Originated ~ 1500 B.C. in India (oldest religion, traced back to Indus Valley civilization)

Founder – none (none known…)Holy Text – Vedas

House of Worship – individual homes, temples

Holy Site –Ganges River is considered sacred

Beliefs Polytheistic – belief in more

than one god Caste system – rigid society

based on 5 classes Reincarnation – to be born again

Afterlife – Reincarnation – being “born again”, if you have lived a good life you may be born into a higher caste

Practiced in India and Nepal

Originated ~1300 B.C.Founder was AbrahamHoly Text – Torah (Old Testament)

House of Worship - Synagogue

Star of David

Holy Site – Western (or Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem

Beliefs/History – Monotheistic – one god Jesus is viewed as a prophet, not Messiah Sabbath (holy day) is sundown Friday to sundown Saturday

Some practice dietary food laws (Kosher – no pork)

Holocaust - during WWII 6 million Jews killed

Afterlife- belief in Judgment Day (Heaven/Hell)

Practiced in Israel, Europe, and U.S.

Judaism (cont.)Judaism (cont.)

Founded ~525 B.C.Founder was

Siddhartha Gautama (became known as “Buddha” or The Enlightened One)

Holy Text: The Tripitaka

House of Worship – Temple

Beliefs – Break dependence on worldly desires to reach inner peace (Nirvana)

Did not believe in caste system

Afterlife – belief in reincarnation (to be born again)

Practiced in Asia (China)

Founded in A.D. 30 in the Middle East

Founder was Jesus

Holy Text: New and Old Testament of the Bible

House of worship: Church or Cathedral

Holy site: Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)

Beliefs: Monotheistic – belief in one god

Jesus is Messiah Sabbath is Sunday 10 Commandments Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox are all “subgroups” of Christianity

•Afterlife: Belief in Judgment Day (Heaven/Hell)

Most practiced religion in the world. Found in N. America, Europe, S. America, Africa, Australia,

parts of Asia

Thematic map of world religions

Founded in ~A.D. 600Founder is MuhammedHoly Text: Qur’an (Koran)

(written in Arabic)

House of worship: Mosque

Holy sites: Kaaba in

Mecca

Medina in Saudi Arabia,

(place of Muhammed’s birth)

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem (notice the Western Wall in the foreground)

Beliefs: Sabbath is Friday Jesus accepted as prophet God is Allah Followers are called Muslims

Five Pillars of Faith1.Prayer 5x each day facing Mecca2.Declaration of Faith3.Fasting during holy month of Ramadan4.Almsgiving (charity)5.Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca

Afterlife: Belief in Judgment Day (Heaven/Hell)

Fastest growing religion, found in Middle East, Africa, Europe, and N. America

The End