1. World RELIGIONS

2. Rules for Discussion
People have different beliefs and ideas when it comes to world religions
The purpose of discussion is to give everyone an unbiased look at the various world religions that are still important in the world today
Questions are welcomed as long as they are productive and not hurtful to others who may have the particular belief we are talking about
Rude comments will NOT be tolerated and can result in removal from the classroom or a referral

3. World Religions Today

4. Where Do People Believe?

5. Judaism Nation of Israel Jews are Monotheistic (believe in one God)
Judaism is not only a set of religious beliefs, but it is a nation of people. Jews are also called Israelites.
Jews are Monotheistic (believe in one God)
God Created the garden of Eden
Adam and Eve lived there until they were banished from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil
Later, God established his covenant with Abraham
Moses gave the Jews the 10 Commandments from God after delivering them out of Egyptian Slavery
Prophets talk of the coming of the Messiah
Jews wait for the arrival of The Messiah, or the anointed King sent by God

7. Christianity Christians are Monotheistic
Christianity is the fulfillment of the Jewish Prophecies
Christians believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and came to Earth as the Messiah to deliver people from their sins once and for all.
Jews used yearly sacrifices in order to push off the sins of an individual or community. The animal used was often a lamb or a goat. This is where we get the term “scapegoat” from.

8. Christianity Continued
The year system we use today is based off of the birth of Jesus Christ. This means that year 1 A.D. (Anno Domini, or “in the year of our Lord”) was considered the first year in which Jesus Christ lived
Jesus grew up in a Jewish family and was active in the Jewish faith. Once he was older, Jesus preached about the rebuilding of the temple, in essence the coming of change the Jewish Prophets talked about
The Christian religion begins at the death of Jesus Christ

9. Christianity Continued
Jesus talked about the reformation of the Jewish faith. Christianity was to be open to all people, as opposed to the Jewish faith which requires you to be born into the faith
People can be converted by being baptized (from the Greek word meaning immersed). Jesus was baptized to set an example for his people. Baptism represents being buried and resurrected with Jesus, and being washed of your sins
Baptism is how Christians enter a covenant relationship with God

10. Christianity Continued
Jesus died by being crucified, and became a martyr. After his death, Christians believe he was resurrected three days later and triumphed over sin and death
Jesus then ascended into heaven with the Christian faith being established in his death, burial, and resurrection
Christians believe Jesus will come back one day and bring judgment to all people in the world
Christianity was spread by Paul and Jesus’ other apostles

12. Christians in Ancient Rome
Romans were generally tolerant of most religious views
Romans used many of the Greek gods as their own, primarily focusing on Jupiter (Zeus to the Greeks)
Mystery Religions started as cults and isolated groups with different beliefs
Christianity developed in this time and atmosphere of many religious ideas

13. Christians in Ancient Rome
Christians were persecuted, or attacked and criticized, after Emperor Nero blamed them for a series of fires that burned down Rome
Christians were put to death in the Arena, primarily the Coliseum, because of this Christians were encouraged not to fight back and give the Roman people the show they wanted
Christians were persecuted until Emperor Constantine made the entire Roman Empire have religious freedom in A.D. 313
Theodosius later made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire and repressed other faiths

15. Early Christianity
Early Christianity took place in people’s houses or wherever people could meet
Later, individual groups would have disputes over the gospels (the first 4 books of the Bible that talk about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus) and other holy scriptures
The church created a hierarchy to settle disputes and to unify religious beliefs
5 Major Patriarchs: Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Constantinople

17. Christian Hierarchy (p. 171)
Pope/Patriarch
Bishop
Diocese
Priest +
Community

18. Now Let’s Take a Step Out of Time
We are stepping out of our chronological pursuit of time to take a look at the other major world religions.
We will look at Hinduism and Buddhism, which formed in ancient India thousands of years ago
Then we will look at the Rise of the Islam faith, which happened around 622 A.D. (this is considered year 1 in the Muslim Calendar)