Download the middle east and north africa

RELIGIONS OF THE
MIDDLE EAST
Birthplace of Major World Religions
 All monotheistic and linked by a commo
ancestor - ABRAHAM
 Judaism – 2000 BCE
 Christianity - Birth of Jesus (CE Begins
 Islam – 610 CE Koran revealed to
Muhammad

ABRAHAM
Links Judaism, Islam
and Christianity
Covenant with
God
 Land & People
 Abraham – Sarah
 Isaac
 Abraham – Hagar
 Ishmael

Monotheism
Unifies the culture
 Stresses moral behavior
 Righteousness
 Ends destructive practices
 Encourages spirituality and self-reflection
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JUDAISM
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Belief in one God
God promised
Abraham “land and
descendants”
“Chosen People” are
the descendants of
Abraham’s son
Isaac
Land of Canaan is
modern day Israel
Messiah – will bring
peace & unity
Teachings of Judaism
 Moses
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opl 1400
Hebrew people enslaved in
Egypt
God sends10 Plagues
The Passover
Moses led the Hebrew
people to the out of Egypt
to the “Promised Land”
The 10 Commandments
received from God
BC (approx)
Sacred Texts
The Torah
“Five books of Moses”
The story of creation, escape
from Egypt, laws and duties of
the Jewish people
The Tanakh – The Hebrew Bible
Sacred stories and writings of
the Jewish people.
Sacred Texts
The Talmud
The Jewish Law
Legal Opinions and
Scholarly Debates
Strongly influences
Western Law
Religious Dress for
Women
The Temple of Solomon
in Jerusalem

Destroyed 70 CE Wailing Wall is all
that remains of the
temple

Jewish communities
keep traditions alive
throughout the world

Await the Messiah –
who will bring peace
& unity
The Diaspora
Branches of Judaism
ORTHODOX,
CONSERVATIVE,
REFORM
RECONSTRUCTIONIST
CHRISTIANITY
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Jesus of Nazareth
Son of God
Preached about
humility, mercy
equality, forgiveness
Crucified by Romans
Rose from the dead
Apostles spread faith
Salvation for rich and
poor
Jesus of
Nazareth
Challenged corrupt
Jewish officials
 Seen as a threat by
Romans
 Crucified by
Romans

Christians believe
The Bible
Old Testament –
Hebrew Scriptures
New Testament –
Life and teachings of
Jesus as written by his
followers
JESUS
TAUGHT HIS
FOLLOWERS
TO:
Love God
Love one
another as
they love
themselves
Christians believe
The Trinity
3 personifications of
one God
God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit
Three Major
Types of
Christianity
Roman Catholic
Orthodox Christian
Protestant
Important Rituals
Baptism
Confirmation
Eucharist/Communion
“The blood of the
martyrs is the seed of
the Christian Church.”
Christianity was not destroyed by
Roman persecution, but spread to
far flung regions of the world.
ISLAM
Allah (God)
 Muhammad –
The Prophet
 Koran - Holy
Book
 Hadith – words
of The Prophet
 Mosque – Place
of worship

THE FIVE PILLARS
1. To proclaim the belief in
the one God.
2. To pray five times a day.
3. To give to the poor.
4. To fast during Ramadan.
5. To make the Hajj.
JIHAD
SOMETIMES CALLED
THE “SIXTH” PILLAR OF
ISLAM
MEANS “STRUGGLE”
Spiritual struggle of the soul
Physical struggle to defend Islam
The Hajj
The Pilgrimage
to Mecca
 Saudi Arabia
hosts and
controls
 Also visit the
Prophet’s grave
in Medina
 Circle the
Ka’aba

ABRAHAM
Links Judaism, Islam
and Christianity

Abraham – Sarah
 Isaac
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Hebrew people (Jesus)
“Ibrahim” – Hagar
 Ishmael

Arab people
(Muhammad)
“People of the Book”
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The Prophet's phrase for Christians &
Jews
All Monotheistic
All worship the same God
Muslims regard Jesus Christ as a
prophet of Islam who will come before
the Day of Judgment
The Prophet accepted the Hebrew and
Christian scriptures as the word of God
Religion Links Believers
to the Middle East
Strong emotional ties
 People around the world care about the
politics of the region
 Want stability
 Access to the Holy Sites (Jerusalem,
Mecca)
 Donate money and support causes based
in the Mid East
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JERUSALEM
HOLY TO THREE
FAITHS
Islam
Sunni and Shi’ite Split
Sunni (85%) Leaders chosen
from among the people
(Caliphs)
Shi’ite (15%) leaders are
descendants of the Prophet
(12 Imams)
Same basic beliefs
Sunni and Shia
Sunni (green) Shia (red)
SHIA ISLAM
Shi’ism originates in Iraq
with the assassination of Imam
Hussein (Nephew of the Prophet)
at Karbala 632AD
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Iraq and spreads over the border
to Iran
More mystic and emotional
Ayatollahs have more power than
Sunni clerics
Fundamentalism
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Belief that one's religious
texts are infallible
One’s practice is better or
more pure than that of
others who follow the
same faith.
Fundamentalism is
Growing
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Found in all religions
Want to maintain traditional,
basic beliefs of their faith
Resist change, modernization
Christian
Fundamentalists
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TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Waco Massacre
• 1993 siege on
headquarters of
Branch Davidians
• Cult like group led
by David Koresh
• 76 killed,
including 20
children
Jewish
Fundamentalists
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Orthodox in their
observance
Torah given to
Moses by God
and must be
observed in every
detail
In modern Israel
“settlers” claim
God given rights
to land designated
for Palestinians
Muslim
Fundamentalists
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Reject Western values
Jihad as violent struggle
Strictly follow the Sharia Law
Women play a traditional role in
society