of followers modern day,
reliable data bases point towards
approximately 20 million modern
day followers spread throughout
the globe.
 Of the approximately 20 million
followers, about 30,000 of them
are believed to life in the US,
predominantly in the western half
of the country.

How and Why the Philosophy
Spread
 Taoism spread
successfully and
swiftly from its roots in
ancient China.
 Taoism was a religion
appreciated by the
upper class and high
level society, leading
it to gain the respect
of imperial
governments and
spread rather quickly.

Holy Books and Important Texts
 Tao te Ching- “Morality Scripture” a collection of stories and
poems written by Lao Tze. The book explains the way of the
Tao, and how to properly live.
 Chuan Tzu- written by Chuang Tzu or Zhang zi (same
person) is a collection of primary Taoist doctrines. It includes
the Wu-wei which talks about how to be in harmony with the
Tao.
 Lie Zi- written by Lie Yukou who was believed to be a
hundred schools of thought philosopher.

Roles of Men and Women
 Men had a much higher role in
society than woman during the
time period, and this was held
true in the teachings of the
Taoists.
 However, Taoists did see
women higher than normal
because they create life, and
there is an emphasis on
harmony with the earth, which
is seen in the natural qualities
of females.
 However, women were not
allowed to make social
decisions and were expected to
run the household.

Places of Worship
 The Taoists worshiped in the Gong,
or temple, where they would perform
their various ceremonies
 Diverse in size relative to location
and demography of attending people
 Shows a new twist on traditional
Chinese architecture like the Dragon
and Tiger that are in the front of the
temple and are wooden framed,
typically built along mountains
 Used Taoist symbols to decorate
wood work of the hall of the temples

Holy Sites and Why
Map Key
 (1) is the home of
Lau Tsu
 (2) where Tao Te
Ching had a
realization about
Taoism
 (4) Mao shan, a
Taoist pilgrimage
site.
 (6) Ch’ ingchen
Shan in Chengdu,
another Taoist
pilgrimage site
where temples and a
monastery are
located.

Holidays
The main holidays of the
Taoists are:
 Chinese New Year (beginning
of New Year – different than lunar
calendar)
 Lantern Festival (First Full moon
of the year)
 Tomb Sweeping Day (day of
ceremonies at the tomb of ancestors)
 Ghost Festival (like the Chinese
Halloween)
 Dragon Boat Festival (poet’s
day)
 Mid-Autumn Festival (family
members celebrate, Spring Festival)

Major Beliefs
Creation Story
The story of the Chinese philosophical creation
talks about the Myth of Pan Ku: Creation
and the Universal Egg. In the beginning of
time, there was chaos, and the shape of the
chaos was an egg. For 18,000 years the
egg was incubating until it hatched, and
when it hatched, the heavens and the earth
came into existence. At the same, the giant
Pan Ku was born. His size divided heaven
and earth, and with the assistance of four
creatures, a tortoise, a dragon, a phoenix,
and a unicorn, he created the earth that’s
seen today. When Pan Ku perished, he
became “one with nature” meaning his body
transformed into the environment.

Major Beliefs
End Times Story
 The Taoists did not actually believe in the
end of time, they did agree with the fact of
death as a natural part of life (did not have
significance on their way of living)
 They did not believe in an afterlife, but
instead that death was the “ultimate end”.

Major Beliefs
important commands and laws
1) Law of the Yin Yang-there must always be a
balance of yin and yang, existing in every part
of life
2) Law of Mutual Immanence-yin yang is mutually
immiscible
3) Law of Dynamics -existence itself is dynamic
The Taoists basically wanted all of their people
to focus more on internal balance with nature
instead of the world and technology around
them. Anyone that did not follow the laws of the
universe and life depicted above were not only
denying all that is right but also causing
personal disorder. This relates to how Taoists
believe that advancements in empires will
actually bring their downfall and also the fact
that simplicity is best.

Major Beliefs
Purpose of Life
Taoists believed that if human nature
was aligned perfectly with the rest
of nature, the result would be both
harmony and order. When people
deviate from the natural order,
they are only bringing destruction
upon themselves. The only way to
encourage natural behavior is by
using a model leader. A model
emperor once said, “He who
governs his body, governs the
country” (Patheos.com). Basically
you exist to become one with
nature.

Influence on Architecture
Taoist architecture included various buildings in
which religious ceremonies were held, such
as temples, palaces, nunneries, and altars. It
was very similar to Buddhist architecture, as it
could be divided into holy halls used for
sacrifice or houses to live in. Most of the
temples are wooden framed, and surrounded
by man-made gardens. The philosophy
pursues the unity of humans and nature, and
Taoist architecture greatly reflects that.

Influence on Art
Taoist art was ornate and was influenced mainly by immortals. The
immortals the closest any person could be to nature, so average
followers wanted to become one with nature. An example of this
art can be seen with the Fanghu Isle of Immortals, which was on
the previous slide. Because it is assumed that Laozi was the
founder of Daoism, most of the art created emphasize him. The
artists were mostly Taoist masters, adepts, or scholars. The
lotus was also a common Taoist symbol, because it was
associated with humans’ true nature, and it was believed
humans grew out of mud.

Art
Immortal Laozi Daoist Immortals Vase with Immortal

World major religion

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