Religion Review

Who was Abraham and Jacob, and what was their significance in early Hebrew History?

• Abraham was a shepherd who God asked to leave his homeland and polytheism and in return God promised him land and that his decedents would be “mighty people.”

• Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the father to 12 sons. These sons led the 12 tribes of Israel. Hebrews became known as Israelites.

Why was the exodus a major event in early Hebrew History?

• Famine drove the Israelites out of Mesopotamia and into Egypt where they eventually became slaves.

• Moses was an Israelite but raised in the house of the Pharaoh, God told him to free the Jews but the Pharaoh refused until God punished him with different plagues.

• Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, this is called the exodus.

What is Diaspora?

This was the forced diffusion of Jews outside of their holy lands, Israel and Judah.

What happened to kingdom of Israel after Solomon’s rule?

• The 12 tribes fought over who should take his place, eventually splitting, the 10 tribes in the north created Israel and the 2 in the south created the Kingdom of Judah.

• Eventually both kingdoms fell the Assyrians and then the Chaldeans.

• During this time many Jews were forced into slavery but Persians let the Jews back into their holy lands eventually.

What are the three sections of the Hebrew Bible? Which do the Jews consider most

sacred?

• The Torah is the most sacred text.• The Prophets- teachings from early prophets• The Writings – lessons, history, poems, songs,

proverbs and sayings of early Israelites• Talmud – explains and interprets other sacred

scripts

What was the Messiah for whom some Jews were waiting?

The spiritual leader that would help bring back order and peace to Judea and the rest of the world.

He rose and spent another 40 days teaching his disciples. After this he went to heaven.

His followers believed that this proved he was the messiah.

His followers then started teaching that all people could reach salvation.

What do Christians believe happened to Jesus of Nazareth after he died?

Who were the martyrs and why were they honored?

• These were people willing to die for what they believed in. Their willingness to die inspired non believers to convert to Christianity.

How did Constantine help Christianity gain a firm foothold in the Roman Empire?

• He converted after seeing a vision that led him to victory in battle.

• He issued the Edict of Milan that made it legal to practice Christianity within the Roman empire.

• He did not outlaw other religions but the popularity of Christianity spread as the Roman empire grew.

Why did the pope, as the bishop of Rome, claim to have authority over

all other bishops? Popes claim to be the spiritual heirs of Peter the

Apostle.In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus gives Peter the

keys to the kingdom of heavenPopes claim to be the heirs of the keys to

heaven, thus they are closest to God

In what ways was Mecca an important settlement?

Religiously, according to ancient text the city was created when God answered a cry from Hagar for water in the desert. Abraham later built a stone temple, of sorts, to commemorate this event.

Geography, Mecca is near the Red Sea, making it an ideal trading post.

What influence may his early years as a trader have had on Muhammad and his ideas?

Muhammad traveled to many different places meeting many different people who believed in many different things. Many of the people he met were Christian and Jewish. Their ideas about there being only one true God could have influenced Muhammad’s thinking.

How was Muhammad’s preaching received in Mecca?

The powerful people of Mecca did not like what Muhammad was saying because it challenged their beliefs in many different Gods and risked them losing money over people no longer making a pilgrimage there.

What does Muhammad’s experience suggest about how Islam was to spread?

He was forced to leave Mecca and then stand up for his religion very early on. Meaning that people who followed him were very devout. Also due to his location, merchants spread his ideas around the world very quickly.

What do Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have in common?

All are “people of the book”All believe in one God – monotheistic.Muslims believe that Abraham, Moses, and

Jesus were all messengers from God, but Muhammad was the last of God’s prophets.

In Hindu teaching, what are Moksha and Karma? How are these two ideas related to

reincarnation?

• Moksha is the release from the cycle of reincarnation, when a persons atman is reconnected with Brahman.

• Karma is “the sum effect of a person’s actions … which help shape future experiences.”

The better a person’s Karma is the more likely they are to be released from the reincarnation cycle or Moksha.

What is the nature of Brahman in Hindu belief?

Brahman is “all-encompassing.” In ever person, thing or God there is Brahman.

Why would a Hindu consider it important to follow his or her Dharma?

In order to research Moksha a person must fulfill their dharma or duties.

By doing this a person is creating good karma for themselves making it more likely that they will reached Moksha.

What spiritual lessons do the Ramayana and the Mahabharata teach?

From these texts Hindus learn how the Gods expect them to rule, fight and love each other.

The Story of Buddha

It is believed that he was born in the 500’s BCE/BC. He was the prince of a kingdom in what is today known as Nepal. He did not venture outside of his palace until he was in his 30’s. He then learned about growing old, sickness and death. He escaped his home and sought enlightenment for 6 years from gurus and monks. He was unsatisfied so he sat under a tree until he reached enlightenment, becoming the Buddha.

What is the Middle Way? How do Buddhists believe it will help them attain Nirvana?

The middle way is living ones life in regard to the 4 Noble Truths and the 8 Fold Path. The middle way “advises people to live in moderation.”

If you follow this way of life you will become enlightened and then reach Nirvana, “a state of perfect peace.”

What are the three major traditions in Buddhism, and how do they differ?

Theravada- “The way of the Elders” is the oldest practiced form of Buddhism. They believe you should become a monk or nun and meditate as much as possible in order to reach nirvana. If you do not do this then you should support those who do.

Mahayana- Believe that other people, like Bodhisattvas can help you reach enlightenment.

Tibetan- Believe in using “special techniques to harness spiritual energy” to achieve nirvana.

How are the 4 Noble Truths and the 8 Fold path linked together in the teachings of Buddhism?

You must follow both in order to reach nirvana.If you follow both you are living the life of the

middle war which will also help you reach nirvana.

The Spread of Buddhism

• Ashoka, an Indian King became Buddhist and encouraged others to spread it throughout India.

• Trade also helped spread Buddhism to China, where they adapted many of the Buddhist beliefs to match their own.

• Buddhism is mostly practiced in Asia where people have created different sects of the religion.