The Five Major Religions

• Compare and contrast the tenets

of the five major world religions
(i.e., Christianity, Buddhism,
Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism).

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 Main
Main Menu
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Christianity Buddhism

Islam

Hinduism Judaism
 Christianity
Christianity

• The early Hebrews who eventually

developed into the Jewish religion
became the foundation of
Christianity.
• Jesus, or the Messiah, was a Jewish
boy who disagreed with some of the
Jewish principles of his day began to
profess a new way of thinking.
• This eventually led to the beginning
of the Christian religion.
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 Christianity
Christianity

• Christianity started about 2000

years ago about the same time of
Jesus.
• The central point of Christian
belief is that God, the Father,
entered into human history as
the Son, Jesus of Nazareth, and
arose as the Holy Spirit. 
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 Christian
Christian Philosophy
Philosophy

• God is the Creator of the universe.

There is one God, Who is Three 
Persons-
     Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• Jesus is both fully man and fully
God.  He was born of the Virgin Mary
 Crucified, resurrected from the dead,
and ascended to the Father.

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 Christian
Christian Philosophy
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.
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 Christianity
Christianity and
and the
the Roman
Roman World
World

• The Romans initially prohibit Christianity

and persecute Christians for practicing it

• Christianity proves compelling to many

people because it allows everyone the
opportunity for salvation

• The poor are especially drawn to its

message of compassion
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The
TheFall
Fallof
ofthe
theRoman
RomanEmpire
Empireand
andChristianity’s
Christianity’sRise
Rise

• Attacks by Germanic tribes migrating Westward

weakens Roman empire

• Emperor Diocletian divides the empire into 2

parts, East and West (245-316 C.E.)

• Emperor Constantine moves the seat of power from

Rome to Byzantium (Constantinople)

• The Edict of Milan is passed in 313 C.E., giving

Christianity legitimacy within the Roman Empire

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 Christianity’s
Christianity’sRise
Risecontinued
continued

• Constantine calls the Council of Nicaea in 325

C.E. whereChristian dogma is decided upon:

1. The notion of the Trinity (the Father, Son, and

Holy
Ghost)
2. The virgin birth of Christ
3. The resurrection of the dead

The Western Christian church, called Catholicism,

maintains the hierarchical organization of the
Roman Empire
The Eastern Christian church, called the Greek
OrthodoxChurch, is centered in Constantinople
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 The
The Church
Church Fathers
Fathers
• Saint Augustine of Hippo
• St. Augustine was born in Hippo in North Africa,
where he later became the bishop in 354 C.E. He
writes two influential books, The City of God and The
Confessions, the first autobiography.

• The City of God refutes the charge that Christianity

led to the fall of Rome, arguing that the city of man
gives way to the city of God (heaven)

• Saint Thomas Aquinas

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 The
The Monastic
Monastic Life
Life

• Cloistered communities of people who

vow to live a celibate life devoted to God

• Monks preserve history and literature

• Daily routine includes work and prayer

• Convents offer spaces for women outside

of marriage

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 Allegorical
Allegorical View
View of
of the
the World
World
• Symbols help Christians identify one another during
Roman persecution

• Early Christian thought borrows from Plato the idea

that the material world is an imperfect reflection of the
divine

• Christian art makes use of symbols that point to higher

meanings

• Iconography is the study of the meanings behind these

symbols

• Particular numbers also have allegorical meanings

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 Examples
Examples of
of Symbolism
Symbolism

In this depiction:
Luke is an ox, Matthew is a man, Mark is
a lion, John is an eagle MAIN
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 In
In Early
Early Christian
Christian Architecture
Architecture

• Old Saint Peter’s

Basilica, Rome

• Fourth Century C.E.

• Hierarchical use of
space, moving from
west to east or
sinfulness to salvation

• Created a Latin cross

formation
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 Gregorian
Gregorian Chants
Chants

• Sung a cappella (no musical

accompaniment)
• Sung by clergy or monks for liturgical
purposes
• Monophonic (single melodic line)
• Either responsorial or antiphonal
• Rhythm of words determine rhythm of
music
• Similar to Hebrew liturgical music
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Buddhism
Buddhism

• Founding person of
Buddhism is Guatama,
the Buddha
• Buddhism is a major
religion in China, Japan,
India, and Tibet.
• The Dalai Lama is a
Buddhist monk who
remains the leader of
the Tibetans.
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 Buddhism
Buddhism

• Siddhartha Gutama, a member of the princely Hindu

caste (born in the 6th or 5th Century B.C.E.),
becomes aware of human suffering caused by old
age, sickness, and death

• He searches for enlightenment, first by becoming

an ascetic and then by meditating under a bo tree

• After meditating he realizes that desire and

attachment to material things is the cause of
suffering

• Becomes known as the Buddha (enlightened one)

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Buddhism
Buddhismcontinued
continued

• Buddha rejected divinities of any kind believing each

person can find their own salvation

• Buddhism spreads from India

into China, Japan, and
Southeast Asia

• As it travels, Buddhism is
adapted to the culture in
which it is found

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The
The Major
Major Philosophy
Philosophy of
of Buddhism
Buddhism

• Love: without conditions

• Compassion: or feeling at one with
the person who is suffering
• Sympathetic Joy:Celebrate the
happiness of others, and do not
resent their good fortune.
• Impartiality: Treat everyone equally,
and do not use others for personal
gain or to win approval.
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The
The Major
Major Philosophy
Philosophy of
of Buddhism
Buddhism

• Buddhism states that existence

is a continuing cycle of death
and rebirth called reincarnation.
• Each person's position in life is
determined by his or her
behavior in the previous life.
This is known as their "karma"
(also a Hindu belief).
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 The
TheFour
FourNoble
NobleTruths
Truthsand
andthe
the
Eightfold
EightfoldPath
Path
1. Pain is universal
2. Desire causes all pain
3. Ceasing desire relieves pain
4. Right conduct provides escape from pain

• The Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering: right

views, right intention, right speech, right action,
right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness,
and right concentration

• Buddhism is practical in that the person must put

these into practice in everyday life in order to attain a
higher level of existence, nirvana

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 Buddhism
Buddhism

• Buddhism is the world's oldest

universal religion and it is the
second fastest growing
religion.    

