Transcript Religions

Christianity
a. 4-6 BCE: birth of Jesus Christ, land of Palestine (ruled by Rome)
b. History: some Jews under Hellenism started believing in a messiah; growth
of mystery religions (if believers followed practices then afterlife would be
groovy); Jesus, as an adult, traveled around Judea, accompanied by 12 disciples,
preaching forgiveness of sins; called the Christ = “anointed”; Jesus’ teachings
perceived as a threat to authority in the region; trial & execution of Jesus;
belief in resurrection of Jesus; followers traveled the Roman Empire spreading
Jesus’ message; spearheaded by Paul in Med. Sea (4 journeys b/t 45-58 CE);
reached out to the lower classes & women; Christians persecuted under
Domitian (81 – 96 CE); Septimius Severus (193 – 211 CE)--Edict in 202 forbade
Christian or Jewish conversion; Decius – ordered the renewed practice of
sacrifices, giving certificates to those who did so, & punishment for those who
did not; and Diocletian; Chr. would flourish in the 3rd Century Crisis
--313 Edict of Toleration issued by Constantine (288-337 CE) – 25% of the
empire was Christian at the time--ending the period of “Great
Persecution”; Theodosius in 380 CE official religion
--rise of the Catholic Church (pope, cardinal, priests, nuns) formed geog. units or dioceses; Christian
bishops made these their HQ or sees within the urban centers; the center of the bishops authority was his
cathedral or “chair”; when Const. moved the Roman capitol to Constantinople, the Roman bishop filled the
authoritarian void; tradition had Peter being killed in Rome; pope= Latin papa (Father); missionary activity
targeted kings; first to assume title of “pope” were the Patriarchs of Alexandria starting in 232 CE, while
in Rome in wasn’t for at least another 100 years; Catholic tradition has Peter as the first and Linus as the
second Pope Victor was the first to conduct mass in Latin and not Greek (189 CE) Church takes on an
Empire structure w/ dioceses, bishops in major urban areas
140s
189
288-337
318
321
335
330-397
347-420
354–430
431
451
Marcion puts together one of the first lists of possible New Testament books; gradual rejection
of the Gnostic writings/gospels (discovered in 1945 in upper Egypt; contains 52 texts; written
by the Gnostics, those who claimed secret divine knowledge; were an early challenge to the
established church claiming a good god & an evil god)
Pope Victor was the first to conduct mass in Latin & not Greek
Constantine reunited Empire; Edict of Milan in 313 CE proclaimed toleration of Christianity
(25% of the empire Christian at the time); moved capitol to Byzantium (Constantinople)
first monastery was established
Sunday established as official state day of rest
Council of Jerusalem rejects the mandate to be circumcised
St. Ambrose—Church auth over pol authority; males should run Church; priests celibate
St. Jerome—translated the Greek Bible into Latin; (called Vulgate meaning “popular version”);
controversy which books totaling 39 or 46??? Set of books called Apocrypha
St. Augustine The Confessions wrote about good vs. evil; City of God—said that the Church
could not sin & the Church was the City of God; a Christian view of history
Council of Ephesus condemned Nestorianism & affirmed Mary to be the Mother of God
Council of Chalcedon affirmed Jesus had two natures (aka Hypostatic Union)
461-468
496
Pope Hilarius
Clovis I, King of the Franks converts to Chr; wanted to gain power over other possible leaders; started
Merovingian Dynasty (aka “long-haired kings”) came to fill the power vacuum left by the fall of
Rome; defeated the Visigoth Kingdom
525
Dionysius creates the Christian calendar
530
Benedict founds the Benedictine monasteries; promoted literacy/education; preserved manuscripts; hubs
for travelers, models of agri growth, & symbols of the Church for peasants
Conflicts incl.—
Apollinarius—4th century bishop who declared Jesus’ divinity supreme & denied the humanity; condemned at the 1 st
