World Religions

A Lesson for 7th Grade Geography

State Standards

*7.1.02 Recognize the role of major religions. Define religion. Describe the beliefs of the world's major religions. Evaluate the role of religious beliefs on local, regional, nation-state, and global levels. *Blue Book Rhetoric: Compare and contrast the tenets of the five major world religions (i.e., Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism).

Comparison of types:

Monotheistic: belief in 1 God Polytheistic: belief in many gods/goddesses Non-Theistic: religion that does not focus on a god Atheist: a non-believer in afterlife nor a god

Introduction

There are five major world religions. There are several religious groups that have beliefs that are different from these five major religions, but are historically anchored in the same roots. In the following slides, we will look at the following characteristics of the five major world religions: founders, holy books, beliefs, history, customs/traditions, and icons.

Christianity: MONOTHEISTIC

Founder

Christianity is based upon the teachings of Jesus, a Jew who lived his life in the Roman province of Palestine. Roman communications networks enabled Christianity to spread quickly throughout the Roman empire and eventually to the rest of Europe, and finally the entire globe.

Locations Found

USA Brazil Mexico Russia China Germany The Phillipines United Kingdom Italy France and Nigeria *All over the World!

Holy Book

Christians can read of the life of Jesus, as well as his ancestors in the only Christian holy text, the Bible. It consists of the Old Testament (which is also considered sacred to Judaism and Islam) and the New TestamentThe King James Bible.

Beliefs

Christianity believes in one God, while the central figure in Christianity is Jesus (or Christ), a Jew who came into this world by immaculate conception to a virgin named Mary. His birth is celebrated at Christmas with hymns and gift giving. It's believed that Jesus was not only man, but also the son of God and lived his life without sin.

Beliefs Continued

The Apostle's Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, The holy Christian Church, The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of sins, The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Branches

Eastern Christians are mostly "Eastern Orthodox," but some are Nestorians ("Church of the East") or Monophysites ("Oriental Orthodox"). The divisions among these Eastern Churches go back almost 1500 years, stemming from disagreements in the fifth century CE. Long after the East/West divisions of 1054, some Eastern Churches reunited with the Roman Catholic Church (thus called "Uniate" Churches). Catholic Christians are mostly "Roman Catholic"; yet some groups still call themselves "Catholic," but are no longer united with Rome. The "Old Catholic Church" broke away in 1870, disagreeing with the decrees from the First Vatican Council about "papal infallibility." Various groups of "Traditionalist Catholics" or "Tridentine Catholics" broke after 1965, disagreeing with reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Other groups of "Progressive Catholics" broke since 1965, thinking the reforms instituted by Vatican II did not go far enough. Protestant Christians are subdivided into thousands of different denominations, as well as "independent" or "non-denominational" groups. The historically earliest were founded in the 16th century by Martin Luther ("Lutherans") and by John Calvin ("Reformed" or "Calvinist" Christians). The Anglicans, or "Church of England," separated from the Roman Catholic Church for political, not theological reasons; thus, "Anglo-Catholic" beliefs and practices are similar to Roman Catholics, but Anglicans don't acknowledge the leadership role of the Bishop of Rome (the "Pope").

History

As time progressed, Christianity divided into three major branches. The Roman Catholic branch of Christianity is the successor of the church established in Rome soon after Christ's death. It traces its spiritual history to the early disciples of Jesus. The Pope, or spiritual leader, traces his office's lineage back to St. Peter, the first Pope, one of Jesus' disciples. Roman Catholicism was originally predominately practiced in Ireland, Poland, France and Spain.

History

During the fourth century, the Roman Catholic church split and the Eastern Orthodox branch was formed. 'Romanian Church' MIT Orthodox Christian Fellowship The split was primarily a political one due to the division of the Roman Empire into western and eastern components. The two churches became officially separate in 1054. Orthodox churches are largely national, each associated with a particular country. Orthodoxy is common in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, and Armenia. The Protestant branch split from Roman Catholicism during the Reformation, a sixteenth and seventeenth century series of church reforms in doctrine and practice. This movement challenged the authority of the Pope, and became popular in Scandinavia, England, and the Netherlands. Protestantism eventually divided into many denominations which arose in response to disputes over doctrine, theology, or religious practice. Some of the large denominations today are Lutherans, Methodists and Baptists.

Customs & Traditions

The Date of Christmas The idea to celebrate Christmas on December 25 originated in the 4th century. The Catholic Church wanted to eclipse the festivities of a rival pagan religion that threatened Christianity's existence. The Romans celebrated the birthday of their sun god, Mithras during this time of year. Although it was not popular, or even proper, to celebrate people's birthdays in those times, church leaders decided that in order to compete with the pagan celebration they would themselves order a festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the actual season of Jesus' birth is thought to be in the spring, the date of December 25 was chosen as the official birthday celebration as Christ's Mass so that it would compete head on with the rival pagan celebration. Christmas was slow to catch on in America. The early colonists considered it a pagan ritual. The celebration of Christmas was even banned by law in Massachusetts in colonial days.

