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WORLD RELIGIONS Social Studies 8 World Religions Ms. Carey World Religions In Social Studies 8 we examine five of the world’s largest religions. They are: 1. Christianity 2. Islam 3. Judaism 4. Hinduism 5. Buddhism So where did they originate? Who started them? CHRISTIANITY Was founded in Palestine by the apostles (the 12 disciples) of Jesus Christ. Christianity is monotheistic (belief in only one God) Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments were: 1. To love God with your whole being 2. To love your neighbour as yourself Jesus and his apostles were Jewish but at the time, the Jewish authorities thought that much of what Jesus taught seemed to go against the traditions of Judaism and the Law. At the same time, the Romans were very nervous about anyone who might lead an uprising against them. They killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross, which was the method of execution reserved for common criminals. The followers of Jesus believed that Jesus died and was raised from the dead so that all people could share in eternal life. Christianity… After Jesus died, his story was told in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. This new religion spread quickly along the trade routes of the Roman Empire. The man most responsible for this was St. Paul who traveled around building the community. One reason for it’s popularity was that Jesus preached that all people, including the poor, were precious to God. If people were baptized and led good lives, they would go to heaven after they died no matter how poor and powerless they were in this life. Christian Cathedrals There are two different types of cathedrals: 1. Romanesque Cathedrals 2. Gothic Cathedrals Holy Rosary Cathedral Vancouver, BC Gothic or Romanesque? You tell me… Holy Rosary… What is this? JUDAISM Judaism took shape in Israel over 3000 years ago, and is still a vital religion today. Judaism is the oldest religion of the western world and has influenced Christianity and Islam. There are approximately fifteen million Jews throughout the world. The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Jewish people and trace their ancestry to Abraham, who left his home in the Mesopotamian city of Ur about 2200BCE. The Hebrews were different from others of their time because they were monotheistic; they believed in only one God. The Hebrews believed they had a special relationship with their God and that they were his chosen people. Judaism… To protect the relationship between a person and God, they follow God’s laws. These include the 10 Commandments, which Jews believe God gave to Moses as part of the Torah, the most important of the Jewish Holy Books. Over time, Jewish teachers and prophets have added comments and interpretations to the Torah in the form of the TALMUD, a guide for life and belief. The Jewish place of worship is called a: SYNAGOGUE Inside a Jewish Synagogue… ISLAM • Islam, which comes from the Arabic word for ‘submission’ began in the 7th Century. • This religion is based on the Qur’an (Koran) which Muslims (believers in Islam) know as the word of God revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. • The Qur’an is the Islamic Holy Book. • Believers of Islam are known as Muslims. • Islam is now the world’s largest religion. • Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last of a series of holy prophets that included Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. • A prophet is a holy messenger. Christians believe that Jesus is God, while Muslims believe Allah is the only God and that Muhammad was his messenger. Allah is an Arabic term that means "the God" (al-El). Islam… The Islamic house of worship is a mosque. Unlike Jews and Christians, Muslims do not have a holy day, but many Muslims gather in mosques on Friday afternoon for prayers. Muhammad taught that believers should pray five times every day. Faithful Muslims will stop whatever they are doing and bow down to pray. Mecca is a holy city to Muslims because it is the site of the Kaaba, a small shrine that Muslims believe to be the most sacred spot on earth. Muslims orient themselves toward the Kaaba during their daily prayers. Every Muslim who makes the pilgrimage to Mecca walks around the Kaaba seven times. Islamic tradition states that the stone was originally white, but it had become black by absorbing the sins of the millions of pilgrims who have kissed and touched it. Islam….Con’t Ramadan is a sacred month to Muslims, and faithful Muslims fast between dawn and dusk during Ramadan. To fast means to abstain from eating. Ramadan is sacred because it is the month in which the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. Muslims use a lunar calendar, so Ramadan falls at different times each year. BUDDHISM Buddhism is a different religion because it does not include worship of a god or gods. Instead, it is based on the teachings of an Indian Prince, Siddartha, who gave up wealth and family to seek an answer to the misery of the world. After much searching, he received enlightenment- the answerand became the Buddha, or ‘enlightened one’. Religion in Ancient Chinamainly Buddhism During the Han Dynasty, China was experiencing political chaos, and life in the empire was changing. It was during this time, that a new religion emerged in China and it became very influential. BUDDHISM- it spread through China first with the wealthy and influential people. Later it would become popular with everyone. Buddhism…. Buddha said that suffering occurred only when people were too concerned with themselves and their own desires and needs. He believed that people should seek to free themselves of worldly concerns through retreat into monastery or through mediation. Ultimately, one’s soul would find NIRVANA - or peace and freedom from desire and suffering. The Spread of Buddhism HINDUISM Hinduism is a major religion that began in India. Unlike other world religions, Hinduism has no known founder. It arrived in India with the Aryans from Northern India. - Hindus call their beliefs “dharma” which means “duty” or “way of life”. The oldest holy books in Hinduism are the VEDAS and the UPANISHADS. They describe the actions of the Hindu gods and goddesses, and have answers for many of the important questions about life, suffering, and death. Hinduism… Hinduism has many gods and goddesses, all of which are forms of one God. The three most known are: Brahma- the creator Vishnu- the preserver Shiva- the destroyer Re-Birth of the Soul • Hindus believe that the soul, called the atman, does not die with the body. • Instead, it is reborn many times into different bodies. • Karma governs this cycle of death and rebirth. (reincarnation) • Hindus hope to free themselves from the illusions of the world, and achieve moksha, which means ‘freedom of the soul’. • The ideal Hindu life is one of selfless service and action. • Hindus meditate and many dedicated, become Yogis. Hinduism Sites of Worship The Spread of Hinduism The Spread of Religions… REVIEW…. There are many world religions that we have not discussed but all have unique beliefs, traditions, and philosophies. For our school SS8 Field Trip (Places of Worship) we will be going to: – – – – A Cathedral (Christianity) A Mosque (Islam) A Temple (Hinduism or Sikhism) A Synagogue (Judaism) Your assignment: - You must summarize ALL FIVE religions we covered today. Each religion must have ONE PAGE of facts and information summarized neatly for next class. - You will be marked on effort and detail. - It will be collected next class.