Religion
What Catholics and Others Believe
Confirmation Class
Moody AFB, GA – September 2008
Why should we learn about the faith or
religion of other people?
Overview
• Define Religion
• Fundamentals of Religion
• World Religions
• Protestant Reformation
• Predominant Christian Religions in the US
Background
•
From the earliest known evidence of human religion continues
to be a very influential aspect of human lives
•
Religion is the universal tool for explaining things which we do
not understand through the context the known physical world
•
Charismatic leaders provided their people with gods who would
offer help and guidance in the difficult process of living their
lives
What is religion?
What is Religion?
• Religion is “the belief in a superhuman controlling power,
especially in a personal God or gods entitled to
obedience and worship.” This is a loose definition that
encompasses many beliefs and traditions
•
Sometimes used interchangeably with faith or belief
system
•
Religion has taken many forms in various cultures and
individuals
What is Religion?
• There are approximately 4,200 religions
• Although there are countless religions, each different
from the other, they all serve the same purpose – they
answer …
•
•
•
Why are we here?
What happens when I die?
How shall I live my life?
Religion helps us to …
•
Transmit our values from one generation to another,
and influences the way we interact with the natural
environment
• See ourselves in light of the universe and gives
purpose and meaning to life
Fundamentals of Religion
• Golden Rule: All major leaders of religious faiths teach
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
•
Hope and Comfort: All peoples, regardless of cast,
creed, or nationality, require and often seek out some
kind of belief system to sustain themselves in their daily
lives, giving them hope and comfort
•
Schism: The division of a group into opposing sections
or parties; the separation of a church into two churches
or the secession of a group owing to doctrinal,
disciplinary differences
Nonreligious Definitions
• Agnostic: A person who neither believes nor disbelieves
in God; one who believes that there is not enough
evidence either way
• Atheist: A person who has no belief or faith in any god
• Secular humanist: A person believes the well-being of
humankind should take precedence over religious
considerations in civil affairs or public education
•
Theistic: A person who believes in the existence of one or
more divinities but isn’t associated with any organized
religion
World Religions
Primary Religions of the World
• Buddhism
• Hinduism
• Judaism
• Islam
• Christianity
Prevalence of World Religions
33%
Christianity
Catholic, Protestant, Eastern
Orthodox, Pentecostal,
Anglican, Latter-day Saints,
Evangelical, Jehovah’s
Witnesses, Quakers, etc.
20%
Islam
Shiite, Sunni, etc.
Other Religions
5%
Nonreligious
.22%
Judaism
Hinduism
Nonreligious: Agnostic,
atheist, secular humanist (half
are “theistic” but nonreligious)
5%
15%
13%
Timeline of Important Dates
Date
1500-1001 BC
Event
Moses is given the Ten Commandants on Mount Sinai
1100-500 BC
The Veda, scared text of the Hindus, are compiled
800-701 BC
Isaiah teaches of the coming of the Messiah
600-501 BC
Confucius, Buddha, Zorocaster, Lao Tzu, and the Jewish prophets are at their height
540-468 BC
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, is born
450-401 BC
The Torah becomes the moral essence of the Jews
200 BC
The Bhagavad-Gita (Hinduism) is written
1
Birth of Jesus of Nazareth, founder of Christianity
30
Probable date of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ
51-100
St Peter, disciple of Jesus, is executed. First four books of the New Testament, the
gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, believed written
Note: Some dates are estimates or ranges
Timeline of Important Dates
Date
Event
570
Muhammad, the founder of Islam, is born
622
Muhammad flees persecution in Mecca and settles in Yathrib (later Media). Marks
year one in the Muslim calendar
625
Muhammad begins to dictate the Koran
1054
The split between the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church
becomes permanent
1200
Islam begins to replace Indian religions
1309
The Roman Catholic papacy is seated in Avignon, France
1539
Only the new Book of Prayer allowed to be used in England
1933
The persecution and extermination of European Jews, known as the Holocaust, by
Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party begins
1948
The independent Jewish state of Israel comes into existence
1962
Meeting of the second Roman Catholic Vatican Council, at which changes were
made in the greater participation in services by lay church members was encouraged
Note: Some dates are estimates or ranges
Buddhism
History of Buddhism
•
Based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the son of a
wealthy landowner born in northern India around 560 B.C.
•
In order to achieve spiritual peace, Gautma renounced his
worldly advantages and became known as Buddha, or "the
enlightened one“
•
•
He preached his religious views his entire life throughout
South Asia
Gautma eventually married and fathered a son, but still had
not left his father's palace
•
One day, he told his father that he wished to see the world
“Buddha”
• Buddha is not a proper noun, it is a title
•
•
Buddhist Tradition
•
•
The Buddha … a Buddha
Many Buddhas in the past … many in the future
When the term the Buddha” is used today, it’s assumed
to mean Buddha Gautama, the Buddha of the present
era
History of Buddhism
•
While Gautama meditated, he reached the highest degree of
God-consciousness, nirvana
•
He stayed under a fig tree for 7 days
•
•
He learned truths which would be imparted to the world
after his death at age 80
Buddhism became a strong force in India before Buddha's
death
•
The diffusion of Buddhism, however, was limited until
the Indian emperor Asoka became a convert and supported
missionary activities
The “Four Noble Truths” of Buddhism
1.
Existence of suffering
•
2.
3.
Cause of suffering
•
Desire for the pleasures of the senses,
which seeks satisfaction here and now
•
Craving for happiness and prosperity
How to end suffering
•
4.
Birth, death, disease, old age, desire
Give up, get rid of, extinguish this every craving, so that
no passion and no desire remain
End pain by way of the “Eightfold Path”
The “Eightfold Path” of Buddhism
1.
You must accept the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold
Path
2.
You must renounce the pleasures of the senses; you must
harbor no ill will toward anyone and harm no living creature
3.
Do not lie; do not slander or abuse anyone; do not indulge in
idle talk
4.
Do not destroy any living creature; take only what is given to
you; do not commit any unlawful sexual act
The “Eightfold Path” of Buddhism
5.
Earn your livelihood in a way that will harm no one
6.
You must resolve and strive to prevent any evil qualities from
arising in you and to abandon any evil qualities that you may
possess. Strive to acquire good qualities and encourage
those you do possess to grow, increase, and be perfected
7.
Be observant, strenuous, alert, contemplative, and free of
desire and of sorrow
8.
