Traditional/Indigenous Religion
Regionally practiced
Lack of religious texts
Ceremonies usually involve nature, music and dance
Shamanism
religious leader who uses altered states to speak to “Spirit world” - Witch doctors
Animism
spirits inhabit all things
Spiritualism
Brazil - connect to dead through “mediums”
Pantheism
sacred being of nature itself
Henotheism
multiple gods but devotion to specific one
Dualism
belief in two supreme opposed powers or gods, or sets of divine or demonic beings, that caused the world to exist
Ethnic Religion
regionally practiced - but more formalized (specific text, ceremonies involve after-life and social issues) - identified with specific ethnicities
Universal Religion
religion attempting to diffuse throughout the world; spread mostly by missionaries
Syncretic religion
religion with different traditions combined together
Atheist
lack of belief in a God/gods
Agnostic
don’t know if there’s a god/gods and/or if it’s possible to know
Dogma
“holy texts”
Metaphysics/-ical
study of supernatural beings and complexity of mind and thought (something outside of human sense perception)
Supernatural
“above nature”
Secular
non-religious/worldly
Judaism
Oldest of monotheistic religions
Based on written histories and teachings from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)
Tanakh has three parts
Torah (The Teaching)
Nevi’im (The Prophets)
Ketuvim (The Writings)
Historically and geographically centered in Canaan/Israel/Levant
Covenant
agreement
Abraham (Ibrahim)
considered first patriarch of Judaism (and of the 3 “Abrahamic Faiths”)
covenant with God → worship only God to bless descendants & allow them to multiply
moved the people to Canaan (Jordan River Valley) but eventually forced out because of drought → wanderers
Sarah
a wife of Abraham; had Isaac (younger son)
Isaac
Sarah’s son; had sons who became tribal leaders of Jews → Christ/Christianity
Hagar
a wife of Abraham; had Ishmael (older son)
Ishmael
son of Hagar; became Father of Arabs → Muhammad/Islam
Anatolia
modern name is Asia Minor (apart of Turkey)
Canaan
Jordan River Valley; Promised Land of Israelites; “Land of Milk and Honey”
Modern states of Israel, Lebanon, western Syria ~2000-1700 BCE
The Levant
first was reference to ancient lands along eastern coast of Mediterranean Sea in Old Testament (made up of kingdoms)
Hebrew/Hebrews
descendants of patriarchs of Hebrew Bible
Israel
aka Canaan
Reason why Hebrews left Canaan for Egypt
Food shortage
Messiah
the promised “anointed one” or Christ; the Savior
Exodus
Moses led the departure of the Israelites from Egypt
Moses
Lived in Egypt during “the exile” Yahweh → Moses is going to be more powerful than Egyptian Pantheon
10 plagues → Israelites saves first born by marking doors with sacrificial lamb → basis of Passover
led group from Egypt to Sinai Peninsula ~1250 BCE
parted the Red Sea to travel out of Egypt
10 Commandments and Mosaic Laws given to Moses during “the exile” Obedience → God = protection & formation of national group with religious purpose
Passover
March or April (usually around Easter) - week long celebration
Observance deliverance of Jewish people from Egypt led by Moses
Days of rest & traditional meals
Seder
Held on first or second night of Passover
Religious service set around dinner table
Prescribed by Haggadah
Order in which participants eat, pray, drink wine, sing, discuss current social justice issues and tell stories
Yom Kippur
10 days after Rosh Hashanah
Holiest of all days
“Day of Atonement”
Fast for 24 hrs, prayer and repentance
Mosaic Law
bunch of laws given to Moses from God during “the exile”
Judea
Holy Land
