1. What is religion? A religion is an organized system of beliefs and practices, often centered on one or more gods. Monotheistic- one god Polytheistic- many gods There are five major world religions: – Buddhism – Christianity – Hinduism – Islam – Judaism

2. Buddhism Began in India in the sixth century. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama who became known as the Buddha. Buddha means “enlightened one.” He taught his followers that the way to end suffering was by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path. – Right opinions, right desires, right speech, right action, right job, right effort, right concentration, and right meditation Today, most Buddhist live in Sri Lanka, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Japan.

3. Christianity The largest religion in the world. Based on the life and teachings of Jesus, the Son of God. Taught many ideas from the Jewish tradition and came to save all of mankind. He died to save humanity.

4. Hinduism Hindus believe that a supreme being called Brahman is the soul of the universe. The same presence, they believe, can be found within each person. People can be freed from suffering and desires once they understand the nature of Brahman. The major religion of India and Nepal.

5. Islam Islam is a religion based on the teaching of the Qur’an, the religion’s holy text. Followers of Islam are known as Muslims. They believe that God revealed these teachings in the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Islam believes there is only one God, the same God in Christian and Jewish traditions. He is called Allah. They also believe in the same prophets of Judaism and Christianity. Mostly found in southwestern and central Asia and parts of Africa. They show their devotion through the Five Pillars of Islam: – Faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca

6. Judaism First major monotheistic religion Basic teachings come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Judaism teaches that a person serves God by studying the Torah and living by its teachings. The Torah is the basis for the civil and religious laws of the Jews. God set down many moral laws for all of humanity through the Ten Commandments. Many Jews live in Israel, but the religion can be found all over the world.

7. World Religions Chart Listen to all directions before beginning your work. Create a comparison chart for the five major world religions. You need to have the following for all five religions: – The name of the religion – The founder and god – Holy Text – Basic belief – One interesting fact – Picture or symbol You need to be neat and creative. Be sure to include all the information for all five religions. When you are finished, fold the paper in half and glue it in your binder. DO NOT TURN IT IN! You will need the following to complete this assignment: – A copy of the gold Africa, Asia, and Australia textbook. – Markers/colored pencils/crayons – A sheet of long paper from Mrs. Marciano

8. Reflection Use the last 10 minutes of class to reflect on what you learned during this class period. Complete your reflection on the left side of your interactive notebook, across from your notes.