Zoroastrianism Farohar & Fire

Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in Greek) Ahura Mazda/ Angra Mainya Three main cultural eras: –India –Persia –Post-Islamic Zartoshti (Iran) Parsis (India) Only about 140,000 today

Influence on Monotheistic Faiths Ideas –Ethics –Free will –Eschatology –Personification of evil (Angra Mainyu) –Burial Historical influence (on other religions) –Satan as God’s rival –Life after death –Final judgment –Redemption

Zarathustraor Zoroaster –Gathas (part of the Yasna, part of the Avesta scriptures) “Aryan invasion/migration”

The Achaemenian Era (ca BCE)

Parthian Era (246 BCE-226 CE)

Sassanid Era ( /642 C.E.)

Umayyad Caliphate

Persian Empires Achaemenian: –Emphasizes Ahura Mazda Parthian: –Emphasizes Mithra Sasanian: –rise and rejection of Mani –cultural interaction with Buddhists

Ceremonies Jashan Thanksgiving ceremony (creation) Nirang-din foundation of other sacred rituals Good in the world increases, evil decreases Coming of Age Ceremony 7 in India/10 in Persia Receive Sadre and Kusti (Armor of God/Swordbelt of faith) Yasna Ceremony Haoma milk, bread, meat, animal fat Ritual purification Priests recite the Avesta

Judaism

Prophet Abraham Ur – Canaan Meso  Canaan  Egypt  Canaan Abraham promised to obey God, so God looked after his people (land) –Covenant

Beliefs and Practices Humanity is the pinnacle of creation and people are indebted to their Creator. Body = earth, soul= heaven Free will

Torah 1 st 5 books of Hebrew Bible 613 commandments found in Torah (“Written Law”) Talmud (“Oral Law”) –Dietary rules (Kashrut/Kosher) –Dress and other symbols –Prayer and devotion to the one God –The Temple and Temple rites –Observance of Holy days –Proper social relations between male and female, in business, judicial rulings, etc.

Moses Led Hebrews out of slavery from Egypt Moses’ mother hid him along Nile Lived with Egyptian princess Never forgot religion

Plagues (Exodus 7:14-25) rivers and other water sources turned to blood killing all fish and other water life. (Dam)riversblood (Exodus 7:26-8:11) amphibians (commonly believed to be frogs) (Tsfardeia)amphibiansfrogs (Exodus 8:12-15) lice or gnats (Kinim)licegnats (Exodus 8:16-28) beasts or flies[2] (Arov)beastsflies[2] (Exodus 9:1-7) disease on livestock (Dever)disease (Exodus 9:8-12) unhealable boils (Shkhin)boils (Exodus 9:13-35) hail mixed with fire (Barad)hailfire (Exodus 10:1-20) locusts (Arbeh)locusts (Exodus 10:21-29) darkness (Choshech)darkness (Exodus 11:1-12:36) death of the first-born of all Egyptian families. (Makat Bechorot)death Prince of Egypt

The Exodus “Let my people go” Hebrews fled Egypt (slavery) Celebrate Passover

Enslaved Weaker than Assyria –Pay them --> So they wouldn’t attack –Not enough  Attack anyways Assyrians take over Babylonians take over Persians  Greeks  Romans DIASPORA

Bris – ritual circumcision, sign of the covenant Bar/Bat Mitzvah – rite of passage Marriage - "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:22) Death – funerals, mourning ( “Shiva”), & memorials (“Yartzeits”) High Holidays: –Hanukah –Rosh Hashanah –Yom Kippur Simchat Torah – celebrating Torah Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights” Pesach (“Passover”) Shavuot (“weeks,” Pentecost) – commemorates receipt of Torah at Sinai Shabbat (Sabbath, 7 th day, on Saturday) – the “Day of Rest” Ceremonies

Christianity

Octavian Augustus Pax Romana 3 million miles 80 million people ¾ worlds population 63bc Rome took over Judea –King Herod -governor –Death = fighting –Rome sent troops Toleration Jesus of Nazareth is born (0) –Peace, love, forgiveness –MIRACLES Messiah or Savior –Christ = “savior” in Greek

Popular with poor (‘ALL PEOPLE’) Angered Romans and Jews –Jesus was called the “Son of God” and a “King” –Jews feared Jesus’s preaching would anger the Romans Jewish leaders turned Jesus over to the Roman governor of Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate to be Crucified. –“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” All people = POOR

The 12 Apostles

Bible –Old Testament –New Testament Creeds –Nicea –Constantinople –Other Writings Resurrection (heaven/hell) –Sabbath Easter/Christmas Sacraments –Eucharist –Baptism –Marriage –Confession –Confirmation –Anointing of Sick –Holy Orders Trinity World & Humans: –created by God, in God’s image, with free will; –originally good, but corrupted by sin/death; Church, Salvation, Eschatology: –community of believers; –body of Christ; –resurrection of the body; –eternal life

Islam

Muhammad –Mecca –570 AD/CE –Prophet Adam- Noah- Abraham- Moses- Jesus Vision Koran/Quran Five Pillars Hadith/Sharia Veiling Celebrate- Ramadan

Comparing our Monotheistic Faiths Zoroastrianism Judaism Christianity Islam