Council of Constantinople (381 CE)
Monophysites—believe that Jesus had one nature
Mithraism grew as a mystery religion w/ 7 initiations
Manichaeanism combined many beliefs seeing the world as a struggle b/t the forces of good and evil; came out of
Sassanid Persia (influenced by Zor.); very widespread; original 6 holy books have been lost; persecuted & burned
alive by Diocletian; denied an omnipotent being
Orphism the idea that the soul is a prisoner of the body
Arianism denied that Christ was divine; Constantine issued the Nicene Creed of 325 CE banishing Arius
Growing split in Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Church vs the Roman Catholic Church—both considered to be the true
church; first area to legalize Christianity was Armenia in 301 CE;
--5 ”sees”:Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem;
--eastern churches saw the church at Antioch as the original
Beliefs: mono—Trinity ; belief in eternal judgment, Messiah, original sin
Diffusion: --contagious: spread along existing trade/synagogue network in Med as missionaries used Roman roads;
--318 first monastery established & 321 Sunday established as official state day of rest
--432 St. Patrick to Ireland
--496 Clovis I, King of the Franks converts to Christianity
--hierarchical: once it became official people were forced
Syncretinization: Valentine’s Day built around 2 Christian martyrs of the 3rd c. named Valentine--Roman
Lupercalia fertility festival in Feb; later in the Middle Ages it became a lover’s holiday
Impact: Christianity continues to have an enormous influence on Western Culture; Christianity had wide appeal among the
poor & among women because its stress on the concept of equality in faith; served as a glue among Europeans after the fall of
the Roman Empire; earliest organized Christianity in the form of Catholicism, which had a significant influence on Medieval &
Early Modern European rulers
Status of women in Christianity:--early: more equal status; both men/women can reach heaven; women into convents; still held
down
Zoroastrianism
a. Persia (modern day Iran) ca 600 BCE, possibly earlier; Zarathrustra
(Zoroaster—a vegetarian btw) who received a vision at age 30; believe that a
man from the line of Zoroaster will be born of a virgin who will raise the dead
& complete a final judgment
b. Beliefs: Dualistic Monotheism – Ahura Mazda (good)
Angra Mainyu (evil);
Basic principle: "good thoughts, good words, good deeds" (Humata, Hukhta,
Hvarshta); Strong belief in free will; At death the soul contemplates its life
for three days, then the deeds are weighed & is given a one way ticket to
heaven or hell; Belief in the end of the universe when all souls reunited w/
Ahura Mazda; Sacred book: Avesta ; rejects monasticism; fire important in
rituals
c. History/diffusion: once dominant religion in Persia (Iran), then pushed out; fewer
than 200,000 in the world today—most in NW India; generally do not seek
converts; Favored by the Persia Empire & later the Sassanid starting in 228CE
d. Diffusion: primarily along Silk Road into China
e. Impact: traditional only men were priests; beliefs influenced Judaism &
Christianity
Judaism
a. Abt. 2000 BCE: migration of Abraham from Meso to Canaan; followers called Hebrews
b. Monotheistic: first to have a monotheistic religion; have a covenant relationship in
which Yahweh (El) is their god & Jews are his followers; emphasized the
abstractness & power of God; history recorded in Torah ( first 5 books of the
Hebrew scriptures, & the Tanakh—remaining books Christians call the Old Test)
c. History: migration out of Canaan to Egypt (famine?); enslaved by Egyptians; exodus &
freedom from slavery led by Moses (Moshe); Ten Commandments as law along w/
Torah; organized into 12 tribes; return to Canaan (Palestine) & establishment of
theocracy; est Kingdom of Israel under Saul; Jerusalem becomes capital of Israel
under David; kingdom weakens under Solomon (taxes); Rehaboam divides Israel into
two kingdoms, Israel (North) & Judah (South); N kingdom fell to Assyrians, 722
