Ethical Monotheism• Concept of one God-all other gods are
false• God is just and expects humans to be
just in turn• Divides the world between righteous
and unrighteous• Can lead to intolerance towards those
who reject concept and those who practice different types of monotheism
Judaism• Belief in one God who is creator,
lawgiver, and judge of mankind• Righteous must follow Torah, or law
code• Torah defines moral and ethical
behavior• Concept of sin-disobedience to God or
God’s law• Personal relationship with deity
through prayer
Holy Books• The Torah-covenant with God and
law code
–contained in first five books of Christian Old Testament and in the Islamic Koran
• The Talmud- rabbinical commentaries and rulings on the Torah
Christianity• Developed from Judaism during
Roman rule of Palestine• Shares Jewish belief in one God,
creator, lawgiver, and judge of mankind
• Spread by Jews who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God who died and was resurrected to redeem all mankind of their sins.
Christianity• Believe that Jesus is the Christ
(anointed one) who will return to bring the kingdom of God on earth
• accepted Ten Commandments, but rejected dietary restrictions and other aspects of Jewish law
• Faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God and the savior of mankind united Jews and Gentiles together in a new religious faith
Islam• Meaning of Islam is submission to the
will of Allah, a Muslim is one who has submitted
• Belief in one God, Allah, who is the one God of Jews and Christians and also of the whole world
• Recognition of Mohammed as the last and greatest of Allah’s prophets which include Abraham, Moses, and Jesus
Islam• Mohammed is revered but not divine.
His messages from the angel Gabriel are the final revelations of Allah
• Muslims must live according to the word of Allah--all human acts have religious connotations
• Separation of state and religion therefore not possible
IslamThe Five Pillars
• There is only one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet
• Must pray five times a day, facing Mecca, with public prayer on Friday at mid-day
• Observe holy month of Ramadan with fasting from dawn to sunset
• Must give alms to the poor• If it is possible, make a pilgrimage (hajj)
to Mecca at once in a lifetime
Holy Book• The Koran–means recitation–contains parts of The Torah and
Old Testament– record of Allah’s word–ethical and legal guide–political instruction
Two Major Schisms• Shi’ite–believe only descendants of
Mohammed’s family may act as religious leaders (Imams)
• Sunni–accepted leadership of the Caliphs
outside Mohammed’s blood family
History of Conflict• Each monotheistic faith had similarities
with one another but also enough differences that conflict was bitter and violent
• Each faith convinced it was the true faith and competed for territory and converts
• Religious tolerance did occur but rare for all three monotheistic faiths to live together without one dominating the others
History of Conflict• Jewish revolt against Rome, 66-70 AD–created bitter and angry break with
Christianity–Jewish temple destroyed by Romans,
Jews slaughtered, or sold into slavery and dispersed throughout the Roman world–From this point on Jews would be
without a state, always be strangers in increasingly Christian and Muslim lands
History of Conflict• After years of persecution by the Roman
government, Christianity becomes state religion of Rome
• By 4th century AD, bishops and Roman emperors establish orthodox doctrine, try to force conformity on all who disagree including Jews and other Christians
• With the breakup of the Roman empire, Christianity becomes a unifying and civilizing force in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean
History of Conflict• Mohammed begins to receive his
revelations around 610 AD• He is forced to flee from Mecca to Medina in
622, beginning of Islamic calendar• Returns to Mecca in 630 and converts the
city• Islam born amidst war, must fight to
defend faith• Very rapid spread of new faith across Asia
Minor, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean
History of Conflict• The Crusades (1096-1291)–First major conflict between
Christian Europe and Islamic world–Religious, economic, and cultural
conflict– Islamic world more cosmopolitan,
technologically advanced–Violence radicalized both faiths–Atrocities and massacres of
civilians led to mistrust and hatred
History of Conflict• Christian and Islamic cultures
continued to be in conflict up to the 17th century
• Struggle for territory, ports, trade routes, and hearts and minds
• Ottoman Turkish empire unified Islamic world, would control southeastern Europe until 19th century
History of Conflict• In the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe
and the United States adopted a more secular outlook
• They developed a culture which valued the individual and individual rights, the separation of church and state, and tolerance towards other faiths
• Discontent could take political form
History of Conflict• Islamic regimes, especially Ottoman
Empire, did not develop the same values• Repressive governments allowed no
political expression of the masses• Political discontent thus often
expressed through religious avenues• Public opinion in the Islamic world
today still expressed through public religious rallies and demonstrations
History of Conflict• WWI–Ottoman empire is defeated and its territory
is divided up among the victorious powers–Clash of cultures, religions, and world
views could not be mended–Democratic institutions would not be
created or encouraged–New states created after WWI would be
Islamic, but economically controlled and in some cases ruled by Western powers