Judaism, Islam, Christianity

ethnical way to join Judaism

matrilineal and can be non-practicing

Kabbalah

Jewish mysticism, teaches that God can best be known through the heart, developed mainly in the medieval period with texts like the Zohar

Mishnah

written down in 200, contains collected teachings of rabbis of the preceding 4 centuries, most important text of the oral Torah along with the Talmud

rabbi

my teacher in hebrew

Rosh Hashanah

the beginning of the year in hebrew

Shema

(hear in hebrew) from deuteronomy 6:4, judaism's basic statement of monotheism: Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.

Talmud

(study or knowledge in hebrew) the vast depository of the oral Torah, based on the Mishnah with extensive rabbinic commentary on each chapter, palestinian and babylonian versions

Diaspora

(dispersion in greek) the situation of jews living away from their ancestral homeland, has been true for most jews since the classical period

Hasidism

(pious in hebrew) a form of judaism that arose in eastern europe in the 18th century, emphasizes mysticism, a personal relationship with God, a close-knit community, and the leadership of the zaddik

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

son/daughter of the commandment in hebrew

Tanakh

common way of referring to the Hebrew Bible, derived from the first letters of the Hebrew names of its 3 sections: Torah, Prophets (N), Writings (K)

Torah

(instruction in hebrew) the revelation of God's will to the people specifically the divine law, first 5 books of the Bible

Yom Kippur

day of atonement in hebrew

religious way to join Judaism

non-missionary religion and is difficult, will be turned down three times before a yes

Hebrews

name for Jews while Abraham fled to Egypt

Israelite

name for Jews during the kingdom of Israel

Jewish people

name for Jews during the Kingdom of Judea to today

Orthodox Jew practices

conservative dress, kosher diet, rest on Sabbath, lunar calendar, male rabbis only, gender segregated synagogue, Bar Mitzvah only

Reformed Jewish Sect

Jewish reform in the 19th century in Germany and Western Europe

Reformed Jewish practices

kosher optional, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, female and male rabbis

Conservative Jewish

half-way point between orthodox and reform, started 20th century in America, fewer female rabbis, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, kosher diet

Reconstructionist Jew

most liberal sect of Judaism

cities of chief rabbis

Jerusalem, NYC, Telaviv

Sephardic Jews

started in Spain, Sepharad means Spain in Hebrew, Ladino language (blend of Hebrew and other languages), 1492

Ashkenazic Jews

Germany and Eastern Europe, Holocaust, Yiddish

Jewish Bankers

became very economically successful in a time that Christianity dominated, not able to own land, received hate for being more successful than Christians, chased out of their kingdoms without their money

Blood Libel accusations

a word used against Jews in a Christian world, belief that Jews killed babies and drank their blood, accused for killing Jesus

Nuremburg Laws

laws passed before the Holocaust by Hitler that caused Jews in Germany to lose civil rights

Kristallnacht

night of broken glass

People of the Book

the name for Jews in a world dominated by Islam in 630, Muslims believed Jews had some things right some wrong but no significant prejudice and Jews could attain high government positions

Jewish Abrahamic Lineage

Abram/Abraham -> Isaac -> Jacob/Israel -> Joseph -> Moses

First 3 Kings of Israel

Saul -> David -> Solomon

Abrahamic Religions

Islam, Judaism, Christianity, religions based on Abraham's lineage KNOW THE STORY AND LINEAGE

Israel's split

Israel becomes the Northern Kingdom and Judea becomes the Southern Kingdom

Israel after the split

northern kingdom, new line of kings, new centers of worship, Assyria, 10 tribes

Judea after the split

southern kingdom, Davidic kings keep the right temple, only include tribe of Judah and Benjamin, Babylonian captivity for 70 years

kingdoms with control of Israel

Babylon, Persia, Greece (Alexander the Great and Maccabees), Rome (gospels), Sadduccees, Zealots, Crusade States, Arab Empires, Ottoman Empire, British Empire, State of Israel after WW2

al-fana

(extinction in Arabic) the extinction of one's sense of separate existence before achieving union with Allah, the aim of sufi mystics

caliphs

(successors in arabic) the military and political leaders of the muslim community who succeeded Muhammad after his death

imam

(leader in arabic) the leader of the friday worship service who directs the prayers and delivers a sermon

Imam in Shi'i Islam

an early successor to Muhammad and leader of Islam believed to have spiritual insight, there are 12

jihad

(exertion or struggle in arabic) sometimes counted as the sixth pillar of Islam, the general spiritual struggle to be a devout Muslim, armed struggle (holy war) for the sake of Islam (Quran supports only in self defense)

mosque

the muslim place or building of worship, traditionally including a prayer hall and courtyard with towers called minarets at the corners

Shari'a

the divine law, derived from the Quran and the Sunna, encompassing all and settling forth in detail how Muslims are to live

shaykh

a teacher and master of islam such as the leader of an order in Sufism

Umma

(community in arabic) the community of all Muslims

6 Basic Islam Beliefs

Allah, 2 angels, Quran to recite, prophets, Day of Judgement, Predestination

Allah

all-knowing, only god, omnipotent (all-powerful), no shape (not seen or heard), has no family or trinity, not created by a being

