Early Religions: Zoroastrianism, Vedic Religion, Hebrew monotheism AP World History Unit 1
Zoroastrianism Emerged in the Persian Empire around the 6th or 7th century BCE Followed the teachings of prophet named Zoroaster Said there was a struggle between good and evil in the world Ahura Mazda vs. Angra Mainyu Humans caught in the middle of this struggle and had to choose sides Humans who chose good would get eternal life Humans who chose evil would get darkness & misery after death Big emphasis on the free will of humankind
Zoroastrianism Did not spread widely beyond the Middle East because it was not an active missionary religion For 1000 years Zoroastrianism was one of the most powerful religions in the world. It was the official religion of Persia (Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE Invasions of Alexander the Great devastated Zoroastrianism temples destroyed, priests slaughtered, sacred writings burned Arrival of Islam in the Middle East also led to the final decline of Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism Elements that remain within Judaism and Christianity: Good versus evil God versus an evil counterpart Idea of a last judgment & resurrected bodies Belief in final defeat of evil Arrival of a savior (Messiah) Remaking of the world at the end of time
Vedic or Vedism to Hinduism The ancient religion of the Aryan peoples who entered northwestern India from Persia circa 2000– 1200 BCE. It was the precursor of Hinduism, and its beliefs and practices are contained in the Vedas. The Vedas are a collection of hymns and other religious texts composed in India between about 1500 and 1000 BCE. It includes elements such as liturgical material as well as mythological accounts, poems, prayers, and formulas considered to be sacred by the Vedic religion.
Rig Veda They were transmitted orally over many generations before eventually being committed to writing. Oldest of these texts is the Rig-‐Veda “Knowledge of the Hymns of Praise” The largest and most important text of the Vedic collection; it includes 1028 hymns and it is divided into ten books called mandalas. It is a difficult text, written in a very obscure style and filled with metaphors and allusions that are hard to understand for modern reader.
Vedism A polytheistic sacrificial religion that was very different from its successor, Hinduism. Involved the worship of numerous male divinities who were connected with the sky and natural phenomena. The priests who officiated at this worship were known as Brahmans. When Vedic religion gradually evolved into Hinduism between the 6th and 2nd centuries BCE, these texts taken collectively became the most sacred literature of Hinduism.
Social Classes The legacy of Vedic worship is apparent in several aspects of modern Hinduism. The basic stratification of Vedic society into four social classes or varnas the Brahmans (priests) Kshatriyas (warriors or rulers) Vaishyas (traders) Sudras (servants) by and large persisted in later Hinduism
The Israelites Most cultures of the ancient world worshipped many gods The Israelites (living in Canaan) = monotheistic = belief in only 1 God Commands of God revealed by prophets = holy messengers God called: Yahweh Yahweh determined right & wrong and the people had to accept moral responsibility for their actions
Monotheism The Hebrews alone of all the Semitic peoples reached the stage of pure monotheism, through the teachings of their prophets; however, it required centuries of development before every trace of idolatry disappeared even from among them In Hebrew tradition the origin of the belief in the one God is connected with the religious awakening of the patriarch Abraham Modern views holds that the Hebrew tribes were brought to a clear realization of the difference between their God and the gods of the surrounding nations through the work and teachings of Moses
The Israelites Teachings of the Israelites exist today as religion of Judaism Shares many beliefs with Christianity and Islam