When you have abandoned all sensuous pleasures, all evil
qualities, both joy and sorrow, you must then enter the four
degrees of meditation, which are produced by concentration
Buddhist Precepts
• Kill no living thing
• Do not steal
• Do not commit adultery
• Tell no lies
• Do not drink intoxicants or take drugs
• Other precepts apply only to monks and nuns:
• Eat moderately and only at the appointed time
• Avoid that which excites the senses
• Do not wear adornments
• Do not sleep in luxurious beds
• Accept no silver or gold
Hinduism
History of Hinduism
•
Hinduism is the oldest and most complex of all religious
systems
•
No specific founder or theology
•
Originated in the religious practices of Aryan tribes who moved
to India from central Asia more than 3,000 years ago
•
The Aryans attacked the Harappan people who lived in
modern day India around 1500 BC
•
Eventually, through adaptation to the religious beliefs of the
other, both groups developed similar religious belief systems,
founded on the polytheism (many gods) of the Aryans
Hindu Deities
•
Hindus do believe in a supreme being who has unlimited forms
•
•
Vishnu and Lakshmi have the full powers of a god
Brahm and Saravati have only partial godlike aspects
Central Beliefs
•
Law of Karma
•
•
All actions produce effects in the future
A concept that is linked to karma is that of dharma, one’s
duty of station in this life
•
•
Outlined in Bhagavad-Gita, a major text within the
Hindu tradition
Reincarnation
•
Hindus accept the doctrine of transmigration and rebirth,
and believe that precious acts are the factors that
determine the condition into which a being is reborn in one
form or another - people are born over and over again into
a state of suffering
Central Beliefs
• Spiritual Goal (moksha)
•
•
The spiritual goal for Hindus is for the individual soul’s
release from the bonds of transmigration – to get out of the
endless cycle of reincarnation
•
•
Bad karma hampers the spiritual goal
Attachment to worldly goods is another obsession that
prevents people form reaching salvation and eternal peace
Avatar
•
An incarnation of a deity in either human or animal form to
carry out a particular purpose. Vishnu is known as the
protector, the binding force that holds the universe
together. His job is to restore dharma or moral order
Central Beliefs
The Caste System
• Hindus have a caste system, encompassing
a vast range of occupations, rules, and traditions
• The Laws of Manu provide the text that
explains all the complexities
of this system
• Examples of different castes
• Brahmins priests
• Kshatriyas soldiers, king-warrior class
• Vaishyas merchants, farmers, Sutras laborers, craftspeople
• Harijahns "untouchables“ - those thought to be descended from
the Harappan aboriginal people-extremely poor and
discriminated against
Central Beliefs
The Caste System
•
The higher a person's caste, the
more that person is blessed with the
benefits and luxuries life has to offer
•
The caste system was outlawed in
1948, it is still important to the Hindu people of India
•
Charity towards others doesn’t exist
•
Hinduism has branched and now encompasses a wide variety of
religious beliefs and religious organizations
•
Primary religion of the region around India. Portions of Hindu
beliefs have found their way across oceans to other countries and
have been influential in the foundations of other religions
Calendar of Religious Festivals
•
Mahashivaratri celebrates the new moon night of every month,
honoring the image of Shiva
•
Saravati Puja honors the goddess Sarasvati who is the patron
of the arts and learning
•
Holi celebrates the grain harvest in India and also recalls the
pranks Krishna played as a young man
•
•
Rama Naumi celebrates the birthday of the god Rama
On Rata Yatra a huge image of the god Visnu is placed on an
enormous chariot and pulled through the streets
Calendar of Religious Festivals
•
The Raksha Bandhan is a ceremony of tying a raki
(a thread or band, made of silk or decorated with flowers)
•
Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Kirshna and his delivery
from the demon kansa
•
Navaratri honors the most important female deity, Durga,
consort of Shiva
•
Divali – the most widely celebrated festival – celebrates the
return from exile of Rams and Sita
Hindu Terms
•
•
•
Brama - The creator god
•
Maya - The power that produces the phenomena of physical
existence
•
Yoga - The Hindu path of union with the divine. Any sort of
exercise (physical, mental or spiritual) which promotes one's
journey to union with Brahma
Dharma - The teachings of virtue and principle
Karma - The culminating value of all of one's life actions, good
and bad, which together determine one's next rebirth and
death
Judaism
Origins and Development
•
God made the Jews his “chosen people” - He promised
Abraham that his descendants – his son Isaac and grandsons
Jacob and Esau – would become
The Lord said to Abram: "Go
a great nation
•
Abraham followed God’s instructions in
his search for the promised land, and
after many years of wandering around
ended up in a place called Canaan
•
When the famine came, Abraham's
son Jacob took his family to the land
of Egypt
forth from the land of your
kinsfolk and from your father's
house to a land that I will
show you. "I will make of you
a great nation, and I will bless
you; I will make your name
great, so that you will be a
blessing. I will bless those
who bless you and curse
those who curse you. All the
communities of the earth shall
find blessing in you.“
(Genesis 12:1-3)
Origins and Development
•
They settled in and Jacob fathered many sons and the family
prospered
•
The descendants of Jacob’s sons would later become the
twelve tribes of Israel
•
•
•
•
•
•
Judah
Levi
Naphtali
Reuben
Simeon
Zebulun
•
•
•
•
•
•
Asher
Benjamin
Dan
Gad
Issachar
Joseph
Origins and Development
•
The new pharaoh of Egypt become worried that Jacob’s family
(12 tribes) might become mightier than the Egyptians
•
The pharaoh was treating the Israelites as slaves, but, this
wasn’t enough … so he come up with an idea on how to
restrict their proliferation
•
Kill every newborn male child at birth
Origins and Development
Moses
• A couple conceived and had son. When the mother saw
the boy was fit, she decided to hide him from his
inevitable death
•
•
•
Moses’ mother made an basket from reeds, put Moses in it,
and laid it by the riverbank
Daughter of Pharaoh found and raised the child (Moses)
When Moses was fully grown he saw an Egyptian slave
master beating an Israelite. Moses killed the slave master,
so he had to flee from Egypt
Origins and Development
Moses
•
•
Angel appears to Moses from a fire out of a bush
•
A voice came from the bush and told Moses that he had
been chosen to deliver the people from the Egyptians and
take them to another land
•
God commanded Moses to return to Pharaoh, telling
Moses what he had to do
Pharaoh refused the demands from Moses
•
As punishment, God sent nine plagues to the Egyptians:
Water to Blood, Frogs, Gnats, Flies, Livestock
Diseased, Boils, Thunder and Hail, Locusts, and Darkness
Origins and Development
Moses
• None of these had any effect so God sent the final plague
• In one night the firstborn of every Egyptian family would die
• God had warned Moses and told him that all Israelite families
should smear lamb’s blood on their doorposts to their sons would
not be killed on that night.
• This final plague worked and Pharaoh let the Israelites go, but the
Pharaoh had second thoughts
• Pharaoh sent his army after the Israelites. When they caught up
with them, God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could get
safely across. Once they were on the other side and army gave
pursuit, God mad the Red Sea close in on them
Origins and Development
The Ten Commandments
•
•
Moses was the leader of a large number of people on the move
God told Moses to go up to the top of the mountain for a meeting
•
•
God revealed to him the Ten
Commandments, which were
written on two tablets of stone
(Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21)
While Moses was gone, the Israelites
become impatient; they made an
image of a golden calf and proclaimed
it to be their god
Origins and Development
The Ten Commandments
•
When Moses returned to the camp, he became very angry
and threw down the stone tablets God had inscribed His law
upon, breaking them into many pieces (Exodus 32:1-19)
•
God commanded Moses to write
down the law and gave it to the
Levites, who carried it in the
“Ark of the Covenant”
•
Moses’ brother Joshua was
appointed by God to succeed
as the leader of the Israelites
SHOW VIDEO
Origins and Development
Leaders of the Israelites
•
The Israelites were ruled by a series of kings: Saul, David, and
David’s son, Solomon
•
After Solomon’s death, the kingdom
of Israel split in two and form Judah
and Israel
•
In 63 BC the Romans conquered the
land and gave it a new name: Palestine
•
Three years later, the Jews revolted
against Rome, but were defeated.
In 70 AD, the Roman army destroyed
Jerusalem; Jews were forced out of the
area and settled in Mediterranean
countries and in other areas in
southwest Asia (Diaspora)
Judaism – Basic Beliefs
•
Judaism is a monotheistic religion which believes that the
world was created by a single, all-knowing divinity
•
All things within that world were designed to have meaning
and purpose as part of a divine order
•
God's will for human behavior was revealed to Moses and the
Israelites at Mount Sinai
•
Essential backbone of the religion
is the Torah, which is comprised
of the first five books of the Bible,
which are attributed to Moses
The Torah
•
The Torah, also known at the Pentateuch, is a series of
narratives and laws that chronicle, in historical order, the
beginning of the world all the way through to the death of Moses
•
The study of the Torah is considered an act or worship for the
Jews (read religiously each Sabbath)
•
Jewish Sabbath starts at dusk on Fridays and ends at dusk on
Saturdays
•
The Talmud is a reference to the interpretations of the Torah
•
Supreme sourcebook of law as it takes the rules listed in the
Torah and describes how to apply them to different
circumstances
Synagogues
• The synagogue is the center of Jewish community life,
which has three traditional functions
•
House of Prayer where services are held on Sabbaths and
festival days
•
House of Assembly where Jewish people can meet for any
purpose
•
House of Study where the Torah and Talmud are studied
Synagogues
• A rabbi (the word means teacher) has no more authority
to perform rituals than any other member of the Jewish
community. A synagogue can exist and operate without
one
• Any knowledgeable Jew can lead a religious service.
However, rabbis are the spiritual leaders of the Jewish
community
Rituals and Customs
•
Mezuzah – Most Jews have a
mezuzah on every doorpost in
the home (excluding the bathroom)
to remind everyone to deep God’s
laws
•
Bar/Bat Mitzvah – A ceremony held
when a Jewish boy or girl is thirteen
and is therefore considered only
enough to take responsibility for self.
