WORLD RELIGIONS

CHRISTIANITY

ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY

Started in the Middle East c. 30 A.D.Middle East was a part of the Roman Empire

Roman Empire worshiped a multitude of godsCalled the Roman pantheon

CHRISTIANITY Founder: Jesus of Nazareth

Executed in Jerusalem

MonotheisticBelieve in the trinity: Father , Son (Jesus), and

Holy Spirit

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS 1. Holy book: the Bible

God’s teachings are found in this bookCollected and written by prophets and

disciples 2. There is only 1 God that created

everything Jesus was the Son of God and also the same

as God 3. Jesus is the savior of man

Salvation (Heaven) is achieved through Jesus’ death on the cross

BUDDHISM

Originated in India

EARLY BUDDHISM Foundations of the religion are in India

Polytheistic: worship of many gods Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (born c. 563 B.C.)

Dissatisfied w/ comfortable life All life contains suffering Took up ascetic, wandering life to understand suffering

Asceticism-give up material pleasures and devote life to spiritual path.

Enlightenment Trials: Intense meditation Extreme asceticism

ENLIGHTENMENT The Buddha (“enlightened one”)

Sat under a tree 49 daysTempted/challenged by demons

Demons retreatedReceived enlightenment and became the

Buddha

BUDDHIST DOCTRINE Dharma

Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold PathBasic Buddhist doctrine

NirvanaNirvana is the goalState of perfect spiritual independenceReached by reduced desire for worldly

things detachment from world itself

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS Fundamental Doctrine

1. All life involves suffering2. Desire is the cause of suffering3. Elimination of desire brings an end to

suffering4. Disciplined life conducted in accordance

w/ the Noble Eightfold Path bring elimination of desire

NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH Path to enlightenment and nirvana Lead balanced and moderate lives Reject devotion to luxury and also

extreme asceticism 1. right belief 2. right resolve 3. right speech 4. right behavior 5. right occupation 6. right effort 7. right mindfulness 8. right meditation

HINDUISM

Originated in India

HINDUISM Originated in India due to the caste system Polytheistic: worship of many gods Reincarnation:

Belief that when the body dies, the soul returns as another life form.

If you were successful in your previous life, you would be reincarnated at a higher level

Possible to be reincarnated as any living thing.

CASTE SYSTEM 4 main classes of people:

Each caste has a particular duty Brahmins

Priests Kshatriyas

Warriors, aristocrats Vaishyas

Peasants merchants Shudras

serfs

HINDU EPIC POEMS Bhagavad Gita (“song of the lord”)

Final form in 400 C.E. after several revisionsOutlines duties of the caste system

ShudrasServe

Vaishyas Work

BrahminsLearn and seek wisdom

KshatriyasGovern and fight

HINDU EPIC POEMS Bhagavad Gita: (the basic points)

Participate actively in the world and perform your caste duties and you will reach salvation

Do not seek rewardConcentrate on actions alone with no

thought as to their consequences

HINDU ETHICS 4 principle aims of human life:

1. dharma Obedience to religious morals and laws

2. artha Pursuit of economic well-being

3. kama Enjoyment of social, physical and sexual

pleasure4. moksha

Salvation of the soul Proper balance leads to moksha

APPEAL OF HINDUISM Offered salvation to masses of people

who had to lead active lives in societyPeople could not easily get away from their

caste Replaced Buddhism as most popular

JUDAISM

VIDEO QUESTIONS 1. Who was the founder/father of the

religion? 2. Where did the religion start? 3. Is Judaism monotheistic or

polytheistic? 4. What are 2 major figures in the

religion?

CONFUCIANISM

KONGFUZI Born in China in 551 B.C.

Known in China as the first teacher

Goal was to become a political advisorExtreme turmoil during his lifetimeCorruption, wars and instability in ChinaFew listened to Kongfuzi’s ideas

Western travelers coined the term Confucius

CONFUCIANISM Not a religion

A philosophy The Analects (400 B.C.)

Kongfuzi’s followers wrote down his teachings after he died

Confucianism became a widely accepted school of thought in China It became the foundation of education for all

government officials in China for centuries