MONO one theos Greek god THEOLOGY THEOLOGIAN THEOCRACY

MONO= one

theos Greek= god

THEOLOGY THEOLOGIAN THEOCRACY

theology: the study of religion/god

theologian: a person who studies religion

theocracy: gov’t and religion are the same i. e. Iraq, Iran

1. Judaism=Jews 2. Christianity= Christians 3. Islam=Muslims

JUDAISM • One God • Founder: Abraham (covenant w/ God) • Holy city: Jerusalem • Place of worship: synagogue • Holy books: Torah (Laws of Moses) Talmud (explanation of

• Religious symbol: Star of David • Religious divisions: orthodox, conservative and reform • 11 th largest religious group in the world • Although found worldwide, the Jewish state is the country of Israel.

• Judiasm believes that a Messiah will come but that this has not yet happened. • Restore the country of Israel to power • Messiah to come with an army • Most Jews view Jesus as a prophet.

What makes a person Jewish? • According to traditional Jewish Law, a Jew is anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism in accord with Jewish Law. Reform Judaism accept the child of one Jewish parent (father or mother) as Jewish if the parents raise the child with a Jewish identity. All mainstream forms of Judaism today are open to sincere converts.

• The question of what determines Jewish identity in the State of Israel is important because it determines who has the right to citizenship in Israel. . This is far from settled, and occasionally resurfaces in Israeli politics

HIGH HOLY DAYS Rosh Hashanah, ("Day of Remembrance”). Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and falls on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It begins a 10 -day period of atonement leading up to Yom Kippur, during which Jews are commanded to search their souls and make amends for sins committed, intentionally or not, throughout the year.

Yom Kippur, ("Day of Atonement") is the most solemn day of the Jewish year. It is a day of communal fasting and praying forgiveness for one's sins. Observant Jews spend the entire day in the synagogue, sometimes with a short break in the afternoon, reciting prayers from a special holiday prayerbook called a "Mahzor. " Many non-religious Jews make a point of attending synagogue services and fasting on Yom Kippur.

OTHER HOLY DAYS • Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25 th day of the Hebrew calendar. The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the lighting candles on each of the festival's eight nights on a minora.

• The holiday was called Hanukkah meaning "dedication“ and commemorates the "Miracle of the Oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days.

• Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Bible and was never considered a major holiday in Judaism, but it has become much more visible and widely celebrated in modern times, mainly because it falls around the same time as Christmas and has national Jewish overtones that have been emphasized since the establishment of the State of Israel

CHRISTIANITY • • • One God Founder: Abraham (Jewish tradition) Holy city: Jerusalem Place of worship: church Holy book: Bible • Old Testament • New Testament: tells of the life of Jesus and fulfillment of prophesy • Epistles: Saul/Paul

• Religious symbol: cross • Religious divisions: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant • Christianity is the largest world religion with 2. 1 billion followers • Only one of the three that recruits members via command • Christianity exists worldwide and does not have a state or country

• Christians believe that the Messiah has come with the birth of Jesus and thus Old Testament prophesy fulfilled • Referred to as Christos wh/ is the Greek word for Messiah (Jesus Christ) • Christians must believe in the birth, death for the atonement of the sins of man, and resurrection

HOLY DAYS • Christmas: celebrates the birth of Christ although most theologians do not believe this was the actual date of Jesus' birth • Easter: celebrates the resurrection of Christ

ISLAM • One God • Founder: Abraham (Jewish tradition) • Holy cities: Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem • Place of worship: mosque • Holy book: Koran (Qur’an) • Arabic peoples

• Religious symbol: crescent moon & star • Religious divisions: Shi’ite & Sunni • There approximately 1. 61 billion Muslims, making Islam the secondlargest religion in the world, after Christianity. • Islam exists worldwide occupies several states that operate as a theocracy: i. e. Iraq, Iran

SIX ARTICLES OF FAITH 1. Allah. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam believes there is one true Allah (The Arabic translation of the word God). Allah alone is the creator of all the universe.

2. Angels exist and interact with human lives. They are comprised of light, and each have different purposes or messages to bring to earth. Each man or woman has two angels who record his actions; one records good deeds, the other bad deeds.

3. Scripture. There are four inspired books, the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Qur'an. All but the Qur'an have been interpreted and changed by Jews and Christians.

4. Prophets. God has spoken through prophets throughout time. The six greatest are: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad is the last and greatest of Allah's messengers

5. Afterlife. On the last day there will be a time of resurrection and judgment. Those who follow Allah and Muhammad will go to Islamic heaven. Those who do not will go to hell. 6. Divine Creed

Five Pillars of Islam 1. Faith: “I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet” 2. Prayer: Five times a day toward the holy city of Mecca

4. Fasting: during the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink from sun up to sun down 5. Pilgrimage: one in a lifetime all Muslims must go to Mecca (if they can afford to do so)

Jihad, or to Strive. Denotes the struggle to keep the faith and the ability to practice it freely. This can be a personal battle or one against leadership

Jihad: holy war Death in a holy war = immediate ascension into Heaven This is not considered one of the 5 pillars but is still part of the cultural thought process

HOLY DAYS • Ramadan (Arabic: ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ , Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar 09/02/08, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an began to be revealed. The name "Ramadan" is taken from the name of this month; the word itself derived from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. It is considered the most blessed month of the Islamic year.

INFLUENCE • Arabic numbers • Spices • Alchemy • Astronomy