2 angels belief

Mohammad got his message from Gabriel

Quran

(recitation in arabic) 114 chapters, only read in Arabic, Sunna and Hadith, written down quickly, ethical and social guidance, beauty is appreciated

Sunna

(custom or tradition in arabic) practices and examples of prophets

Hadith

what Mohammad approved

prophets in Islam

Abram, Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Dawud (David), Isa (Jesus), Mohammad

Jesus in Islam

prophet, son of God but not God, not crucified because God wouldn't let that happen, will come again, second most important prophet

Islam Abrahamic Lineage

Abram/Abraham -> Ishamel

Seal of the Prophets

Mohammad

Day of Judgement

day when every life will be assessed to go to Heaven or Hell and some people can redeem themselves from Hell

Predestination

belief that God knows what you will do and free will determines whether you will go to Heave or Hell

5 Pillars of Islam

profession of faith, pray 5 times a day, paying alms, fasting during Ramadan, Hajj

Shahada

(witnessing in arabic) the first of the 5 pillars, confession of faith, central creedal statement of Islam: there is no god except God. Muhammad is the messenger of God

Ramadan

a holiday where you cannot wear leather, eat or drink and Eid al-Fitr ends the fast

Hajj

the required Islam pilgrimage to Mecca if you can afford it and are physically able to go

Muhammad

founder of Islam, from Mecca, not divine, illiterate merchant but interested in religious questions until Angel Gabriel came to him in a cave, honored with a cloud or bright blue in paintings

Yathrib

the place where Mohammad found refuge after the death of his wife, Khadijha, eventually became Medina

Hijra

(emigration in arabic) Mohammad's journey to Yathrib that shows his humanity

Ka'ba

a place of trade in Mecca centered around deities, said that Abraham built it, place of peace during conflict

Mohammad's return to Mecca

fought three bloody battles until Mecca fell to Mohammad in 630 and he embraced the Meccans while also breaking apart the tribal system

Sunni Islam

80% of Muslim population, 40% of population in Iraq, anyone can be caliph, no saints, pray 5 times a day

Sufi Islam

an adherent of Sufism, the form of Islam characterized by a mystical approach to Allah who is experienced inwardly

Shia Islam

(partisans of ali) 20% of all Muslim population, 60% of population in Iraq, only descendants of Mohammad can be caliph, saints and shrines, pray 3 times a day

different Orthodox Churches

Greek, Russian, Serbian, Oriental (pope of Alexandria)

sects of Protestantism

mainline, evangelical, fundamentalist, anglican, baptist, lutheran

heresies before the Council of Nicaea

Jesus gave secret knowledge to Judas, your body is evil because it causes you pain, heresy of Aryanism

beliefs established after Council of Nicaea

the trinity, Jesus's divinity, two different churches established after

Eastern/Oriental Orthodox Church

created 451, broke away 1054, Alexandria, Egypt, don't believe Pope of Rome is supreme and infallible, led by ecumenical patriarch of constantinople

beliefs of Eastern/Oriental Orthodox

married men can become priests, allow divorce and 3 remarriages, different color priest garments, Eucharist fed by spoon, churches must look pretty

Orthodox Filioque

holy spirit proceeds from the father not the son, church supremacy and infallibility but not papal supremacy and infallibility

three most important cities of Christianity

Rome, Alexandria, Antioch

significance of Rome in Christianity

peter died here, Capital of the West

significance of Alexandria in Christianity

Peter's disciple Mark was the first Bishop and it is the Capital of Africa

significance of Antioch in Christianity

Peter became the first bishop, Capital of the East

Russian Orthodox Church

started when Prince Vladimir of Kiev converted to Orthodoxy in 998 to spread Eastern Catholicism to Russia, becomes its own church in 1448

Protestantism

formed by Martin Luther and 95 theses, no metaphysical reality in the Eucharist, Double Predestination, 5 solas

Martin Luther

founder of Protestantism, originally an Augustinian monk, expert in the letters of St. Paul, hard time believing he was forgiven

5 Solas

sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, sola christus, sola deo gloria

Sola Scriptura

scripture alone, papacy is not part of the faith because it is not explicitly in the Bible

Sola Fide

faith alone will save you, low view of human will

Sola Gratia

salvation alone

Sola Christus

christ alone

Sola Deo Gloria

glory to God alone

Double Predestination

by John Calvin, you are destined for Heaven or Hell

Protestant work ethic

when Puritans go to America, they get very little break from work, Prosperity Gospel (God wants you to be rich)

Anglican Church

closest to Catholic, 7 sacraments

Baptist Church

more unified, slightly closer to Catholic than Fundamentalist and Evangelical

Lutheran Church

have bishops and federations, slightly further from Catholic than Anglican

Fundamentalist/Evangelical

furthest from Catholic

apocalypticism

(revelation in greek), a common Jewish religious perspective of Jesus' time, the world had come under the control of evil forces and was heading toward a climactic end when God would intervene, prominent in early Christianity

apostle

messenger in Greek

canon

(rule in greek), an authoritative set of sacred writings such as the new testament

catholic

universal in greek