Icons

Judaism: monotheistic

Founder

Circa 2000 BCE, the God of the ancient Israelites established a divine covenant with Abraham, making him the patriarch of many nations. The term Abrahamic Religions is derived from his name. These are the three or four major religions which trace their roots back to Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith.

Location Found

Israel United States

Holy Book

The Tanakh corresponds to the Jewish Scriptures, (often referred to as the Old Testament by Christians). It is composed of three groups of books: the Torah (aka Pentateuch): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. the Nevi'im: Joshua, Judges, Samuel (2), Kings (2), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, and MalachiIsaiah. the Ketuvim, the "Writings" including Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Esther, Lamentations, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles (2).

Beliefs

God exists. God is one and unique. God is incorporeal. God is eternal. Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other. The words of the prophets are true. Moses was the greatest of the prophets, and his prophecies are true. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses. There will be no other Torah. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men. God will reward the good and punish the wicked. The Messiah will come. The dead will be resurrected.

History

The book of Genesis describes the events surrounding the lives of the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Joseph, who is recognized as a fourth patriarch by Christians is not considered one by Jews). Moses was the next major leader of the ancient Israelites. He led his people out of captivity in Egypt, and received the Mosaic Law from G-d. After decades of wandering through wilderness, Joshua led the tribes into the promised land, driving out the Canaanites through a series of military battles.

History Continued

Division into the Northern kingdom of Israel and the Southern kingdom of Judah occurred shortly after the death of Solomon in 922 BCE. Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BCE; Judah fell to the Babylonians in 587 BCE. The temple was destroyed. Some Jews returned from captivity under the Babylonians and started to restore the temple in 536 BCE. (Orthodox Jews date the Babylonian exile from 422 to 352 BCE). Alexander the Great invaded the area in 332 BCE. From circa 300 to 63 BCE, Greek became the language of commerce, and Greek culture had a major influence on Judaism. In 63 BCE, the Roman Empire took control of Judea and Israel.

Customs and Traditions

Observation of the weekly Sabbath as a day of rest, starting at sundown on Friday evening. Strict discipline, according to the Law, which governs all areas of life Regular attendance by Jewish males at Synagogue Celebration of the annual festivals including: Passover, or Pesach is held each Spring to recall the Jews' deliverance out of slavery in Egypt Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights is an 8 day feast of dedication.

Icons

Islam: monotheistic

Founder

Most religious historians view Islam as having been founded in 622 CE by Muhammad the Prophet (peace be upon him). He lived from about 570 to 632. The religion started in Mecca.

Locations Found

North Africa Southwest Asia (Middle East) Oceania Southern Europe

Holy Book

The Qur'an (Recitation) are the literal words of God in their original Arabic language. Muslims believe that it was dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Jibril over an interval of 23 years. The text was originally in oral and written form; it was later assembled together into a single book, the Qur'an. Its name is often spelled "Koran" in English. This is not recommended, as some Muslims find it offensive. It is the only book that is considered free of tahrif (error).

Islam considers six fundamental beliefs to be the foundation of their faith: A single, indivisible God. (God, the creator, is just, omnipotent and merciful. "Allah" is often used to refer to God; it is the Arabic word for God.) The angels. The divine scriptures, which include the Torah, the Psalms, the rest of the Bible, (as they were originally revealed) and the Qur'an (which is composed of God's words, dictated by the Archangel Gabriel to Muhammad). The Messengers of God, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad -- the last prophet; (peace be upon them). Muhammad's message is considered the final, universal message for all of humanity. The Day of Judgment when people will be judged on the basis of their deeds while on earth, and will either attain reward of Heaven or punishment in Hell. They do not believe that Jesus or any other individual can atone for another person's sin. Hell is where unbelievers and sinners spend eternity. One translation of the Qur'an, 98:1-8, states: "The unbelievers among the

Beliefs

People of the Book and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures." ("People of the Book" refers to

Christians, Jews and Muslims). Paradise is a place of physical and spiritual pleasure where the sinless go after death The supremacy of God's will.

Beliefs Continued

The Five Pillars of Faith The five pillars of faith are duties each Muslim performs to demonstrate his or her faith. Testimony of Faith (Kalima)- One must state, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah." publicly to become a Muslim. Prayer (Salat)- Prayer must be done five times a day (upon rising, at noon, in mid-afternoon, after sunset, and before going to sleep) towards the direction of Mecca. The call to prayer is sounded by the muezzin (Muslim crier) from a tower (minaret) within the mosque. Almsgiving (Zakat)- Muslims are legally required to give one-fortieth of their income to the needy. Since those whom alms are given are helping the giver achieve salvation, there is no sense of shame in receiving charity. Fasting (Sawm- During the holy month of Ramadan, faithful Muslims fast from sunup to sundown each day. This develops self-control, devotion to God, and identity with the needy. Pilgrimage (Hajj)- Each Muslim is expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they have the means to do it and are physically capable of the trip. It is an essential part of gaining salvation, so the old or infirm may send someone in their place. It involves a set of rituals and ceremonies.

