Classification of Judaism

• Ethnic

• Ranked 5th

• 14 million followers

Judaism• The oldest of these, Judaism, was the first religion known to assert

the existence of one God.• The religion began 4,000 years ago in present-day Israel• According to Jewish tradition, Jews emigrated from Israel to Egypt

where they were enslaved until Moses led them back to Israel and presented them with the Ten Commandments

• Today, there are over 13 million Jews mainly located in the United States, Europe, and Israel.

Monotheism. Other ancient peoples were animists or polytheists (believing in many gods)

Ten Commandments. The Jewish religion emphasizes the importance of living justly and following God’s commandments. These ten laws are:1)No other Gods2)No idols3)No swearing4)Keep Sabbath5)Honor parents6)Do not kill7)Do not commit adultery8)Do not steal9)Do not lie10)Do not covet

Old Testament. The history of the ancient Hebrews and their relationship with God is told in the first books of the Bible, known as the Old Testament. Jews refer to the first five books of the Old Testament as the Torah

KEY FEATURES OF JUDAISM

DIFFUSION OF JUDAISM

• Judaism has diffused through forced migration and relocation diffusion

• They do not actively seek converts, so there are between 12-14 million people that practice Judaism worldwide

• Most are in Israel, the United States, and Europe

SYMBOLS OF JUDAISM

Star of David

*Represents the shape

of King David's shield

Menorah

*Oldest symbol of Jewish faith (7 branches)

*Said to be "a light unto the nations"

*Today's 9-branched menorah commemorates miracle that a day's worth of oil lasted 8 days

Torah

Torah: the law = First five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

PLACES OF WORSHIP• Cultural Landscape: subtle & unobtrusive

• The SynagogueChief institution:• provides religious, educational, cultural and social

programs• mid to large communities will have more than one

congregation • Children learn through religious classes and youth

groups • annual financial commitment (dues) to synagogue• congregation open to all• Primary means of connectedness

SACRED SPACE: WAILING WALL (WESTERN WALL)

• Holiest spot in Jewish life• Rome destroyed it in 70

C. E. and only the outer wall remained

• Tension with Muslims because of two mosques

• Custom of inserting written prayers into cracks

• Attempt to level mosques would lead to an international holy war

BURIAL PRACTICE• Jewish Death Rituals according to Jewish law

• The body of the deceased is washed thoroughly

• embalming is not permitted, the coffins are constructed so that the body will be returned to the Earth as soon as possible.

• coffins are made of pine wood, and have no metal parts at all (wooden pegs are used in the place of nails ceased is buried in a simple pine coffin)

-mourning for 3 days

JUDAISM

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

The religion of the Hebrews (c. 1300 BC), especially after the destruction of the in 70 AD.

14 million One God, Yahweh (YHVH).

Obey God's commandments, live ethically. Focus is more on this life than the next.

Not historically emphasized. Beliefs vary from no afterlife to shadowy existence to the World to Come (similar to heaven).

Circumcision at birth, bar/bat mitzvah at adulthood. Synagogue services on Saturdays. No pork or other non-kosher foods. Holidays related to historical events.

Bible (Tanakh), Talmud

PRACTICE OF CHRISTIANITY

• Universalizing

• Christianity ranks #1

• 33% practice Christianity (2.1 billion)

CHRISTIANITY• Christianity began 2,000 years

ago• It is based in the teachings of

Jesus, a Jew born in Bethlehem. Jesus was known to his followers as the Messiah, or savior

• After his death, his followers, known as the apostles, spread the Christian religion which attracted people who believed in an afterlife in which all believers (rich and poor) would be rewarded

• Today there are over 2 billion Christians located on all continents, and is the world’s most popular religion

Role of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was the son of God, and sacrificed himself to save humankind from punishment for their sins. Christians believe that after his death, Jesus was resurrected and rose to Heaven

Christian Conduct. Christians believe they will be saved and will go to Heaven after death if they have faith in Christ as their savior and treat others with love and respect. Christians believe in the Golden Rule-”do unto others as you would have them do unto you”

The Christian Bible. The sacred book of Christianity consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, which describes the life of Jesus, and the works of the apostles

Major Beliefs of Christianity

DIFFUSION OF CHRISTIANITY

• Christians actively seek converts, so some diffusion is contagious (especially through Western Europe)

• Largest and most dispersed religion• Today there are almost two billion Christians on every

continent

• Worldwide diffusion occurred during the Age of Imperialism

• Today missionaries travel attempting to convert those in other places to Christianity• EU and Missionaries

BELIEFS OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM

• There is one God• Though God is one God, God exists in three distinct persons: God the Father, the Son of God (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. This is called the Trinity.• Jesus Christ was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,

was resurrected, and will come again to judge humanity to determine how they spend eternity, whether in Heaven or Hell

• There is one true church• Baptism is required for the forgiveness of sins• All humankind will be resurrected (brought back to life after

being dead)

BELIEFS OF EASTERN ORTHODOXY

• There are three Divine Persons in God, distinct yet equal (similar to Trinity)

• There are seven Sacraments• God assigned to every man

an angel to help guide him• Veneration of icons is

worshipping the people they represent, not the icons themselves

• God knows which road a man will take, but does not predestinate Him

Virgin Mary in Orans pose

BELIEFS OF PROTESTANTISM• There are 4 fundamental beliefs:

• Christ alone: Only Christ is the mediator between

God and man. (Other religions teach that Mary,

priests, etc. can mediate between God and man.)