In Jewish religious terms the child is
considered an adult
•
Yarmulkes (skull caps) – They serve as
physical symbols that demonstrate the
wearers’ submission to God
Religious Festivals & Holy Holidays
•
Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year. It ushers in
a 10-day period of self-examination and penitence
•
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) - 10 days
after Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur is
the most solemn Jewish religious
holiday. Jews seek purification by
the forgiveness of others and through
sincere repentance of their own sins
•
Pesach (Passover) - Falls in March or April (weeklong).
Passover celebrates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from
captivity in Egypt. Jewish people eat unleavened bread in
commemoration of the quickly made unleavened bread the
Israelites had to subsist on during their escape from Egypt
Religious Festivals & Holy Holidays
•
Savout (Pentecost) - Takes place even weeks after Passover,
and was originally an agricultural festival that marked the
beginning of the wheat harvest. Additionally, this holiday
commemorates the anniversary of Moses
receiving the Low of God on Mount Sinai
•
Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) - An
autumn festival that also celebrate the
end of the harvest. Jews are required
to spend some time in mediation
Three Branches of Judaism
•
Orthodox - Traditionalists who observe
most of the traditional dietary and
ceremonial laws of Judaism
•
Conservative - Do not hold to the
importance of a Jewish political state,
but put more emphasis on the historic
and religious aspects of Judaism,
doctrinally somewhere between
Orthodox and Reform
•
Reform - The liberal wing of Judaism, culture and race
oriented with little consensus on doctrinal or religious belief
Why don’t Jews accept
Jesus as the Messiah?
Jesus is Not Accepted as the Messiah
•
Jesus did not fulfill the Messianic Prophecies
•
•
The Messiah will build a Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28)
•
The Messiah will usher in an era
of world peace, and end all
hatred, oppression, suffering
and disease ("Nation shall not
lift up sword against nation,
neither shall man learn war
anymore." (Isaiah 2:4))
The Messiah will gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel
(Isaiah 43:5-6)
Source: Aish HaTorah website - a non-profit network of Jewish educational centers
Jesus is Not Accepted as the Messiah
•
They believe the Messiah prophecy can only exist in Israel
when the land is inhabited by a majority of world Jews
•
They believe the Messiah will be born of human parents and
possess normal physical attributes like other people
•
They believe the Messiah must be descended on his father's
side from King David (see Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 11:1,
Jeremiah 23:5, 33:17; Ezekiel 34:23-24)
•
If Christians believe that Jesus was the product of a virgin
birth, he had no father
Source: Aish HaTorah website - a non-profit network of Jewish educational centers
Jesus is Not Accepted as the Messiah
•
The Messiah will lead the Jewish people to full Torah
observance - and anyone coming to change the Torah is
immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4)
•
Jews believe that throughout the New Testament, Jesus
contradicts the Torah and states that its commandments
are no longer applicable (e.g., John 9:14 records that
Jesus made a paste in violation of Shabbat, which caused
the Pharisees to say, "He does not observe Shabbat!“)
•
Jews believe many Biblical verses have been mistranslated by
Christians
•
Jews don’t deny the miracles of Jesus but claim they do not
prove anything
Source: Aish HaTorah website - a non-profit network of Jewish educational centers
Islam
Muslim vs. Islam
• Islam is the religion of Muslim - a person who practices
Islam is called a Muslim
•
“Islam” is an Arabic word for “surrender”
•
“Surrender” is a fundamental underpinning of the faith
•
A believer surrenders to the will of Allah, which is Arabic
for God
History of Islam
•
•
Islam centers around one person, Muhammad
•
Born around 570 A.D. and was raised by his extended
family after the death of his parents
•
As he grew, he became dissatisfied with polytheism and
came to believe in one God, Allah. He began to have
religious visions around age 40. During these visions,
Muhammad would receive "messages" or "revelations"
from Allah
Muhammad’s visions are now recorded
in the Koran (he received visions and
messages until his death in 632 A.D.)
The Koran and Hadith
•
•
The Koran
•
Primary source of every Muslim’s
faith and practice
•
•
Wisdom, beliefs, worship, and law
Position: Life is a test and that everyone
will be rewarded or punished for their
actions in the life after this one
The Hadith
•
Collection of saying attributed to the prophet and members of
the early Muslim community
•
It deals with the moral, social, commercial, and personal
aspects of life and the theological aspects of death and final
destiny
Expansion of Islam
•
The major achievements of
Muhammad were the founding of a
state and a religion; he and his
followers moved to Medina which
means "City of the Prophet”
•
Muhammad created a federation of
Arab tribes, and made the religion of
Islam the basis of Arab unity
•
Muhammad realized he must return to
Mecca, and he did, conquering the city
Expansion of Islam
•
Islam expanded throughout a large part of
the world from Spain to Central Asia to
India, Turkey, Africa, Indonesia, Malaya,
and China
•
There was no only an Islamic religious
institution but also Islamic law, state, and
other government institutions - the Muslim
state is by definition religious
Expansion of Islam
•
When Muhammad died, he left no document appointing a
successor
•
Eventually, a power struggle developed as different groups of
Muslims believed their method of establishing a successor
were the best
•
The largest argument was over whether the successor
should be elected or chosen through heredity
•
Sunnis comprise of 90% of all
Muslims
•
Shiites about 10% of all Muslims
Expansion of Islam
•
Nationalism in the Arab world since
the rise of Israel as a political
power has kept Islam strong
•
It is a rapidly spreading religion
because of its cultural and political
appeal
Central Beliefs
• Islam is a monotheistic religion (one god)
•
Allah is the sole god
•
•
The creator, sustainer, and restorer of the world
The overall purpose of humanity is to serve Allah
•
To worship him alone, and to construct a moral lifestyle
Central Beliefs
Five Pillars of Islam
•
Profession of Faith
•
There is no God, but God; Muhammad is the prophet of God
•
Sometimes a variation is used: There is no God, but God
and Muhammad is his prophet
•
Prayer. A Muslim must pray five times
a day facing Mecca: before sunrise, just
after noon, later in the afternoon,
immediately before sunset, & after dark
•
Almsgiving. Each Muslim must pay
a zakat to the state government
Central Beliefs
Five Pillars of Islam
•
•
Fasting
•
A Muslim must fast for the month of Ramadan Fasting begins
at daybreak and ends at sunset
•
During the fasting day eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual
intercourse are forbidden
•
This develops self-control, devotion
to God, and identity with the needy
Pilgrimage (Hajj) – A Muslim must
make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least
once in his or her lifetime provided
they are physically and financially
able
Jihad
•
Jihad in Arabic means fighting or striving
•
Calls upon believers to devote themselves to combating the
enemies of their religion
• This duty requires that if the situation warrants, men are
required to go to war to defend or spread Islam. If they
are killed, they are guaranteed eternal life in Paradise
•
The term has been used to describe a “holy war”
•
Historically, the term was applied in wars both between
various Muslim sects and non-Muslim ones
SHOW VIDEO
What do Muslims believe
about Jesus?
What do Muslims believe about Jesus?
•
Muslims believe that Jesus was the son of Mary - they consider
him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind
•
There is no mention of Joseph the carpenter - the Koran
describes that Mary retreated from her people and gave birth to
Jesus underneath a remote date palm tree
•
In the Koran it reminds us that Adam, the first human being,
was born with neither a human mother nor a human father.