BCE, leading to first Jewish diaspora; S kingdom fell to Babylonians in 586 BCE
(Babylonian captivity); Persians (Cyrus 539 BCE) – allowed Jews to return & rebuild;
Greeks defeat Persia (Hellenization of Jews); Romans in 63 BCE took over;
Diaspora – Rome destroys 2nd temple in 70 CE & then in 140 CE forces Jews out
following Bar Kokba Revolt in 132 CE; forced/push relocation was the vehicle for
diffusion form the synagogue; led to second Diaspora
d. Beliefs: Messiah not yet here; after-life ???; reward/punishment for deeds;
importance of action over belief;
e. Diffusion: not a universalizing religion; spread both contagiously/hierarchically through
Med trade routes
f. Impact: foundation for future mono religions of Christianity & Islam; pattern of antiSemitism; at first more equalitarian then patr—both men & women have roles
Hinduism सनातन धर्म (“the eternal dharma”)-a. no single founder; developed from the literature/oral traditions of the Aryans in
present-day India
b. Beliefs: no dominant belief; many sects; Pantheon (mono or polytheistic?) many gods,
principle gods Brahma (creator) Vishnu (provider) & Shiva (destroyer);Brahman =
divine essence/supreme being; reincarnation (samsara) needed to eliminate bad
karma which leads to moksha (soul residing w/ Brahma; dharma = moral code to guide
life & actions; most are vegetarians; temples/ mandirs—usually dedicated to a
certain deity & are sites of pilgrimage; worship involves an icon or murti
c. Impact: religious beliefs reinforced caste system, strengthened patriarchy by
stressing obligations to community & family; Role of women: dominated by men;
contractual marriages w/ economic goals; family an important part of society—
isolated, purdah, sati (primarily after 400 CE); strong heirarchy
d. Writings: Vedas वेद—meaning “divine knowledge”; consists of writings compiled by the
Aryans (Rig Veda the oldest); Mahabharta महाभारत (contains the Bhavagad-Gita
(भगवद् गीता )) emphasizes the need to do one duties; The Upanishads (उपनिषद्) (750
– 500 BCE)– part of the Vedas that deals w/ meditation; the name; holds information
on the basic beliefs of Hinduism & on the doctrine of Brahman
e. Diffusion: pilgrimages (aka tirtha) often involve acts of purification; pilgrim sites are
often directed toward one of the pantheon members; diff both hierarchical &
contagious; into SE Asia (Cambodia, Angkor Wat temple complex) via Indian Ocean
trade; today 1.1 billion mainly in India (US = 770,000)
Buddhism
a. developed by Siddartha Gautama & his followers in NE India in the mid 500’s BCE
b. Beliefs: “Buddha” = the enlightened one, but NOT a deity; sim to Hinduism: relief
from worldly suffering through the union of soul w/ divine spirit (nirvana);
belief in reincarnation; Departure from Hindu beliefs: stressed equal
treatment of all people (therefore opposed to caste system); 4 Noble
Truths: life is suffering (dukha दक्
ु ख ); cause of suffering is desire (tanha);
suffering or desire can be ended(nirvana); way to end suffering is through
the 8 Fold Path (right viewpoint, intention, speech, action, livelihood,
effort, mindfulness, & concentration); Middle Way was path to nirvana; no
original sin or messiah; sal. based on reincarnation; original Buddhism does
not focus on deities;
c. Books: Dhammpada—written in Pali; contains proper conduct for monks/nuns;
discourses from the Buddha; Tipitaka (major collection of writings for
Theravada); Sutras (for Mahayana)
d. Diffusion: equality appealed especially to those of the lower classes; out of India
by Ashoka 200s BCE & accepted by King Kanishka of the Kushans;
Ashoka’s son made a mission trip to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to covert the
people; Buddhist monasteries via contagious diffusion established along SR
trade routes; monks & nuns hosted travelers & spread beliefs; 2 wellknown monks (Faxian, Xuanzang); will evolve into Mahayana (many
buddhas/bodavissita) & Theravada (monastic) & various forms in Japan (ie.
