Religion

1. Religion What is it?

2. Religion: • a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, worship of a deity, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

3. What do religions have in common?

4. What do religions have in common? • Community – people practicing a common faith assemble together – why? • Religious leaders • Services/rituals • Prayer/meditation • Sacred text • Guidelines for living life • Traditions/Religious Holidays • Why? • Examples?

5. Community • Community Organization: people play different roles • religious life, family life • Support of those sharing common faith and lifestyle • Sometimes hierarchy of leadership • Catholic Example: Pope, bishops, priests • Leaders better educated about faith than most lay people, help interpret faith

6. Services/Rituals • Examples? • Mass, Liturgy of the Hours • Purpose: practice the faith dynamically

7. Prayer/Meditation • Formal and informal prayers • Catholic examples: Hail Mary, Our Father versus “Hey God. I have a minute to speak with you (although I should make more time more often) and these are my thoughts…” • Specified times for prayer • Types of prayer (purpose for prayer) • Pray to whom?

8. Text • Why is it important to have elements of a religion written? If a religion is passed down only by word of mouth, there is more opportunity for the faith to be influenced by personal interpretation Examples: Bible, Torah, Koran (Quran)

9. Guidelines • How to live a good life… • Example: beatitudes, Ten Commandments, parables Jesus told

10. Traditions/Holidays • Follow some sort of religious calendar • Annual celebrations, usually celebrating historical religious events • Traditions keeps holiday meaningful

11. Respect • As we begin this unit and learn about other religions and cultures, we must remain open-minded and respectful • This means do not make fun of these cultures, even if they seem strange to you • Why do you think we are learning about other cultures? • Because appreciation for diversity (for those who are different from us) is important. Being educated about the cultures of others prevents us from being misinformed by biased information. This helps prevent prejudice or discrimination between cultures. • Keep in mind the Golden Rule • During this unit, behave as though a member from each of these cultures is present in our classroom

12. Zoroastrianism

13. Zoroastrianism • One of smallest religions in modern world • Estimated total of 250,000 Zoroastrian population • Largest populations in Iran and Bombay, India • Does not encourage conversion, so it is not a growing religion • Approximately 3,000 years old • Originated in ancient Persia • First known monotheistic religion

15. Zarathustra Spitama • Also known as Zoroaster, the man who originated Zoroastrianism • Born into warrior clan connected to royal family of ancient Persia between 1400 and 1000 B.C. • Likely lived a nomadic life • Had three wives and six children • Became a priest in his religion (only founder of a world religion to be trained as a priest) • Persian religion of the time was polytheistic, worshiping many deities of nature (fire, water, earth, moon, sun) with one Supreme Deity: Ahura Mazda

16. Zarathustra Spitama • While seeking answers to religious questions that troubled him, he had a vision of an angel by the bank of a river • Angel was VohuMana, appeared 9 times the size of a man • Zarathustra was told there was only one true God, Ahura Mazda • Zarathustra spread this message but was unsuccessful in converting anyone for 10 years • Eventually converted his cousin • journeyed to Bactria to convert the prince. Successful after many years. The prince’s court and kingdom converted also • Zoroastrianism spread throughout Persia

17. Main Beliefs of Zoroastrianism • Ahura Mazda, the only god, reveals himself to humans in 6 modes because humans cannot comprehend the nature of god • 3 of these modes are masculine: Asha (god of knowledge of the law), VohuMana (love), and Kshathra (loving service) • 3 of these modes are feminine: Armaiti (piety), Haurvatat (perfection), and Ameretat (immortality)

18. Main Beliefs of Zoroastrianism • Dualism: Ahura Mazda made up of 2 halves: SpentaMainya the Beneficent Spirit and AngraMainyu the Evil Spirit • These 2 halves of Ahura Mazda explains the struggle between good and evil in mankind • Zoroastrians believe all people are born in a pure and sinless state • All people have free will to serve good or evil purposes • People accountable for their choices, ethical conduct determines ultimate destiny

19. Zoroastrianism: After Death • Soul stays in body three days reflecting on deeds done during life, then judged on how life was lived • God and bad deeds placed on a scale • Direction scale tips determines whether soul goes to hell or paradise • At the end of time, all souls will reside in paradise and AngraMainya and his demons will be destroyed forever

20. Zoroastrian Worship • Offering of sandalwood to sacred flames that always burn in Zoroastrian fire temples; these fires are tended by priests who wear surgical masks so their breath does not contaminate the flame • Prayers offered to Ahura Mazda for help in living a righteous life and avoiding temptations

21. Zoroastrian Rituals • Ceremony for purifying household and mother at the birth of a child • At either age 7 (India) or 10 (Iran), children are received into their religion and given a sacred shirt (sadre) and sacred thread (kusti). They wear these items for the rest of their lives, tying and untying the kusti 5 times a day as a form of prayer • Ceremonies for marriage and initiation into the priesthood

