Religion & Renaissance

Babylonia influenced Greek, Egyptian, Jewish, and Arab thought.

Persian Zoroastrianism

Was the first monotheistic religion recorded in history

Hebrew Philosophy

• must be understood in light of radical monotheism.

• The Jews were exiled from Judea in 70 A.D.

• They spread throughout Europe, bringing their ideas with them

1st – 3rd Century

• Followers of Jesus, the Christ (or king) became known as Christians

• Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and became the dominant religion of Europe

• Christianity split into two different branches: Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

7th Century

• Followers of Muhammad, the prophet, became known as Moslems

• After Muhammad died, Islam split into 2 different branches: Shia and Sunni

• Islam spread throughout the Middle East and became the second largest religion in the world.

Today’s belief systems• Christianity• Islam• Non-religious• Hinduism• Chinese Religions• Primal faiths• Buddhism• Sikhism• Judaism

Islam

• Muhammad - Prophet of Islam, died in 632 C.E.

• Moslems – followers• Shia – followed Ali as successor to

Muhammad• Sunni – followed Abu Bakr as successor

Muhammad

Sunni = 85%Shia = 15%

Umayyad Caliphate 661-750 c.e.

The capital of the Umayyad Caliphate was in Damascus, Syria.

• A caliphate is an Islamic State

• A caliph (successor to Muhammad) is the political, religious, and absolute ruler

Abu Bakr, the first Sunni Caliph

The Renaissance

Europe 1300s – 1600s

Renaissance means “rebirth”

• A period of creativity that followed Europe’s Middle Ages

• a rebirth of interest in classical (Greek & Roman) art, literature and writing.

• The School of Athens, by Raphael

Scientific Revolution

• Interest in Classical Greek and Roman thinking led to a renewed interest in logic and reason