Major Belief Systems In the Classical Period (up to 600 CE)

JUDAISM

Judeo-Christian values

  • morals based on Biblical Truths

  • sanctity of human life

  • personal responsibility

  • high regard for marriage

  • Compassion for others

  • Universal morality, not relative

  • Moral and ethics based on God of the Bible

SIDE NOTE - Abrahamic Religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity

(began in the middle east)

Mount Moriah 

  • dome on the rock, Jerusalem

  • sacred area where the Jewish Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock are

INTRODUCTION

  • Hebrews introduce monotheism into a world of polytheism

  • God has attributes that are eternal, yet compassionate to humans

  • God desires a relationship with his people

  • “Judaism” comes from Judah, one of the sons of Israel and the southern kingdom

  • Christianity emerged from Judaism

Abraham

  • Ur of Mesopotamia

  • Patriarch of Hebrew People

  • Faith in God

  • Covenant with God to create a nation through him

  • Son of Jacob becomes "Israel"

Essential Beliefs of Judaism

  • One God

  • Divinely chosen people - covenant

  • Promise land

  • Legal System

  • Sacred Traditions:

Hanukka: (December) Maccabean Revolt 164 BCE against Seleucid Empire

Rosh Hashanah: (September) New Year

Passover: (March-April) God spared Israel when the Angel of Death passed through Egypt

Yom Kippur: (September) Day of Atonement (Moses at Mt Sinai)

Tanakh

  • Torah - first 5 books of the Bible

  • Nevi’im: book of the Prophets (Isaiah, Nehemiah, Ezra)

  • Ketuivum: historical, poetic and philosophical writings (Ruth, Esther, Proverbs, Psalms)

  • All of the old testament

  • Christians accept all of the Tanakh as the Old Testament

  • Considered the literal word of God

Jewish Diaspora

  • Diaspora - spread of (one of the largest)

  • Nation of Israel was not established until 1948 (post WWII)

  • No significant number of Jews in Judea until 20th century

  • Jews remained distinct in new settlements

  • Flourished as well as faced persecutions

Jewish population mostly in Mediterranean and Middle East (mostly controlled by Rome)

Christianity

Palestine at the time of Jews

  • Christian sect within Judaism emerged

  • Herod the Great was given rule

  • Reign of Augustus (27 BC to 14 CE)

  • Pax Romana

Christianity

  • Messiah that was prophesied in the old testament

  • Jesus as the Son of Man who died to atone for the sins of mankind

  • Disciples spread the message and record Jesus’ message (New Testament)

  • The early church was formed throughout the Roman empire.

Growth of the Church

  • Apostle Peter leads the church

  • James, brother of Jesus leads the church in Jerusalem

  • Churches grew despite initial persecution

  • Attracted people of lower classes

  • By 250 Christians had grown significantly

Emperor Constantine’s Conversion

  • 312 CE - Battle of Milvian Bridge

  • 313 CE - Edict of Milan

  • Christianity is legalized in the Roman empire

Monasteries in Rose

  • Decentralized Rome

  • Growth in monasteries, covents

  • Church leaders provided leadership during instability

  • Many Germanic groups converted in Western Europe

ISLAM

The People of the Arabian Peninsula: nomadic, (very arid land), camels thrive in this area, Semitic-speaking people (Jews and Arabs) (Semitic languages derive from Shem), harsh environment created nomadic culture and tribal clans

  • Hagar’s branch of Abraham

Trade

  • Mecca became rich

  • From caravan trade

  • Domestication of camels enable travel across the deserts

  • Creation of camel saddle

  • Merchants became rich (Muhummad)

Early Religion

  • Most Arabs were polytheistic

  • Ka’Ba used to be a place of idols

  • Mecca was the center of pagan worship

  • Black stone

  • Sacred place of worship

  • Believed Abraham built an altar with Ishmael here

  • Black stone believed to be corrupted by Adam

  • Grand mosque

  • Practicing muslims will walk around the ka’ba

  • Typically wear white robes and circle it

  • No race, language, or money division

Black stone ka’ba

  • Debate: Stone given to Adam and darkened with sin or stone found by Abraham with Ismail as they built the Ka’ba and brought to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel

Origins of the Quran

  • Muhummad last of the prophets spoken to by God, he begins preaching, gets revelations from Gabriel. Muhummad preaches until he dies, only after is the Quran written, 

  • Muhammad received revelation from the angel Gabriel

  • 622 - Hijra: Muhammad flees Mecca for Medina. Starting point of the Islamic calendar (354 days - lunar)

  • Muhammad’s revelations were compiled after his death

“Recitation” 

  • Muslims believe it contains the word of God

  • Contains ethical guidelines and laws

  • A true Quran is written in arabic (unlike other religions who want it in a languages)

