1. New Religious Map 200-600 CE (Decline of Classical Period) brings rise to new world religions Plague related deaths scare people into religion Christianity spread throughout the Mediterranean as the Western Roman Empire collapsed. Buddhism surged into eastern Asia Around 600 CE, Islam emerges out of the Arabian Peninsula and becomes a new world religion As civilizations decline, religions gain importance. Many people blended old cultural beliefs with new religious beliefs in a process called syncretism

2. Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism Buddhism transforms- bodhisattvas hold that some people can attain nirvana through their own meditation and through working in the world as saints to aid others in prayer and example. In Mahayana (Buddhism), Gautama takes on a more divine role as a savior. Women’s roles change also Buddhism spread to China and subsequently to Korea and Japan Buddhism serves alongside Daoism and Confucianism in China, but takes on a larger role in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam

3. Christianity and Islam Jesus of Nazareth cements the Christian movement believing in an afterlife After Jesus’ death, his disciples (apostles) spread his teachings to inform people about his second coming and the resurrection Belief, good works, and discipline of fleshly concerns lead to heaven Roman poor convert to Christianity because they’re tired of the self-indulgence of the Roman emperors Spread to Rome, but during the W. Roman decline Christianity spreads to Persia, Axum, and Ethiopia

4. Paul helps spread the religion to new parts, and people begin to associate it by itself rather than a branch of Judaism Christianity is increasingly organized through the position of a bishop (leader), and also through the collected teachings of Jesus’ apostles; these teachings make up the Old Testament

5. Spread of Major Religions Hinduism in India, Buddhism in Southeast Asia, Daoism in China, Christianity in Europe, Islam throughout Arabia The spread suggests how important “currents” could spread throughout the civilized world New religions emphasized a shift toward monotheism as opposed to polytheism

6. Controversies over Christian Doctrines Idea of the Trinity Free will? By solving these issues, theologians instituted the use of rational thought in a religion which emphasizes faith Christ’s birthday is moved to the winter solstice to keep from conflicting with older traditions such as Easter (spring)

7. Successes Connected men in women Connected lower and upper classes Was able to keep traditional customs (Roman architecture, etc.) while adopting new beliefs (Christmas)  syncretism

8. World Religion When the Roman Empire fell, Christianity was still spreading Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam make up the three main world religions

9. Developments Response to the collapse of classical forms- faced the task of reviving and reworking their classical institutions The need to react to the new religious map- syncretism Increased skill in agriculture spreads challenges to prior monopolistic civilizations