Jesus’s birthplace
Around Jerusalem
place where 2 out of 12 Tribes of Israel came
Israel
son of Isaac
one of 3 patriarchs
original name was Jacob
Israel marks his people’s special relationship with one God
sons creates 12 Tribes of Israel
12 Tribes of Israel
sons of Israel
blessings to each son
each have a tribe in Canaan
10 in Israel (North)
2 in Judea (South)
Judges
successful individuals chosen from a different tribe in Israel
chosen by God to rescue the people from their enemies and establish justice and the practice of the Torah amongst the Hebrews
Saul
first king of Israel
at first appointed king by Samuel (last of the judges)
ultimately rejected because of obedience to God
wanted to slay David
failed & David was successful
David
appointed to be king after Saul disobeys God
Saul wants to slay David
David leads army
David vs. Goliath
David wins
made king in Judah
first king in Jerusalem
Solomon
David’s son
built palaces and temples
some have golden inner walls
death → foreign invaders have control of Israel
Babylonian Captivity
fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies
King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon holds Jews in captivity
Babylon = God’s agent of judgment against Israel for sins & rebellion
King Cyrus of Persia → Jews → Israel after 70 yrs ~537 BC
Diaspora
Babylonian Exile → dispersion of Jews among Gentiles outside Palestine (present- day Israel)
Synagogue
houses of prayer/places of worship
Chanukah
November or December
Festival of Lights
Celebration of reconquering 2nd Temple from Syrians
They only enough oil for one day but lasted for eight
Menorah
light one candle for each day
receive gifts for each day
Inquisitions
Catholic courts established to find and punish heretics
Many Jews killed during Spanish Inquisition
Pogroms
outbreaks of anti-Jewish violence by non-Jewish street mobs
term first used in Russian Empire (1881-1884)
occurred during and after World War II & early 20th century
Ghettos
enclosed districts that isolated Jews from the non-Jewish population and other Jewish communities
Poland
Before WWII - where did the majority of Jews live?
Jesus Christ
born during time of Roman rule in Bethlehem
born 0 AD/BC (+/- a few years)
born of Joseph and Mary of Bethlehem
Story of Immaculate Conception
Angel Gabriel tells Mary she will have child of importance — Son of God → basis of Christmas
Edict of Milan
permanently established religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire
Constantine
issued Edict of Milan in 313 CE
first to convert to Christianity
created Constantinople
Great Schism
Roman church divided between two and ultimately three competing popes → denounced heresy and excommunicated each other
Italian pope = real pope (frfr no cap)
Crusades
series of religious battles between Christians and Muslims
goal was to claim holy sites for both sides (specifically Holy Land)
Reconquista
Christian Spain’s attempt to expel all Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula
Reformation
religious reform movement
1500s
resulted because of creation of Protestantism (branch of Christianity)
led by Martin Luther (95 Theses)
Counter (Catholic) Reformation
Catholic Church’s steps to oppose growth of Protestantism
Muhammad
Last prophet of Allah
Lived during time of lawlessness and violence
Arabs worshiped 360 different gods
Caravan driver → merchant later
Met Khadijah → becomes his wife
610 CE - Mt. Hira - heard a voice telling him to “Proclaim” from Angel Gabriel
620 CE - traveled to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem → Heaven
Conversation with Allah became Qur’an (Holy Text)