When Muhammad died, he left no document appointing a successor. Some people thought that one of the original converts who had taught with Muhammad, some wanted a member of a powerful political family in the area, and others felt that 'Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad had been divinely designated as successor. An early believer, Abu Bakr was appointed, but died within two years. Eventually, a power struggle developed as different groups of Muslims believed their method of establishing a successor were the best. The largest argument was over whether the successor should be elected or chosen through heredity. This controversy produced the main body of Islam known as the Sunnis (followers of the prophet's way) and other numerous sects including the Shi'a and the Sufis. The Sunnis are the majority in Islam today.

History

Customs and Traditions

Hajj literally means 'to set out for a place'. Islamically however it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad

Icons

Buddhism: Non-Theistic

Founder

The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Sakya tribe of Nepal, in approximately 566 BC. When he was twentynine years old, he left the comforts of his home to seek the meaning of the suffering he saw around him. After six years of arduous yogic training, he abandoned the way of selfmortification and instead sat in mindful meditation beneath a bodhi tree.

Locations Found
Southwest Asia (Middle East) Japan Vietnam Thailand Cambodia

Holy Book

Buddhism is based on Buddha's teachings. At first these were passed down by word of mouth and later were complied into two sets of scripture. One set by Council of Monks of the Theravada school (the Tripitaka) the other by the Mahayana school ( the Sutras). Both were similar.

Beliefs

Four Noble Truths 1. Suffering exists 2. Suffering arises from attachment to desires 3. Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases 4. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path

Beliefs Continued

Noble Eightfold Path Three Qualities Eightfold Path I. Wisdom- Right View, Right Thought II. Morality- Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood III. Meditation- Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Contemplation

History

Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must go through cycles of birth, life, and death. After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. In general, Buddhists do not believe in any type of God, the need for a savior, prayer, or eternal life after death. However, since the time of the Buddha, Buddhism has integrated many regional religious rituals, beliefs and customs into it as it has spread throughout Asia, so that this generalization is no longer true for all Buddhists. This has occurred with little conflict due to the philosophical nature of Buddhism.

Customs and Traditions

Daily Practice of Lay Followers It has long been a tradition of Japanese lay Buddhists to observe a short service in front of the family altar every morning and evening before meals. At the morning service, the first food of the day and fresh flowers are offered. Though not many, there are still quite a few Buddhists who hold a short service at the family altar daily, since, according to recent survey, more than sixty percent of the Japanese families possess a Buddhist alter. At these daily services, all the family members of the used to participate and chant a short scripture led by the head of the family.

Icons

Icons: men spinning prayer wheels

Hinduism: polytheistic

Founder

No known founder!!!

Locations Found

Holy Scriptures

The Vedas

Beliefs

One must follow their dharma (lifes duties), to maintain good karma (life peace), and be reincarnation into a higher position in the caste systemthen they can find Nirvana.

History

Hinduism is based on the concept that human and animal spirits reincarnate, or come back to earth to live many times in different forms. The belief that souls move up and down an infinite hierarchy depending on the behaviors they practiced in their life is visible in many of the Hindu societal policies. The caste system survives and charity towards others is unheard of because each individual deserves to be in the social class they were born in. A person is born into the highest class because they behaved well in a past life, and a person is born into poverty and shame because of misbehaviors in a past life. Today, a Hindu can be polytheistic (more than one god), monotheistic (one god), pantheistic (god and the universe are one), agnostic (unsure if god exists), or atheistic (no god) and still claim to be Hindu. This open theology makes it difficult to discuss basic beliefs since there are many ideas about what Hinduism means. However, these universal ideas must be mentioned.

History Continued
Providing an adequate history for the development of Hinduism is difficult, since it has no specific founder or theology and originated in the religious practices of Aryan tribes who moved to India from central Asia more than three thousand years ago. The Aryans attacked the Harappan people who lived in modern day India around 1500 BC. Eventually, through adaptation to the religious beliefs of the other, both groups developed similar religious belief systems, founded on the polytheism of the Aryans and the sanctity of fertility of the Harappans. Soon, the predominantly Aryan society developed the caste system, which ranked society according to occupational class. The caste system is as follows: Brahmins priests Kshatriyas soldiers, king-warrior class Vaishyas merchants, farmers, Sutras laborers, craftspeople Harijahns "untouchables"- those thought to be descended from the Harappan aboriginal people-extremely poor and discriminated against

History Continued

Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 837 million followers - 13% of the world's population. 2 It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Customs & Traditions

The family inheritance is patriarchal and patrilinear. There are exceptions in certain sects such as in Kerala (called Marumakkattayam) and South Kanara district in Karanataka (among the Bunt community called Aliyasantana), where a matrilineal system is followed. The father is the head of the house and administrator. The family usually lived as an extended group of parents, children, grandchildren, uncles and their descendents. The group is bound together and linked with three generations of ancestors through a ceremony called Shraddha. The ritual consists of offering balls of rice called pinda to the ancestors. Sons, grandsons and great grandsons participate and three generations of deceased are believed to participate in the benefits of the ceremony.

Icons:

Hinduism is polytheistic (belief in more than one god/goddess)