Therefore, Jesus’ miraculous birth affords him no higher
standing or presumed partnership with God
•
Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified
Source: Aish HaTorah website - a non-profit network of Jewish educational centers
Christianity
History of Christianity
• In Palestine at the time of Jesus, the political situation of
the Jews was chaotic
•
The main source of this conflict was the rivalry between
the Sadducees and the Pharisees
•
Sadducees: Priestly sect made up of aristocratic families
and merchants, the wealthy elements of the population
who clung to birthright and social and economic position
•
Pharisees: Rivals of Sadducees who claimed to be the
authority on piety and learning
History of Christianity
•
Jesus was born Jewish in the Roman province of
Palestine
•
•
“The anointed one”
Early Years
•
Jesus was born in a stable to a
Jewish couple, Mary and Joseph
of Nazareth, in Galilee. They had
traveled to Bethlehem, near Jerusalem,
because of a Roman census
•
It wasn’t until he was about 30 years old that he emerged
as a teacher himself. It was then that he left his life with his
parents in Nazareth and began 3 years of traveling
throughout Judea
The Teachings of Jesus
• Following his baptism, Jesus began to preach, teach,
and perform miracles throughout Judea, and as he did
so, he recruited many disciples including a core group of
12 who are referred to as the apostles
• Jesus preached to Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles)
•
•
He was considered charismatic with great moral authority
•
He was a healer He was a miracle worker
He spoke in the form of parables of the coming of the
kingdom of God
SHOW VIDEO
The Crucifixion
• As his fame and reputation grew, so did the resentment
of the authorities
•
The most important celebration for Jews at that time was
the Passover meal on the first evening of the festival
•
Supporters of Jesus had made arrangements for him and
his followers to hold their celebration in an upper room that
they had prepared
•
At that meal, now called “The Last Supper,” Jesus had his
12 disciples around him
The Crucifixion
• Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 disciples, and offered him
30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus
•
Jesus was seized, arrested, and brought to trial before
Pontus Pilate, a Roman governor
•
On examination, Pilate couldn’t find sufficient evidence
against Jesus, but the large, demonstrative crowd
demanded his execution
The Resurrection
•
•
Jesus was hanged on a cross to die
•
On the day after the Sabbath, women
followers of Jesus went to prepare his body
One of Jesus’ followers requested and
received from the Roman governor
permission to bury him (Good Friday)
• They discovered that the stone had been
rolled away from the entrance to the cave
• An angel them appeared and told them Jesus
was alive, that he had risen from the dead
•
Jesus revealed himself first to Mary Magdalene; later, at
Pentecost, a Jewish festival sever weeks after Passover
The Spread of Christianity
Peter and Paul
• Peter (Saul)
•
A fisherman called to be a disciple of Jesus at the
beginning of his ministry
•
A man of strong emotions - rash, hasty, capable of anger,
and often gentle, but firm
•
Emerged immediately after the
death of Jesus as the leader
of the earliest church
•
Dominated the community for
nearly 15 years following the
Resurrection
The Spread of Christianity
Peter and Paul
•
Paul (original name Saul of Tarsus)
• More than anyone else it was Paul who helped Christianity grow
from a small sect within Judaism to a world religion
• Paul had a strict Jewish upbringing and had become a member
of the Pharisees
• Paul initially was an oppressor of
the members of the newly found
church
• Three years after his conversion,
Paul went to Jerusalem to meet
Peter and James, Jesus’ brother
• His letters, which were collected
for general circulation, have become
a standard reference for Christian teaching
History of Christianity
Three Major Branches
•
Christianity eventually divided into 3 major branches
• Roman Catholic
• Eastern Orthodox
• Protestantism
History of Christianity
Three Major Branches – Roman Catholic
• The successor of the church established in Rome soon
after Christ's death
•
It traces its spiritual history
to the early disciples of Jesus
• The Pope, or spiritual leader,
traces his office's lineage back
to St. Peter, the first Pope,
one of Jesus' disciples
History of Christianity
Three Major Branches – Eastern Orthodox
• During the 4th century, the Roman Catholic church split and
this branch was formed
•
The split was primarily a political one due to the division of the
Roman Empire into western and eastern components churches became officially
separate in 1054
•
Orthodox churches are largely
national, each associated with
a particular country (e.g., Russia,
Greece, Romania, Bulgaria,
the Ukraine, and Armenia)
History of Christianity
Three Major Branches – Eastern Orthodox
• The international organization of the Orthodox churches is
one of self-governing branches
•
The churches hold the same dogmas and faiths, although
the principle of “authority with freedom” prevails
•
Each church is independent in internal organization and
follows its own particular customs
•
Each Orthodox Church is lead by a synod of bishops president of the synod is know as the Patriarch,
Archbishop, or Metropolitan
•
There is no one person who leads or speaks for the church
History of Christianity
Three Major Branches – Protestant
• Split from Roman Catholicism during the Reformation, a
16th and 17th century series of church reforms in doctrine
and practice
•
Reformation challenged the authority of the Pope, and
became popular in Scandinavia, England, and the
Netherlands
•
Protestantism eventually divided into many denominations
which arose in response to disputes over doctrine,
theology, or religious practice
•
Some of the large denominations today are Lutherans,
Methodists and Baptists
Holy Writings of Christianity
Bible
• Two segments: Old Testament and the New Testament
• The Old Testament is also known as the Hebrew Bible
• The first complete Bible in English appeared in the late
14th century
•
Some of the early Christian thinkers leaned toward the
view that there was no need to have an Old Testament
•
The New Testament has evolved, it took several
centuries for religious leaders to come to agreement on
what information world be include
Christianity
Rituals and Customs
•
Prayer
• It is prayer that forms the backbone of the
Christian religious life
• Many people consider it the purest form of
religious expression. It expresses the desire
to enter into a personal and constant intimate
relationship with God
•
Baptism
• Baptism marks the beginning of life as a Christian
• It is the total annulment of the sins of the person’s past, from
which an innocent person emerges
• At the baptism, the person becomes a member of the church and
is incorporated into the body of Jesus Christ
Christianity
Rituals and Customs
•
Confirmation
• Confirmation usually takes place in adolescence or in adulthood
(Catholicism, Anglicanism and Lutheranism); confirmation is
generally preceded by instruction in the catechism
•
Marriage
• Christians regard marriage as a serious step
to take and a commitment as marriage vows
are made before God
•
Death
• Christians believe that death is not the end of life
because Jesus taught and promised eternal life for all believers
• At the funeral service, the body of the dead person is
commemorated and comfort is offered to the bereave
Basic Beliefs of Christianity
•
•
The central figure in Christianity is Jesus
•
He was arrested for claiming to be God's
son and was hung on the cross by the Romans at age 33
•
Christians believe the suffering and death upon the cross
which this sinless man endured paid for the sins of all
mankind, and because of Jesus' actions, salvation can be
achieved by anyone who believes in him
•
Following his death, Christians believe that he rose from the
grave (celebrated at Easter) and returned to the earth,
appearing to his followers
During his lifetime, Jesus performed many
miracles and spoke to many people about
his father in heaven
Basic Beliefs of Christianity
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God
from true God, begotten, not made, One in Being with the Father Through him all things were
made. For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the holy
spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day, He rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated
at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge
the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and
the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the
prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look
for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Christian Terms
•
Bible - The sacred text which records the lives of major figures
in Christianity, including Jesus. Contains Old and New
Testaments
•
•
•
Christianity - The belief in Jesus Christ as Savior of the world
•
Easter - The celebration of Jesus'
triumphant return to life after dying
on the cross
Christmas - Celebration of the birth of Jesus held on Dec 25th
Cross - Roman method of execution
which took the life of Jesus. Now a symbol
of Jesus' suffering and resurrection
Christian Terms
•
Jesus - The central figure of Christianity, believed to be true
God, who saved mankind from the torture of hell by dying on the
cross to grant them salvation
•
Lent - The remembrance of the period of time leading up to and
including Christ's death on the cross
•
Mary - Jesus' mother, who conceived him by the intervention of
the Holy Spirit
• Pope - The spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic church
• Roman Catholicism - The original Christian religion which
descended from the original Christians in Rome at the time of
Christ
Crusades
•
•
Series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by
Christian Europe against external and internal opponents
•
Mainly against Muslims (initial Arab
conquest of Palestine)
•
Crusaders took vows and were
granted an indulgence for past sins
The Crusades had the goal of recapturing
Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim
rule and were launched in response to a
call from the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine
Empire for help against the expansion of
the Muslim Seljuk Turks into Anatolia
SHOW VIDEO
Religions in the USA
Religions in the USA
• Christian 76%
•
•
Protestant 52%
Roman Catholic 24%
•
65 million in the US; 1.5 billion worldwide
• Jewish 1%
• Muslim 1%
• Other 10%
• None 10%
Largest Denominations in US
1990 Est.
2001 Est.
2004 Est.
Est. % of U.S.