Five Pillars of Islam

  • Shahada (the creed)

  • Salat (Prayer)

  • Sawm (fasting)

  • Hajj (Pilgrimage)

  • Zakat (Almsgiving)

  • There is only one God, Allah and Muhammad is his prophets

  • Pray to allah 5x a day facing mecca

  • Fast during daylight month of ramadan (commemorate recording of the holy text)

  • Give to charity to help the poor

  • Hajj - pilgrimage to Mecca

Jihad - struggle to strive in the way of Allah (similar to Christianity)

  • Jesus was considered a prophet in Islam, just not the last, they believe Muhammad was the last, 

Central Belief System

  • Monotheistic

  • Afterlife depends on your submission to Allah

  • Muhammad was not divine, but a man

  • Muhammad’s face should not be shown (VERY IMPORTANT)

  • Islam is God’s final revelation for mankind

  • Must follow the five pillars

HINDUISM

  • Fall of Harappa 1500 BC

  • 1500-700 BC transitional phase of Indo-Euro migrants called Aryans

  • Distinguished themselves from the indigenous Indians (Dravidians)

The Vedas

  • Literary epics of the aryan passed as oral tradition

  • Written in sanskrit

  • Rig-Veda - oldest epic

Epics Evolve

  • Mesh and combine with native stories – Syncretism

  • 1000-600 BC new stories develop

  • Battles, fights with Gods, etc.

  • Syncretism of beliefs with natives produce more mystical epics

  • Mahabharata, Ramayan, and Upanishads

  • Stories of heroism, battles, and gods

  • Foundation of culture

  • Shaped of caste system

Major Tenets of Hinduism

  • Polytheistic

  • Nodoctrinal- No major text like the bible

  • Religious rituals and sacrifice to appease gods

  • Basic overarching tenets

  • Practice of faith is left to the individual

KARMA (you reap what you sow)

  • Destiny determined by your behavior on earth

Moksha (freedom from karma)

  • Liberation from the physical incarnation through asceticism and meditation

  • Deny oneself of pleasure to merge with Brahman

Dharma (duty)

  • Behavior consistent with one’s caste and status

  • Duty and conduct


  • Where initial parts of the caste system are built into, political and social status

  • Syncretism → hinduism and islam

BUDDHISM

South Asia (India)

  • Siddartha Gautama, 563 BC

  • Salvation through destruction of self

  • Does not believe in a deity

  • Nirvana

  • Meditation of self control

  • Free yourself from mental and physical aspects of life to achieve true happiness

  • Denied caste system and authority of priests

Spread through Indian, west and east

Tenets of Buddhism

  • Life is suffering

  • Desire causes suffering

  • Suffering ends when you eliminate desire

  • Disciplined life in accordance to the noble eightfold path eliminates desire

  • (very focused of individualism, think E + R = O)

Monasteries and stupas depending on location

Bodhisattvas (Tibetan)

  • Individuals who had reached spiritual perfection and merited the reward nirvana but who intentionally delayed their entry to help others

  • Dalai Lama

Variations of Buddhism

  • Mahayana “the greater vehicle”

  • Asia and East Asia

  • Bodhisattvas

  • Many can attain salvation

  • Wide range in approach to enlightenment through Bodhisattvas, service, and hard work

  • Theraveda

  • Southeast Asia

  • Closer to original form of Buddhism

  • Buddha is not worshipped

  • Liberation of self

CONFUCIANISM

  • Kong Qiu “Confucius” 551 BC - 478 BC

Basic Tenets of Confucianism

  • Tradition, patriarchal, obedience and respect

  • Social classes, how leaders keep those classes in line, confucianism the trend setter

  • No deity

  • Virtuous life produces political leaders

  • Reverence for tradition

  • Social superiors

  • Patriarchal system

  • Obedience and respect

  • Modest and non-excessive living

  • Love and wisdom

(Very nepotistic)

DAOISM (TAOISM)

Period of the Warring States 475-221 BC

  • Critics of confucianism

  • Founder was a sage named laozi (6th c BC)

  • Reflection introspection

  • “Dao” means the way

  • Understand the natural world and be in harmony through the dao meaning, "the way"

  • Dao governed the world, humans had to tailor their behavior to its nature

  • Cease from frantic striving and live with a sense of selfless detachment

  • Disengage from affairs of the world

FOunder of Daoism Laozi

“Bearing and nurturing, creating but not owning, giving without demanding, controlling without authority, this is love.”


“Empty the self completely; embrace perfect peace. The world will rise and move; watch it return to rest. All the flourishing things will return to their source.”


  • Yin yang symbol

“Love nurtures us, nature shapes us, circumstance completes us.”

“Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace.”

Emphasis on nature