• Scripture alone: The Bible is the only rule of faith, and personal interpretation is as valid as official interpretation.

• Faith alone: Every believer is a priest and obtains reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ and no other.

• Grace alone: Salvation is a gift from God dispensed through Jesus Christ, regardless of merit, for no one deserves salvation. (Works, whether good or bad, have no effect.)

Note: beliefs within Orthodoxy and Protestant churches vary because neither church has a

central authority.

RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

• Christianity has many religious symbols for its multiple sects, but common symbols include the crucifix, the ichtus, and the Bible. The appearance of these items varies from sect to sect.

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE/PLACES OF WORSHIP=CHURCHES

Protestant- very plain, house of worship

Orthodox- very bright, ornate

St. Basil Cathedral, Moscow

Catholic- very grandios, god resides in cathedral… should instill fear

St.Peters Church, Ireland

BURIAL PRACTICES

• buried • headstones may include

crosses or verses from the Bible.

• historically, the head should be placed at the western end of the grave, this mirrors the layout of Christian churches and for the same reason, to view the coming of Christ

CHRISTIANITY

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

Founded byJesus Christ inc. 30 AD,.

2 billion One God who isa Trinity ofFather, Son, andHoly Spirit

All have sinnedand are therebyseparated from God. Salvation is through faith in Christ and, for some,sacraments andgood works.

Eternal heavenor hell (ortemporarypurgatory).

Prayer, Bible study,baptism, Eucharist(Communion),church on Sundays,numerous holidays.

The Bible(Old and NewTestaments)

CLASSIFICATION OF ISLAM

• Universalizing

* Ranked 2nd largest

• An estimated 1.25 billion adherents worldwide

• Islam is the current fastest growing population • Asia has the highest

number of Muslims

ISLAM

• Islam means “submission” (to Allah) in Arabic• A follower of Islam is called a Muslim, or “one who submits

to God”

• Islam was founded by Mohammed around 600 c.e. He had a vision that commanded him to convert Arab tribes to the belief in a single God, know as “Allah”, the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians

• His teachings are contained in the Qu’ran (Koran), the Islamic Holy Book.

• Today, there are over 1 billion Muslims, with over 20% living in Arabic-speaking countries. Indonesia is the country with the highest number of Muslims.

Confession of Faith.

Muslims must affirm: “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet”

Prayer.

Muslims must pray five times a day, while facing east towards the city of Mecca

Charity

Muslims must give money to the poor and pay taxes to the mosque

Fasting

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink during daylight hours

Pilgrimage

If physically able, a Muslim must make a pilgrimage (religious trip) to Mecca

The Five Pillars of Faith are the basic religious duties that all followers of Islam must fulfill

DIFFUSION OF ISLAM

• Before his death, Muhammad had converted kings on the Arabian Peninsula

• They spread Islam across their empire through invasion and conquest• Islam spread across Northern Africa, Southern Europe,

and Southeast Asia very quickly

• Today in North and South America, it is the result of relocation diffusion• It is currently the fastest growing religion, and has 1.3

billion adherents

SHI’ITES VS. SUNNIS• The Shiites believed in

the fourth caliph, the son-in-law of the prophet

• Some of their enforcers:• Ethna Ashari• Ja’fari• Ismaeli• Druze

• The Sunnis hold the majority of the Islamic population.

• They claim that they are Mohammed's rightful successors

• Recognize first 4 caliphs• Prominent in countries

except Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, and some of Yemen

• Some of their enforcers are:• Maliki• Hanabali• Shafi’ie• Hanafi

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE/PLACES OF WORSHIP

• The Mosque is the place of worship

• It is also the community club house, meeting hall, and school

• On Fridays, it is mandatory for all males to visit for a communal service

• Is made with:• Perfectly proportioned

domes (tiled or gilded)• Tall towers• Minarets- call to prayer and

• The more minarets, the higher the status of the mosque

SACRED PLACES

Ka’ba in Mecca, Saudi Araia:In the southeastern corner of the Kaaba is the "Black Stone," an object

which Muslims believe was given to Abraham by the

angel Gabriel. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem: where Muhammad ascended into heaven in order to receive God's commandments.

Mecca:where Muhammad was born

ISLAM

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

Muhammad, 622 AD,

1.3 billion (Sunni: 940 million)

One God (Allah in Arabic)

Humans must submit (islam) to the will of God to gain after death.

or Hell. Five Pillars: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Pilgrimage, Fasting. Mosque services on Fridays. Ablutions before prayer. No alcohol or pork. Holidays related to the pilgrimage and fast of Ramadan.

Qur'an (Scripture);Hadith (tradition)