World Religions and Cultures Up to 1450 Focus

World Religions and Cultures Up to 1450

Focus • 1. What does it mean that religions give people “an ethical code to live by? ” • 2. How do religions influence gender roles? Give specific examples if you can!!! • 3. Do religions tend to support the existing social and political order, or challenge it? Give specific examples to back up your points!

Period 1 Religions Review • Up to 600 C. E. • Paleolithic – animism • Burial sites indicate belief in afterlife • Early Civilizations • Vedic religion Hinduism • Hebrew monotheism Judaism • Zoroastrianism influence Christianity

Period 2 Religions Overview (600 B. C. E. to 600 C. E. ) • Codification and development of existing belief systems • Judaism • Hinduism • * Both these religions have origins that predate Classical Era • New belief systems and cultural traditions • • • Christianity Buddhism Daoism Confucianism Greco-Roman Rationalism • * Why so many new belief systems around same time?

Period 3 Religions Overview (600 to 1450) • CHANGE • New Religion= ISLAM • Founded in 622 C. E. • Rapid spread throughout Middle East, North Africa, Southern Europe, East and West Africa, and South Asia • Defeated Persian Empire and took half of Byzantine • Crusades: 1095 C. E. • CONTINUITY • Persistence of animism and shamanism • Continued diffusion of Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism • Jewish diasporic communities – trade • Human sacrifice in Americas, expanded by Aztecs

Hinduism India (spread to SE Asia) Vedas brought by Aryans Codified in Sanskrit 500 BCE No founder; very diverse Brahman – supreme soul Karma (actions), Dharma (duties), Reincarnation (rebirth), Moksha (one with universe) • Caste System – rigid social system • Patriarchal • Major continuity in India • • •

Caste System • Four varnas (castes) based on part of Purusha • The Brahmins: priests and scholars • The Kshatriyas: kings, governors, warriors and soldiers • The Vaishyas: cattle herders, agriculturists, artisans and merchants • The Shudras: laborers and service providers • Discouraged rebellion and justified social and political status quo

Buddhism • Founder - Siddhartha Gautama in India • Core beliefs- 4 Noble Truths (suffering and desire); eight-fold path (“right life”) • Recorded by his followers into sutras • reaction to the Vedic beliefs and rituals dominant in South Asia • Accepted karma, dharma, and reincarnation, rejected caste system • Nirvana – accessible to everyone in this lifetime

Diffusion of Buddhism • Universal religion – sought converts • Appealed to women and poor • Changed over time as it spread throughout Asia • First through the support of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka • Then through the efforts of missionaries and merchants and establishment of educational institutions

Diffusion of Buddhism

Theravada and Mahayana • Theravada (Teachings of the Elders): nirvana is a personal quest that few can achieve; Buddha is not divine. • Mahayana (Great Vehicle): offered help on the way to nirvana, especially from bodhisattvas—spiritually developed people who postponed their own journey to nirvana to help those still suffering; transformed Buddhism into popular religion of salvation.

Theravada v. Mahayana

Which would you guess these are? Japan, 8 th century Amitabha Buddha, 12 th 14 th centuries

Which would you guess these are? Northwest India, 2 nd century C. E.

China • After decline of Zhou Dynasty, China experienced the Era of Warring States (403— 221 B. C. E. ) • Disorder and turmoil • Chinese thinkers sought ways to restore the order and tranquility of earlier times, though they arrived at very different answers.

Legalism • The solution: rules and laws, enforced through a system of rewards and punishments. • Most people are stupid and shortsighted; they need a strong state. • Justified harsh reunification of China under Shihuangdi in the Qin Dynasty.

