Transcript World Religions

World
Religions
Christianity
*Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
*Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
*God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins.
*One of the most important concepts is that of Jesus giving his life on the Cross (the
Crucifixion) and rising from the dead on the third day (the Resurrection).
*There is only one God, but that there are three elements to this one God:
God the Father
God the Son
The Holy Spirit
*Worship in churches.
*Their spiritual leaders are called priests or ministers.
*The holy book is the Bible, and consists of the Old and New Testaments.
*Holy days such as Easter and Christmas are important milestones in the Western
secular calendar
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/ataglance/glance.shtml
Judaism
It is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity and Islam.
*Originated in the Middle East over 3500 years ago
*Founded by Moses, although they trace their history back to Abraham.
*Believe that there is only one God with whom they have a covenant.
*In exchange for all the good that God has done for the it people, they keep God’s laws and try to
bring holiness into every aspect of their lives.
*Has a rich history of religious text, but the central and most important religious document is the
Torah.
*Traditional or oral law, the interpretation of the laws of the Torah, is called halakhah.
*Spiritual leaders are called Rabbis.
*Worship in Synagogues.
*Six million were murdered in the Holocaust in an attempt to wipe out the faith.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/ataglance/glance.shtml
Islam
The word Islam means submission to the will of God'.
It is the second largest religion in the world with over 1 billion followers.
*Believe that Islam was revealed over 1400 years ago in Mecca, Arabia.
*Followers are called Muslims.
*Believe that there is only One God, monotheistic.
*The Arabic word for God is Allah.
*God sent a number of prophets to mankind to teach them how to live according to His law.
-Jesus, Moses and Abraham are respected as prophets of God.
*They believe that the final Prophet was Muhammad.
*Base their laws on their holy book the Qur'an, and the Sunnah.
*Believe the Sunnah is the practical example of Prophet Muhammad and that there are five basic Pillars.
-These pillars are the declaration of faith, praying five times a day, giving money to charity, fasting
and a pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/ataglance/glance.shtml
Hinduism
Although it is not easy to define it, it is rooted in India. Most revere a body of texts as sacred scripture
known as the Veda, and most draw on a common system of values known as dharma.
*Originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan.
*About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as this religion.
*Most believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are represented by the multitude of
deities which emanate from him.
*Believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma.
*Believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always
dependent on how the previous life was lived.
*The main texts are the Vedas and their supplements (books based on the Vedas). Veda is a Sanskrit
word meaning 'knowledge'. Scriptures discuss dharma, which can be rendered as 'code of conduct',
'law', or 'duty'
*Celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights, Diwali is the best known.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/ataglance/glance.shtml
Buddhism
It is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep
insight into the true nature of life.
It teaches that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.
*2,500 years old
*There are currently 376 million followers worldwide
*Arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama's quest for Enlightenment in around the 6th Century
BCE
*There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship between humanity and
God
*Believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is always possible
*The two main sects are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism, but there are many more
*Itis a very colourful faith with many festivals throughout the year
*Worship both at home or at a temple
*The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and
wisdom.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/ataglance/glance.shtml
Christianity • Monotheism
Jesus as Son of God
Life after death
New Testament—Life and teachings of Jesus
Establishment of Christian doctrine by early church
councils
Islam • Monotheism
Muhammad the prophet
Koran
Five Pillars of Islam
Mecca and Medina
Buddhism • Founder—Siddhartha Gautama
(Buddha)
Four Noble Truths
Eightfold Path to Enlightenment
Spread of Buddhism from India to China and other
parts of Asia, resulting from Asoka’s missionaries
and their writings
Facts/Concepts
Hinduism • Many forms of one deity
Caste system
Reincarnation
Karma—Future reincarnation based on
present behavior
Judism • Monotheism
Ten Commandments of moral and religious
conduct
Torah—Written record and beliefs of
Hebrews
Geographical distribution of major religions
Hinduism—Concentrated in India
Judaism—Concentrated in Israel and North America
Buddhism—Concentrated in East and Southeast Asia
Christianity —Concentrated in Europe, North and South America
Islam—Concentrated in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia