World Religions

Religion- a unified system of beliefs and practices concerned with sacred things Sacred- Holy; set apart and given a special meaning that goes beyond, or transcends, immediate existence Profane- Non-sacred

CHANGE OVER TIME RELIGIONS UNIVERSALIZING vs. ETHNIC RELIGIONS – MAJOR FEATURES OF EACH, WHERE ARE RELIGIONS LOCATED OVERTIME: – RISE OF PERMANENT RELIGIOUS CASTE, MORAL CODES INCLUDING SOME CASTING – ANIMISM/SHAMANISM TO GENERALIZED ANTRHOPOMORPHISM T0 POLYHEISM – PHILOSOPHIES AND MONOTHEISMS DEVELOP AT END OF PERIOD EARLY RELIGIONS – ANIMISM, SHAMANISM – ANTHROPOMORPHIC POLYTHEISM – ELABORATED POLYTHEISM WITH PRIESTS, RITUAL, DOGMA – HINDUISM – SHINTO ETHICAL PHILOSOPHIES AND RELIGIONS BLEND – CHINESE RELIGIOUS COMPLEX: TAOISM, CONFUCIANISM, LEGALISM – JAINISM, BUDDHISM – HELLENIC PHILOSOPHY MONOTHEISM: EXCLUSIVITY – JUDAISM – CHRISTIANITY – ISLAM

World Religions

CONFUCIUS’ SEARCH FOR ORDER Confucius ( B.C.E.) Confucius ( B.C.E.) – A strong-willed man, from an aristocratic family – Traveled ten years searching for an official post – Educator with numerous disciples – Sayings compiled in the Analects by disciples Confucian ideas Confucian ideas – Fundamentally moral and ethical in character – Restore political and social order; stress ritual – Formation of junzi - "superior individuals" – Edited Zhou classics for his disciples to study The key Confucian concepts The key Confucian concepts – Ren - a sense of humanity – Li - a sense of propriety – Xiao - filial piety – Cultivating of junzi for bringing order to China – 5 Relationships and filial piety as basis of society

CONFUCIAN SOCIAL HIERARCHY Confucian Scholar Official

THE CONFUCIAN WORLD

Siddhartha Gautama “ Buddha ” Founder of Buddhism Called the Enlightened One Lived BCE Originated in India

Beliefs Reincarnation Recycle: birth, death, rebirth Seek detachment from worldly desires Four noble truths Nirvana- release from selfishness and pain Eight fold path

WORLD OF BUDDHISM

Christianity Jesus born in Bethlehem taught forgiveness, mercy, and sympathy He was later crucified by the Romans for claiming to be the Messiah After his death a band of Apostles believed Jesus rose from the dead, and help to preach Jesus’ message (Paul’s Journeys) Christians were killed because they refused to worship the emperor Emperor Constantine had a vision before a battle that convinced him to become Christian, which he later made Christianity the official Roman religion

THE CHRISTIAN WORLD

Muhammad Teachings Written in the Qur ’ an Monotheism Economic and Social Justice Muhammad the last & greatest of all the prophets sent by Allah --Abraham, Moses, Jesus among the earlier prophets

Muhammad Teachings, continued Five Pillars __Believe in One God (Allah) & that Muhammad is His Prophet __Pray 5x a day facing Mecca __Give to the Poor __During Holy Month, Ramadan, fast during daytime __At least once in life, take hajj to Mecca

TRADE ROUTES c. 500 CE

SPREAD OF ISLAM

ISLAM

Hinduism Major beliefs of Hinduism Many gods but they all come from one central God At death a person’s soul is reborn into another living thing creating an endless cycle of rebirth (reincarnation) Karma is your behavior in life and good karma means better placement in the next life Hindu’s belief in sacred objects such as the cow and the Ganges River which has the power to wash away evil and sin

Caste System Priests Warriors Landowners Peasants Untouchables The Aryans created this to secure their stature among the Dravidians (only Aryans could occupy the higher castes) Caste is based on birth, and one could only move up through reincarnation

SPREAD OF INDIAN FAITHS

Judaism Abraham, 3 rd century BCE (Israel  Egypt) Diaspora Moses, circa 1200 BCE (back to Israel from Egypt) Diaspora Torah and Talmud are sacred writings First monotheistic faith Ten Commandments

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