World Religions: An Investigation
Religion is a defining characteristic of the way we live our lives. It can influence an individual, a town, a state, a nation:
for example, members of the Jewish and Muslim faiths are forbidden to eat pork; The Holy Qu’ran (Koran) has become
the foundation of civil law in Saudi Arabia; and throughout History we see conflict erupt when opposing religious views
collide. Ultimately, we will determine what makes our world’s religions unique – and similar – too!
Today, your job will be to investigate one of the five most-practiced world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Islam and Judaism. In teams, you will work together to create a poster that teaches your classmates the basic tenets of
your assigned religion. To do so effectively, follow the instructions below.
Your team’s final product MUST include:
1. The Origin and Founder of your faith
2. Basic Tenets (Important Ideas/Principles of the religion)
3. Symbols and Colors that have special meaning
4. The parts of the world where your religion is practiced most
5. Important terms that are essential to our understanding of your religion
6. Identify the major Sects or subgroups of your religion
7. Create a Mission Statement for your religion that summarizes its main purpose. Be sure to include the main
goals, beliefs, and customs of the faith.
To begin your investigation, designate team members to access the following websites, media sources, and reference the
textbook pages listed below.
Web Resources:
1. A Bow of the Head: Religions of the World - http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/inde1.html
2. World Religions Index - http://wri.leaderu.com
3. BBC – World Religions - http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
4. Frontline: "From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/
5. Islam: Empire of Faith - http://www.pbs.org/islam/
6. Heritage: Civilization and the Jews - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/heritage/
Textbook References:
1. Buddhism: Pages 68 and 69
2. Christianity: Pages 168 - 171
3. Hinduism: Pages 66 - 68
4. Islam: Pages 263 – 267
5. Judaism: Pages 77 and 78