Download MAJOR RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

MAJOR RELIGIONS OF THE
WORLD
Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Confucianism
Buddhism
Hinduism
Religion’s Founders
Christianity
Jesus of Nazareth – Jewish teacher
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Taught love for Jewish God; that there is only one true God; that people
should love others as they do themselves
Called Christ (after Greek word for Messiah – Christos) after he was
crucified (A.D. 30), arose from the dead and ascended to heaven.
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John – recorded Jesus’ life and teachings
in the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament of the
Christian Bible).
Paul – greatly responsible for spread of Christianity; founded
churches.
Religion’s Founders
Judaism
Abraham
• Made covenant (promise or agreement) with God (2000
B.C.)
• Abraham accepted God as the only god (monotheism,
which was unusual at the time)
•God promised that Abraham would be the leader of
many people.
Moses
• Led Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and accepted Ten
Commandments from God at Mount Sinai.
• Led Israelites to the promised land (promised by god as
part of the covenant made at Mount Sinai) – Israel.
Religion’s Founders
Islam
Muhammad – the final prophet (or messenger) of God
• About A.D. 610, Muhammad was told by the angel Gabriel
that he was to be a prophet of Allah (God, in Arabic).
Gabriel gave Muhammad religious verses to recite and told
him to teach others.
Religion’s Founders
Hinduism
None -- Hinduism does not have any one founder and it does
not have a Bible or a Koran. Therefore, it does not require its
followers to accept any one idea.
It is part of the culture (shared way of living) of the peoples
with which it is associated.
Religion’s Founders
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama (563 BC – 483 BC) – a prince who
became unsatisfied with his easy life when he realized that it
would pass and that he was subject to old age, sickness and
death like everyone else. So, he left his home and family and
spent six years searching for enlightenment (inner calm and
understanding), which he found by meditating under a bodhi
tree.
Buddha = Enlightened One or Awakened One
Religion’s Founders
Confucianism
Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) – Chinese philosopher
How Many?
Out of 6.4 billion people worldwide
Christianity
Hinduism
2 billion
1.05 billion
1.1 billion Catholics
367 million Protestants
216 million Orthodox
Judaism
13.3 million
Confucianism
Islam
1.3 billion
Up to 225 million
(in combination with
other Chinese religions)
Buddhism
Approx. 350 million
Where are they?
Major Beliefs
Christianity
• God is a Trinity, the single eternal being existing in three persons: Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is both fully God and fully human, two "natures" in one person.
• Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave birth to the Son of God.
• Jesus is the Messiah hoped for by the Jews, the heir to the throne of
David. Until he returns at the end of the world, the Church has the
authority and obligation to preach the Gospel and to gather new
disciples.
• Jesus was innocent of any sin. Through the death and resurrection of
Jesus, believers are forgiven of sins.
• Jesus will return personally, and bodily, to judge all mankind and
receive the faithful to himself, so they will live forever in the intimate
presence of God.
Major Beliefs
Judaism
• God is one - Judaism is based on strict monotheism, the belief in one
God, the eternal creator of the universe and the source of morality.
• God is all powerful, as well as all knowing.
• God is non-physical and eternal (everlasting).
• One may pray only to God.
• The Torah (five books of Moses) is the primary text of Judaism
• God will reward those who observe His commandments, and punish those
who do not.
• God chose the Jewish people to be in a unique covenant with God.
• People can atone for sins through words and deeds.
• There will be a moshiach (messiah), or perhaps a messianic era.
Major Beliefs
Islam
• Six articles of belief:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Belief
Belief
Belief
Belief
Belief
Belief
in
in
in
in
in
in
God, the one and only one worthy of all worship.
the Angels.
the Books (sent by God).
all the Prophets and Messengers (sent by God).
the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah) and in the Resurrection.
Fate (Qadar)
• Five Pillars o Islam:
1. "Shahadah": Worship only God (Allah); and Muhammad is his messenger.
2. "Salah": Five daily Prayers (salah).
3. "Zakat": The Giving of Zakaah (charity), which is distributed among the poor.
4. "Ramadhan": Fasting from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadan (sawm).
5. "Hajj": The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca during the month of Dhul Hijjah, which
is required once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it.
Major Beliefs
Hinduism
All gods and living beings are representatives of a single universal spirit, Brahma (the
Creator).
Brahma is present in all things.
• Brahma has no form, and is eternal.
• Brahma is creator, preserver and transformer of everything.
• Brahma appears in the human spirit as atman, or the soul.
Other important gods (that are really a part of Brahma):
• Vishnu the Preserver
• Siva the Destroyer
3 most important concepts are:
• Reincarnation – when people die, their souls are reborn into new
bodies
• Dharma – the moral duty that must be fulfilled during one’s lifetime
(depends on social position)
• Karma – the consequences of people’s actions; determines a person’s
next cycle of reincarnation
Major Beliefs
Buddhism
The Buddha’s teachings focused on the FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS:
1. All human life contains suffering and sorrow;
2. Desire causes suffering;
3. By rejecting desire, people can attain nirvana (perfect peace)
which frees the soul from reincarnation;
4. Following the Eightfold Path leads to the rejection of desire and the
attainment of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path
Right faith, intentions, speech, action, living, effort, mindfulness and
meditation
Major Beliefs
Confucianism
• Emphasizes the importance of family
• Respect for elders
• Devotion to the past
• People should accept and carry out their given roles. (“Let
the ruler rule as he should and the minister be a minister as
he should.” “Let the father act as a father should and the son
act as a son should.”)
• People, particularly rulers, should act morally and ethically.