Download The Big Three Monotheistic Religions

The Big Three Monotheistic
Religions
Christianity, Islam, Judaism
Judaism
• OLDEST of the “Big” 3. Began 3500 years ago!!!!
• Began in Southwest Asia
• Practiced today mostly in Israel and pockets in the US and Europe
• Considered an Ethnic Religion
Judaism: God
• Believe in ONE God (Monotheistic)
• The God of Abraham
• Called Adonai in Hebrew
Judaism: Holy Book & Language
• TeNaKh (in 3 parts)
• Torah is the most important part
• The law of God
• Hebrew is the sacred language
Judaism: Key Beliefs
• Moses is Judaism’s most
important prophet (teacher
spoken to by God)
• Lie a good life according to the
rules of the Torah
• Pass on Jewish traditions to
one’s family
Judaism: Practices, Rituals and Holidays
• Keep the Sabbath Holy
• Family meal-breaking bread and
sharing wine
• Fast during Yom Kippur (day of
atonement)
• Give to the needy
• Kosher food-no pork, shellfish,
or meat prepared with dairy
Judaism: Building, Leader and Day of Worship
• Synagogue
• Rabbi
• Friday evening to Saturday
Evening
Judaism: Sects
Reformed
Orthodox
Conservative
Judaism: Holy Site in Jerusalem
• Wailing Wall
Christianity: God
• Believe in One God (monotheistic)
• God of Abraham
• Called Yahweh
• Practiced today all over the world
Christianity: Holy Book and Sacred Language
• Bible ( 2 parts)
• Old Testament
• New Testament
• No real sacred language, though
most historic texts are written in
Latin or Greek.
Christianity: Key Beliefs
• Based on the life and teaching of
Jesus Christ
• Trinity: God the Father, God the
Son, God the Holy Spirit
• Jesus was both Human and
Divine
• Christ died on the Cross, was
buried and rose 3 days later
• Ascended into Heaven
• Salvation: Heaven
Christianity: Practices, Rituals, & Holidays
• Baptism: initiation into the faith
• Communion: represents Jesus’
last supper before death
• Christmas: Christ’s birth
• Easter: Christ’s death and
ressurection
Christianity: Building, Leader, & Day of
Worship
• - Churches
• - Priests, pastors, ministers
• - Sunday worship services
Christianity: Sects
Roman Catholic
- Orthodox
- Protestant
- All believe Jerusalem is the holiest city
- (Christ died and rose)
Jerusalem Holy Site
• Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Islam
• Fastest growing world religion
• Youngest of the monotheistic religions
God
• Believe in one God
• - The God of Abraham
• - Called Allah in Arabic
Holy Book: Parts & Sacred Language
• - Koran (Qur’an)
• - Contains revelations God made to Muhammad
• - Arabic is the sacred language
• - Believers called Muslims
Key Beliefs
Based on the teachings of Muhammad
- Born in Mecca (holiest city and center of Islam)
- Believe he was the final prophet
- Live according to God’s guidance  rewarded with salvation
- Believe Moses and Jesus were prophets, but Jesus not divine
-
Practices, Rituals, & Holidays
• - “Five pillars”
• - Declaration of faith
• - Pray 5 times a day
• - Almsgiving (charity)
• - Fasting during Ramadan
• - Pilgrimage to Mecca
• - Dietary laws: no pork or alcohol
Building, Leader, Day of Worship
• - Mosque
• - Imam (prayer leader)
• - Friday noon prayers are most
important
Sects
• - Sunni
• - Shi’ite
• - Differ over leadership in the
Muslim community
Holy Site in Jerusalem
• Dome of the Rock
• Mostly found in SW Asia and
Central Asia