3 Major Monotheistic Religions

the Abrahamic Religions

Monotheism – a belief in one god

The 3 major monotheistic religions

are:

Judaism

Christianity

Islam

Overview

All 3 monotheistic

religions view Jerusalem

as their holy land

Many beliefs are shared

among the 3 major

monotheistic religions

(Judaism, Christianity,

Islam)

Judaism

Jews trace their beginnings

to Mesopotamia – lived as

shepherds and merchants

The father of Judaism is

Abraham

Abraham Was commanded to sacrifice his son

Isaac, but didn’t have to last-

minute

Made a covenant –

a promise to God

Symbol is circumcision

Promised land : South of Egypt

Keep God’s law, all descendants will be

blessed…Jacob, Joeseph, Judas

Joeseph

Judaism: The Faithful,

The Chosen People

Every year during the festival of Passover,

Jews today retell the story of the Exodus

from Egypt

For the next 40 years, the Jews wandered

through the deserts of the Sinai Peninsula

While in the desert, God gave the Jews the

Ten Commandments

Judaism

10 Commandments examples:

No other gods

Don’t take the name in vain

(never cry wolf)

Remember the Sabbath day

Honor your mother and father

Shall not murder

Shall not steal

Shall not commit adultery

Shall not covet anything that is

your neighbor’s (including their

wife, ox or slave)

Judaism Over time, the Jews will

eventually return to Canaan

In 1012 B. C., David (the one

who fought Goliath) will rule the

Jews

He will set up Jerusalem as the

capital of the Jews

Judaism

After King David dies, his son Solomon will

take over

There will be a split between the Jews after

Solomon’s death

The northern kingdom called Israel, the

southern kingdom called Judah (meaning

Jew)

Judaism

In 722 B.C., the Jews resisted their new leaders,

the Assyrians and were sent into exile

While in exile, the Jews had no temple to worship

in

Instead, small groups began to meet on the

Sabbath (holy day of rest) for prayer and study

The Jewish Sabbath day is Saturday

Judaism

In 539 B.C., the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem

They also collected their holy writings into the Torah (these make up the first 5 books of the Bible – Old Testament)

Jewish churches are called synagogues

Christianity

In the beginning, Jews were persecuted by the Roman emperor Augustus in A.D. 6

The pantheon of Gods wasn’t helping the poor people

Many Jews believed that a messiah would help them

Christianity

A Jew named Jesus grew up in the town of

Nazareth after being born in Bethlehem

He began preaching a new message and gaining

disciples, or followers

Some Jews believed that Jesus was the Messiah,

others did not (split between Christians and Jews)

Mary’s Boy Child

Christianity

These Christians began to resist the harsh rule of the Romans

In response, Jesus was arrested and crucified (hung from a cross)

After his death, his disciples proclaimed that he had risen from the dead and appeared to them

They began preaching Jesus as the Son of God and they way to salvation

The Passion

Christianity

Those that accepted Jesus as the Messiah became known as Christians

A convert named Paul traveled to spread the word of Jesus

His letters, along with other early Christians (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) form the New Testament of the Bible

Christianity

In early Roman times, Christians were

persecuted for rejecting the Roman

deities (gods)

In A.D. 312, the Roman emperor

Constantine allowed Christians to

worship as they pleased without

persecution

Eventually in A.D. 392, Christianity

became the official religion of the

Roman empire

Christianity

Differs from Judaism in that they practice the rite of baptism (believer is dipped into water to wash away his or her sin)

This baptism made a person a member of the Church

Christians also celebrate the Eucharist, or Last Supper (usually with bread and wine)

St. Augustine (of Hippo)

(354-430)

Searched for how to find

the Truth

He declared that

“Faith precedes

Reason” because

unless you believe,

you would not

understand.

Islam The religion of Islam

began on the Arabian Peninsula (modern-day Saudi Arabia)

This is a desert climate and the people that lived there moved from place to place and had not permanent home (nomads)

Islam These nomads travelled

throughout the Arabian Peninsula and traded in major trading centers – a key one being Mecca

The Black Stone of the Kaaba -

MECCA A Meteor? Worshipped for all

time

Muhammad was born and grew up in the trading center of Mecca in 570 A.D, where the Kaaba was

The Black Stone of the Kaaba -

MECCA

Muhammed became respected as a peacekeeper

putt his robe on the ground

Asked patrons to each take a corner to lift the stone

Islam

When he was 40 years old, he heard God speak to him through the angel Gabriel in a cave (610 A.D.)

As a result, he began proclaiming the word of God and proclaiming his message that there was one true god - Allah

Islam

The city of Yathrib was renamed Medina

As Muhammad was in Medina, he taught his followers

The teaching and laws he revealed were written down in the

Quran, or Koran

This is the holy book of Muslims

Islam

In 630 A.D., Muhammad returned to Mecca and established it as the capital of the Islamic faith The Kaaba will become the

center of Islamic worship They will worship in their

churches called Mosques He will eventually die in 632

A.D.

Islam

Muslims believe in the Five Pillars of Faith

Declaration of Faith: Muslims must regularly declare that there is only one God and Mohammad is his prophet (or messenger) Prayer: Muslims must pray 5 times a day

facing Mecca (their holy city) Sunrise, noon, afternoon, sunset, evening

Islam Almsgiving:

Muslims must given

alms, or money, to the

poor

Islam Fasting: Muslims must

fast (no eating or

drinking) during the

daylight hours in the

month of Ramadan

Islam Pilgrimage (hajj):

Muslims must make a

pilgrimage (or journey)

to Mecca at least one

time in their lives if they

are able

Islam

After Muhammad’s death, Muslims looked to a

new type of ruler called a caliph (or successor)

There will be two types of groups emerge after

his death with different ideas about successors

The smaller group is called the Shiites

The larger group is called the Sunnis

Islam

Sunnis (85% of all Muslims)

They believe that the first 4 caliphs after

Muhammad’s death rightly took their place as

the religious leaders of Islam

All of their heirs are then legitimate religious

leaders

Shiites

They believe that only the heirs of the 4th

caliph, Ali, are legitimate religious leaders

Islam

Basic Muslim beliefs are similar to Jews and

Christians

Honor parents

Show kindness to neighbors

Give to the poor

No murder

No stealing

No lying

Islam

There are also specific rules laid down in the

Quran for Muslims to follow:

Forbids gambling

Forbids eating pork (like some Jews)

Forbids drinking alcoholic beverages

The Quran contains rules governing marriage,

family life, etc.

They live under a rule of laws called the

Shari’ah