1. Judaism & Christian Tradition
Prologue Section 2

2. Essential Questions How did Judeo-Christian traditions support the
central idea of democracy?

3. MAIN IDEA- (Cultural Interaction) Judaism and Christianity taught individual worth, ethical values, and the need to fight injustice.
WHY IT MATTERS NOW- These Ideas continue to be important to democracy today.

4. SETTING THE STAGE
Judaism, Christianity and Islam Shaped Democratic Traditions
1. Monotheistic: belief in one God
2. Small Corner of South West Asia
3. Worth of Individuals
4. Responsibility of individuals to the community
* Led to ideas about value of individual and challenging
authority (During the Renaissance and Reformation)

5. Hebrews or Jews
Monotheistic- (One God) Who was All-, Knowing, All Powerful, and Eternal.
Hebrews- Felt Moral Life is Gods Wish.
Most other groups around Hebrews were Polytheistic- Performed rituals and sacrifices. In Honor of Their Many Gods.

6. Judaism Torah: 1800 BC. Hebrew bible (Old Testament) Made of 5 books
Man is created in God’s Image –
Individuals have value, and are unique
Made from god
(Divine Spark = Dignity that can not be taken)
(Greeks and Romans had Dignity due to ability to reason)

7. Jewish Law Man has moral freedom
Reason: Capacity for logical, rational and analytical thought
Use reason to choose between right and wrong
Each Person Responsible for decisions they make

8. Jewish Code of Law
Like the Greeks, Romans, and others Jews had a written code of law.

9. Ten Commandments Jewish Law 1300-1200 BC
Written code of Law given to Moses
Focused on morality and ethics, NOT on politics
Social and religious behavior that even the rulers were subject to

10. 1-4 5-10 Morality: mans relationship with god.
Ethics: mans relationship with fellow man.

11. Emergence of Prophets
8th Cent B.C. Jewish religious thought expands : Due to Prophets
Leaders and teachers- who were believed by the Jews to be direct messengers from God
Protested war, oppression, and Greed
Strengthened Jews social conscience

12. Roman Expansion
Around 63 B.C. Rome took control of Judea the homeland of the Jews

14. Christianity Jesus Christ Born around 4B.C.
Began Teaching around the age of 30
Many ideas from Jewish tradition ( monotheism, and 10 commandments)
Born around 4B.C.
Jew and a Roman subject
Taught about God’s relationship to the individual

15. The Teachings of Christianity
New Testament
Encompasses teachings of Jesus and his disciples
Love for:
God
neighbors
family
enemies
and yourself
Christians refer to the Torah as the “Old Testament”.

16. A.D. 29- Jesus Traveled to Jerusalem
Called by many “the King of the Jews”
Roman Governor felt he was a political threat
Governor had Jesus arrested and put to death by crucifixion

17. Spread of Christianity
The Apostle Paul
Preached in cities around the E. Mediterranean
Disciple of Christ
Christianity should welcome all converts (Universal Religion)
All human beings are equal
central to democracy

18. Rome Spreads Judeo-Christian Ideas
Initially hostile to Jews and Christians
Spread Ideas two ways: Indirect and Direct

19. Rome Spreads Judeo-Christian Ideas Cont.
Indirect- Many Jews were exiled to other parts of the world (Shared their Beliefs)
Direct- Made Christianity the official religion of the empire ( Was becoming wide spread)

21. Islam Followers called Muslims Dignity of all Human Beings
Brotherhood of people
Belief in community (Must help those in need)
Rulers had to obey laws like their subjects
Tolerance of all groups

22. Five Pillars of Islam
Faith
Prayer
Fasting
Charity
Pilgrimage to Mecca

23. Legacy of Monotheistic Religions
Duty of the individual and community to combat oppression.
The worth of the individual.
Equality of people before God.

24. The Reformation

25. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
What are some beliefs of Judaism (Jewish Law)?
Why do Jews believe that people are responsible for their own choices?
What is the key differences between Christian and Jewish beliefs?
What does the religion of Islam emphasize?
How did all three religions shape democratic ideas?
One thing that all three religions emphasized was individualism (the belief in the inherent dignity and worth of each person)
With one partner answer the questions on the left.

26. Warm Up
What belief stressed by the Apostle Paul was central to democracy? Why?
How did the Ten Commandments shape democratic ideas?
How was the Roman Empire responsible for the further spreading of the Christian religion throughout the world?