Chapter 5: Monotheism:
Judaism, Christianity, & Islam
Judaism
• History
– This is the religion
of the Jews,
Hebrews, or the
Israelites.
– The Jews did not
seek out converts.
Judaism
• History
– The religion is a monotheistic (one god) religion.
– It’s god was Yahweh.
Yahweh in Hebrew
Judaism
• History
– From Judaism,
Christianity and Islam
will both emerge.
– The Torah, the first
five books of the
Bible, is the Jewish
holy book.
Judaism
• History
– Patriarchs
• Abraham
– He is the first patriarch of the religion.
– He made a covenant (pact) with God.
Judaism
• History
– Patriarchs
• Moses
– One of the most
important Jewish
patriarchs.
– He led the Jews on the
Exodus out of Egypt.
– He delivered the 10
Commandments from
Mt. Sinai.
Judaism
• History
– Israelite Prophets
• They do not predict the future.
• The preach the word of God
that they have received in
visions or dreams.
A statue of the prophet
Habakkuk.
Judaism
• History
– Kings
• Saul was the first King
of Israel.
Judaism
• History
– Kings
• David
– Saul’s son.
– He slew the giant,
Goliath.
– Seduced Bathsheba
when he sent Uriah, her
husband, off to fight in
the front.
Judaism
• History
– Kings
• Solomon
– He was David’s son
with Bathsheba.
– He was known for
his wisdom.
Judaism
• History
– Kings
• Solomon
– His over expenditure led
to Israel breaking into two
kingdoms.
» North: Kingdom of
Israel
» South: Kingdom of
Judah
Judaism
• History
– Kings
• Solomon
– He also had the Temple of Solomon built.
– This temple was believed to house the Ark of the Covenant.
Judaism
• History
– Diaspora (The dispersion of the Jews)
• Israel fell in 722 B.C.E.
• Judah fell for the final time in 73 C.E.
Judaism
• Biblical Literature
– Etiological stories explain the origins and causes of
things.
Judaism
• Biblical Literature
– Fictionalized history means that people and
events are real but liberty has been taken with
certain facts.
Judaism
• Biblical Literature
– Biblical Poetry
• Song of Deborah
• Song of the Sea
Early Christianity
• Jesus & His Message
– Christians believe that
Jesus is God and Savior.
– Christ means “Messiah”
or “Anointed One.”
Early Christianity
• Jesus & His Message
– He taught in parables
(stories).
– Belief
• Love God above all.
• Love others as one loves
oneself.
Early Christianity
• Christian Antecedents
– Cult
• Individual immortality of
the mystery cults.
– Isis & Osiris Cults
– Mithra of Persia
– Dionysius of Greece
Early Christianity
• Christian Antecedents
– Cult
• Roman Paganism
– Assigning power to
certain Gods.
– Christians do the same
with the Saints.
Early Christianity
• Christian
Antecedents
– Cult
• Near East
– Shared communion
meal.
– Purification through
fasting.
Early Christianity
• Christian Antecedents
– Philosophical
• Stoicism emphasized
self-control and
brotherhood.
• Neo-Platonism
emphasized the spiritual
union of the soul & the
“One.”
Early Christianity
• Christian Antecedents
– Jewish Influence
• Strong ethical standards.
• Weekly holy day (Sabbath).
Early Christianity
• History
– Martyrdom
• Stephen was stoned to death
for preaching his beliefs.
• Sebastian was shot with
arrows for refusing to
acknowledge the Roman gods.
• Paul was executed by the
Romans for his preaching.
Early Christianity
• History
– Rome
• Emperor Constantine
passes the Edict of Milan
which allows Christianity
to be tolerated in the
Roman Empire.
Early Christianity
• History
– Rome
• Emperor Theodosius
made Christianity the
official religion of the
Roman Empire.
Early Christianity
• History
– The Great Schism (1054)
• Papal supremacy (control)
caused a split within
Christianity.
• Pope Leo IX and Patriarch
of Constantinople, Michael
Cerularius, mutually
excommunicated each
other.
