Belief SystemsBelief Systems

Religions and PhilosophiesReligions and Philosophies

Monotheism• The belief in one God

• Ex. Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Polytheism• The belief in many

gods

• Ex. Ancient Egypt, Hinduism

ReligionsReligions

•The Hebrews founded Judaism , the oldest known monotheistic religion

•Sacred text: Torah (Christian Old Testament)

•Basic teachings: Ten Commandments- the Hebrew code of laws

Holy City: Jerusalem

• Founder: Jesus of Nazareth

• Holy City: Jerusalem• Sacred text: Christian

Bible (Old Testament and New Testament)

• Monotheistic• Practices: Seven

sacraments

• Christian Churches divide numerous times

• Major churches: Roman Catholic (headed by Pope), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant Faiths (Lutheran, Calvinist, Church of England)

•Founder: Prophet Muhammad (6th Century AD)

•Sacred text: Qur’an (Koran)

•Monotheistic: One God (Allah- means God in Arabic)

•Basic teachings: 5 pillars

• Divisions: Sunni and Shiah

Holy Cities: Mecca (Makkah), Medina, Jerusalem

POLYTHEISTIC

No Single Founder

Holy books: Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, Mahabarata

Reincarnation- rebirth of one’s soul

Beliefs: Karma- all the good and bad deeds done in one’s lifeDharma- duties one must fulfill in lifeMoksha- union with Brahman at the end of life cycle

Caste system- rigid social class system based on birth

Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) 500’s BC

No Single God- believe in universal spirit

Basic teachings:

Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path

Beliefs: Karma

Reincarnation

Ahimsa- nonviolence to all living things

Nirvana- release from the cycle of rebirth

Founder-There is no one person Geographic Origin- Africa

Significant Writings- Animism has an oral tradition of story-telling, rather than a developed writing system.

Places of Worship-Animist rituals tend to take place outdoors in nature.

Teachings and Beliefs- Animists practice nature worship. They believe that everything in the universe has a spirit.

Founder: Confucius 500’s BC

Text: The Analects

Beliefs: Filial Piety- respect for parents and elders

5 relationships: guide conduct in all interactions in family and society

Founder: Laozi 500’s BC

Text: Dao De Jing

Beliefs: harmony with nature

Yin and Yang: must balance 2 opposing forces in nature

The Dao: the force that guides all things