WORLD RELIGION COMPARISONChristianity, Islam, Judaism

RELIGION A set of beliefs

existence of a higher power, spirits, or god an explanation of the origins and purpose of humans and their role

on earth Involves rituals, festivals, and rites of passage

Ethnic Religions Judaism and Hinduism

Universalizing Religions Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

Monotheism Belief in existence in one god

Polytheism Belief in existence in more than one god

HOW DO UNIVERSALIZING AND ETHNIC RELIGIONS DIFFER?Universalizing

•Appeal to people everywhere•Individual founder (prophet)•Message diffused widely (missionaries)•Followers distributed widely.•Holidays based on events in founder’s life.

Ethnic•Has meaning in particular place only.•Unknown source.•Content focused on place and landscape of origin.•Followers highly clustered.•Holidays based on local climate and agricultural practice.

3 ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONSJudaism, Christianity, Islam

INTRODUCTION PRE-TEST Directions: For each statement below, determine whether the question

applies to Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Each statement may apply to more than one religion. Write the appropriate letter (C, I, or J)

1. _____ Their Holy Book is called the Koran2. _____ Jesus is considered the son of God3. _____ This religion accepts both the Old and New Testaments as Holy Books4. _____ Followers participate in a pilgrimage to Mecca5. _____ This religion is the oldest of the three6. _____ This religion believes in one Supreme Being7. _____ This religion accepts the Old Testament as its only Holy Book8. _____ Jerusalem is considered a holy city9. _____ Followers of this religion call themselves Muslims10. _____ The Ten Commandments are accepted as guidelines for ethical behavior11. _____ This religion has a number of sects or denominations12. _____ Place of worship is a church13. _____ Place of worship is a mosque14. _____ Place of worship is a synagogue

INTRODUCTION ANSWER KEY1. I2. C3. C,I4. I5. J6. C,I, J7. J8. C, I, J9. I10. C, I, J11. C, I, J12. C13. I14. J

JUDAISM- NUTS AND BOLTS Monotheistic Current Adherent: 14 million, 12th largest

religion Adherents: Jews Major concentration: Israel, Europe, USA Sacred Text: Torah Religious Law: 10 Commandments Clergy: Rabbis House of Worship: Synagogue View of other Abrahamic Religions: Islam and

Christianity are false interpretations- extensions of Judaism

CHRISTIANITY- JUST THE BASICS Monotheistic Current Adherent: 2 Billion, largest religion Adherents: Christians Major concentration: Europe, North/South

America, rapid growth in Africa Sacred Text: Bible Religious Law: 10 Commandments Clergy: Priests, ministers, pastors, bishops House of Worship: Church, chapel, cathedral View of other Abrahamic Religions: Judaism is a

true religion, but with incomplete revelation; Islam is a false religion

ISLAM: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Monotheistic Current Adherent: 1.3 Billion, 2nd largest religion Adherents: Muslims Major concentration: Middle East, South/ Southeast

Asia Sacred Text: Koran Religious Law: 5 pillars Clergy: imams / ayatollah (informal) House of Worship: mosque View of other Abrahamic Religions: Jews and

Christians are respected as “people of the book,” but they have wrong beliefs and only partial revelation

Branch: A large and fundamental division within a religion.

Denomination: A division within a branch of a religion.

Sect: A relatively small denominational group that has broken away from an established church.

RELIGIOUS DIVISIONS

Christianity

Catholic OrthodoxProtestant

Baptist

Westboro Baptist

Mormon

Polygamist (Fundamentalist

Mormons)

Lutheran

Spiritual Baptist

ReligionBranchDenominationSect

RELIGIOUS CONFLICT• Two Big Questions: • Can secular society exist alongside traditional

and fundamentalist religious sects and states?

– We are quick to notice fundamentalism abroad (i.e. Salman Rushdie’s death sentence by Shia clerics) and not so quick to recognize it at home (abortion clinic bombings; Southern Baptist Convention’s calls for women to submit to their husbands’ authority).

– American evangelical Christianity and Islamic fundamentalism are the two most influential fundamentalist movements in the world.

– Fewer and fewer states are governed by an official church.• How well do different religions exist next to each other

– Let’s look at Israel and Palestine…