Download 18 - Origins of Monotheistic Religions Part II

World History
Unit 3: Belonging
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Monotheistic Religions Introduction
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Read through the following document then answer the questions that follow.
Origins of the Monotheistic Religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a
spiritual tradition identified with him. Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their
common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him.
The three major Abrahamic religions are, in chronological order of founding, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism
regards itself as the religion of the descendants of Jacob, a grandson of Abraham. It has a strictly unitary view of God, and
the central holy book for almost all branches is the Hebrew Bible, as elucidated in the oral law.
Christianity began as a sect of Judaism in the Mediterranean of the 1st century CE and evolved into a separate religion—
the Christian Church—with distinctive beliefs and practices. Jesus is the central figure of Christianity, considered by
almost all denominations to be divine, typically as one person of a Triune God. The Christian Bible is typically held to be
the ultimate authority, alongside Sacred Tradition in some apostolic denominations, such as Roman Catholicism and
Eastern Orthodoxy.
Islam arose in Arabia in the 7th century CE with a strictly unitary view of God.
Muslims (adherents of Islam) typically hold the Qur'an to be the ultimate
authority, as revealed and elucidated through the teachings and practices of a
central, but not divine, prophet, Muhammad. Less well-known Abrahamic
religions, originally offshoots of Shi'a Islam, include the Bahá'í Faith and Druze.
The three main Abrahamic religions have certain similarities. All are
monotheistic, and conceive God to be a transcendent Creator-figure and the
source of moral law, and their sacred narratives feature many of the same
figures, histories and places in each, although they often present them with
different roles, perspectives and meanings. They also have many internal
differences based on details of doctrine and practice. Christianity divided into
three main branches (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant), dozens of significant
denominations, and even more smaller ones. Islam has two main branches
(Sunni and Shi'a), each having a number of denominations. Judaism also has a
small number of branches, of which the most significant are Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. At times the different
religions – and often branches within the same religions – have had bitter conflicts with each other.
1.
What are the three main Abrahamic Monotheistic religions that we will study in this next case study?
2.
How does Christianity begin?
3.
What are some similarities between the three main Abrahamic religions?
4.
Why do you think these religions (or even branches within the religions) have had conflicts?
5.
Can you think of any examples of conflicts between these religions?
Read through the following document then answer the questions that follow.
Abraham's Story
Jews, Christians and Muslims all agree that Abraham is the Patriarch of their religions and founder of Monotheism.
Judaism and Christianity teach that the story of Abraham is more than the story of one man. Abraham becomes the
patriarch of the Jewish nation as he passes 10 severe tests of his belief in God and God’s covenant with him.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam teach that Abraham enters into a covenant, or an agreement, with God in which both sides
make commitments. Abraham is required to leave his homeland, and to follow the direction into the land that God
promised Abraham and his descendents. God promises to bless Abraham and his descendents, and to make of them a
great nation. Asking Abraham to leave his father’s house is the first test of the covenant. The most significant demand
God makes on Abraham is that he and his descendants totally commit to a belief in one and only one God. This is the
foundation of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. When Sarah and Abraham are in Egypt, on their way to the Promised Land,
Hagar, an Egyptian girl, becomes a handmaiden for Sarah. Since Sarah is childless she tells Abraham he should conceive a
child with Hagar. However, once Hagar becomes pregnant, her relationship with Sarah turns bitter. Hagar leaves home
but an angel of God tells her she will bear a son, Ishmael and he will be the head of many tribes and she should return
home to Abraham and Sarah. Hagar returns and Ishmael is born. Thirteen years later, God promises Abraham that Sarah
will bear a son who will inherit his covenant. As a sign of this promise God demands that all males be circumcised, now
and in the future. The practice of circumcision represents a significant sign of the covenant between God and Jewish
people. Abraham and his son Ishmael (at the age of thirteen) and all the men in the household are circumcised. After
Sarah gives birth to Isaac, she insists that Abraham cast out Hagar and Ishmael. Once again, God reassures him that
Ishmael and his offspring will make a great nation. Abraham reluctantly sends them away.
Differences worth noting:
Islam
Islam teaches that Abraham was one of 5 great prophets who received special revelations from Allah. Whereas Judaism
and Christianity teach that the covenant with God was passed on through the genetic line of Isaac, Islam teaches that this
special covenantal relationship was with Abraham and therefore passed to both his sons, Isaac and Ishmael. In contrast to
the Jewish and Christian interpretations, Muslims believe that God equally favored Hagar and Sarah. Muslims believe that
Ishmael was the son that Allah (God) asked Abraham to sacrifice, not Isaac. They stress, however, that the focus of the
sacrifice is on the testing of Abraham’s faith and willingness to submit to the will of God, not which son was subject to
sacrifice. After Hagar and Ishmael were driven out by Sarah, they wandered in the desert between two mountains looking
for water. Angels appeared reassuring Hagar that God would bless her son and make him the father of a great nation.
They then settle in what is today, Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, where Ishmael’s descendents become Muslims.
The Spirit of The Story of Abraham
In summary and most importantly, all three religions teach that Abraham was a model of how humans should live their
lives displaying courage, faith, sacrifice, obedience, and trust in one supreme God. We believe that the “spirit” of this
story is to see Abraham as a role model and to encourage all of us to live our lives with the same courage, faith, and
determination to be the best person we can be.
1.
What is Abraham required to do according to the covenant or agreement with God?
2.
What does God promise to Abraham in return?
3.
What demand is the foundation of the Abrahamic Monotheistic religions?
4.
Who is Ishmael? What is he promised?
5.
Who is Isaac?
6.
What does Islam teach that is different from Judaism and Christianity in regards to the family of Abraham?
7.
How do Muslims (Followers of Islam) trace their heritage back to Abraham?
8.
How do Jews (followers of Judaism) and Christians trace their heritage back to Abraham?
9.
What is the lesson to be learned from Abraham according to all three religions?
Use the textbook pages 44-47 to answer questions about the Origins of Judaism.
1. What are the Twelve Tribes of Israel?
2.
Who is Moses?
3.
“Interpreting the Visual Record” Why might Mount Sinai be an important place for followers of Judaism today?
4.
What are the main ideas of the first four of the Ten Commandments?
5.
What do the rest of the commandments emphasize?
6.
Put these events in order in the boxes below to create a timeline for the migrations of the Jews to a homeland.
Return to Canaan, Abraham’s journey to Egypt, Exodus from Egypt, Moses carries the Ten Commandments,
Enslavement of the Hebrews, Abraham’s journey to Canaan
Return to
Canaan
7.
Read through “The founding of Israel”: If you had been one of the ancient Hebrews, would you have fought to
stay in Canaan or would you have moved elsewhere? Explain your answer.
8.
How did the Hebrews’ ideas about people’s rights, such as fair treatment before the law, differ from other
ancient groups?
9.
Explain why the Hebrew or Jewish religion can be called Ethical Monotheism.