22. Zoroastrian Rituals: After Death • believe earth, air, fire, and water are sacred elements and corpse is contaminating • Clean body • Body brought to structure like small stadium called “tower of silence” outside city • Mourners leave body and vultures descend • Today, Zoroastrians may also dispose of bodies in sealed caskets that will not contaminate the earth or cremate with electrical heat

23. Sacred text • Gathas: hymns considered to be the very words of the prophet Zathustra

24. Zoroastrian Holy Days • Seasonal Feasts (Gahambars) celebrated 6 times throughout the year, celebrating the creation of heaven, earth, trees, animals, water, and humans. • New Year’s Day (No Ruz)first day of the first month (Farvardin) – a day of feasting and good fortune • All Soul’s Day (Muktad): honors departed ancestors • Jasans: a feast day occurring once a month

25. Judaism

26. Judaism • Both a religion and a culture • 43% of Jewish population in Israel • 39% of Jewish population in United States • Approximately 5,275,000 Jews in U.S.

27. Judaism: History: Biblical Patriarchs • Jews considered a chosen people because God chose to communicate with the descendants of Abraham • Promised Abraham to be father of a great nation and posses a land (Genesis 12) • Abraham, his son Isaac, his grandson Jacob and Jacob’s twelve sons are considered the patriarchs of the Jewish nation • Their stories are found in Genesis and were probably recorded generations after the times of the patriarchs • Their names and ways of life fit into the history of the Fertile Crescent at the beginning of the second millennium • At this time, Israelites worshipped one God (called El), burned animal sacrifices, no temples yet

28. Exodus: most important event in Judaism • God promised Abraham that a great nation would arise from his seed, they would have a homeland (Canaan), and the entire world would be blessed by this nation. BUT • The Book of Genesis ends with Israelites in EGYPT, not Canaan! Why there? • Israelites bound in SLAVERY • Therefore, exodus from Egypt and slavery, journey back to Canaan, and conquest of land had to be achieved to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham • Events and characters from Exodus became heart and soul of Jewish religion • Keep in mind, Egypt most powerful nation in world at this time

29. Exodus • Main character? • Moses (Egyptian name, means “has been born,” referring to a god thought to be his sponsor) • Story? • Moses raised by pharaoh’s daughter • Recognized his Israelite heritage, kills Egyptian in defense of a slave, exiled to Sinai Desert • lives there 40 years as a shepherd • Exodus 3 to 4:17, The Call of Moses • Goes to Egypt, plagues • Exodus 12: 1-20, Passover • Civil and religious laws: Exodus chapters 20 to 23 • Events from Exodus remembered annually during Jewish holidays

30. Jewish Festivals and Holy Days • Shabbat (Sabbath) • Judaism gave the world a 6 day work week and the 7th day reserved for worship and rest • Begins Friday night and continues until sundown Saturday • Begins with Kiddush, lighting of Sabbath candles and benediction over wine or bread • Best food of the week is traditionally served at the Friday evening meal • Synagogue attended on Saturday; read week’s section of Torah

31. Jewish Festivals and Holy Days Passover (Pesach) • 8 days long during Hebrew month of Nisan (March-April) • First two nights family has ritual meal called Seder, which includes lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. These foods are associated with Exodus • The family recalls events from the book of Exodus during Passover

32. Jewish Festivals and Holy Days Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) • The first of the month of Tishre (September - October) • First days of creation • Celebrated by eating sweets and with special prayer • Begins a period of penitence that ends with the next holiday

33. Jewish Festivals and Holy Days Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) • Holiest of all Jewish holidays • Ends period of penitence begun during Rosh Hashanah • Observed by fasting and not going to work • The day is spent in the synagogue, offering prayers for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation • An occasion for charity

34. Jewish Worship Today • New York City largest concentration of Jews in world • Several groups within Jewish world divide by beliefs and practices • Orthodox Jews: largest group within Judaism • Strive to preserve traditional Jewish culture and religion • Stay close to nature of biblical Judaism • Kosher food laws stressed • Strict observance of the Sabbath (Saturday morning) • Men and women separated in the synagogue during worship; both cover their heads (men wear yarmalke) • Worship in Hebrew language

35. Jewish Worship Today • Reform Judaism: popular mainly in U.S. and Europe • Attempts to be as modern as possible • Focus on interfaith dialogue and social activism • Worship on Friday evenings • men and women sit together, heads uncovered • Vernacular used during service (native language, not Hebrew) • Women can be rabbis

36. Jewish Worship Today • Conservative Judaism: arose in 19th century as a reaction to Reform Judaism: thought Reform was too extreme, so Conservative is middle ground between Reform and Orthodox • Worship on Saturday morning • Men wear skullcap (yarmalke) • Vernacular used more often than Hebrew • Only men are rabbis (like in Orthodox) • Study of the Bible and rabbinical material is more scientific than Orthodox study