% Change
Adult Pop.
Adult Pop.
Total Pop.
Pop.,2001
1990 - 2001
Catholic
46,004,000
50,873,000
71,796,719
24.5%
+11%
Baptist
33,964,000
33,830,000
47,744,049
16.3%
0%
Methodist/Wesleyan
14,174,000
14,150,000
19,969,799
6.8%
0%
Lutheran
9,110,000
9,580,000
13,520,189
4.6%
+5%
Presbyterian
4,985,000
5,596,000
7,897,597
2.7%
+12%
Pentecostal/Charismatic
3,191,000
4,407,000
6,219,569
2.1%
+38%
Episcopalian/Anglican
3,042,000
3,451,000
4,870,373
1.7%
+13%
Judaism
3,137,000
2,831,000
3,995,371
1.3%
-10%
Latter-day Saints/Mormon
2,487,000
2,697,000
3,806,258
1.3%
+8%
Churches of Christ
1,769,000
2,593,000
3,659,483
1.2%
+47%
599,000
1,378,000
1,944,762
0.7%
1,381,000
1,331,000
1,878,431
0.6%
-4%
660,000
1,106,000
1,560,890
0.5%
+68%
Denomination
Congregational/
United Church of Christ
Jehovah's Witnesses
Assemblies of God
Ref: American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2001
What is a Catholic?
History of Catholicism
• Christianity become an accepted religious path when
Constantine emerged as the political power of the
Roman Empire
•
As Christianity spread throughout the empire theological
interpretations began to differ in the East and West. In
1054, the divide between Rome and the Eastern
churches became permanent
•
Sweeping changes were made at the Second Vatican
Council (21st Ecumenical Council)
•
Mass in native language (liturgy was in Latin)
Hierarchy in Catholicism
•
Priests
• A priest runs the parish and is a liturgical leader and a pastor
•
Bishops
• A group of parishes in a region are called a diocese and are
presided over by a bishop
• Bishops are priests nominated by other bishops and appointed to
their office by the Pope
•
Pope
• The Pope leads the bishops and is the ultimate authority in the
Roman Catholic Church
• The College of Cardinals elects a new Pope when the one in
office dies
The Virgin Mary
•
•
The Virgin Mary is revered as the mother
of God and holds a unique devotional
position in the Catholic Church
•
Jesus Christ, who had no natural father,
was conceived by Mary through the
power of the Holy Spirit
Prayers to the Virgin Mary
include the Ave Maria Prayer,
which praise God and asks
for intercession
Hail Mary, full of grace!
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed are thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God.
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen
Precepts of the Catholic Church
• You shall attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of
Obligation
• You shall confess your sins at least once a year
• You shall humbly receive the Lord
Jesus in Holy Communion at least
during the Easter season
•
You shall observe the prescribed
days of fasting and abstinence
•
The faithful have the obligation of
supporting the Church
The Seven Sacraments
• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Holy Eucharist
• Holy Orders
• Matrimony
• Reconciliation
• Anointing of the Sick
Views on Controversial Topics
• Catholic Church believes that other Christian communities
are not churches
•
The Catholic Church opposes unrestricted abortion
•
•
The church allows abortion only if it is necessary to preserve
the mother’s life
The church approves of birth control only if it is
accomplished by natural means
• Life can be taken in cases of self-defense and a just war
What was the Christian
Reformation?
Reformation Begins
•
The Reformation was started
Martin Luther in 1517
•
The Reformation sought to "reform"
Christianity by returning it to original
beliefs based solely on reference to the
Bible, eliminating later additions which accumulated in
tradition
• The causes of the Reformation cannot be located in any
one event or in any one aspect of medieval society
Reformation Begins
•
Martin Luther was a German Roman
Catholic priest. He posted his The
Ninety-Five Theses on the Power
of Indulgences for debate on the door
of the Castle Church in Wittenberg,
Germany, on 31 Oct 1517
• Luther used these theses to display
his displeasure with the Church's
sale of indulgences
• At the time, indulgences were being sold, and thus the penance
for sin becoming a commercial transaction instead of a genuine
change of heart
• He insisted that the Pope had no authority over purgatory and
that only the scripture was authoritative
Luther’s Key Points
• People are saved through faith alone rather than
through works
•
Only source of religious authority is the Scriptures
•
In the Catholic church the Scriptures must be
understood in relation to Catholic tradition, something
which has been rejected by Protestant churches
SHOW VIDEO
John Calvin
• John Calvin was the leading
French Protestant reformer and
the most important secondgeneration figure of the Reformation
•
He was highly educated to further
improve his studies of
the Scripture
•
In the mid-1560s, he wrote Institutes of the Christian
Religion, which became the single most important
statement of Protestant belief
SHOW VIDEO
Protestant Reformation
• Contrary to popular perception, the name does not stem
directly from the idea of people "protesting" various
doctrines and actions of the Catholic Church
•
Early on in the Reformation, those dissenters were referred
to in Germany as Evangelicals (and this is the term still in
use today)
Protestant Reformation
• Reformation challenged the authority of the Pope, and
became popular in Scandinavia, England, and the
Netherlands
•
Protestantism increased the importance of the laity. In
most denominations they exercise more control over the
hiring and firing, if necessary, of their pastor
•
While there are more Protestants than Catholics in the
USA, Catholicism is the single largest church
• Protestantism eventually divided into many denominations
which arose in response to disputes
•
Some of the large denominations today are Lutherans,
Methodists and Baptists
Reformation Denominations
Branch
Denominations
Leaders
Lutheran
Lutheran
Martin Luther
Philip Melanchthon
Reformed Tradition
Reformed Church (Calvinist)
Presbyterian
Puritan
Congregational
United Church of Christ
Baptist
Ulrich Zingli
John Calvin
John Knox
Anglican
Church of England
Episcopal
Methodist
Henry VIII
Elizabeth I
Anabapist
Swiss Brethren
Mennonites
Amish
Hutterites
Quakers
Moravian Brethren
Conrad Grebel
Felix Manz
Menno Simons
Jacob Huter
George Fox
Count Zinzendorf
Does Protestant mean Protesting?
• Protestant does not stem directly from the
idea of people "protesting" various
doctrines and actions of the Catholic
Church
•
Early on in the Reformation, those
dissenters were referred to in Germany as
Evangelicals
Differences between
Catholics and Conservative
Protestants
Catholic vs. Conservative Protestant
Theological Belief
Ecumenical action
Roman Catholic Church
The Church views the fragmentation of
Christianity into thousands of faith
groups to be a sin
Conservative Protestants
Some view Catholics as non-Christian. Thus
they are to be treated as other lost souls
Others view Catholics as brothers in Christ and
engage in joint projects on social matters
Eucharist
A sacrifice. Christ's body and blood are
physically present and are consumed by
believers
Memorial meal. Christ's body and blood are
present symbolically only
Forgiveness of sin
Achieved through repentance, church
ritual, with the involvement of a priest
Achieved through prayer to God directly
without any human intercessor
Hell
More than a physical place, hell is a
state of being involving "the pain,
frustration, and emptiness of life without
God”
A real physical place of unbearable torture
which lasts for all eternity with no hope of
mercy, relief or cessation
Homosexuality,
nature of
A homosexual orientation is generally
unchosen and thus is not, in itself, sinful
- it is a disordered state
All homosexual behavior is sinful
They generally downplay the concept of sexual
orientation, and concentrate on homosexual
behavior which they consider to be a major sin.
They view homosexuality as chosen,
unnatural, abnormal & changeable
Catholic vs. Conservative Protestant
Theological Belief
Roman Catholic Church
Conservative Protestants
Non-Christian religions
Have some value for the truth that they
contain. However, some rituals can inhibit
salvation
Some consider them worthless, dangerous,
and demon-led
Prayer
To God. Also may ask Mary or a saint to
intercede on their behalf
Prayer is addressed to God, not to saints
Purgatory
A state of being in which souls are
cleansed by purifying punishments
before they can enter heaven
Does not exist
Saints
Saints form a major part of the religion.
People can pray to saints and ask them
to intercede
Saints do not form a major part of the religion.