Confucianism • The solution: moral example of superiors. • Lessons of Confucius elaborated by key disciples • Sought to promote social harmony by outlining proper rituals and social relationships for all people in China, including the rulers. • Ren (goodness, nobility of heart) could be cultivated through education and ceremony. • Filial piety – honoring one’s ancestors and parents. • Embraced by Chinese government starting with Han; provided social order and stability • Major continuity in China

Daoism • The solution: withdraw from politics into the world of nature. • Dao= the way of nature • Laozi wrote the Daodejing, elaborated by Zhuangzi • Core belief of balance between humans and nature • Assumed Chinese political system would be altered indirectly

Influence of Daoism on Chinese Culture • • Medical theories and practices Poetry Metallurgy Architecture

Zoroastrianism • 600 s B. C. E: Persian prophet Zarathustra began to preach a monotheistic religion pitting good against evil. • Ahura Mazda (God of goodness and light) verses Angra Mainyu (forces of evil) • A savior would aide Ahura Mazda’s ultimate victory • Day of judgment- those who had chosen Ahura Mazda would be resurrected and rewarded with eternal life • Eventually died out as a major religion, but its influences can be seen in Judaism, and subsequently Christianity and Islam.

Judaism • • • Began in Middle East Founder: Abraham 1 st Monotheistic Covenant/agreement with God Torah (holy book) codified 500 BCE • Further developed the association of monotheism with Judaism • Also reflected the influence of Mesopotamian cultural and legal traditions

Jewish Diaspora • The Assyrian, Babylonian, and Roman empires conquered various Jewish states • 772 B. C. E. - conquered by Assyria • 586 B. C. E - fell to Babylonians • 70 C. E. – Romans destroy temple • Contributed to growth of Jewish diasporic communities around the Mediterranean and Middle East. • Diaspora: migration of people from established homeland

Jewish Diaspora

Christianity • Founder: Jesus 30 CE • Based on teachings and divinity of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded by his disciples • Drew on Judaism • Initially rejected Roman and Hellenistic influences • 1 st persecuted by Romans, become official religion of empire in 380 CE Constantine • Universal religion: spread through missionaries (St. Paul), trade, Roman Roads • Spreads throughout Mediterranean Region

Diffusion of Christianity

Comparing Christianity and Buddhism

Greco-Roman Rationalism • Core ideas: logic, empirical observation, and the nature of political power and hierarchy. • Established a secular tradition: separated science and philosophy from religion. • Socrates, Plato, Aristotle Verses

Philosophers • Socrates: Athenian philosopher known for questioning his student’s logic, put to death for criticizing government and “corrupting the youth” • Plato: concerned with ethics/government, The Republic: a good society would be ruled by a class of guardians led by a philosopher-king • Aristotle: student of Plato, taught Alexander the Great; “virtue” could be learned; wanted a mixed system of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy

The Death of Socrates: Condemned to death by an Athenian jury, Socrates refused to go into exile, drinking a cup of poison hemlock and dying in 399 B. C. in the presence of his friends (Jacques-Louis David, 1787).

Religion and Gender • Belief systems affected gender roles • Buddhism and Christianity encouraged monastic life • Monastic life- living in religious orders apart from society • “Fun to be a nun” – nuns had more control over their daily lives than married women • Confucianism emphasized filial piety.

Continuity • Other religious and cultural traditions continued • Shamanism and animism continued to shape people’s lives because of their daily reliance on the natural world. • Ancestor veneration persisted in many regions. • • Africa The Mediterranean region East Asia The Andean areas

Literature and Drama • Literature, drama, architecture, and sculpture, show distinctive cultural developments. • Influenced artistic developments in neighboring regions and in later time periods • Greek plays • Indian epics Mask of Dionysus Ramayana: Rama (on Hanuman) battles demonking Ravana

Architecture • Indian • Greek • Roman

Syncretism • The convergence of Greco-Roman culture and Buddhist beliefs affected the development of unique sculptural developments. • Gandhara Buddhas exemplify a syncretism • Gandhara: region of today’s Afghanistan/Pakistan • Syncretism: combining or merging discrete traditions or contrary beliefs • Hellenistic veneration for the body is combined with Buddhist symbols • 1 st-2 nd century C. E.