World Religions

An original Power Point by Brad Austin

What is Religion?

Religion is a way of thinking about:

• Origins (where did we come from?)

• Purpose/meaning (why are we here?)

• Destiny (where are we going? what happens when we die?)

• Who we are Who/what God is

What is Religion?

Religion is a way of acting, of living, a social system:

•Spiritual practices: meditation,chanting, prayer, ritual

•Physical forms: Crucifix, Menorah, statues

•Community celebrations:Christmas or Chanukah

Major Religions of the world

•Judaism

•Christianity

•Islam

•Hinduism

•Buddhism

Monotheisticone God

•Christianity

•Judaism

•Islam

•Buddhism

Polytheisticmany gods

Hinduism

Islam• Mohammed is the founder of this

religion.• A person who follows this religion is

called a Muslim.• This religion is mainly located in the

Middle East.• The holy book is the Koran

(Qur’an).• The place of worship is a mosque.• Muslims pray to their god Ala

Islam

•Haj (pilgrimage)

•Prayer 5 times a day facing east toward Mecca

Hinduism

Beliefs•Reincarnation•Karma•Polytheism•Caste System

This religion is practiced mainly in India.

Hinduism

•Reincarnation - Your soul is reborn into a newly created life.

•Karma – Your actions will be rewarded both good and bad. “What goes around comes around”

•Caste System

Caste System

Priests

Teachers

Strength

Protection

Support

Servants

Craftsman

Farmers

Merchants

Latrine Cleaners

Leather workers

Street sweepers

Caste System• Your family name denoted what caste

you were in.• This system did not allow social mobility

during a lifetime.• Your family was all in the same caste.• Your caste determined your job.• You cannot marry outside of your caste.• To move to another caste you must

reincarnated into another caste.• The caste system is now outlawed!

Buddhism• Founder is Siddartha

Gautama (Buddha)

• Similar to Hinduism

• Practiced in S.E. Asia

• Reincarnation

• Nirvana

Nirvana

An eternal state of bliss or final peace

Similar to heaven

Reincarnation until you reach it

Not the rock band

Buddhism

Christianity

• Founded in Middle East• Based on teachings of Jesus• A person who follows this

religion is called a Christian.• This religion is located world

wide• The holy book is the Bible• The place of worship is a

Church.• Some similarities to Judaism

Christianity

Three Main Sects

• Protestantism

• Catholicism

• Orthodox

ChristianityRoman Catholic or Catholicism

• Original Christian religion which descended from the original Christians in Rome at the time of Christ

• Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church• Based in Rome

Major Catholic countries:• Spain• Italy• France• Poland• Ireland• Most of Central and South America

Christianity

Orthodox Church• Officially separated from Catholic Church in

1054• Based mostly in Eastern Europe• Russia, Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, Ukraine,

Turkey, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, & Serbia

Christianity

Protestant Church• Group of several churches that broke

from Catholic teachings in 16th century• Major conflict w/ Catholic church was

sale of indulgences• Indulgence is paying money for

forgiveness of sins• Calvinists, Lutherans, Baptist,

Methodist, & Anglican churches• Most of USA, Germany, Scandinavia, &

England

Judaism• Judaism is the religion of the Jewish

people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud.

• The "Torah," the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is the most important Jewish scripture.

• Judaism is among the oldest religions

• People who practice this faith are called Jewish

• Jewish people worship in a Temple• Practiced mainly in Europe, North

America, and Israel

Judaism

Have faced much persecution over the years

• Holocaust• Over 6 million Jewish

killed by Nazis

• Pogroms of Russia• Arabs vs. Israel

• Yom Kippur War• 7 Days War