One prays to God, not to saints
Salvation, achieving
Dependent on faith, and church
sacraments
Dependent on faith only
Salvation, losing
It is lost when a responsible person
commits a mortal sin. It can be regained
through repentance and church
sacrament
Usually, once a person is saved, they cannot
lose their salvation. Some denominations
teach that one can lose one's salvation
Catholic vs. Conservative Protestant
Theological Belief
Roman Catholic Church
Conservative Protestants
Authority within the
church
Vested in the hierarchy of the church
Within the believer (soul freedom),
the congregation and the
denomination
Baptism
Sacrament which regenerates and justifies
Sacrament later in life after trusting
Jesus as Lord and savior
Baptism, timing
Usually done in infancy
Usually done later in life after person
is “born again”
Bible, content
The church includes the same 66 books in
the Bible as do Protestants. But it also
adds the books of the Apocrypha
Most accept only the 66 books of the
Old and New Testament.
Most conservative Anglicans also
include the Apocrypha
Church, structure
Hierarchical
Usually democratic, except among
some new religious movements
Clergy, selection of
Appointed; all male; almost all unmarried
Elected; mostly male; single or
married
What’s a Lutheran?
Lutheranism
•
Martin Luther criticized what he saw as immorality and
corruption in the Roman Catholic Church, he was
excommunicated by the Pope
•
Lutheranism went its separate way, which essentially broke
up the organizational unity of Western Christendom
•
Martin Luther’s teaching spread through Germany and
Scandinavia and, in the 18th century, to America, then to the
rest of the word
•
Lutheranism is a state religion of many north European
countries
•
Lutherans, like most Protestants, base their teachings not on
churchly authority but on the divinely inspired Bible
Catholic Church Responds
•
Catholic Church responded with the Council of Trent, which is
considered one of the Church's most important councils.
•
•
The Council clarified many disputed beliefs and addressed
the problem of lax morals among the clergy and lay people
The Council issued condemnations
on what it defined as Protestant
heresies and defined Church
teachings in the areas of Scripture
and Tradition, Original Sin,
Sacraments, the Eucharist in
Holy Mass and the
veneration of saints
Central Beliefs
• Lutherans believe that all human beings are sinners, and
because of original sin, are in bondage to the power of
Satan
•
One is saved by faith alone
• Worship is firmly based on the teachings of the Bible
•
One could read the Bible by oneself, that is without any
scholarship, and be assured of a right interpretation
•
Lutheranism is based on scripture alone while Catholicism is
based on scripture, Papal decrees, and Church history
Central Beliefs
• Lutherans reject purgatory, praying to the saints, and
praying to Mary
•
Lutheran churches are governed locally,
not from a church hierarchy
•
In America, the churches are linked
together for common purposes
and formed groups
•
Luther conducted worship not in Latin, unlike Catholicism,
but in the language of the people to enhance the delivery
and acceptance of the sermons
•
Luther reduced the established seven sacraments to two:
baptism and the Lord’s Supper
What’s a Anglican?
Anglican
•
The Anglican Church was created in the 16th century by
King Henry VIII who wished to get an annulment from his
first wife, the aging Catherine of Aragon
•
•
•
Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment
King Henry VIII took over the English church, broke with
Rome, and created the Anglican Church
The Church of England spread throughout the British
Empire
• The Church is headed spiritually by the Archbishop of
Canterbury, which as about 80 million adherents, making
it the second largest Christian body in the Western world
SHOW VIDEO
Episcopal
•
•
3 million in the US; 80 million worldwide
•
•
They prize traditional worship and structure and operate autonomously
•
Ordains women to the priesthood; in 1988, it
elected the first Anglican woman bishop
•
They consider the Bible to be divinely inspired,
and hold the Eucharist to be the central act of
Christian worship
•
They recognize the Nicene & Apostles’ Creeds
Episcopal is applied to those churches historically based within
Anglicanism including those still in communion with the Church of
England
They have few firm rules and great latitude in
the interpretation of doctrine
Catholic vs. Episcopalian
Roman Catholics
The Pope is the leader of the Roman
Catholic Church
RCs take the marriage promise "Till death
do we part“ Those who remarry may not
receive Communion in the RC. The only
alternative to divorce is annulment
Reconciliation is encouraged; required at
least once a year (e.g., Lent)
Episcopalians
Each Diocese/Bishop is autonomous - no one is
the leader
Divorce is a sin; divorced may receive
communion
Encouraged to go to Confession
Only celibate men may be priests
Any man or woman (with approval and
training) may be priests
Abortion is sin, cuts you off from God until
you confess this sin and seek forgiveness
from God through formal confession
Pro/con abortion beliefs are all over the board
in the EC. Pro-life folks and pro-choice folks
may attend the same parish and both go up and
kneel for communion at the altar rail together.
Catholic vs. Episcopalian
Roman Catholics
Episcopalians
Strong emphasis on devotions to Mary
Stronger emphasis on Angels, Guardian
Angels
• Only Anglo-Catholic parishes have Marian
devotions (about 10% of all the Episcopal
Churches)
• Less emphasis on Angels - just part of God's
Kingdom
Parents and God-Parents of baptized
infants must be RCs or promise to raise
their children Roman Catholic
Parents (or God-Parents) must be Christians
and promise to raise their children Christian at
baptisms
Only RCs may receive Communion (and
members of the Orthodox church). The RC
belief is Communion is a sacrament
All baptized Christians may receive
Communion. God works through each person,
through the Holy Spirit
Catholic vs. Episcopalian
Roman Catholics
Episcopalians
Parishioners elect a Parish Council;
priests are assigned to the parish by their
Bishop
Parishioners elect a parish Vestry to handle
business matters
Priests interviewed by parish
The Eucharist transforms into the real
physical body and blood of Jesus. That's
called transubstantiation. Jesus is present
during the very holy and sacred time of
Communion.
The Eucharist transforms into the spiritual
presence of Jesus. To define it further is
"mystery." Jesus is present during the very holy
and sacred time of Communion.
There are seven sacraments: Baptism,
Reconciliation, Communion, Confirmation,
Marriage, Ordination, Last Rites
There are two sacraments performed by Christ Baptism and Communion. There are five
sacramental rites (Reconciliation, Confirmation,
Marriage, Ordination, Unction) - developed as
Christianity grew.
What’s an Amish Mennonite?
Amish
•
The Amish originated in Europe as followers of Jakob
Ammann, a 17th century elder whose teachings caused a
schism among members in many parts of Europe
•
Ammann introduced the washing of feet into services and
taught the plainness of dress and habit that became part of
the Amish way of life
•
The Amish began migrating to North America from Europe in
the early 18th century and settled first in eastern Pennsylvania
•
Schisms again occurred after 1859 between the old and the
new orders, resulting in the formation of smaller churches
within the Mennonite Church
Amish
• Each Amish settlement is generally made up of about 75
baptized members
•
•
Holy Communion is celebrated twice each year
•
Adults are baptized when they are
admitted to formal membership,
generally when 17 to 20 years of age
•
The Amish believe in the Trinity and
affirm the scriptures, particularly the
New Testament
Services are conducted in a mixture of English and
palatine German, known as Pennsylvania Dutch
Amish
•
The Amish are famous for their way of life
• The men wear broad-brimmed black hats
and bears without moustaches
• No jewelry of any king is ever worn
• The women war bonnet, long dresses with
capes over the shoulders, shawls, and black
shoes and stocking.
• The mode of dress is said to be a following of the early traditions
established in Europe
•
They live without telephones or electric
lights. The Amish drive horses and
buggies rather than automobiles, and
they shun modern farm machinery
What’s a Presbyterian?