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 Islam
Islam

• ISLAM is the name given to the

religion preached by the prophet
Muhammad in the 600s A. D.
• The Islamic religion started in the
area known as Palestine in the year
600AD.
• It has about 850 million followers,
most of them in the region north and
east of the Mediterranean Sea.
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 Islam
Islam

• The holy book of Islam is the "Koran." Muslims

believe its words to be those of Allah himself,
spoken to Muhammad by an angel.

• Allah, is the Islamic God.

• People who believe these ideas are called

Muslims.

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 Islamic
Islamic Philosophy
Philosophy

• Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of testing and

preparation for the life to come.

• Angels record good and bad deeds.

• People should behave themselves and help others, trusting

in Allah's justice and mercy for their reward.

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 Islam
Islam

• Muslims pray five times daily in their mosques

(churches).
• While praying, they face the holy city of Mecca (in Saudi-
Arabia) and sometimes kneel with faces to the ground.
• All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage (trip to a
sacred place) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

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 The
The Quran
Quran

• The Quran was revealed to Muhammad

and written down by his disciples

• It is the holy book of Islam

• Along with the Hadith,

the Quran provides the
ethical code of Muslims,
known as sharia MAIN
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Islamic
Islamic Mosques
Mosques

• A large columned hall

where Muslims pray

• Mosques are always

oriented towardsMecca

• The Great Mosque at

Córdoba Spain 784-987
C.E.
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 Islamic
Islamic Art
Art

• Condemns imagery that leads to worship of idols

• Calligraphic motifs

• Meander and frame style demonstrates unity and

variety

• Use of arabesques

• Ornamentation found on carpets,

manuscripts, ceramics, textiles

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Islamic
Islamic Music
Music

• Five times a day the

muezzins call the faithful to
prayer, often from minarets
• Arabic poetic writing
combines with Persian
influences and interest in
Ancient Greek treatises on
music
• The ud, or lute, is a
prominent instrument
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 Hinduism
Hinduism

• HINDUISM is one of the world's oldest religions.

• Over 2/3's of the world's Hindus live in India; large numbers reside in Africa
also.
• Hindus believe in many gods, numbering into the thousands. They recognize
one supreme spirit called Brahman ("the Absolute.")

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 Hindu
Hindu Philosophy
Philosophy

• Hindus believe in many gods, numbering into the thousands.

• They recognize one supreme spirit called Brahman (the Absolute).
• The goal of Hindus is to someday join with Brahman.
• Until that union takes place, believers are in a continuous process of
rebirth called "reincarnation."

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 Hindu
Hindu Philosophy
Philosophy
• At death, the Hindu's deeds (karma) determine what the next life will be.

• Followers work to break this cycle--birth, death, re-birth-- (referred to by writers as the "Wheel
of Life") and gain release.

• The Hindu's soul then merges with Brahman in a condition of spiritual perfection (moksha).

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 Hinduism
Hinduism

• Hinduism has many sacred books, the oldest being a series

called the "Vedas.“

• Traditional Hindu society was divided into groups of four

classes (or varnas). This was known as the "caste system."

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 Judaism
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.
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 Judaism
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.
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 Judaism
Judaism

• The "Torah," the first five books

of the Hebrew Bible, is the most
important Jewish scripture.
• It contains the basic laws of
Judaism.
• Another important book is the
"Talmud," serving primarily as a
guide to the civil and religious
laws of Judaism.
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 Judaism
Judaism

• The Jewish house of worship is called a

synagogue.
• Rabbis (spiritual leaders) conduct
services, act as interpreters of Jewish
laws, and deliver sermons.
• Today there are over 18 million followers
of Judaism scattered throughout the
world. A large number of those people
live in the Jewish nation of Israel. Over
six million live in the United States.

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 Judaism
Judaism

• The Hebrews were a tribe of people

from Mesopotamia

• They believed in one supreme, all-

knowing creator, which is called
monotheism

• As God’s chosen people, the Hebrews

were bound by a covenant which
protected them when they abided by it
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 The
The Temple
Temple of
of Solomon
Solomon

• Built in Jerusalem

• A sacred space
meant to house the
divine spirit

• No longer extant, can

only gain evidence from
theBible

• This is a model of what it

may have looked like

• The Jewish Diaspora: Spoils from MAIN

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 Jewish
Jewish Philosophy
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.
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THE END

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 Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think so many of these world religions
have a problematic relationship to icons?

2. What are some similarities you see between

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism?

3. What are some differences you see between Islam,

Judaism, and Christianity?

4. What are some reasons Romans became receptive

to Christianity?

5. What was the purpose of art (beauty) for early

Christians and Muslims?
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