Judaism and Christianity

Judaism

Founders of Judaism• Abraham and Moses

• Around 2000 B.C.E.

Abraham• Abraham lived around 2000 B.C.E in a city called Ur in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). In Abraham’s time people worshipped many gods. Abraham, however, believed in one god, called Yahweh.

• Abraham and his wife Sarah went to Canaan (now Israel). Yahweh made a covenant (agreement) with him, Abraham would have many descendants who would live in Canaan (which they called the Promised Land) if Abraham remained faithful to Yahweh.

Yahweh’s “Covenant” With His People

Yahweh’s “Covenant” With His People

The TorahThe Torah

The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible are called the Torah.

The most sacred text in the Jewish religious tradition.

The first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible are called the Torah.

The most sacred text in the Jewish religious tradition.

•

• All the people who have descended from Abraham through his son Isaac are known as Jews (after one of Abraham’s great-grandsons, Judah).

• Jewish people are also sometimes known as Israelites or Children of Israel, after Abraham’s grandson.

• Traditionally, everyone born of a Jewish mother is a Jew, whether they actively participate in the religion or not.

Abraham’s GenealogyAbraham’s Genealogy

ABRAHAMABRAHAM SARAHSARAHHAGARHAGAR

IsaacIsaac

EsauEsauJacobJacob

12 Tribes of Israel

12 Tribes of Israel

Ishmael

Ishmael

12 Arabian Tribes

12 Arabian Tribes

Muslim Muslim JewishJewish

Moses• The Jewish people did not live in their Promised Land forever, as they

had hoped.

• Around 1300 B.C.E. they had to move to Egypt in search of food during a time of famine.

• There they became slaves of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

• They were freed by a Jewish man named Moses, and again headed back towards the Promised Land (Book of Exodus in the Bible).

• Yahweh gave Moses his commandments on top of Mount Sinai.

• They finally arrived and settled in Canaan, building a temple in which to worship Yahweh in the city of Jerusalem.

Moses and the 10

Commandments

Moses and the 10

Commandments

A new “covenant”

with Yahweh

A new “covenant”

with Yahweh

Before

Now

King David’s EmpireKing David’s Empire

Solomon’s

Kingdom

Solomon’s

Kingdom

Kingdoms of

Judah

&

Israel

Kingdoms of

Judah

&

Israel

History

• Begins with stories of Abraham & Moses (led Hebrews out of Egypt to ‘promised land of Israel’)

• David founded the kingdom of Israel

• Kingdom became powerful until conquered by Babylonians (Jews sent into exile)

• Return to kingdom, but ruled by foreign armies/empires for thousands of years

Well Known Stories of Judaism

• Exodus - escape from Egypt

• Abraham and Isaac

• David and Goliath

Basic Beliefs• Monotheistic: belief in one god

• God is ethical and good, takes care of people

• Need to follow God’s law and try to live a holy life

• Ten Commandments

• Rituals: Circumcision (outward sign of a man’s participation with God’s covenant, Bar Mitzvah (boys - age 13)/Bat Mitzvah (girls - age 12), prayer

• Religious leaders: rabbis

Torah: is written in Hebrew

Symbols of Judaism

Star of David Menorah

Synagogue: where Jews worship

Holy Sites

• Jerusalem

• Western (Wailing) Wall (site of Solomon’s Temple)

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem Today

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem Today

Solomon’s Temple Wall: The “Wailing” Wall

Solomon’s Temple Wall: The “Wailing” Wall

How did the Romans treat Jews?

• Jews refused to worship Roman gods.

• At first the Romans didn’t make the Jews worship Roman gods, but did make the Jews pay taxes instead. They still had to follow Roman rule.

• By 66 C.E. Jewish discontent with Roman rule resulted in rebellion.

• Roman forces captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish temple. Growing numbers of Jews left Judea.

Christianity

Founders of Christianity• Jesus of Nazareth, Around 4 B.C.E. - 30 C.E.(Christians believe he is the son of God)

• Spread by Paul in 1st Century C.E.(Paul was a Jew who converted to

Christianity)

Miracles of Jesus

Brief History• Shares early history with Judaism (Torah = 1st five

books of Old Testament). Ten commandments.

• Life of Jesus: Jewish carpenter preaches new message about God.

• New message (He is Son of God and through faith/forgiveness of sins one can reach heaven).

• Jesus crucified for his beliefs (about age 33yrs).

• Message of Christianity spread throughout Roman Empire by Paul (New Testament letters).

The Beginnings of Christianityin Bethlehem

The Beginnings of Christianityin Bethlehem

Jesus’ MissionJesus’ Mission

Agony in the Garden

Agony in the Garden

CrucifixionCrucifixion

BaptismBaptism

St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

The Spread of Christianity

The Spread of Christianity

Basic Beliefs• Monotheistic: belief in one god

• Jesus is the Son of God, performed miracles (his birth, walk on water, water to wine, dead to life, etc.)

• Jesus died on behalf of sinners

• Holy Trinity: God as Father, Son, Holy Spirit

• Man sins, he needs redemption. Jesus helps to forgive sins

• Get to heaven through forgiveness of sin

• Rituals: Baptism, communion, prayer

• Priests - religious leaders

Holy Trinity

Most Christians believe in: a supreme God, who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and is active in the world as the Holy Spirit.

Sacred Text• Bible (includes Torah as first five books)

• Old Testament: Jewish tradition and prophesy

• New Testament: Jesus’ life and ministry

How did the Romans treat Christians?

• Christians remained a small community under Roman rule and met in secret

• 50 C.E. - 300 C.E.: Emperors tortured/persecuted Christians because they refused to make sacrifices to the emperor

• Christianity outlawed in Roman Empire• Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity • Christianity eventually becomes official religion of Roman

Empire!

Symbols of Christianity

In spite of persecution, Christians grew in numbers rapidly. Christians actively looked for converts. They told others about the benefits of being Christian. Christians came from every walk of life in ancient Rome, but Christianity had great appeal to Rome's poor.  

• Life After Death: Christianity promised life after death in heaven. In the Roman religion, only gods went to heaven. Emperors were considered gods. Everyone else went to the underworld. 

 • Equality: Christianity promised equal opportunity. You could join Christianity and be equally a Christian. In the Roman Empire you had to be born into the nobility.

After nearly 300 years of persecution, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine ruled that Christianity was legal and that Christians would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs. This does not mean that Rome finally had religious freedom. It meant only that it was now legal to worship Roman gods or to be Christian. Every other religion was still illegal. The lack of religious freedom in ancient Rome contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. 

Holy Sites

* Bethlehem: Birth of Jesus

• Site of crucifixion: Jerusalem

• Christians worship in a church

Christianity Today• Today Christianity, which began as a branch of

Judaism has more followers than any other religion in the world.

• Close to 2.1 billion people identify as Christian