Belief SystemsBelief SystemsMr. Ott @ BETA

2012-13

Aim: What are Belief Systems and How do they affect Global History?

Do Now: In your notebook, define the term; Belief Systems

What are the two types of Belief Systems?

Please make this chart in your notebook

POLYTHEISTIC

BELIEF IN OR WORSHIP OF MORE THAN ONE GODPOLY (MORE THAN 1) / THEO (GOD) / ISM (BELIEF

IN)MOST ANCIENT RELIGIONS WERE POLYTHEISTIC OFTEN PRACTICED RITUALS AND SACRIFICES TO THE MANY

GODS

MonotheisticDefinition: a belief in one god

Mono (one) / theo (god) / ism (belief in)The Hebrews (Jews) were the one of the first religions to

become monotheistic. They believed in one god for protection who they called Yahweh. Yahweh had power over everyone, not just the Jews and Hebrews.

God was not a physical being, and no physical images were to be made of him.

According to the Torah (holy book) the reason Yahweh looked after the Hebrews was because Abraham promised to obey him, not because of ceremonies or sacrifices as seen in polytheism.

Dating back almost 4000 years, Judaism traces it's spiritual origins to "the Patriarchs" Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob. It was with Abraham that God made a covenant to protect Abraham's descendants in exchange for exclusive worship (that they would bow down to no others gods but this one). It is from Jacob that the name Israel originates (see Gen. 35:10). Jacob's twelve sons migrated from the "Holy Land" (the "Land of Israel") to ancient Egypt. There, in Egypt for more than 400 years, the Hebrew people were enslaved under Pharaoh. Through the leadership of Moses, the Hebrew people gained their freedom and made their way to Mt. Sinai where they received their Torah ("teaching" or "Law") from God. Thus is Moses considered the greatest prophet of God. Ultimately the Hebrew people made their way back to their ancestral homeland where they settled for some 600+ years, creating a great civilization ruled over by Kings such as Saul, David and Solomon. They built a grand temple in the ancient city of Jerusalem.

There are no Egyptian

records or any records other than the Book of Genesis to corroborate

(confirm) this.

Evidence of the First Temple if exists is

buried under the Islamic holy site of

“The Dome of the Rock”

Timeline of Belief Systems