Aim: Why did Christianity emerge as a belief system? Thursday – December 12, 2013 Mr. Lombardi Aim: Why did Christianity emerge as a belief system? Do Now: If you were going through a difficult time in your life and someone who you never met before came up to you and said, “I can save you from all of your problems” would you believe him/her or not? Explain.

The Hebrews & Judaism

Answer the three questions in your notebook: Activity Read the handout, The Rise of Christianity. DO NOT WRITE ON THE HANDOUT! Answer the three questions in your notebook: What messages did Jesus preach? In which year did Christianity become the official religion of the Roman Empire? List three things from the reading that you: (a) didn’t know before and/or (b) found interesting. Pass up the handout when you are finished.

Why would people follow Jesus?

Activity #2 Read and complete the handout, The Rise of Christianity/Spread of Christianity with your partner from the Belief Systems Project. Read the reverse side, Christianity and if time permits, complete the timeline activity at the bottom of the page.

Hinduism Buddhism Judaism Christianity

Summary Why did Christianity emerge as a belief system? How can we compare and contrast Christianity and Judaism? (Venn diagram handout)

REVIEW RegentsPrep

1. One similarity between the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments is that both (1) provide a guide to proper ethical and moral behavior (2) encourage the use of statues to symbolize God (3) promote learning as a means to salvation (4) support a belief in reincarnation

2. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity share a belief in (1) the central authority of the Pope (2) a prohibition of the consumption of port (3) reincarnation and the Four Noble Truths (4) monotheism and ethical conduct

3. Jewish religious and cultural identity has been greatly influenced by (1) the New Testament and the Four Noble Truths (2) Ramadan and the concept of reincarnation (3) the Torah and the Diaspora (4) the Koran and the code of bushido

4. One way in which the Vedas, the Bible, and the Koran are similar is that these religious books (1) provide guidelines to govern the behavior of believers (2) deny the existence of a supreme being who rules the universe (3) encourage strife between segments of believers (4) support political rebellions to overthrow existing governments

5. The Buddhist religion teaches that salvation is earned by (1) worshiping Allah as the one true god (2) following the Ten Commandments (3) learning to give up selfish desire (4) being baptized and confirmed