Early Christianity
• History
– The Great Schism (1054)
• The Western Church
became the Catholic faith.
• The Eastern Church
became the Orthodox
faith.
Early Christianity
• Art
– Architecture
• Christian Basilica
Transept
Apse
Nave
Atrium
Early Christianity
• Art
– Architecture
• Ambulatory are
circular aisles
covered with a
barrel vault.
Early Christianity
• Art
– Sarcophagi (coffins) were the only real form of
acceptable sculptures in early Christianity.
Early Christianity
• Art
– Frescoes
• They are paintings made quickly over freshly applied
lime plaster.
• They are commonly found in the Roman catacombs.
Early Christianity
• Art
– The New Testament as Literature
• Gospels are the accounts of Jesus' life and ministry.
• Epistles were letters to early churches clarifying
doctrine.
Paul writing the Epistles.
Early Christianity
• Art
– The New Testament as Literature
• Acts of the Apostles are a history of the spread of
Christianity over the thirty years after Jesus’
resurrection.
• Revelations tells about the end of the world.
Early Christianity
• Art
– Music
• Singing
– Responsorial is when the
congregation answers the
choir.
– Antiphonal is when both
the choir and congregation
have specific parts to sing.
Early Christianity
• Art
– Music
• Instruments were not used in early Christianity.
Early Christianity
• St. Augustine of Hippo
– He wanted to synthesize
Platonic philosophy with
Judeo-Christian divine
revelation.
Early Christianity
• St. Augustine of Hippo
– Conclusions
• Man is moving on a spiritual pilgrimage toward God.
• Man cannot attain salvation on his own.
• The Church was necessary in instructing man on how to
obtain salvation.
Byzantine Civilization
• History
– Historians give it official
status with the death of the
last Western Roman
Emperor, Romulus
Augustulus.
– The Byzantine Empire or
Eastern Roman Empire
reaches is height under
Justinian and Theodora.
Byzantine Civilization
• Art
– Architecture
• Domes were
supported by walls
and external
buttresses.
• This created the
illusion of more
interior space.
San Vitale, Ravenna
Byzantine Civilization
• Art
– Architecture
• Pendentives are pieces
of triangular support
masonry that allows for
the transition of a
circular roof to a
square base.
Hagia Sophia, The Church of Holy Wisdom
Byzantine Civilization
• Art
– Architecture
Hagia Sophia, The Church of Holy Wisdom
Byzantine Civilization
• Art
– Architecture
• Piazza is an open
public area.
• Tesserae are small
cubes of color
pressed into wet
plaster to make a
mosaic.
St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice
Byzantine Civilization
• Art
– Icons (paintings of religious
figures or scenes)
• Madonna & Child Enthroned
– It is painted with egg tempura
(pigment mixed with egg yolk).
History of Islam
• Muhammad the Prophet
– He was visited by the Arch-angel Gabriel and was
told the word of God.
– These words were later used to create the Quran
(the Islamic Holy Text).
History of Islam
• Muhammad the Prophet
– His beliefs were not popular in Mecca.
– He was forced to flee to the city of Yathrib, which
later became known as Medina, the city of the
prophet.
History of Islam
• Muhammad the Prophet
– Muhammad’s journey is known as the Hijrah.
– It also marks the first day of the Islamic calendar.
History of Islam
• Muhammad the Prophet
– Muhammad later returned to Mecca with an
army.
– He conquered the city and proclaimed it the holy
city of the Muslims.
History of Islam
• Muhammad’s Death
– Muhammad had no male
heir.
– As a result the ulema, a
committee of Quran
experts, agreed to the
election of a caliph
(deputy or successor of
Muhammad).
History of Islam
• Muhammad’s Death
– The ulema elected
Muhammad’s father-inlaw, Abu Bakr.
History of Islam
• The Islamic Schism
– Ali Hussein, Muhammad’s
nephew by blood,
proclaimed that he should
become the 5th caliph.
