Judaism Christianity Islam Text Hebrew Bible Old TestamentTorah
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
� Text: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)/Torah � Founder: Abraham � Deity: God (Yahweh) � Leaders: Rabbis
� One God who: is all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal, perfect �watches over and cares for his people �loves and protects his people �Holds people accountable for sins �
� Created in God’s image � Individual dignity � Reason � Free will (choose good or evil) � Must live a moral life according to the Torah
� Ten Commandments: written code for behavior � Everyone is responsible to oppose injustice and oppression, assist the unfortunate (charity) � Improve life on earth � Prophets: � attacked war, oppression, and greed � Strengthened social conscience
Heaven (Gan Eden): place of great joy and peace. Attain Knowledge and realization of truth concerning God that they could not as a mortal. � Hell (Gehinnom): a dark pit, punished for 12 months. Those that repent allowed into heaven; the wicked are annihilated or continue to be punished �
� Begins in Canaan-ancient home of the Hebrews �Hebrews=wanderers � Tribal in Egyptian Patriarchs �Abraham-covenant (founder) of Judaism-ca. 2000 BC �Jacob-Abraham’s grandson-leader of the twelve tribes
� Moses and the Exodus-ca. 1250 BC �Moses, born to Hebrew mother and raised by Egyptian princess, becomes a new covenant �Receives Ten Commandments from God �In conversation with his adopted brother, Moses eventually leads the Hebrews out of Egypt �Hebrews then wander the Sinai Desert for 40 years, finally settling in the area known as Palestine
� Kingdom Established �Saul-ca. 1000 BC-battles Canaanites and Philistines �David-captured Jerusalem �Solomon-ruled from 970 -935 BC-built and established the temple in Jerusalem (home of the Ark of the Covenant) � Kingdom �Two Splits in 922 BC Parts Israel in the North Judah in the South
� Return to captivity under the Babylonians from 586 -539 BC � Jewish Covenant and Law (pg. 80) �Torah=Covenant �Talmud=Law
� Founder: Jesus of Nazareth � Text: Bible � Deity: God � Leader: Pope, priests, ministers, monks, nuns
� (Many similarities with Judaism) � Personal relationship with God � Love for God, neighbors, enemies � God would eventually end wickedness in world and establish an eternal kingdom
� Jesus=son of God � Sincerely repent sins=life after death � Jesus=savior (rose from dead after crucifixion); died for peoples’ sins �Made eternal life possible for everyone � Embrace all converts (everyone welcome to join)
� God created the Earth/universe/humans � Same as Yahweh �One God �Watches over & cares for his people
�Most Jews lived in Judaea at the time �Became a part of Rome in 6 AD �Hadrian puts down last Jewish revolt �Jews were banned from Jerusalem � Diaspora-dispersal �Circumcision of the Jews from Roman lands is banned �Christianity rises from the ashes of Judaism �Original Christians are the followers of Jesus of Nazareth
�Born sometime around 6 -4 BC �Carpenter in young life �Baptized by John the Baptist �Begins ministry at age of 30 �Honored as the Messiah who was promised to arrive and restore the kingdom of the Jews �Arrested by Pontius Pilate for defying the authority of Rome �Crucified in about 29 AD
� Jesus of Nazareth begins being referred to as Jesus Christ �Christ comes from the Greek word “Christos” meaning “messiah” or “savior” � Christianity is derived from the Christ name � One of the first big influences on the spread of Christianity is Paul
�Paul is a Jew who was at first an enemy of Christianity �Paul later begins to spread and interpret Jesus’ teachings for the rest of his life �Wrote influential letters called Epistles to groups of believers �Declared Christianity should welcome all converts, making Christianity a more universal religion and allowing it to spread much more easily
� Christianity continues to grow as Judaism is being dealt with by the Roman government � With the Jews being sent out of Roman lands, Christianity becomes the new scapegoat of Rome �Persecuted for not believing in Roman gods � Eventually, Christianity would gain widespread appeal throughout Rome �First emperor to accept Christianity is Constantine
� Founder: Muhammad � Text: Qur'an � Deity: Allah � Leaders: Imam (scholars who lead prayers)
� Brotherhood/unity of all people � Dignity of Human Beings � Strong community bonds � Tolerance of other religions and groups � Charity
� Faith � Prayer � Charity � Fasting � Pilgrimage to Mecca
� Muhammad-founder/prophet �Born of Islam in Mecca ca. 570 AD � 610 AD-hears the voice of Gabriel � 622 AD-Hijrah-flight to Medina Islamic Year 1=622 AD � 630 AD-conquered Mecca � 632 AD-died
� Faith=one must declare “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. ” � Prayer=one must pray five times a day facing Mecca � Alms=charity, giving money to those who are less fortunate � Fasting=during Ramadan (Islamic holy month), fast between dawn and sunset, eating a simple meal at the end of the day � Hajj=pilgrimage to Mecca
� Islam=submission to the will of Allah � Muslim=one who has submitted � Shari’a=Muslim law � Sunna=Muhammad’s example � Ka’aba=shrine of worship in Mecca
� Similarities �Allah to Judaism and Christianity is the same God as in Judaism and Christianity �Jesus is a prophet, not the Son of God �Qur’an is word of Allah revealed to Muhammad as Torah was revealed to Moses and Gospels to the New Testament writers �Believe in heaven and hell and a day of judgment �Trace their ancestry back to Abraham �Refer to Christians and Jews as “people of the book” �Extend religious tolerance to Christians and Jews
� First Four Caliphs (successors or deputies)632 -661 -spread Islam throughout area �Abu-Bakr-began idea of jihad (striving or inner struggle against evil) �Umar �Uthman �Ali (Muhammad Ali)-Muhammad’s nephew � Schism-Sunnis vs. Shi’ites-pg. 271 �Sunni-followed the Umayyads �Shi’a-party of “Ali”-believed that caliph should be descendant of the Prophet (Muhammad)
- Slides: 30