Zen); in Tibet the Tibetan form; 8 pilgrimage sites: northern India, S
Nepal--4 are places of important events in his life (most important is
Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha, followed by Bodh Gaya where he gained
enlightenment) & 4 others are places where he performed miracles
e. Significance: Buddhism achieved widespread popularity, especially in East &
SE Asia, although it lost popularity in India itself; offered an alternative
to Hinduism for those in the lower castes, providing these people w/ hope
for a better life in the future
Confucianism
a. Emerged during the Era of Warring States (b/t Zhou & Qin dynasties); Kung Fu-tse
(Confucius): Chinese scholar & philosopher who studied the literature of the Zhou
period & developed a theory of how to establish stability in China
b. Beliefs: ethical system; Confucius taught that good, stable govt depended on educated civil
servants & adherence to virtue; specifically stressed a series of patriarchal
relationships such as obedience & loyalty to the emperor, filial piety (xiao)&
veneration of ancestors; Jen (kindness), Ren (right feelings); Li (correct action);
centered on Five Relationships (ruler/ruled; father/son; husband/wife; older/younger
brother; older/younger friend)=innate hierarchy in the order of the universe w/ each
person having a role; importance of right action by rulers; stressed benevolence, nonviolence
c. Followers recorded Confucius’ teachings in the Analects, which became the basis of the
program of study for those wishing to enter China’s bureaucracy (after the Han est
civil service exams);
d. Significance: Confucius’ teachings became the cornerstone of Chinese tradition & culture;
foundation of meritocracy or civil service exams provided a greater level of
competency among government employees; Confucianism supported autocratic
government in China & preserved patriarchal social structures/gender roles;
furthered by Mencius (372 – 289 BCE) (common people foundation for pol. power) who
taught human nature is good that needs to be cultivated; gov’t. should exist for the
people; people have the right to rebel against the gov’t. ; strong priesthood—
overtime, Conf deified
e. Spread: although Confucianism remains primarily a Chinese belief system, elements of
Confucianism have been adopted in areas that fell under Chinese control (such as
Korea & Vietnam) or in areas that imported heavily from Chinese culture (such as
Japan)
Daoism
a. Emerged during Warring States (b/t Zhou & Qin dynasties) founded by Lao Tze
b. Beliefs: The Way of Life (Tao Te Ching)—wanted to stop warfare; balance in nature
(yin & yang) is preferable; human understanding of nature & harmonious balance
achieved by following “the Way” (the life force found in nature); unlike Conf. Daoism
teaches that political activism & education are not necessary to harmony in nature
because the natural flow of events would resolve problems; believed nature
contained divine impulse directing all life; true understand came from contemplating
the life source; feng shui: receive the positive qi (life-force) by the proper
orientation; 3 Jewels of the Dao: compassion, moderation, & humility; Wu wei: means
“without action”; moving w/ the universe; strong priesthood
c. Impact: Chinese adapted some Daoist principles to fit w/ Confucianism to reinforce
ideas about responsibility for the community & the importance of meditation; ideas
have influence on modern pop-culture (the Force, in Star Wars); even w/ emphasizes
on no politics Daoism helped bring down the Han Dynasty w/ the Yellow Turban
revolt
d. Diffusion: limited & contagious; Daoism, like Conf, remains primarily a Chinese belief
system, however, elements of Daoism have been adopted in areas that fell under
Chinese control (such as Korea & Vietnam) or in areas that imported heavily from
Chinese culture (such as Japan)
Jainism
a. No single founder but Mahavira (the 24th & last teacher of Jainism) introduces
Jainism in 520 BCE in India
b. Beliefs-- every human is responsible for their own actions & all have a soul or jiva;
compassion for all life is one of the central tenets of Jainism; all monks & nuns
vegetarian; many do not eat root veggies; Follow non-violence (ahimsa); every action
brings karma but only through withdrawal can moksha be attained; 9 reincarnations
then release; all things have a soul; levels of life; 9 Tattvas show how to attain
salvation (moksha) monks & nuns practice strict asceticism & take an oath of five
vows--non-violence, truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya),chastity (brahmacharya) &
non-possession (aparigrah); Some monks will not wear clothes because they are seen
as possessions which leads to sorrow; 18 activities that should be avoided (violence,
greed, hate, gossip, etc); places of worship are temples; main book is the Book of
Reality or Tattvartha Sutra, written by Umasvati; no one god but spirits; festivals
c. Diffusion: divided into four groups: monks, nuns, lay men, & lay women; primarily only in
India; 2 main sects: the Digambara (meaning "sky clad") sect and the Svetambara
(meaning "white clad") sect (one sect is Patriarchical, the other equalitarian)
d. Impact—teaching influence the development of Hinduism; no priests—only monks/nuns