World History/Geo October 7th, 2015 Warm Up: What is religion? Religion • Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, and beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community • Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, a philosophy of life, and a worldview. • Monotheistic-one god • Polytheistic- multiple gods • Over 4,000 religions in the world • Five major religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Most Popular Religions • Christianity: 1.9 billion people • Islam: 1.1 billion • Hinduism: 800 million • Buddhism: 325 million • Judaism: 13 million The Spread of Religion • How Religion Spread Judaism • Monotheistic belief in God • also called Yahweh (YHWH – I am), sometimes written in English Bible translations as Jehovah (some Jews prefer not to write out His name as that would violate the Third Commandment – Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.) Jews also call Him Adonai, which means Lord • Began with Abraham, who was called out of the land of Ur in Mesopotamia, to the land of Canaan, which is where present day Israel is located. • Following the Law of God given to the people by Moses (which is why it is sometimes called the Law of Moses) • Following scriptures such as the Torahand Talmud Is “Jewish” a Religious or Ethnic Identity? Yes and no. Being Jewish can mean you are a part of a religious movement. However, the great majority of Jews become a part of the religious movement through birth and not due to their beliefs or actions. In this way, being Jewish is like being a citizen of a religious movement. A Jewish identity is automatically bestowed on the babies of Jewish mothers. And this identity stays with them throughout life no matter what they believe or how they act. A person who was born to a Jewish mother or has gone through the conversion process is considered a Jew even if he or she does not believe in Judaism and does not observe Jewish practices. Thus, there are non-religious Jews or secular Jews. A person who was not born to a Jewish mother or has not gone through the conversion process is not considered a Jew even if he or she believes in Judaism and observes Jewish practices. Thus, the conversion process is a very meaningful because it is the only way for a non-Jew to become Jewish. Judaism Key Terms • Abraham- The Hebrew patriarch from whom all Jews trace their descent • The first founder of Judaism • Physical and spiritual ancestor of the Jewish people • Father of the faith • Covenant- is an agreement found in the bible between God and His people in which God makes specific promises and demands • Moses- He is the most important prophet in Judaism. Moses is the leader who freed them from slavery in Egypt. Moses protected the Jews from the wrath of God, and negotiated with God on their behalf. Judaism Key Terms • Torah- the most holy Jewish book. It’s the first five books of the Hebrew Bible • • • • • Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy • Torah is stored inside the Ark and no one is allowed to touch the Torah • Yahweh- Hebrew name of God • Hanukkah- A Jewish festival, lasting eight days from the 25th day of Kislev (in December) and commemorating the rededication of the Temple in 165 BC by the Maccabees after its desecration by the Syrians. Judaism: Basic Worldview • Universe is made by God but is an arena for humans to live in and enjoy, exercising free will, in cooperation with God’s guidance. • God is the omnipotent, sovereign, personal, all-good Creator. • People were created by God to follow His Will which can improve the human condition until a paradisal age is reached • • The Jewish life is one of duty and deed; it is what you do to improve the here and now that matters – the idea of “storing up treasure for heaven” is unknown to the Jew (This is a Christian concept). Jews believe that they are born in grace, live in grace, and that they will die in grace (sin is not a fact of birth, it is a matter of choice). Judaism: Destiny of the World • Will be led by God through various historical periods • A messiah that has been prophesied about will come in and lead the world into a paradisal state Judaism: What Is Expected of Humans? • To honor and serve God by following the Law of Moses in letter or spirit • To maintain the identity of the people • To promote the ethical vision of the great prophets and humanitarians • Jewish customs are followed in the home as well as in the place of worship. As we watch this clip, take notes! • Judaism World History/Geo th Wednesday Oct 7 , 2015 • Warm Up: List and describe as many key terms and ideas as you can remember from yesterday. NO LOOKING BACK IN YOUR NOTES!! Christianity • Based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ • Originated in Palestine in the 1st century AD • Believe that Jesus was the son of God who came and died for people’s sins and then rose so that all people could be saved • Believe in one God(monotheistic) who created the universe and all things in it • Christianity originally developed as a part of Judaism Christianity Christianity • As we watch this film, take at least 8 notes. Focus on the development and impact of Christianity. (Make your notes legit) LETS WATCH CRASH COURSE!!!!!!!! • Christianity • As we watch, take notes and be sure to answer: • What are the main concepts that are key to Christianity?