1. Georgia Performance Standard SS7G8c
Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Jerusalem: a holy city to all three religions

2. One focus of Unit Two is on the development and expansion of the world’s three major monotheistic religions.
What is monotheism?
The belief in just one God
So What do you think polytheism is (remember your stem words!)?
Hale Bopp Comet over the Pyramids of Giza

3. Judaism

4. Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion Began around 1800BC.
SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Abraham is the father of the Israelites. It is with Abraham that God makes his covenant and promise. This is a stained glass window at St. Anne’s Belfast Cathedral in Northern Ireland.
Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion
Began around 1800BC.
Abraham is regarded as the founder and father of the Jewish people.

5. SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Jews believe God made a covenant with Abraham that his descendants would be God’s chosen people. In return they would have to keep God’s laws.
God gave the Jewish people the 10 Commandants and other rules to live by (contained in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible), marking the beginning of Judaism as a structured religion.
Holy Book - Torah
The main religious text of the Jewish religion.
Official Language is Hebrew
The Torah scrolls that are read in a synagogue are unpointed text, with no vowels or musical notes, so the ability to read a passage from a scroll is a valuable skill, and usually requires a lot of practice.

6. Moses led the Jews out from captivity in Egypt.
SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Moses led the Jews out from captivity in Egypt.
Moses, Abraham, and David are all heroes and prophets in the Jewish faith
What it may have been like fishing with Moses. 

7. Jewish beliefs cont.
The Torah consists of the five books revealed to Moses, also called the Pentateuch, and is the most important part of the Hebrew Bible.
The name for a Jewish place of worship is a synagogue.
The Hebrew word for God is Yahweh.
The magnificent Great Synagogue of Budapest, Hungary.

8. Jewish Beliefs
Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. They believe he was just a man who claimed to be a prophet but was not.
Jews are still waiting on the Messiah
There are about 14 million Jews worldwide

9. Has anyone heard of these Jewish Holidays?
Rosh Hashanah: The beginning of the Jewish New Year
Hanukkah: An eight day festival which commemorates the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem.
Passover (Pesach): Week long memorial retelling the Israelites’ release from Egypt
Yom Kippur
At the age of 13, a Jewish boy reads the Torah for the first time and promises to keep God's commandments

10. Christianity

11. SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Christianity takes its name from the Greek word ‘Christ’, meaning Anointed One, whom Christians believe was Jesus, the son of God.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem (both considered holy cities by Christians) and grew up as a Jewish boy.
At about the age of 30 he began three years of traveling and teaching. He taught a new way of drawing upon the Jewish tradition.

12. Important Info Christian Holy Book is the Bible
Jesus Christ – is considered the founder of Christianity
Christians worship in a church

13. The disciples began to spread Christianity upon the death of Christ
Beginning Date – 1 AD
Heores and Prophets – Abraham, Moses, 12 Disciples
There are about 2.1 Billion Christians worldwide

14. SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
He revealed himself to be the Son of God.
He claimed to be the Messiah.
The holy book of Christianity is the Bible.
The place of worship for Christians is a church.
The yellow areas show the spread of Christianity from 200 CE to 400 CE.

15. Have you heard of these Christian holidays (Holy Days)?
Christmas (December 25): The celebration of Jesus’ birth
Easter: The holiest period of the Christian calendar. It begins with Good Friday, which solemnly commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion, and continues until Easter Sunday which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.

16. Islam

17. SS7G8c: Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
Islam means submission to Allah (God). Islam was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (the founder of Islam).
Mecca is the holy city.
Location of the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia

18. Islam continued . . .
The Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

19. Islam continued . . .
Muhammad continued receiving messages from God throughout the later part of his life. He memorized these messages and passed them on to his followers. After his death they were collected and written down in the Qur’an (Koran).
The Qur’an, holy text of Islam.

20. The Big Three Religion & Symbol Major Leader/ Founder Holy Book
Place of Worship
Basic Belief System
View of Jesus
Judaism
Yahweh- God
Abraham
Torah
Synagogue
By following God’s laws, Jews believe they will have peace with God and each other
Jesus was an ordinary Jewish man and preacher
Christianity
God
Jesus
Bible
Church
Jesus, the Son of God, was sent to earth, died on the cross, and rose again to save humanity. By having faith in Jesus and through God’s grace, believers are saved from the penalty of sin and receive eternal life with God.
Christians view Jesus as God himself in human form. He is considered a prophet (teacher sent from God) and the Messiah or Savior of the world.
Islam
Allah- God
Mohammad
Quran
(Koran)
Mosque
Muslims believe in one god, Allah, and follow the teachings of the Quran. By following the five pillars of faith: belief, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage it will lead to an eternal paradise.
Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet, but not the Son of God

21. The Big Three Religion & Symbol Major Leader/ Founder Holy Book
Place of Worship
Basic Belief System
View of Jesus
Judaism
Yahweh- God
Abraham
Torah
Synagogue
By following God’s laws, Jews believe they will have peace with God and each other
Jesus was an ordinary Jewish man and preacher
Christianity
God
Jesus
Bible
Church
Jesus, the Son of God, was sent to earth, died on the cross, and rose again to save humanity. By having faith in Jesus and through God’s grace, believers are saved from the penalty of sin and receive eternal life with God.
Christians view Jesus as God himself in human form. He is considered a prophet (teacher sent from God) and the Messiah or Savior of the world.
Islam
Allah- God
Mohammad
Quran
(Koran)
Mosque
Muslims believe in one god, Allah, and follow the teachings of the Quran. By following the five pillars of faith: belief, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage it will lead to an eternal paradise.
Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet, but not the Son of God

22. Shia and Sunni Muslims

23. What is the difference?
The split came with the death of Muhammad

24. Sunni vs. Shia Who should be the Caliph?
Sunni - Leadership should go to whoever is most able to keep the community together
Shia – Leader must be a descendant of Muhammad through his son in law Ali

25. Understanding Political Cartoons
In this political cartoon, why is this man’s question silly?
Hey, Jack! Which way's Mecca?