Monotheistic Religions

1. Monotheistic Religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam

2. Judaism

3. History • Founded by Abram in 1800 BCE in Ur in Mesopotamia • Believed in one god • Made a covenant with God • Abram and his wife Sarai would move to Canaan, which they called the promised land (Israel). Changed their names to Abraham and Sarah. They would remain faithful to God (Yahweh). All male descendants would be circumcised. Many years later had a son name Isaac. • All of the people descended from Abraham through his son Isaac are known as Jews.

6. History cont… • Around 1300 BCE they moved to Egypt in search of food • Became slaves to the Pharaoh • Freed by Moses • Story told in the book of Exodus in the Bible • Settled in Jerusalem and built a temple to worship Yahweh • Destroyed by Romans in 60 • Built many synagogues throughout the Middle East and the world

7. History cont… • First Jewish congregation in America in 1650 • During WWII ,over 6 million Jews killed • Movement called Zionism began in the late 19th century • Encouraged Jews to return to the Promised Land

8. Beliefs • One God, the biblical Yahweh • Emphasize the laws given in the covenants • In the United States three main movements • Orthodox Jews – Hebrew Bible • Reform Jews – covenant with Yahweh • Conservative Jews – elements of both

9. Concept of God • First religion to believe that there is one God who create the universe and continues to control it • Jews do not attempt to convert others to their beliefs • Welcome outsiders who wish to become Jewish

10. Judaism • JUDAISM is a religion of just one people: the Jews. • JUDAISM was the first to teach belief in only one God. Two other important religions developed from Judaism: Christianity and Islam.

11. Judaism • Jews think that God will send a Messiah (a deliverer) to unite them and lead them in His way. • Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jewish people do not agree; they anticipate His arrival in the future. • Judaism teaches that death is not the end and that there is a world to come.

12. Sacred Writings • Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) • First five books often attributed Moses as the author • Torah • Talmud: Mishnahand the Germara • Siddur – prayer book

13. Symbolism • Star of David • Shema • Passage from the Torah begins “Hear, O Israel,” and continues by telling the people to keep God constant in their minds and hearts, and to write it on the doorposts of their homes. • Mezuzah – shema placed inside a container and nailed to the doorpost • Tefellin – small boxes or pouches • tallit, or prayer shawl, and a yamulke.

15. Worship/Sacred Space • Home or the synagogue • Prayer three times a day • At least ten Jewish men must gather for worship • Service consists of the shema, blessings, readings from the Torah and prayers. • The Torah in the synagogue is kept in a cabinet called an ark, a candle called the Eternal Light burns in front • Read from a platform called a bimah. • Worship is led by a rabbi, assisted by a gabbai. • Singing by a cantor.

17. Worship cont… • Orthodox worship is in Hebrew • Women sit apart from men • Reform Jews sit together • Sabbath is the weekly remembrance that God rested from creation on the 7th day. • The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday night and continues until sunset on Saturday. • Day of rest, begins with a simple meal, then worship on Friday night and/or Saturday morning. • 8 days after birth a baby boy is circumcised, britmilah, and given his name • A baby girl receives her name during blessing at the synagogue

18. Worship cont… • At 13 • Bar mitzvah – Jewish boy becomes an adult, reads from the Torah and often leads the whole service. • Bat mitzvah – Reform movement for girls • Bat hayil- Othodox movement

19. Jewish Philosophy • God is one and unique • God is the creator • God is transcendent • God is immanent. • God is lawgiver • God is personal • We have the obligation to worship • The Torah is God's law • God is judge • The Messiah will come.

20. Holidays/Festivals • Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year • Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement • Pesach (Passover) – spring holiday • Shavuot (Pentecost) – summer festival • Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles ) – fall harvest festival • Hanukkah (Feast of Lights) - December

21. Membership • 13-14 million in the world • Half in North America • Five million in Israel and the Middle East • Others in Europe, Russia, Africa and South America

26. Christianity

27. History • Followers of Jesus of Nazareth (a town in what is now northern Israel) • Born to a young girl named Mary who was engaged to a man named Joseph • Many Christians believe that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born, and that God was his father. • Jesus traveled telling stories and curing ailments • He gained a following and thousands flocked to hear Him. • He chose twelve apostles to carry on His message.

29. History cont… • When he was about 33 years old he was sentenced to death by hanging on a cross. • Authorities saw Him as a threat to their political power • Christians believe that after three days in the tomb Jesus was resurrected and appeared to his followers many times before finally leaving earth for heaven. • Jesus’ followers banded together and began telling his story, they were called Christians, from the Greek word Christos, Hebrew for Messiah which means anointed one.

31. Early Christians • Had to meet in secret • Persecuted by the Romans • Changed in the 4th century when Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire • Spread through Europe and parts of Africa and the Middle East • The Christian church became known as the Roman Catholic Church • Church and government leaders controlled the empire • In 1054 churches in Greece and areas east split and formed the Eastern Orthodox Church • During the Protestant Reformation more denominations formed such as Lutheranism, Anabaptists, Anglicans, and many more later on. • Today Christianity is the worlds largest religion.

35. Beliefs • All Christians honor Jesus and most believe that faith in His death a resurrection saves a person from the consequences of sin and gives them eternal life.

36. Concept of God • Most believe in the concept of the trinity: • A supreme God, who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and is active in the world as the Holy Spirit

37. Sacred Writings • The Bible • Written over a period of several centuries • Tells the story of the Jewish people before Jesus, of Jesus’ life and death, and of the early Christian church started by Jesus’ followers. • Historic Christian documents such as the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed

38. Symbols • The cross • The crucifix

39. Worship/Sacred Space • Church buildings • Services vary from denomination to denomination • Most include prayers, songs, readings from the Bible, and a sermon or talk by a clergyperson or a lay person. • One prayer in common in the Lord’s Prayer • Most believe in baptism, some form of the Lord’s Supper, and Communion. • Holy Days – Christmas, Easter…

40. Christian Philosophy • Sin and Evil are realities in our existence. • The Bible is the Holy Book that records God's revelation. • All believers are promised life everlasting. • The leader of Christianity was Jesus, and the followers was his 12 disciples.

42. Islam

43. History • Islam means submission to God in Arabic • Person who follows Islam is called a Muslim, which means a person who submits • Trace heritage back to the Old Testament • Ishmael, the son of the Hebrew prophet Abraham , lived in the city of Mecca. • Many Arabs visited the city of Mecca to visit the many statues of gods that were kept there. • Muhammad (born about 570) was one of the merchants but was uncomfortable with the worship of idols.

45. Muhammad • Began to spend time alone praying • When he was about 40, he heard a voice telling him to “recite” the words of Allah (God) • For the next 20 years he heard this voice • It told him there was only one God called Allah • Muhammad became a prophet and gained a small group of followers • He moved to Medina in 622 • This trip is called the Hegira, and it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar • The people were open to his message and his new religion flourished • The first mosque was built in Medina

47. Return to Mecca • Muhammad and his followers returned and took Mecca by force • The took the city and destroyed the idols • The turned the shrine of the idols, called the Kaaba, into a mosque • By the time of his death in 632, Islam had spread through Arabia

48. After Muhammad’s Death • Sunnis • Most qualified leader should be chosen • Sunna – means traditions of the prophet • Chose a man, Abu Bakr, called a caliph • Shiites • Muhammad’s nearest relative, his cousin Ali, should succeed him. • Shiite – means followers of the party of Ali • In 680 the Shiites formed a separate group (about 20% today)