Origin of World Religions - Intro. to WRBS.pptx

Origin of World Religions

1. Origin of World Religions What is religion?

2. Origin of World Religions What is religion? religion may be defined as “ an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods” (Merriam Dictionary 2014). the Latin word religio refers to “ something done with overanxious or scrupulous attention to detail ” ( Browker 1997). many may have lived and died within just a short period of time. Kinds Description Monism there is no real distinction between god and the universe Polytheism the belief and worship of many gods Monotheism the doctrine or belief in one supreme god Atheism disbelief in or denial of the existence of a personal god Agnosticism God cannot be known

3. Origin of Religions Since the nineteenth century, people began to show great interest in explaining the origins of religion. In fact, numerous theories have been postulated to explain the origin of religion. Name of Theory Proponent Explanation Animistic Theory Edward Burnett Tylor (1832-1917), English anthropologist Primitive people believed in souls or anima found in people (seen in dreams) and in all of nature. Robert Henry Codrington (1830-1922), Anglican priest and anthropologist He found out that Melanesian people believed in mana , a mysterious force that inhabited all of nature. Nature-Worship Theory Human beings first developed their religion from observations of the forces of nature. Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach (1804-1872), German philosopher and anthropologist There were no gods and that belief in gods was simply wish fulfillment. Wish Fulfillment Theory Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883), German philosopher and sociologist Religions were developed by a few as a means to control the masses and suppress revolution as a result of the continuing struggle between classes. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Austrian neurologist and founder father of psychoanalysis Religion originated from the guilt that individuals feels in hating their father.

4. Historical Background The existence of humankind for so long a time has resulted in the formation of religion and belief systems. It is certain that many religions may have been unrecorded in the past. The table below illustrates some significant dates in the history of the establishment of several world religions. Date Significance c. 2000 B.C.E Time of Abraham, the patriarch of Israel c. 1200 B.C.E Time of Moses, the Hebrew leader of Exodus c. 1100-500 B.C.E Hindus compiled their holy texts, the Vedas c. 563-83 B.C.E Time of the Buddha, founder of Buddhism c. 551-479 B.C.E Time of Confucius, founder of Confucianism c. 200 C.E The Hindu book, Bhagavad Gita, was written c. 2 to 4 B.C.E – 32 C.E Time of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and founder of Christianity c. 32 C.E The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ c. 40 – 90 C.E The New Testament was written by followers of Jesus Christ c. 100 C.E Beginnings of Shintoism (no known founder) c. 500-580 B.C.E Time of Lao Tze , Founder of Daoism c. 570 – 632 C.E Time of Muhammad who recorded the Q’uran as the basis of Islam

5. The Patriarch of Abraham The prophet and patriarch of Abraham played a major role in the establishment of the three monotheistic religions namely: Judaism; Christianity; and Islam These organized religions are collectively known as Abrahamic religions. It is but natural that the three monotheistic religions share some commonalities in their basis tenets. For one, they all worship one supreme being. The ancient Hebrews call their God Elohim, Adonai, or Yahweh. Present – day Judaism uses the names “Lord” and “God”. For the Muslim, they call their God as Allah. Prophets and apostles play major roles Judaism has 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses (it includes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and Joshua) Christianity has 12 apostles , some of whom wrote parts of the New Testament Islam believes that Muhammad is the final prophet or the “ Seal of the Prophets ”

6. The Patriarch of Abraham Prior to the establishment as organized religions, the role of divine revelation or intervention is associated among their ancestors God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Moriah God presented the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai God sacrificed His son Jesus Christ through crucifixion as the plan to salvation God commanded Muhammad to establish a new religion at a cave in Mount Hira. The followers of these three Abrahamic religions are presented with a choice between good and evil.

7. The Indian Mosaic Indian is one of the oldest surviving civilizations, with its history dating back to at least 6500 BCE. Four great religions originated in India. Hinduism; Buddhism; Jainism; Sikhism - and a myriad of cult and local sects. HINDUISM it has no specific founder, no one sacred book, and with innumerable god and goddesses that Hindu can venerate. Hinduism can be considered as museum of religions. It was during the Vedic Period that Hinduism or Sanatama Dharma became systematized as a religion that preached order and purpose to the cosmos and human life. BUDDHISM It centers its attention on the figure of the Buddha , who was not a god but a human being who came to discover how to terminate sufferings in order to escape the painful and continuous cycle of birth . The Mahayana sect of Buddhism differs to Theravada school because of its rich array of buddhas and bodhisattvas who have attained spiritual enlightenment. Called as nirvana .

