Transcript World Religions

World religions
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The Historical Approach
Look for historical sources:
personal testimony or stories
written records
outside accounts or references
Correlate historical sources:
original documents control
personal or eyewitness testimony
Hermeneutics
One meaning: Authorial intent
Ordinary rules of interpretation apply
Many applications
Foundational Issues
Intellectual Beliefs
Morality and
Life practices
Spiritual
Experience
Rituals and
Ceremonies
Pangea, et al
Until about 80,000 BC
Tools, Language
Faith, Ritual
North Africa and Mesopotamia
About 10,000BC
Villages of 30-300
all over the worldexploration
By 5000 add
pottery, sculpture,
architecture, towns,
temples, war
By 4000
Writing,
Sailboats,
Calendars,
Mining
Money
Villages grow to
2000-5000 –
now civilization
The First Civilizations
The first civilizations (developed through life in
cities) around 3500 add:
Urbanization
Literature, Libraries
Government
Education
Inter-village trade
Institutionalized Religion
Armies, war
Social Order
Ancient Wisdom
Creation & Hero stories
Chinese, Mesopotamian
& other animism/gods
Egyptian, Hindu & other-world beliefs
Hebrew & other monotheism
The Earliest Belief
Systems of Civilizations
Summer, Akkad 3200 BC
Egyptian – 2400 BC
Hebrew – 2100 BC
Taoism – 1600 BC
(Aryan; Formal 900BC)
Hindu – 1200 BC
Buddhism – 600 BC
Confucianism – 500 BC
Christianity – 32 AD
Islam – 622 AD
The Hebrews
Monotheism
State & Religion
Morality & Religion
Philosophy of History
Sense of Destiny
Hebrew life today
Organizationally:
Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed
The question of Israel
Practically: life in the world; cultural practices
Hinduism
Original monotheism (Brahma) which is
manifested as three forces:
Preserver and protector
Creator and encompasser
Destroyer and restorer
Later seen as three gods: Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva
These gods manifest themselves on earth by an
avatar (incarnation). There have been hundreds
of incarnations as local gods or demi-gods.
Hinduism
Today most Hindus see themselves as one people
but with many differences, especially the caste
system (after 900BC). One’s caste determines
one’s duty (dharma) in life.
The atman (soul) is linked with brahman (eternal
being) but is now caught in rebirth into suffering.
The way to escape (msksha) the cycle of
suffering is to achieve realization that atman is
brahman.
Buddhism
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Begins with Guatama (563-483BC)
Shares an outlook on life (Hindu, w/o caste
Thousands of variations
Theravada, Mahayana, Hinayana, Zen
Taoism/
Confusian
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A way of life for everyone based on the
duties of daily rituals
Five ethical relations
Stages of life
 No commitment on the idea
of God, but duties and rituals
are based on absolute values
Greece
Predate Socrates (469-399 B.C.)
Rejected myth stories
Scientific & philosophical questions
Reason & Community
Christianity
The person and work of Jesus, the Christ
The Bible
The early church teachers 32-313
Belief, lifestyle and practices
Four churches and the Nicean council
Institutional church/state relations
Christian Beliefs Today
There is One God in three persons, who is
the creator, sustainer, and judge of all life
Humans, made in the
nature of God,
redeemed by Jesus,
with eternal destiny,
now act as responsible
stewards of this life
and this world
Islam
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Begins with Mohammad in 622 (Hijrah)
Make the confession
Follow the five pillars
The Qu’ran
Shi’ites, Sunnis, Sufis, many others
Unity of religion and state
Islam Today
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National identity v religious identity
Unity of religion due to Qu’ran
Variety of interpretations
Growing strength in education & economy
Top down authority (political v religious)
Determining major religions
and ethnic groups - 2006
2.3 billion Christians
1.5 billion Muslims
1.0 billion Hindus
1.4 billion Chinese
1.1 billion – everyone else
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