37. Israel

38. Judaism • Community – (people practicing a common faith assemble together) • Services/rituals • On the Sabbath (Shabbat) at temple (aka synagogue) • Religious leaders • Rabbi • Sacred text • Torah • Guidelines for living life • Found in the Book of Exodus (Ten Commandments and other social, religious, and civil laws) • Traditions/Religious Holidays (see notes)

39. Islam

40. Before Islam • Arab people believed in a supreme God with other local deities (similar to Persian beliefs before Zoroastrianism) • The supreme god was called Allah (literally, “the God”) • Also practiced animism: believed gods and spirits could be found in rocks, trees, wells, animals, etc. and asked for help • City of Mecca is a holy place for animistic associations • Mecca’s fame rooted in a meteoric rock that fell from the sky centuries before • Pilgrims built an enclosure around it called the Ka’ba • A period of several months set aside each year for peace between warring tribes so pilgrims could travel safely to Mecca to worship at the shrine

41. Ka’ba

42. Life of Muhammad • Born around 570 • Raised by uncle, abu-Talib, because parents died when he was young • His uncle was chief of Quarish tribe • Muhammad was illiterate • Traveled in merchant caravans that traded between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea • Likely met Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians in his travels • All three religions believe in one God, have a Scripture that is their Word of God, and believe the world will one day end and the righteous will be rewarded • Met his wife, Khadija, a wealthy widow and caravan owner • She was 40, he 25 when they married

43. Life of Muhammad • In his culture, it was permissible to have more than one wife, but Muhammad was only married to Khadija as long as she lived • He had two sons and 4 daughters • Only one daughter, Fatima, lived after her father’s death • After marrying Khadija, Muhammad would go to the hills surrounding Mecca and meditate on religious questions • During a period of meditation, he was visited by an angel, whom he later identified as Gabriel • During the rest of his life, Muhammad received revelations from God in this fashion • Sometimes received visions in his sleep

44. Life of Muhammad • Muhammad memorized the contents of these divine messages and taught them to others; eventually, they were committed to writing to become the Scripture of Islam, called the Qur’an or Koran(Muhammad did not write it because illiterate) • Muhammad was convinced that there was only one God that different religions call by different names • Islam name for God is Allah • Believed Allah was same God of Jewish and Christian faiths and believed that he, Muhammad, was the last of many prophets (including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus) who had an incomplete revelation of Allah (therefore there were differences in the faiths all worshiping the same Being) but Muhammad’s was the final revelation and was complete

45. Life of Muhammad • As Prophet of Allah, Muhammad began preaching to people of Mecca • He preached the people should not worship idols, but this would hurt the livelihoods of Meccans who depended on pilgrims coming to Mecca to worship idols at the Ka’ba • Converts to Islam were mainly young and lower class • Muslims were persecuted in Mecca, so some fled to a Christian kingdom, Abyssinia, in present day Ethiopia • In 619, his wife and uncle both passed away, leaving Muhammad without the protection of his uncle’s tribe • Muhammad was asked to solve a dispute between tribes in the city of Yathrib (present day Medina)

46. Life of Muhammad • Some Jews in Yathrib thought that Muhammad may be the Messiah • This was eventually rejected • Conflict between Jewish and Muslim tribes intensified • At one point, a Jewish woman invited Muhammad and his friends to dinner and served poisoned lamb. Muhammad only ate a little, but suffered the effects of the poison the rest of his life • Led by the Prophet, Muslims attacked Meccan caravans to take goods ad prisoners • 10,000 Meccans attacked Medina in 627, but failed to tk the city. This was a turning point in the history of Islam. • By 629, there were so many Muslims going to Mecca on pilgrimage that no one tried to stop them

47. Life of Muhammad • In 630, Muhammad conquered Mecca with 10,000 men • Went to Ka’ba and destroyed idols and images there, but respected black stone • In 632, when Muhammad was 62 years old, he led his last pilgrimage to Mecca • When he returned to Medina, he died • There was a time of confusion because Muhammad had not appointed a successor, but his friend abu-Bakr was agreed to be the next caliph (successor)

48. Qur’an • Means “reading” or “recitation” • Difference between Bible and Qur’an is Bible was inspired human authorship • Qur’an believed to be the word of God, His final message • Muslims respect the Bible, but believe reciting the Qur’an reproduces divine speech

49. Mosque • Friday is a day of worship on which Muslims are required to pray at a mosque • Led in prayer by imam, a community member that is knowledgeable and pious • Friday service includes a sermon, delivered in Arabic or the language of the congregation • All other religious duties of a Muslim can be performed away from the mosque because Islam is not a temple-oriented religion: this would not have suited the nomadic life of the Arab people

50. 5 Pillars of Islam • Repetition of the Creed (shahadah): “There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” A devout Muslim says this statement as often as possible throughout the day. • Daily Prayer (Salaht): a Muslim prays 5 times a day (dawn, midday, midafternoon, sunset, and nightfall). A Muslim kneels and faces Mecca during prayer. Before prayer, a Muslim must be clean. In Mosques there is water for washing hands, feet, and face. Men and women pray separately in different sections of the mosque.