Presbyterian
• 2.5 million worldwide
• In 1876 the Presbyterian Church
of England was formed by a merger
•
•
Various factions from English and
Scottish congregations came together
and adopted the Presbyterian system
of church government
The church avoids highly centralized authority in the
government
Presbyterian
• For Presbyterians, their church is …
•
•
governed by a group of elders, or presbyteros
•
There are teaching elders, who are the ordained
ministers, and
•
Ruling elders who are elected from the ranks of church
members
•
In each individual church, the elders are invested with
supreme authority in all spiritual matters
Presbyterians do not believe that their denomination is
the "One True Church" or that their system of church
government is the only one authorized by the New
Testament
Presbyterian
•
Presbyterians believe that the Bible was divinely "inspired," in
the sense that God speaks through human authors and that,
because the source is ultimately God, that these scriptures are
infallible
•
Belief and practice are derived from the Bible and not from
tradition
•
Salvation: “By faith alone, by God’s grace only, through
scripture only”
•
Sacraments: Baptism for infants and adults; and the Eucharist
(open to all baptized Christians)
•
A person does not have to be baptized in order to go to
heaven
Presbyterian
• The largest and most theologically liberal of all American
Protestant denominations
•
•
•
Birth control and abortion are left up to the individual
Ordain women as ministers and they are permitted to hold
any church office
Like most churches, there exists both conservative and
liberal factions within the church - and their division does,
at times, threaten to cause an internal schism
What’s a Baptist?
Origins of the Baptist Church
• The first Baptist church in the USA had an independent
origin - established by Roger Williams in the 1600’s
•
Fled to America in search of religious freedom
•
Bought land from the Narragansett Indians and set up
one of the first settlements in the country
•
Through extensive missionary work, the Baptist church
spread throughout the world
Baptist
• By 1830’s tension began to mount between the Northern
and Southern Baptists that corresponded with the rift that
was growing between northern and southern culture in
America
• 43 million Baptists worldwide; 33 million in the USA
• Often regarded as an Evangelical denomination
Central Beliefs
•
•
The supreme authority is the Bible … no creeds
Baptists hold very strongly to what is called Believer’s
Baptism (full immersion) as the badge of a Christian
• Membership of a Baptist church is restricted to believers
only
•
Baptist churches operate
democratically - they believe
every other form of church
government infringes on their
beliefs
Central Beliefs
•
Each church member has equal rights and privileges in
determining the affairs of the church
•
Supreme authority of the church
is Christ
•
While individual church
independence is stressed, individual
churches affirm their unity in Christ
by forming associations and conventions
• Baptists insist that a church be free
to be Christ’s church, determining its
own life and charting its own course
in obedience to Christ without outside
interference
Central Beliefs
•
•
Doctrine of “priesthood of all believers” states that every
Christian has direct access to God and the truths found in the
Bible, without the help from anyone
•
Baptists are encouraged, though, to discuss scriptural and
other issues with their minister and/or other, more "mature"
Christians, when appropriate
•
Ultimately the individual Christian is responsible for
understanding the Bible and its application to the individual
“Individual Soul Liberty” - Each person has the liberty to
choose what his/her conscience or soul dictates is right, and is
responsible to no one but God for the decision that is made
Baptist Ordinances
•
Generally, Baptist churches recognize only two ordinances
that are to be performed on a regular basis by churches:
baptism and communion
•
Baptism plays no role in salvation,
being properly performed only after
salvation, and is performed after a
person professes Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior
• Some churches, including Primitive
Baptists and some Free Will Baptists,
also practice foot washing as a third ordinance
Positions in the Church
•
Generally Baptists only recognize
two Scriptural offices, those of
pastor and deacon
•
The office of elder, common in
some evangelical churches
•
Considered to be the same
as that of pastor
•
The office of overseer or bishop is always considered to be the
same as that of pastor
•
The prevalent view among Baptists is that these offices are
limited to men only, following the model of Christ and His
apostles
Catholic vs. Baptist
Theological Belief
Roman Catholic Church
Baptists
Source of Authority
Bible plus tradition plus the
ex cathedra pronouncements of the
pope
Bible
Authority of Pope
Christ's representative on earth
None
Salvation
Faith and Works
Faith Alone
Baptism
Infants by pouring as the means of
salvation
By immersion as a "sign" of
one's
commitment to Christ
Eucharist
“Transubstantiation" – Host and wine
changed into the literal body and
blood of Christ
Symbolic of Christ's death
Place of Mary
Saints
Prayed to and venerated
Honored as any other believer
for being faithful to the Lord
Holy people are canonized
All believers in Christ are
saints
What’s a Quaker?
Quakers – Society of Friends
•
George Fox, a nonconformist religious
reformer, founded the movement in the
17th century in England
•
Fox believed in an “Inner Light” – the
presence of God’s spirit within each individual
•
Fox reasoned that there was no need to have
a church or a priest to act as a go-between.
Nor did people need elaborate rituals, creeds,
dogmas, or even to dress up in church garments
•
The Quakers eventually settled in Rhode Island, known for its
religious tolerance
•
They distanced themselves from society in general, which
was evidenced by their simple clothing and their way of
speaking
Quakers – Society of Friends
•
Quakers formed the “Underground Railroad,” which was
specifically set up to help runaway slaves escape to the
northern states and Canada
•
Schism formed different Quaker groups
•
Hicksites - liberal group mainly in the
eastern states
•
Gurneyites - evangelical group that
had pasts
•
•
Wiburites - more traditional sect
Orthodox - Christ-centered group
Central Beliefs
•
One of the least ritualized religions. is a common element
with them all, culminating in mutual closeness with God much stress is made on the “Inner Light”
•
Meetings are held to worship God and wait for his word.
Generally, members will sit in a circle or a square, facing
each other
•
•
Quakers have no stated creed or ritual
Worship is an act of seeking, not asking;
the virtues of moral purity, integrity,
honesty, simplicity, and humility are
to be sought after
Central Beliefs
• Quakers refuse to take oaths - they believe that one
should tell the truth at all times
•
The individuality of the Quakers is embodied in the belief,
or not, of life after death
•
They see all life as sacramental
with no difference between the
secular and the religious
Central Beliefs
• Baptism, in the accepted sense, is not a practiced
sacrament; Quakers believe in the “inward baptism of the
Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4: 4-5)
•
Seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and reading from
the Bible are stressed; outward rites are rejected as in an
ordained ministry
What’s a Methodist?
Methodist
•
•
8.3 million worldwide
Methodist revival originated in England
•
Started by a group of men including
John Wesley and his younger brother
Charles as a movement within the
Church of England in the 18th century
•
•
Focus on Bible study
Methodical approach to scriptures
and Christian living
Methodist
•
During the American Revolution, Wesley
took the side of the English, and Asbury
took the side of the new American republic
•
The church grew very rapidly, but schisms
developed
•
The slavery problem split the Methodist
Church into two: Methodist
Episcopal Church; Methodist
Episcopal Church, South
•
In 1924, Methodist women were given limited clergy rights; in
1956, they were accepted for full ordination
•
The United Methodist Church was created on 23 Apr 68
Methodist
•
The early Methodists reacted against perceived apathy in the
Church of England
•
They became open-air preachers; established Methodist
societies wherever they went
•
Methodism follows the traditional and near-universal Christian
belief in the
Trinity (God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
•
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ: Baptism and
Communion
Methodist
•
Personal salvation involves Christian mission and service to
the world
•
Scriptural holiness entails more than personal piety
•
•
•
Love of God is always linked with love of neighbor
A passion for justice and renewal in the life of the world
In liturgical matters, whereas most Methodist worship is
modeled after the Book of Common Prayer
Methodist
•
A second distinctive liturgical feature of Methodism is the use
of Covenant services
•
•
Practice varies between different national churches
Most Methodist churches annually
follow the call of John Wesley for a
renewal of their covenant with God.
It is not unusual in Methodism for
each congregation to normally
hold an annual Covenant Service
on the first convenient Sunday
of the year
What does a member of the
Church of Christ believe?