Duty as last prophet to spread word
Wasn’t received well and actually ostracized for a while
630 CE - returns to Mecca and proclaims “Truth has come and falsehood has vanished.”
Goes to Kaaba and removes statues of 365 gods
States Allah is only God worshiped in Kaaba
Dedicates Black Stone to Allah
Says he is poisoned and dies in 632 CE
Calls all of followers to hillside for speech
Declares does not want to be worshiped and is just messenger
Debate of successor between Abu Bakr (friend) and Ali (cousin)
Khadijah
wife of Muhammad
Anno Hijra “The Year of Flight”
emigration of Prophet Muhammad and 70 Muslims from Makkah to Madinah
Madinah: where Muslims first attained religious and political autonomy
Hijirah occurred on 1 Muharram 1 according to Islamic calendar (July 16, AD 622 on Gregorian calendar)
Named “hijri” after its epoch
Kaaba
sacred shrine which housed the images of many Arab gods
Mecca
Birthplace of Islamic prophet Muhammad
Only Muslims are allowed to enter because it is sacred
Medina
Muhammad’s tomb
Celebrated as place where Muhammad established Muslim community after flight from Mecca (622 AD)
ZamZam Well
Water is believed to be blessed holy water
Miraculously generated water when Hagar and Ishmael (Abraham’s son) were left in the desert
Archangel Gabriel
Archangel sent to various prophets by God
Islam
Religion with fastest growing population
Qur’an, Quran, Koran
Islamic Holy book
Believed to contain exact word of God as it was revealed to Muhammad
Authority on all subjects (religion, law, politics, economics, social life)
Allah
“the God”
One and only God in Islam
Caliph
Islamic state’s supreme religious and political leaderr
Considered spiritual leader of entire Muslim population in world
Sultan
Head of state and government
Words were the Law
Responsible only to Allah and God’s Law (Seriat)
Abu Bakr
Friend of Muhammad
Ali Hussen
Cousin of Muhammad
Sunni
Believe Muhammad’s successor should be Abu Bakr
Think Muhammad did not explicitly declare a successor
Shia/Shiite
Believe Muhammad’s successor should be Ali Hussein
Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj
5 Pillars of Islam
Shahada
The creed
“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.”
Muslims must proclaim their belief in one God and accept that God revealed his message to Muhammad. Honor must be given to the prophets Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muhammad is considered the last and the most important prophet. Muhammad is to be honored but not worshiped as a God.
Salat
During prayer, one must face the holy city of Mecca. Each prayer time takes from 10 - 15 minutes. The 5 daily prayers are:
Fajr - Dawn, before sunrise
Dhuhr - Midday
Asr - Late part of afternoon
Maghrib - Sunset
Isha - between sunset and midnight
Vary based on time/calendar
Muslims pray on prayer rug (or small portable version)
Zakat
Giving alms to the poor
People should give money, clothing and food to various charities
Basic concept is rich giving to poor
In Saudi Arabia estimate of 2.5% of income
Sawm
Fasting from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan
Ramadan is 9th month of lunar year and is 30 days long
Required to fast from dusk to dawn
Summer months = longest fasting period due to daylight
Hajj
Making pilgrimage to Mecca once during lifetime
Ramadan
9th month of lunar year
30 days long
Fast from sunrise to sunset
Holy month
Celebrate first time God revealed words of Koran to Muhammad
Eid al Fitr
Marks end of Ramadan
Celebrated during first three days of Shawwāl (10th month of Islamic calendar)
Holy festival
Performance of communal prayer at daybreak on its first day
Jihad
within one’s self to be good
to expel false gods
To spread the religion to heretics (non-believers)
Sejuk Turks
12 C Steppe horsemen (nomadic) - accept Islam - spread Islam through Warrior expansion (imperialism) from MENA to Indus Valley
Ottoman Empire
Take over Seljuk expansion - centered in Istanbul - spread Islam from Spain to India
Cleric (Mullah)
a Holy or learned man- one who can read and interpret the Quran (Sunni)
Imam
a religious leader. Sunnis call all their religious leaders Imams while Shias have designated 12 innocent Imams.
Ayatollah
highest and most sacred order of Shia
Sultan
Islamic warlord - controls an Islamic area
Sultanate
an area controlled by Islamic leadership
Hinduism
Showed people how to live by Henotheistic beliefs “written texts” - The Vedas
Believed to have been brought by Aryans during “Vedic Period” (~1500 BCE)
Caste system introduced into society
Harappans
Inhabitants of ancient Indus Valley civilization
Aryans
Believed to have brought Hinduism from Caucasus Mtns. - “Vedic Period” (~1500 BCE)
Sanskrit
Primary sacred language of Hinduism
Brahman
Universal soul
All things come from Brahman; all things return to Brahman
Divided into 3 gods (the Trimurti) - Pantheistic
Brahma
Vishnu
Shiva
Brahmin
Top class (caste)
Priests, educators, judges, academics
Wealthy and high in status
Hold the highest/best jobs
Brahma
the Creator
Vishnu
the Preserver