Transcript Ch 6 KI 1, 2, 3 Review

January 10,
2017
Get out your Ch 6, Key Issue 3
Notes and Discussion Questions
Review
– Rank universalizing religions in order of number of adherents
–
Christianity, 2.1 billion
–
Islam, 1.5 billion
–
Buddhism, 376 million
– Which is more predominant, Sunni or Shiite Muslims?
–
Sunni, 83%
–
Shiite, 16%
– What are syncretic religions?
–
Religions that combine several traditions; predominantly Chinese traditional
– Examples of Chinese traditional?
–
Confucianism
–
Taoism
Review
– Define Pagan
– The term used to refer to the practices of ancient peoples, such as Greeks and
Romans, who had multiple gods with human forms
– Define Spiritism
– The belief that the human personality continues to exist after death and can
communicate with the living through the agency of a medium or psychic
– Explain the origin of Buddhism
– Siddhartha Gautama was a wealthy son of a lord in present-day Nepal and lived a
privileged, sheltered life. After 4 trips out of the palace (where he witnessed a
decrepit old man, a disease-ridden man, a corpse, and met a monk), Gautama’s life
changed forever. He left his palace and lived in a forest for 6 years, seeking
enlightenment through meditation. Emerging as the Buddha, he spend the next 45
years preaching in India, training monks, and establishing Buddhist orders.
Review
– Explain the origin of Christianity
– Centered around the life of Jesus Christ, who was a Jew, Christianity has become the
world’s most popular religion following the death of its founder. Jesus was born in
Bethlehem and spent his life preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God, and attracting
followers along the way. After being arrested as an agitator of the law, Jesus was crucified,
and rose from his tomb 3 days later. Following his death, Christianity was founded on the
basis that Jesus died to atone for human sins and provide humans with hope for salvation.
– Explain the origin of Islam
– Starting with Abraham, who was married to both Sarah and Hagar, Islam finds its origin.
The Islamic tradition tells that Abraham and Hagar had a son, Ishmael, and that they
brought Ishmael to Makkah. Centuries later, one of Ishmael’s descendants became the
Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Muhammad received his first revelation from God through
the Angel Gabriel. The holiest text in Islam, the Quran, is viewed as the direct word of God,
as told to Muhammad by Gabriel.
Review
Explain the impact of diffusion on…
– Christianity
–
Relocation diffusion  Missionaries
shared the teachings of Jesus within the
Roman Empire’s protected sea routes and
road networks
–
Contagious diffusion  Daily contact
between missionaries in cities and
nonbelievers in the rural countryside
–
Hierarchical diffusion  Leaders of the
Roman Empire accepted and embraced
Christianity; made Christianity the official
religion of the Roman Empire; Colonial
Kings and Queens spread Christianity to
their respective colonies (combo with RD)
– Islam
–
Relocation diffusion  Missionaries sent
to portions of sub-Saharan Africa and
Southeast Asia; Arab traders brought Islam
to Indonesia; Diffused west and retained
part of Western Europe (modern day
Spain) until 1492
–
Contagious diffusion  Intermarriage of
Muslims with non-Muslims in the Persian
Empire and much of India resulted in
willing conversion of religious adherence
–
Hierarchical diffusion  Islamic control of
the Persian Empire creates an obvious
top-down adherence pattern
Review
Explain the impact of diffusion on…
– Buddhism
– Relocation diffusion  Missionaries sent by Asoka to territories neighboring the
Magadhan Empire, including Kashmir, the Himalayas, Burma, and all over India;
Missions to present-day Sri Lanka to convert King and subjects on the island
– Contagious diffusion  Chinese merchants on trading routes came into contact with
Buddhist, and very much liked the message/purpose of Buddhism (combo with RD)
– Hierarchical diffusion  Emperor of the Magadan Empire, Asoka, put Buddhist
ideology into practice after his conversion in 257 A.D.; Chinese rulers adopted
Buddhism, then allowed Chinese citizens to convert in the 4 century A.D.
Review
Explain Cosmogony in relation to ethnic and universalizing religions
– Ethnic
– Confucianism and Taoism –
universe is made up of Yin and
Yang, which exists in everything
– Yin – earth, darkness, female, cold,
depth, passivity, and death
– Yang – heaven, light, male, heat,
height, activity, and life
– Yin & Yang interact with each other
to create harmony and balance
– Universalizing
– Christianity and Islam – God
created the universe, Earth’s
physical environment, and human
beings
–
Can serve God by cultivating land,
draining wetlands, clearing forests,
building new settlements, making
productive use of natural features
– Some Christians consider natural
disasters punishment from God for
human sins
Review
Sacred places in Universalizing Religions
– Buddhist Shrines
–
–
Locations of important events in Buddha’s life
–
Lumbini – birthplace
–
Bodh Gaya – enlightenment
–
Deer Park – first sermon
–
Kusinagara – passed into Nirvana
– Holy Places in Islam
– Associated with the life of Muhammad
–
Makkah (Mecca) – birthplace
–
Al-Ka’ba – in center of Islam’s largest mosque;
thought to be built by Abraham and Ishmael;
contains black stone believed to be given to
Abraham by Gabriel as a sign of a covenant
with Ishmael and the Muslim people
–
Masjid al-Haram mosque – contains the well of
Zamzam, believed to have the same water
source given to Hagar by Gabriel to quench
Ishmael’s thirst at infancy
Locations of Buddha’s miracles
–
Sravasti – created multiple images of himself
and visited heaven
–
Samkasya – ascended to heaven, preached to
mother, and returned to Earth
–
Rajagrha – tamed a wild elephant
–
Vaisala – announcement of his impending
death
–
Medinah – location of Muhammad’s tomb
Review
Disposal of the dead
– Burial
– Christians, Muslims, and Jews
typically bury dead in cemeteries
– Christianity  some bury dead
with feet facing Jerusalem so the
deceased can meet Christ there on
their Judgement Day
– Islam  Cemeteries often used as
public parks because death is not
as taboo in Islamic countries
– Hindus
– Generally practice cremation
– Body is washed with water from the
Ganges River then burned on a slow
fire
– Burial reserved for children, ascetics,
and people with diseases
– Cremation frees the soul from the
body of the deceased and leads them
warmly/comfortingly into the afterlife
Review
– What is the most prominent example of a religious, utopian settlement?
– Salt Lake City, Utah; Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)