Download Belief Systems

Belief Systems
Religions and Philosophies
Religions
Monotheism
• The belief in one God
• Ex. Judaism,
Christianity, Islam
Polytheism
• The belief in many
gods
• Ex. Ancient Egypt,
Hinduism
•The Hebrews founded
Judaism , the oldest
known monotheistic
religion
•Sacred text: Torah
(Christian Old
Testament)
•Basic teachings: Ten
Commandments- the
Hebrew code of laws
Holy City:
Jerusalem
• Founder: Jesus of
Nazareth
• Holy City: Jerusalem
• Sacred text: Christian
Bible (Old Testament
and New Testament)
• Monotheistic
• Practices: Seven
sacraments
• Christian Churches
divide numerous
times
• Major churches:
Roman Catholic
(headed by Pope),
Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant Faiths
(Lutheran, Calvinist,
Church of England)
•Founder: Prophet
Muhammad (6th Century
AD)
•Sacred text: Qur’an
(Koran)
•Monotheistic: One God
(Allah- means God in
Arabic)
•Basic teachings: 5 pillars
• Divisions: Sunni and
Shiah
Holy Cities: Mecca
(Makkah), Medina,
Jerusalem
POLYTHEISTIC
No Single Founder
Holy books: Vedas,
Bhagavad Gita,
Mahabarata
Reincarnationrebirth of one’s soul
Beliefs: Karmaall the good and
bad deeds done
in one’s life
Dharma- duties
one must fulfill in
life
Moksha- union
with Brahman at
the end of life
cycle
Caste systemrigid social class
system based on
birth
Founder:
Siddhartha
Gautama (Buddha)
500’s BC
No Single Godbelieve in universal
spirit
Basic teachings:
Four Noble Truths
and Eightfold Path
Beliefs: Karma
Reincarnation
Ahimsanonviolence to all
living things
Nirvana- release
from the cycle of
rebirth
Founder-There is no one person
Geographic Origin- Africa
Significant Writings- Animism has an
oral tradition of story-telling, rather than
a developed writing system.
Places of Worship-Animist rituals tend
to take place outdoors in nature.
Teachings and Beliefs- Animists
practice nature worship. They believe
that everything in the universe has a
spirit.
Founder: Confucius 500’s
BC
Text: The Analects
Beliefs: Filial Piety- respect
for parents and elders
5 relationships: guide
conduct in all interactions in
family and society
Founder: Laozi 500’s BC
Text: Dao De Jing
Beliefs: harmony with nature
Yin and Yang: must balance
2 opposing forces in nature
The Dao: the force that
guides all things