Chapter 10

1. Chapter 10 World Religions

2. Islam Origins of Islam • Muhammad, the Prophet • Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula: Early Muslim cities Spread of Islam • Across Asia and Africa and into Spain • Geographic extent of first Muslim empire Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Islam • Monotheism: Allah (Arabic word for God) • Qur’an (Koran): The word of God • Five Pillars of Islam • One God, • Give alms to the poor, • Pray 5x/day, • Make pilgrimage to Mecca • Fast during Ramadan • Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus

3. Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam • Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina • Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers • Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia facilitated by weak Byzantine and Persian empires Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development • Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived. • Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands. • Slavery was not based on race.

4. Historical turning points • Death of Ali: Sunni-Shi’a division • Muslim conquests of Jerusalem and Damascus • Islamic capital moved to Baghdad • Muslim defeat at the Battle of Tours • Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols

5. Cultural contributions and achievements • Architecture (Dome of the Rock) • Mosaics • Arabic alphabet • Universities • Translation of ancient texts into Arabic Scientific contributions and achievements • Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero) • Algebra • Medicine • Expansion of geographic knowledge

6. Biography of Lord Buddha Buddhism • Buddhism began in India as a protest to the caste system of Hinduism. It was founded in the 5 & 6th centuries BCE by Siddhartha Gautama (known as Buddha). According to Buddha, suffering is caused by selfishness and desires, and in order to achieve Nirvana (the state of enlightenment), Buddhists must release themselves of these two evils. If they cannot, they are subject to repeated lifetimes that are good or bad depending on one’s karma. In order to rid yourself of worldly desires one must use meditation and follow the 4 Noble Truths and Eightfold path. Through this one will practice good religious and moral behavior and achieve Nirvana.

7. Confucianism Confucianism • Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who lived during the 5th & 6th centuries BCE. Confucianism began as a movement against a strife-ridden time in Chinese history. It is more of a lifestyle than religion that focuses on individuals achieving proper behavior. This behavior develops out of filial piety (respect for your elders), and five basic relationships a person must have in their lives. These relationships include son to father, wife to husband, subjects to government, younger sibling to older sibling, and friend to friend. Again, while it is debated whether Confucianism is a philosophy or religion, Confucius did regard heaven as a possibility. He did recognized a positive and personal force in the universe that one could achieve.

8. Catholicism • The Roman Catholic Church, with 980 million followers, is the largest Christian church in the world. It claims direct historical descent from the church founded by the apostle Peter. The Pope in Rome is the spiritual leader of all Roman Catholics. He administers church affairs through bishops and priests. Members accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible, the laws of the 10 Commandments, as well as the church's interpretations of these. God's grace is conveyed through the seven sacraments, especially the Eucharist or communion that is celebrated at mass, the regular service of worship. The other six sacraments are baptism, confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and anointing of the sick. Redemption through Jesus Christ is professed as the sole method of obtaining salvation, which is necessary to ensure a place in heaven after life on earth.

9. Judaism • Stemming from the descendants of Judah in Judea, Judaism was founded c. 2000 B.C. by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and has 18 million followers in the U.S. Judaism espouses belief in a monotheistic God, who is creator of the universe and who leads His people, the Jews, by speaking through prophets. His word is revealed in the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), especially in that part known as the Torah. The Torah also contains, according to rabbinic tradition, a total of 613 biblical commandments, including the Ten Commandments, which are explicated in the Talmud. Jews believe that the human condition can be improved, that the letter and the spirit of the Torah must be followed, and that a Messiah will eventually bring the world to a state of paradise. Judaism promotes community among all people of Jewish faith, dedication to a synagogue or temple (the basic social unit of a group of Jews, led by a rabbi), and the importance of family life. Religious observance takes place both at home and in temple. Judaism is divided into three main groups who vary in their interpretation of those parts of the Torah that deal with personal, communal, international, and religious activities: the Orthodox community, which views the Torah as derived from God, and therefore absolutely binding; the Reform movement, which follows primarily its ethical content; and the Conservative Jews, who follow most of the observances set out in the Torah but allow for change in the face of modern life. A fourth group, Reconstructionist Jews, rejects the concept of the Jews as God's chosen people, yet maintains rituals as part of the Judaic cultural heritage.

10. Hinduism • A religion with 648 million followers, Hinduism developed from indigenous religions of India in combination with Aryan religions brought to India around 1500 BCE, and codified in the Veda and the Upanishads, the sacred scriptures of Hinduism. Hinduism is a term used to broadly describe a vast array of sects to which most Indians belong. Although many Hindus reject the caste system-in which people are born into a particular subgroup that determines their religious, social, and work-related duties-it is widely accepted and classifies society at large into four groups: the Brahmins or priests, the rulers and warriors, the farmers and merchants, and the peasants and laborers. The goals of Hinduism are release from repeated reincarnation through the practice of yoga, adherence to Vedic scriptures, and devotion to a personal guru. This will result in good karma. Various deities are worshipped at shrines; the divine trinity, representing the cyclical nature of the universe, are Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Hinduism

11. Eastern Orthodox • With 158 million followers, the Orthodox Eastern Church is the second largest Christian community in the world. It began its split from the Roman Catholic Church in the fifth century. The break was finalized in 1054. The followers of the Orthodox Church are in fact members of many different denominations, including the Church of Greece, the Church of Cyprus, and the Russian Orthodox Church. Orthodox religion holds biblical Scripture and tradition, guided by the Holy Spirit as expressed in the consciousness of the entire Orthodox community, to be the source of Christian truth. It rejects doctrine developed by the Western churches. Doctrine was established by seven ecumenical councils held between 325 and 787 and amended by other councils in the late Byzantine period. Relations between the Orthodox churches and Roman Catholicism have improved since the Second Vatican Council (1962.65). Eastern Orthodox Church