The Abrahamic Religions

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Judaism

the monotheistic religion of the Jews.

Anti

Semitism

bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah

"son/daughter of the commandment"; coming of age ritual

Circumcision

performed on male infants on the eight day of life

Conservative Judaism

A branch of Judaism that attempts to blend the best of old and new Judaism

Covenant

The agreements between God and Moses that made the jews God's chosen people; Jews must live up to God's covenant for a reward

The Diaspora

A dispersion of people from their homeland

Gentiles

Non-Jews

Hasidism

Movement within Orthodox Judaism that emphasizes devotion, reverence, and mythical aspect of Judaism

The Holocaust

Nazis planned slaughter of every Jew on the planet

Kabbalah

refers to Jewish mysticism

Messiah

human carnation of God

Mishnah

Teaching of the Rabbis

Moses

Most important prophet in Judaism

Moses Maimonides

Jewish rabbi, philosopher, and physician from Muslim and Spain

Common mourning rituals (3 of them)

Tearing of clothing, Mourner’s Kaddish, Shiva

Orthodox Judaism

The most traditional branch of Judaism

Passover

Eight day celebration of Jew's exodus from Egypt

The Patriarchs

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Rabbi

teacher

Reform Judaism

relaxed interpretation of the traditional values and accounts for 1/3 of Jews in today's society

Revelation/Commandments

Foundational text and where God Gave Moses the Ten Commandments

Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New Year

Sabbath

a holy day for rest and worship

Seder Feast

The high point of the Passover festival the eight day festival of passover

Shema

Prayer from the book of Deuteronomy (= “to Hear”)

Synagogue/Temple

Jewish place of worship

Talmud

Collection of Jewish law and tradition

The Tanakh

Hebrew Bible

Torah

First five books of the Hebrew Bible

Common wedding rituals (4)

Ketubah (marriage contract), the Chuppah (wedding canopy), the exchange of rings, Yichud (a private moment for the couple), and the breaking of a glass

Yahweh

Hebrew name for God

Yom Kippur

Jewish Day of Atonement

Zionism

A movement to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine

Christianity

A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus

Anglican/Church of England/Episcopalian

formed by King Henry to divorce his wives

Apocalypticism

A worldview held by many ancient Jews and Christians that maintained that the present age is controlled by forces of evil, but that these will be destroyed at the end of time when God intervenes in history to bring in his kingdom, an event thought to be imminent.

Apostle

One who is sent; follower of Jesus

Apostle's Creed

A statement (2nd most important) of the belief of the Apostles based upon the New Testament; derived from a Baptismal creed used in Rome

Bishops

Officials/successors to the apostles; in charge of one region

John Calvin

religious reformer who believed in predestination and a strict sense of morality for society

Christian Bible

Sacred writings of the Christianity

Canon

Official list of inspired books of the Bible

Catholic

“Universal”

Catholic reformation

Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation; reformed and revived Catholic doctrine.

Church

Christian place of worship

deacons

ordained minister of the catholic church

Eastern orthodox

this Christian religion broke away from the Roman church when it would not accept the authority of the Pope as the head of the church

Ecumenism

The movement to restore unity among all Christians

Eucharist

body and blood of christ

Gospel

“good news”

Grace

God's presence freely given

Golden Rule

Treat others the way you want to be treated

Heresies

Beliefs contrary to official Church teachings

Holy Spirit

3rd person in the Trinity

Incarnation

God is fully human and fully divine

Indulgences

Paying off of ones’ sins

Martin Luther

Founded the lutheran church bc he was upset with the Indulgences going on in the Catholic Church

Martyrs

“witness;” refers to those who were put to death because of their religious beliefs

Nicene Creed

Formal Profession of Faith recited at Mass (most important statement)

Orthodox

in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things

Parables

Short stories that use everyday images to communicate religious messages.

Pope

Head of the Roman Catholic Church

Predestination

Calvin's religious theory that God has already planned out a person's life.

Presbyters (Priests)

elders

protestant reformation

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches.

Second coming/final judgement

Parousia

Second Vatican Council

A conference of bishops from around the world called by St. John XXIII to consider the Church in the modern world. It took place from 1962 to 1965.

The Holy Trinity

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Islam

surrender and Submission

al

fana

Allah

God of Islam

Caliphs

the military and political leaders of the Muslim community who succeeded Muhammad after his death

Day of Judgement

The five Pillars

beliefs that all Muslims needed to carry out: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage

Hajj

Pilgrimage to Mecca

hijab

a headscarf worn by Muslim women

The Hijra

The Migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622, marking the founding of Islam

Imam

leader of the Friday worship service who directs prayers and delivers a sermon

imam

sheikh on the other hand can refer to a religious scholar an elder or the leader of a community.

Ishmael

Son of Abraham and Hagar

Jihad

the spiritual struggle within oneself against sin

Ka'ba

built by Abraham and regarded by Muslims as the sacred center of the earth

Al Madhi

Third of the Abbasid caliph; failed to resolve problem of succession

Mecca

the holiest city of Islam; Muhammad's birthplace

Minaret

A distinctive feature of mosque architecture, a tower from which the faithful are called to worship.

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship

Muhammad

Arab prophet; founder of religion of Islam.

Muslim

A follower of Islam

People of the book

Jews and Christians

Qur'an

The holy book of Islam

Ramadan

the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset.

Seal of the prophets

Name recognizing Muhammad as the last and greatest prophet.

The Shahada

Declaration of faith

shari'a

Islamic law

Shaykh

A teacher and master in Islam

shi'i

the division of Islam dominant in Iraq and Iran, originating as a result of an early dispute over leadership; distinguishable from Sunni Islam mainly by its figure of the Imam and strong messianic expectations

sufi

The branch of Islam that believes in a more mystical connection with Allah.

The Sunna

Teachings and writing of Muhammad recorded in the Hadith