United Church of Christ
•
The Churches of Christ and
autonomous Christian congregations
•
In the US the churches' roots can
be traced back to the late 18th and early
19th centuries, most notably Thomas
Campbell and his son Alexander
•
Individuals in these churches historically have aspired to be
members of the one body of Christ described in the New
Testament, without denominational affiliation
United Church of Christ
Distinctive Traits
•
Refusal to hold to any creeds other than
those specifically mentioned in the Bible
itself
•
Practice of adult baptism as a requirement
for the remission of sins
•
Autonomous non-denominational
congregational church organization,
with congregations overseen by a plurality of elders
•
•
Weekly observance of The Lord’s Supper (communion)
Belief in a cappella congregational singing during worship
Church of Christ
•
No choruses or choirs. Most churches practice only
congregational singing with a single song leader
•
The Lord’s Supper can be served anywhere members are
gathered on Sunday; no particularly "sanctified" location nor
specifically "authorized" individual is needed to administer
communion
•
Most social dance is condemned as lewd and lascivious
behavior
•
Folk dancing is considered acceptable but not popular
dancing, especially dancing with sexual overtones
Church of Christ
• Children below the age of accountability are considered
in a "safe" position in the eyes of God, and would not be
condemned to hell if they died before the age of
accountability
•
However, members do not claim that this age is fixed; it
can vary by maturity and knowledge
Church of Christ
Requirements for Salvation
•
Hearing (the Word of God)
•
Believing (said Word)
•
Repenting (of one's sins)
•
Confessing (that Jesus Christ is Lord)
•
Being baptized (by immersion)
What’s a Christian Scientist?
Christian Scientist
• Mary Baker Eddy founded the Church of Christ, Scientist
in 19th-century America
•
•
•
She experimented with alternative healing methods
Studied toward finding in a universal spiritual principle of
healing in the New Testament
In 1875, Eddy published Science and Health
•
It was meant as a textbook for the study and practice of
Christian Science
•
Repeatedly revised over the next 35 years
Christian Scientist
• Christian Scientists encourage obeying public health
laws and other services are sanctioned
•
Study and prayer are basic requirements of the
denomination
•
Christian Scientists say the healing comes through
scientific prayer or spiritual communion with God
•
The spiritual aspect of healing has come under direct
criticism by the medical profession
What’s a Congregationalist?
Congregationalists
• Self-government for each church
• In 1957, many Congregational churches united with the
Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United
Church of Christ
•
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are considered to be the
only sacraments instituted by Christ
•
•
Infants are baptized generally by sprinkling, not immersion
The Lord’s Supper is usually celebrated one or twice a
month
What’s a Adventist?
Adventist Beliefs
• Adventists believe in the Second Coming – the visible return to earth
of Christ in glory
• The founder of the faith, William Miller, was a Baptist preacher. He
came to the conclusion that Christ would arrive sometime between
March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844
• Some members of the faith independently believe that Christ’s
advent was still imminent, although they didn’t set a new date
• They also believed that worshipping on the seventh day, Saturday,
rather than Sunday, would help bring about the Second Coming
• Members avoid eating meat and the use of narcotics and stimulants
which they consider harmful
• This belief is based on the Biblical consideration that the body is
the temple of the Holy Spirit
What’s a Jehovah’s Witness?
Jehovah’s Witnesses
•
The Witnesses have little or no association with other
denomination, nor with secular government
•
They believe world powers and political parties are the
unwitting allies of Satan
•
They refuse to salute the flags of nations and to perform
military service; they almost never vote.
•
Founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
in 1872 by Charles Taze Russell
•
Nathan Homer Knorr, directed a group
of Witnesses to produce a new translation
of the Bible
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Rituals and Customs
• Doorstep preaching is a very visual part of Jehovah’s
Witness practices
•
Members are expected to spend 5 hours a week at
meetings in Kingdom Hall
•
If members decide to leave the Witnesses or are
disfellowshipped, life may become very difficult for them.
In many cases entire families have shunned their relative
completely
Compare and Contrast
Mainstream Christianity
Jehovah's Witness
Nature of God
God is a unity of three equal persons, the Father being
God, the Son being God, the Holy Ghost being God
(Trinity)
The Father of Jesus, Jehovah, is the only true God
Jesus (the Son) is God in the flesh. During his life on
earth he was both fully God and fully human. He is
eternal and equal in power to the Father (the First
Person of the Trinity)
Jesus is God's Son, but not God the Almighty
The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity. The Holy
Spirit is eternal and equal in power to the Father
The holy spirit is God's impersonal, "active force," always subject to his will
Jesus
Jesus is God's Son. He is God in the flesh
Jesus is God's firstborn Son; he has divine nature but he is not equal to God
Jesus' fleshly body was resurrected
Jesus' fleshly body was not resurrected; he was resurrected as a spirit
The return of Christ to the earth will be physical, and
has not yet occurred
The presence of Christ began invisibly in 1914, and has been ongoing since then
Death/Afterlife
There is afterlife for all mankind in heaven, hell or (for
Roman Catholics) purgatory.
There is no spiritual afterlife immediately following death, except for the 144,000, who
are immediately resurrected as spirit persons and taken to heaven; those who died
before 1918 were not resurrected to heaven until that year. There is no purgatory.
Worship and Christian ethic
Icons or statues can be used as means of worship.
(Catholic and Orthodox)
Use of icons or statues in worship is a kind of idolatry and contrary to Christian law.
Since God is the ruler of earth, Christians can use
political and military means in order to make society
better.
Jesus said his followers would not fight because his kingdom is "no part of this
world." Christians must be neutral in political and military strifes. Satan is the "ruler
of the world."
What’s a Mormon?
Joseph Smith Jr.
•
Mormons report in 1820, 14 year old
Joseph Smith Jr. was determined to
know which of the many religions he should
join
•
•
He encountered a passage in the Bible
instructing any who lacked wisdom to "ask
of God" (James 1:5)
Early one morning in the spring of 1820, Joseph went to a
secluded woods to ask God which church he should join
•
While praying Joseph was visited by two "personages" who
identified themselves as God the Father and Jesus Christ
who told him not to join any of the churches
Joseph Smith Jr.
•
In 1823, Joseph Smith said he was visited by an angel named
Moroni, who told him of an ancient record containing God's
dealings with the former inhabitants of the American continent
•
In 1827, Joseph retrieved this record, inscribed on thin golden
plates, and shortly afterward began translating its words by the
"gift of God”
•
•
The resulting manuscript, the
Book of Mormon, was published
in March 1830
On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith organized
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and became its first president
Mormonism
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the
principal formal body embracing Mormonism
•
Over 9 million members; headquartered in Salt Lake City,
Utah
• The next largest Mormon denomination is the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
•
250,000+ members; headquartered in Independence,
Missouri
•
Reorganized Church rejects certain parts of The Book of
Mormon
Divisions and Teachings
• The Mormons are divided into what are called stakes,
which usually have about 5,000 members
•
•
•
Each stake is run by a stake president
Within each stake are wards, comprised of a few hundred
member, under a lay clergyman
Presiding over the entire church
•
Supreme council of three high priests, called the First
Presidency or the president and his counselors
•
Twelve apostles, who are equal in authority to the First
Presidency
Mormon Beliefs
• Baptism
•
•
One must be baptized in water to be saved
They believe that people have opportunities to be
“redeemed” even after they have died
•
They believe that, until the dead receive the ordinances,
they will not be able to progress in the afterlife. In order
to do this temple work, however, they need to do the
genealogical research necessary to identify the people
they will help in this way. Thus, the importance of
researching their family history
Mormon Beliefs
•
Salvation
•
Mormon theology teaches that
the atonement of Christ was
essential to our salvation and
eternal life with God
•
Besides faith in Christ, complete and permanent
repentance of all sin as well as many good works are
required
Mormon Beliefs
Heaven and Hell
•
•
Mormonism teaches that there
are three degrees of glory
•
Celestial - For good Mormons
able to cease sinning in
this lifetime,
•
Terrestrial - For good
people who do not comply
with all the teachings of
Mormonism, and
•
Telestial - For those who have lived unclean earthly lives)
Mormonism teaches that there is a hell, but only for the "sons of
perdition," a very small number of souls that cannot be
redeemed
Why am I Catholic?
•
I believe in one God (Trinity) and that Jesus’ intent was to
have one catholic and apostolic church
•
•
I believe in Jesus Christ
•
•
I believe in faith AND works for salvation
•
I believe in church structure. Churches directing themselves
creates chaos
•
I don’t believe in any of the prophets since Christ such as
Muhammad or Joseph Smith
The Catholic Church is not perfect church … no church is …
just look at all the schisms
I believe in an ordained priesthood to provide me education
and direction
Summary
• Define Religion
• Explore Various World Religions
• Examine Religions Predominant in USA
• Compare and Contrast Various Religions with
Catholicism