8. Born near the end of 6 th century BCE, Siddharta Gautama ’s life is closely linked with the historical and religious development of Buddhism in India. Buddhism spread afar and wide from India to Sri Lanka, and to Southeast Asia. Transported to China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Across the Himalayas, it reached the Tibetan lands.

9. v The Way of the Dao CONFUCIANISM Confucius is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher and teacher who lived at the same time as Siddharta Gautama in India. Confucius’ ideals and ethnics as the nation developed meritocracy (power goes to those with superior intellects) as a basic for government official.s Confucian Dao concern human affairs. DAOISM Mysteries abound the birth and life of Laozi (Lao-tzu) who may have written Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching or The Book of the Way and its Power) Around 142 B.C.E Daoism began as an organized religion with the establishment of the Way of the Celestial Master sect by Zhang Daoling during Han Dynasty The writings of Daoism centers on the concept of Dao , means road, path or way in which one does something Daoist Dao means the way the universal work

10. v The Way of the Dao SHINTOISM It is a loosely organized local belief in Japan, somewhat a dedicated religious form of Japanese patriotism. Japanese people believed that their emperors literally descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu The term Shinto was coined around the 16 th century CE to distinguish native belief system. The term came from the Chinese words “ shen ” and “ tao ” means “ the way of the gods ” Of primal importance were the kami that were often defined as the gods but could also refer to deities of heaven and earth

11. Geography of Faith The Western Frontier The Indian Subcontinent The Eastern End

12. 1. The Western Frontier West Asia is the home of three great religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) Israel remains only country in the world with a Jewish-majority population conspiring about 75% of its citizen the Arabian Peninsula , the world’s largest peninsula, consist of countries that are predominantly Islamic in character. (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman) Sacred Mountains Mountains play significant roles in many religious beliefs as these landforms provide ideal settings where gods live or where gods and mortal meets Holy Mountains Location Signifance Mount Ararat Eastern part of Turkey Traditional landing place of Noah’s Ark as narrated in the book of Genesis Mount Sinai Sinai Peninsula in Egypt The peak where Moses received the 10 Commandments Mount Zion/ Mount Moriah Jerusalem Known as the city of David and Temple Mount Mount Tabor Israel Site of transfiguration of Jesus Christ

13. 1. The Western Frontier Vast expanse of deserts and bodies of water also played important roles in biblical history Place Signifance Yam Suph (Red Sea) Israelites crossed this as they escaped from Egyptians land Sinai Desert Israelites lived here en route the Promised Land There are more than a thousand synagogues, more than hundred churches and more than 70 mosques Jerusalem has been sacred for the Christians for almost two thousand years now. Important site include Mount Zion and the Church of the Holy Sepluchre , which is the site of the Golgotha (the place of crucifixion) and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ Located at the Temple Mount , the Islamic Dome of the Rock is the most recognizable structure in Jerusalem. It is believed that the rock is the spot from which Muhammad ascended to heaven . Another Islamic structure is the Al-Aqsa Mosque associated with the night journey undertaken by Muhammad.

14. 2. The Indian Subcontinent Invasion from people originating in Macedonia and Central Asia have added diversity to India’s population and complexity to its culture Because sweltering heat is one major feature in India’s ecological setting, no wonder Hindus revere the ( Suryu ) and fire ( Agni ) Water also plays a major role as evidenced by Hindus venerating a god of water and celestial oceans ( Varuna ) Many ancient pilgrimage sites and cities line up along the Ganga that includes Rishikesh, Haridwar, Prayag, and Varanasi Even Buddhist consider Varanasi as an important site.

15. 3. The Eastern End It is within this context that the great Confucius became fascinated with ethical questions and morality in government officials. Confucius, the main person behind the social philosophy, did not intend to start a new religion but rather expound on the nature of order and stability in the society. During the second millennium after the death of Confucius in 479 B.C.E that the teaching and ideals spread in China. By the time of Han Dynasty , Confucian teachings had became the state religion

16. Cultural Milieu World religions can be regarded along the lines of their exclusivity or non-exclusivity Exclusive religions are oftentimes monotheistic with Judaism, Christianity, Islam . Meanwhile, non-exclusive religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shintoism Monotheism and Universality While Judaism and Islam affirm the presence of one god ( unitarian creed ) Christianity acknowledges one God in three person ( trinitarian creed ): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit The basic principles of the Muslim faith are reflected in the “ Five Pillars of Islam” Both Christianity and Islam are considered universalizing religions because they both attempt to operate on a global scale. On the other hand, Judaism can be considered an ethnic religion because it draws members from a specific group of people