Download Ancient World Religions

Ancient
World
Religions
Due Aug 9
In ancient times, religion consisted of regular rituals based on a belief in higher supernatural
entities who created and continued to maintain the world and surrounding cosmos. These
entities were usually anthropomorphic (having human characteristics) and behaved in ways
which mirrored the values of the culture closely or sometimes engaged in acts opposed to those
values (as one sees with the gods of Greece).
There are also groups such as Ancient China that
practiced a mix of animism - which is the worldview that
non-human entities such as animals, plants, and
inanimate objects possess a spiritual essence – and
anthromorphism. One can see this in their reverence
of animals or dragons.
Three of the world's major religions that are still practiced today -- the traditions of Judaism, Hinduism,
and Buddhism -- were all born in Asia or the Middle East and were all birthed in Ancient Civilization.
Judaism
Vocabulary
Using a dictionary or
the textbook, write the
word with its
corresponding
definition in your
notebook.
1. Monotheistic
2. Polytheistic
3. Scripture
4. Sacred
5. temple
6. Torah
7. Vedas
8. caste
9. reincarnation
10. Buddha
Judaism is the oldest surviving
monotheistic religion, arising in
the eastern Mediterranean in
the second millennium B.C.E.
Most of what we know about
the early history of the
Hebrews is contained in the
first five books of the Hebrew
Bible, called the “Torah” which
is considered by Jews as the
most sacred writings in their
tradition. Christians also respect them as part of the Holy Bible.
Abraham, originally named Abram, was directed by God to leave
his own country of Ur for another land farther West where he would begin a nation. Genesis 12:1-3: “Now the LORD had said to Abram:
'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation…’”
These people are called Hebrews. Abraham is traditionally considered to be the first Jew and to have made a covenant with God.
Abraham and his family moved several times between Ur, Canaan and Egypt, but unlike other religions, Yaweh (the Jewish name for God)
went with them rather than being contained within the homeland.
The Bible says the Hebrews migrated to Egypt because of a drought but eventually wound up in
slavery to the Egyptians. Moses led the Hebrews out of slavery and into a nomadic lifestyle for
several decades. It was during this time Moses received the 10 Commandments which were
inscribed upon stone, and from this the Judaic religion was developed.
A new covenant was given
to the Hebrews that if they continued to follow all the commandments of Yaweh, he would bless
them and care for them.
Eventually they settled in Canaan, near modern day Palestine. While there was always a small
community of Jews in historic Palestine, in 73 C.E.
the Roman Empire dispersed the Jews. Most Jews
then lived in Diaspora, (dispersion or scattering) as
minorities in their communities, until the founding of
the state of Israel in 1948.
Jews gather in synagogues to worship Yaweh and recitation of prayers is the central
characteristic of worship. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are
found in a traditional Jewish prayer book. Observant Jews are expected to recite three
prayers daily and more on the Sabbath (day of rest) and Jewish holidays. Many Israeli Jews
today describe themselves in terms of their degree of observance of Jewish law. About half call themselves secular; about 15 to 20 percent
see themselves as Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox; and the rest describe themselves as traditionally observant, but not as strict as the
Orthodox.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs that developed slowly over a long period of time in the region of
Nepal and India. Unlike the other major world religions, it cannot be traced back to one founder with a
single set of ideas. As the Aryans and non-Aryans intermingled, the gods and forms of their religions also
tended to blend together, which led to the worship of thousands of gods.
The most ancient Hindu scriptures are called The Vedas, are written in early Sanskrit and contain hymns,
philosophy, and guidance on ritual for the priests of Vedic religion. Believed to have been directly
revealed to seers among the early Aryans in India, and preserved by oral tradition, the four chief
collections are the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda. In India, a social class system
called the Caste system was inspired by Hindu scriptures and implemented as a way to create a society in
which all essential functions were addressed and all people assumed vital roles based on their abilities.
Hindus share a common worldview. They see religions as a way of liberating the soul from the illusions,
disappointments and mistakes of everyday existence. When a person understands the relationship
between atman (the soul) and Brahma (the main god), that person
achieves moksha (perfect understanding) and a release from life in
this world. This understanding does not usually come in one lifetime. By the process of
reincarnation (rebirth) an individual soul or spirit is born again and again until moksha is achieved. A
soul’s karma (good or bad deeds) follows from one reincarnation to another. Even though there are
thousands of gods in Hinduism, they worship the chief god in the form of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh,
which is often called a Trimurti.
Hinduism currently has over 1 billion followers worldwide and is centralized in India.
Buddhism
Buddhism developed out of the same period of religious questioning that shaped Hinduism, and the same region; India.
Unlike Hinduism, there was a founder Buddhism that created its truths. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a noble
family and according to his families’ wishes, lived in the palace, married and had a son. When he was 29, he began to
wander through the forests of India for six years seeking enlightenment, or wisdom. He sat in meditation under a large
tree and after 49 days of meditation, he achieved an understanding of the cause of suffering in the world. From then on,
he was known as the Buddha, meaning “the enlightened one.” The Buddha traveled the rest of his life throughout
northern India spreading his ideas.
The Buddha (Guatama) laid out the four main ideas of his enlightenment and called them the Four Noble Truths:
1. Life is filled with suffering and sorrow.
2. The cause of all suffering is people’s selfish desire
3. The way to end all suffering is to end all desires.
4. The way to overcome such desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path.
By following the eightfold Path, anyone could reach nirvana.
As in Hinduism, the Buddha accepte d the idea of reincarnation. He also accepted a cyclical or repetitive view of history. However, he
rejected the many gods of Hinduism, and in fact taught there is no supreme being. Buddhists believe that divinity is inside each person and
only offer prayers either at home or in a temple to awaken the divinity inside themselves.
After the Gautama’s death, monks continued the spread of his ideas by traveling to
surrounding territories and nations to share the teachings of the Buddha.
Buddhism currently has 535 million people and is centralized in Asia.