– The ulema elected General
Mu'awiya as the caliph.
History of Islam
• The Islamic Schism
– General Mu'awiya and
his army slew Ali and
established the Umayyad
Dynasty.
– Mu’awiya’s sect became
known as the Sunni or
the Traditionalists.
History of Islam
• The Islamic Schism
– Ali Hussein’s followers who believe that the caliph
should be a blood-relative of Muhammad are
known as the Shia or Shiite.
The Religion
• Terminology
– Muslim means “one who has surrendered to God.”
– Islam means “submission to God.”
The Religion
• Terminology
– The Quran
• It literally means
“recitation.”
• It contains 114 surahs
(chapters).
• Each surah contains ayas
(verses)
The Religion
• Terminology
– The Hadith
• This is a work that contains
sayings and stories about
Muhammad.
• It is considered a holy work,
but does not hold the same
importance as the Quran.
The Religion
• Terminology
– The Sufis
• This is a mystical cult of Muslims.
• In history they commonly served as missionaries.
• They do not follow the Quran literally.
The Religion
• Terminology
– The Sharia
• This is the law of Islam.
• The law is based on the Quran & the Hadith.
• However, the Sharia is more subject to national and
cultural interpretation.
The Religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
– The Creed (shahadah)
• Excepting that Allah is the
one God.
• Excepting the Muhammad
is his prophet.
The Religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
– The Daily Prayer (salat)
• All Muslims must face Mecca when they pray.
• They are required to pray five times a day.
The Religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
– Charity or Alms (zakat)
• If wealthy, Muslims are
expected to donate their
wealth.
• Wealth given to the
church in this manner
cannot be used for the
church.
The Religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
– The Fast during Ramadan (sawm)
• During the month of Ramadan, they may not eat or
drink during daylight hours.
• Children, the sick, the elderly, and pregnant woman are
exempt.
The Religion
• The Five Pillars of Islam
– The Pilgrimage (hajj)
• All Muslims are required
to travel to Mecca once
in their lifetime.
• If poor or health
prevents them, they are
exempt of this
requirement.
Culture
• Philosophy
– Avincenna and Averroes were both medical
doctors who linked Islamic belief with Aristotelian
logic.
Culture
• Science
– Al-Khwaizmi invented algebra.
Culture
• Science
– Muslim Advances
• Popularized the concept of zero
and the Indian number system
that later becomes known as
Arabic numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3,
etc…).
• Preserved the knowledge of
the Greeks and Romans, giving
rise to European Universities
and the Renaissance.
Culture
• Architecture
– Mosques
• They are the Islamic
temples.
• Each one contains a
mihrab, a small niche
that lets the worshipper
know which way Mecca
faces.
The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey.
Culture
• Architecture
– Mosques
• They will always have at
least one minaret (a tower
for prayer calling).
• A muezzin is the actual
caller.
Culture
• Architecture
– Many aspects of the palaces and mosques adopt
Byzantine artistic and building styles.
Byzantine Hagia Sophia
Islamic Blue Mosque
Culture
• Architecture
– Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
– Islam greatly affected Spanish art and
architecture.
Culture
• Literature
– Calligraphy (fine/fancy
handwriting) became
extremely popular since
statues and most art was
regarded as idolatry.
– Ceramics, miniature
paintings, and functional
architect were exceptions.
Culture
• Literature
– When the Muslims
conquered Persia, most
artistic work was done in
Persian.
– Most scientific, religious,
and legal writing was
done in Arabic.
Culture
• Literature
– Firdawsi
• He was a famous Persian poet
who grew in popularity.
• His most famous work is
Shahnamah (Book of Kings).
Culture
• Literature
– The Thousand and One Nights
• It is the most famous Arabic work of prose.
• It is known as the Arabian Nights in the West.
Culture
• Music
– With the development of
the dynasties, music
become a more common
medium.
– Persia had a huge influence
on Islamic music.
Culture
• Music
– Al-Kindi was a Arabic
theorist who was
influenced by Greek
musical theory.