CHRISTIANITY

Founding of Christianity

FOUNDER: JESUS CHRIST (A JEW) ZERO A.D. PALESTINE/ISRAEL—best known as a HEALER in his lifetime

SPREAD BY APOSTLES (FOLLOWERS OF JESUS)

PAUL: MOST IMP. IN SPREADING & STARTING CHURCHES (NOT AN APOSTLE)

EMP. CONSTANTINE =CHRISTIANITY OFFICIAL RELIGION

Basic Beliefs

1 GOD (SAME AS JEWS, MUSLIMS)

JESUS: SON OF GOD, DIED FOR “OUR” SINS, ROSE FROM DEAD

BELIEF IN JESUS = SALVATION FROM SINS, REWARD IN HEAVEN

HEAVEN/HELL: IS FOR ETERNITY

1 CHANCE TO “GET IT RIGHT”

Sacred Text

BIBLE : TWO PARTS

OLD TESTAMENT:

JEWISH “BIBLE”, INCL. TORAH)

NEW TESTAMENT:

LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

REVELATION:

END OF WORLD AND CREATION OF NEW KINGDOM ON EARTH

God of Christianity

ONE GOD IS DIVIDED INTO 3 PARTS:

HOLY TRINITY: GOD, JESUS, HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT)

PROPHETS PLAY IMPORTANT PART: MOSES, ISAIAH, EZEKIEL

Leadership

PRIESTS:

SERVICES LOCALLY

BISHOPS:

CONTROL LARGER AREAS

POPE:

HEAD OF CATHOLIC CHURCH

#1 RELIGIOUS GROUP IN WORLD

Rituals

Baptism: ENTRY INTO

CHURCH

Communion: SHARING

BREAD/WINE = BLOOD/BODY OF CHRIST

SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY

Pax Romana, which made travel and the exchange of ideas fairly safe, provided the ideal conditions for Christianity to spread

Christians refused to worship Roman gods. This refusal was seen as opposition to Roman rule

By the second century, as the Pax Romana began to crumble, persecution of the Christians intensified. Thousands were crucified, burned, or killed by wild animals in the circus arenas.

“BREAD AND CIRCUS”

Constantine tolerates Christianity

Why was Christianity Appealing?

ANYONE COULD CONVERT: JEW, GREEK ROMAN

WEALTH & CLASS NOT AN ISSUE: APPEALED TO POOR AND POWERLESS:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth”

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

ETERNAL LIFE FOR BELIEVERS

SECTS: 2.4 BILLION = Christians

ROMAN CATHOLIC: LED BY POPE, LARGEST SECT AT 1.1 BILLION

PROTESTANT: BROKE FROM CHURCH ~ 1500 A.D. (LUTHERANS, BAPTISTS, METHODISTS, ETC.) (900,000+ followers)

+ EVANGELICAL, JEHOVAH WITNESS, MORMON, ETC

ISLAM

Key Terms

ISLAM:

SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF ALLAH

MUSLIM:

ONE WHO SUBMITS

Founding of the Religion

MOHAMMAD: FOUNDER, 600 A.D, MECCA (SAUDI ARABIA)

HEARS VOICE OF ANGEL GABRIEL, TELLS HIM TO ‘SPREAD WORD OF ALLAH’

HIS MESSAGE UPSETS POWERFUL/RICH: FORCED TO FLEE (HIJRAH)

RETURNS TO MECCA W/ 10,000 MAN ARMY, CONQUERS, & BEGINS ISLAM

Basic Beliefs

1 GOD = ALLAH

MOHAMMAD IS PROPHET OF ALLAH

SALVATION COMES BY FOLLOWING “FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM”

HEAVEN & HELL = ETERNAL

1 CHANCE TO “GET IT RIGHT”

!The Five Pillars of Islam!

WHAT ALL MUSLIMS MUST DO:

STATEMENT OF FAITH: “There is no God but ALLAH” & Mohammad is His Prophet

PRAY 5 X DAY FACING MECCA CHARITY: GIVE TO POOR (2.5%) FAST DURING MONTH OF RAMADAN:

NO FOOD/WATER SUNRISE TO SUNSET HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA ONCE IN

LIFE (HEALTH AND WEALTH PERMITTING)

THE HAJJ

Pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca

Sacred Text

KORAN = QUR’AN

ONLY HOLY IF IN ARABIC

WORD OF ALLAH TO MOHAMMAD THROUGH GABRIEL

Leadership

NO “CHURCH”, CENTRAL AUTHORITY, “PRIESTS”

ULAMA: RELIGIOUS TEACHERS WHO APPLY QUR’AN TO EVERYDAY LIFE

MANY COUNTRIES “GOVERN BY ISLAM” = THEOCRACY

Rituals/Practices

HALAH: DIET WHICH IS OK FOR MUSLIMS TO EAT & DRINK

NO PORK/ NO ALCOHOL!

5 PILLARS

FRIDAY = DAY OF WORSHIP IN A MOSQUE (MUSLIM “CHURCH”)

WASH FEET/HANDS FIRST

The Spread of Islam

Islam spreads through:

Trade

The Spread of Islam

Islam spreads through:

Conquest

SECTS OF ISLAM

SUNNI--~85% OF MUSLIMS

BELIEVE ANYONE ABLE AND WORTHY COULD TAKE OVER FROM THE PROPHET & BE A CALIPH

DON’T BELIEVE IN WORSHIPPING SAINTS

SHIA--~15% OF MUSLIMS

ONLY THOSE BLOOD-RELATED TO MOHAMMAD COULD BE A CALIPH

BELIEVE IN WORSHIP OF SAINTS

Muslims and Conquered Peoples

EARLY MUSLIM STATES USUALLY:

LET CONQUERED PEOPLES KEEP THEIR PROPERTY AND RELIGION (HAD TO PAY A TAX)

WERE SUBJECT TO SOME RESTRICTIONS, BUT. .

BUT COULD MARRY WHO THEY WANTED, WORK JOBS THEY WANTED (EVEN AS OFFICIALS, SCHOLARS, ADMINISTRATORS)

JEWS/CHRISTIANS OFTEN ROSE TO HIGH POSITIONS!!

Links to Judaism and Christianity

Allah is the same God of Judaism and Christianity.

Qur’an is Word of Allah, just as Torah and Gospels is to Jews and Christians.

Qur’an is the final book, Muhammad the final prophet.

Muslims will have a ‘Day of Judgment”

Muslim View of Christians and Jews

Muslim ancestry traced to Abraham’s Son—Isaac

Share holy places w/ Jews, Christians

Christians & Jews =“People of the Book” (preach religious tolerance for them) (but like all religions, fanatics ruin this belief)